When it comes to managing HR, you need to understand your market, and while you may have got a handle on the Millennials – those who reached young adulthood around the year 2000 – do you know about what’s coming next?
Generation Z (sometimes called the Post-Millennials) are the first generation to have grown up in a truly digital world. They are often referred to as the ‘always-on’ generation. They won’t remember a world without smartphones, and find the idea of being unable to be connected to friends, family and indeed the rest of the world by phone and internet completely alien.
So, have you thought about how you might be planning to attract, recruit and retain this new influx of workers?
The UK also has a severe digital skills shortage, so these young people, with their in-built digital skills are going to be hugely valuable in the workplace. But you need to be aware that their attitudes and expectations around the working environment could be vastly different to the previous generation.
Report Findings
The findings of the Amaze Generation: digital me report which has studied 10 to 15-year-olds over the past five years, are intriguing. It revealed that these young people have developed processes and strategies to deal with the digital world around them, in every aspect of their life from relationships, self-esteem and careers to education, pastimes and shopping.
They are not, as you might have first thought, digital slaves obsessed with taking selfies, instead they are shaping and moulding the digital world around them. See the video here. They are already digital strategists and content editors – though they may not realise it yet – they edit their own personae online and create their own personal brands. They want constant communication, but in a form of their own – they want intimate networks, not intrusion.
What this means to an organisation
As they come into the workplace, Generation Z will already be able to manage their own lives from a smartphone, and be capable of dealing with the latest technologies or new trends quickly. They will be surprised if their workplace cannot do the same.
They won’t be scared of new technologies and processes, they will be able to work around them, not be scared that a new development will take their job away.
You can expect them to challenge communication technologies and processes, as well as ways of remote working – and coming up with their own, probably improved methods of working.
And for HR…
As HR professionals, we will have to be aware that they are used to getting almost instant feedback and will want their working lives to offer positive experiences. They will be looking for the freedom and flexibility to be creative, and will expect to work in an atmosphere where they feel valued and where they can achieve their potential.
So how can you attract these Post-Milennials to your organisation? Well, make sure they know that they can have an input into the way the company works, and that their ideas will be appreciated. You need to ensure they feel like they will have a future with your organisation – managers should have genuine conversations with them, recognise their good work, and offer decent benefits and salaries.
If you commit to investing in these young employees, allow them the freedom to grow and thrive and they will reward you with their loyalty and their talent.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ID-100340636.jpg266400Janhttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngJan2017-06-14 13:29:282017-07-31 18:21:55The Youth of Today – Are you Ready for Generation Z?
From political discussions in the office to what the election result could mean to you, here’s what you need to know…
One of the first issues when a general election is called is the matter of politics within the workplace.
Of course, you can’t ban any talk of politics or the general election – it will be uppermost in many people’s minds and on the news constantly. But you are entitled to stop political campaigning at work, which might cause disruption or upset to your staff or customers – and of course if they try to use work equipment for their campaigning, for instance, using the photocopier to produces masses of leaflets.
You are also entitled to stop any political symbols being worn at work. Do you have a dress code or a policy on political activities in the workplace? Use these to let your staff know about your expectations. And with Brexit being at the fore of all parties campaigning in the run-up to the election, any comments that could be construed as harassment, particularly towards other nationalities, is a strict no-go area. HR departments may need to be prepared for conflict on this matter.
So, onto the election and the policies that could affect those of us working in HR.
Conservative Plans
It is expected that Theresa May is planning to protect workers’ rights, as she is said to want to create a fairer, equal society and to aid social mobility. The Conservatives said they would ‘protect and enhance’ workers’ rights in the Brexit White Paper – which would include the three million EU nationals living in the UK, as well as UK citizens in the EU.
Most parties want to keep the employment rights we already enjoy under the EU, so hopefully most of these won’t be changed much, whoever wins the election.
Hopefully May will also stay firm to her promise to help to end the stigma of mental health in the workplace, and the Tories have already promised to back legislation on the gender pay gap – so let’s hope that won’t change either.
Labour Plans
If Labour come to power, Jeremy Corbyn has promised that they would raise the minimum wage for all to a minimum of £10 an hour by 2020. Good news for employees, although there may be some companies questioning if they could afford it. Labour also want to add another four bank holidays to the calendar – these could be especially significant for companies that work with counterparts overseas who don’t have the same days off.
At the moment, the Taylor Review is looking into modern employment practices, including the gig economy and zero hour contracts – so it is hoped that this does not get forgotten amongst all the political campaigning – and its findings overlooked. Read more on the review here.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Election-2017.jpg400400Janhttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngJan2017-05-22 12:59:162017-07-31 18:21:38What HR Professionals Need to Know about the General Election
This is the last time that we will see a Spring Budget – the main budget will be seen in the Autumn from now on – so the way businesses plan their year may also change in response to this.
These are the main points that concern HR and human resources departments:
Self-employment
The announced plan to increase NI rates of the self-employed was met by uproar, especially as the present government has made a pledge to support the small business. As a result, Chancellor Philip Hammond had to make a U-turn on this in the days that followed the announcement. Good news for the moment for the ever-increasing gig economy. Read our previous blogs on the Gig Economy here.
The initial decision was intended to help even up the tax benefits between employed and self-employed people, with Hammond stating that there was around a £4,000 disparity between the tax paid by an employed and self-employed person each earning £32,000. However, as critics have stated, the self-employed don’t benefit from the likes of sick pay, holiday pay and maternity pay to name just a few.
But as more people diversify in their working lives, experts say that this has only served to highlight that issues with taxation will become ever more complex – and could be a threat to the gig economy if people can no longer afford to freelance.
Back to work
An interesting development for those of us in HR is the promise to support those returning to work after a career break. A total of £5 million has been set aside to help these people, which will of course include many women coming back into the workforce after having children.
Business rate
Business rates are set to be capped, so that they will not rise by more than £50 a month. A £300m discretionary fund will go to local authorities to enable them to help businesses with their rates where they see fit.
National Living Wage
As we know from the Autumn Statement, the National Living Wage is set to increase to £7.50 this month. The personal tax allowance rises to £11,500 and the higher tax rate now starts at £45,000.
Educations, skills and training
Technical skills come into focus, with the launch of T-Levels, for those training in the sector from age 16-19, while the number of technical courses available will be cut in order to raise the quality of the remaining ones. £40 million will be ploughed into the Department of Education to test and pilot a number of lifelong learning projects. Increasing STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and maths) in schools is also going to be a priority.
And finally, you should have heard from the Pensions Adviser or someone in your organisation who may have information about your staging date. Most payroll companies use the auto-enrolment software and can set up the scheme, but if you have any queries please contact us at admin@embracehr.co.uk.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Business-Planning.jpg264400Alisonhttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngAlison2017-04-21 16:32:412018-05-30 09:01:11The Budget and what it means for HR
Cecily Lalloo is delighted to announce that her company – Embrace HR Limited – has won ‘Aylesbury Business of the Year’ Award at the inaugural SME Buckinghamshire Business Awards, which took place at the Double Tree Hotel, Milton Keynes, on Thursday 30 March 2017.
As Cecily Lalloo was out of the country at the time of the award she invited her team, clients and other small businesses who had supported the company’s growth to attend on her behalf – “I’d asked Shirley Parsons to accept on my behalf as I have known her since 1996 as my former employer, and then client and mentor. Everyone was so excited on my behalf and FaceTimed me the news.”
The requirements of the award, sponsored by Events & PR, were to show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination, as well as sound management practices. In addition to being based in Aylesbury, entrants to this award were also expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
Embrace HR Limited was started in 2009 and, as the company gained more clients, Director, Cecily Lalloo recruited VA’s (Virtual Assistants) and other HR associates to support the business, growing quickly to a team of six. In March 2016, the business moved to premises in Porters Lodge, Aylesbury.
The awards were launched on Valentine’s Day, inviting business leaders to show the love for what they do. In the business community, SME stands for ‘small to medium enterprise’ but in this instance, said Ian Cording, FSB Regional Chairman, “stand for ‘smooth, mad-for and embrace’”.
Cecily Lalloo, said “I am absolutely over the moon! I am passionate about my business and the work that we do and extremely proud of Embrace HR, so its lovely to gain recognition by winning the award. Like many other small businesses, I work with other small businesses and find this works well for us all.”
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Photo-from-awards-dinner.jpg30934374Alisonhttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngAlison2017-04-07 10:43:302017-07-31 18:20:06Embrace HR Wins Aylesbury Business of the Year Award
We are recruiting for our client who is looking for 2 support staff to assist with autistic children – brother and sister – at their own home in Westcliffe on Sea.
Pay: from £11 per hour weekdays and from £12 per hour weekends.
Please quote the relevant reference number in your application.
Support Worker – Ref RK/01
Minimum 12 hours per week during school terms; and school holidays when working times may be different
Term time hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – total of 6 hours before and after school
*Female Special Needs Nanny – Ref RK/02
Minimum 24 hours per week during school terms; and school holidays when working times may vary
Term time hours: Thursday and Friday – total of 6 hours before and after school; and Saturday and Sunday – total of 3 hours
Who you are
You will be reliable, trustworthy and have experience working with children with autism (ASD) and additional needs including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and cerebral palsy. You must be confident to work in the client’s own home as well giving supporting in the community.
The children
Both children are academically bright, however, they require guidance and assistance when interacting with others and benefit from routines and consistent direction/prompts from their caregivers. They find social situations difficult to manage and their thought processes are rigid, there is only ‘black and white’ with ‘no grey’ areas. There are four children in the home which can result in frequent incidents of difficulties and outbursts.
The children lead active lives with activities such as swimming, football, tennis and basketball and you will be expected to take part in these activities in the home and the wider community. You will have good IT and numeracy skills to support with educational tasks to further their learning, therefore your spoken English should be excellent to assist with speech and language tasks.
The role
You will be required to undertake domestic tasks relating to the client and children such as helping with dressing, planning activities, cleaning up following kitchen tasks, tidying the house following use and supporting the siblings when required. You will work closely with the family and their therapy teams and implement their daily therapeutic programmes.
You should have a full UK driving license plus use of your own vehicle.
Your role will include accompanying the family on annual holidays as well as on whole day activities.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Happy to learn new things in accordance with the clients programme
Aptitude and desire to work with young people with complex needs
Able to demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality and privacy
*Fit and well to carry out activities such as swimming, playing in the park, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy activities.
Confident and prepared to listen and learn new things
Patience and tolerance
Ability to work as part of a team
Responsible attitude
Ability to work under own initiative and be creative
Excellent planning skills and ability ‘risk assess’ activities
Excellent communication and social skills
Reliable and trustworthy
Sense of humour
Organised and an excellent time keeper
This post operates a non-smoking environment at all times
Training and support will be provided (outside of normal working hours)
* The Employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
How your staff engage at work is vital for productivity, as well as staff recruitment and retention.
Customer experience is now all-important for those in the retail, entertainment and hospitality arenas, especially as the landscape has changed, allowing customers to review their experiences – good or bad – almost instantly on social media.
The level of care that is given to these customers is something that HR professionals now need to focus on, as employees expect the same kind of consumer-style experience at work – and will be passing on the same kind of reviews when they leave.
When we watch Netflix, for example, it looks at our choices and offers up more films and TV programmes than it thinks we will like. HR needs to do the same thing in the workplace – offering a personalised experience, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Companies are using the Cloud, artificial intelligence and mobile computing to develop their businesses in every aspect – and that includes HR. HR departments in big players such as General Electric and IBM are making the whole employee experience human-centered – ironically by using the latest technology.
At General Electric, they now have a Head of Employee Experience, who looks at everything that can help staff be happier and therefore more productive – their environment, the tools they use and the technology they have access to.
And a study by The Future Workplace and Beyond.com – The Active Job Seeker Dilemma – showed that more investment was now going into training, improving work spaces and offering more rewards. Offering a better employee experience will help you to attract and retain the best talent in your industry.
The working environment
Most offices these days are open plan – interestingly, it has been mooted that these spaces are designed for extroverts, who need plenty of stimulation from colleagues, but for the introverts, who can be just as creative and talented, the space does not work so well.
A study by Steelcase across 17 countries found that staff who had control over where and how they worked, and who had the freedom to choose a work space to suit the job in hand – were 88% more engaged at work.
Take a look at how your work spaces work for various kinds of people – and different kinds of work. Apply your own feelings on where you like to work, where you like to go to get a job sorted, areas where you avoid working or meeting. Are there spaces for sitting quietly and concentrating, breakout areas for informal creative discussions and so on?
The employee experience should be as important as the customer experience. Your company probably considers every interaction that the potential customer will make with the organisation, from their first visit to the website, to their purchase, aftercare and beyond. This is how you need to look at the potential employee – consider their experience from that first recruitment ad to their first day at work, the last day, and everything in between and beyond – how you can support them, and guide them on their journey through your organisation.
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
VARIOUS CARER ROLES – permanent, night maternity cover, bank workers
The Role
Our client is looking for support staff to assist with their 13-year old son who has complex needs arising from injuries as a consequence of an illness when he was a few months old.The role will be working with the family; mother, father and older brother in North London, N14.
Our client’s needs include cerebral palsy which affects his whole body and developmental delay. He has associated severe learning difficulties, no verbal communication and poor fine motor skills and requires constant supervision and care with all aspects of his daily living, including drinking and feeding, as well as personal care. He has epilepsy and can present with numerous seizures during a shift.
About you
You will have experience looking after children with such complex needs and also working with physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and other therapy teams. You will be able to keep records and implement programmes to promote our client’s learning, care and independence in the home and community.
We are looking for happy, lively people with outgoing personalities. Our client enjoys tactile play and spending time with his parents and brother doing activities which enable him to access the community. Candidates may be requested to accompany the family on holidays so this should be a consideration when applying for this role.
Pay rates per hour
Day hours: £12 weekdays / £13 weekends
Night Waking hours: £13 weekdays / £14 weekends
Carer – Permanent School Holidays:
40 hr per week, 13 weeks a year
Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4.30 pm
Carer:
Week 1: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm Mon and Thu plus 8.30 am – 4.00 pm Saturday
Week 2: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm Mon and Thu plus 8:30 am – 9.00 pm Saturday.
Waking Night Carer (maternity cover):
3 x 12-hour night shifts per fortnight (average of 18 hours per week)
Join our Bank Workers list:
To cover roles and hours as above.
Other requirements
You should have a full UK driving licence, be willing to support our clients on annual holidays and whole day activities and we are looking for a confident swimmer.
You will help with domestic tasks relating to the client such as helping with dressing, cleaning his equipment, cleaning up following kitchen tasks and washing. These essential tasks need to be undertaken in order to allow his parents to spend more one-on-one time with our client.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Full Driving licence to drive in the UK
Confident in water
Flexible approach to working hours (able to accommodate the client’s wishes for start and finish times and accompany on family holidays)
Confident working in client’s home and sensitive to their needs and wishes
Experience working with children with special needs
Experience working with a team of therapists and being a team player
Confident supporting the client in accessing the wider community
Happy to learn new things in accordance with the client’s programme
Aptitude and desire to work with young people with complex needs
*Physically fit – even with specialist equipment in place and appropriate training, it is important that you are physically fit. A Handling Management Plan designed to reduce the risk of handling injuries may require you to bend, kneel, squat or lunge to ensure good posture during handling tasks.
Able to demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality and privacy
Confident and prepared to listen and learn new things
Patient, tolerant and with a responsible attitude
Ability to work under own initiative show creativity
Excellent planning skills and able to ‘riskassess’ activities
Excellent communication, social, literacy and numeracy skills
Excellent spoken English to assist with speech and language therapy tasks
Confident using IT
Reliable, trustworthy with a good sense of humour
Organised and an excellent time keeper.
This post operates a non-smoking environment at all times
Training and support will be provided (outside of normal contracted / working hours)
No agencies please
* The Employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Embrace-HR-Twitter_Logo-2.jpg400400Cecily Lalloohttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngCecily Lalloo2017-03-06 22:22:482017-04-21 15:45:23CARER IN LONDON N14
£12.00 per hour weekdays and £14.00 per hour weekends
If you have experience of working with children with special needs, or can demonstrate a genuine interest in this area, with the right aptitude and willingness to learn, we would like to hear from you. We can offer a rewarding job with a bright and enthusiastic 8-year old boy who has cerebral palsy and non-verbal communication needs. Our client lives at home in spacious accommodation in CM22, Essex with his mother, needing support in all activities of daily living including personal hygiene, feeding and dressing. He also needs support when enjoying out of school outdoor activities such as ice skating.
You will need to be:
Confident and respectful about working in the client’s own home
Keen to learn new things e.g. personal care routines (training will be given)
Proactive with an encouraging approach and able to positively engage with the client
Able to work under your own initiative in a family setting
Able to undertake all aspects of the handling management plan using specialist equipment
A basic knowledge and understanding of computers, and the ability to operate electronic devices is desirable
Car driver desirable
We can offer:
A rewarding and enjoyable role
Training and development, including use of Eye Gaze technology
Good rates of pay
Flexible working – hours are available to cover Thursday to Sunday during school term time. Hours required on other days and some support is required also during school holidays.
Weekday hours include 7 – 9 a.m, 4 – 8 p.m. and sleeping nights 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Weekends and holidays 7 a.m. to 8 pm and sleeping nights.
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Closing date for applications 9 April 2017
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
The job will involve working with a 16-year-old girl who has learning difficulties. She is a very happy girl and does not present with challenging behavior. She lives at home in a loving, stable family environment. She has severe physical, cognitive and communication difficulties.
The family home has been fully adapted to her needs and provides spacious accommodation with new equipment. The post will involve working within the family environment, at the child’s home, as well as with activities away from the home, providing assistance in all activities of daily living, personal hygiene, feeding and dressing. Training and support will be provided.
The existing support team would welcome you and all work well together. All care tasks are completed with two carers so support and assistance is constantly available.
Are you?
Confident about working in client’s own home and sensitive to the needs and wishes of the parents.
Happy to learn new things, personal care routine etc (training will be given)
Patient and tolerant.
Proactive with an encouraging approach.
Responsible and able to work under own initiative.
Cheerful, caring with a positive attitude.
Reliable, trustworthy and a good communicator.
Flexible – to cover other care staff shifts to ensure the smooth running of the care team.
Physically fit and well for moving and handling purposes.
Experience:
Experience in caring for children/young people with disabilities is an advantage; however enthusiasm, patience and willingness to learn are key aspects of the role.
Hours:
We have available shifts as follows:
Waking night shift hours:
Thursday nights 22.00 – 09.00 additional overtime is available.
School Holidays:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday 09.00 – 15.30 and 15.30 to 22.00
Remuneration:
You will be paid between £11 and £14 per hour depending on shift worked and experience and National Minimum Wage NMW + £1 for a sleeping night, as well as receiving ongoing training and support.
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A car driver is desirable.
Closing date for applications: 14 March 2017
* The employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR Limited is not a recruitment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
https://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Embrace-HR-Twitter_Logo-2.jpg400400Cecily Lalloohttps://embracehr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/embrace-hr-logo.pngCecily Lalloo2017-03-01 21:34:252017-10-27 18:39:27Female Carer in Luton - CLOSED
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The Youth of Today – Are you Ready for Generation Z?
When it comes to managing HR, you need to understand your market, and while you may have got a handle on the Millennials – those who reached young adulthood around the year 2000 – do you know about what’s coming next?
Generation Z (sometimes called the Post-Millennials) are the first generation to have grown up in a truly digital world. They are often referred to as the ‘always-on’ generation. They won’t remember a world without smartphones, and find the idea of being unable to be connected to friends, family and indeed the rest of the world by phone and internet completely alien.
So, have you thought about how you might be planning to attract, recruit and retain this new influx of workers?
The UK also has a severe digital skills shortage, so these young people, with their in-built digital skills are going to be hugely valuable in the workplace. But you need to be aware that their attitudes and expectations around the working environment could be vastly different to the previous generation.
Report Findings
The findings of the Amaze Generation: digital me report which has studied 10 to 15-year-olds over the past five years, are intriguing. It revealed that these young people have developed processes and strategies to deal with the digital world around them, in every aspect of their life from relationships, self-esteem and careers to education, pastimes and shopping.
They are not, as you might have first thought, digital slaves obsessed with taking selfies, instead they are shaping and moulding the digital world around them. See the video here. They are already digital strategists and content editors – though they may not realise it yet – they edit their own personae online and create their own personal brands. They want constant communication, but in a form of their own – they want intimate networks, not intrusion.
What this means to an organisation
As they come into the workplace, Generation Z will already be able to manage their own lives from a smartphone, and be capable of dealing with the latest technologies or new trends quickly. They will be surprised if their workplace cannot do the same.
They won’t be scared of new technologies and processes, they will be able to work around them, not be scared that a new development will take their job away.
You can expect them to challenge communication technologies and processes, as well as ways of remote working – and coming up with their own, probably improved methods of working.
And for HR…
As HR professionals, we will have to be aware that they are used to getting almost instant feedback and will want their working lives to offer positive experiences. They will be looking for the freedom and flexibility to be creative, and will expect to work in an atmosphere where they feel valued and where they can achieve their potential.
So how can you attract these Post-Milennials to your organisation? Well, make sure they know that they can have an input into the way the company works, and that their ideas will be appreciated. You need to ensure they feel like they will have a future with your organisation – managers should have genuine conversations with them, recognise their good work, and offer decent benefits and salaries.
If you commit to investing in these young employees, allow them the freedom to grow and thrive and they will reward you with their loyalty and their talent.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
T: 07767 308717 or send a message.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
What HR Professionals Need to Know about the General Election
From political discussions in the office to what the election result could mean to you, here’s what you need to know…
One of the first issues when a general election is called is the matter of politics within the workplace.
Of course, you can’t ban any talk of politics or the general election – it will be uppermost in many people’s minds and on the news constantly. But you are entitled to stop political campaigning at work, which might cause disruption or upset to your staff or customers – and of course if they try to use work equipment for their campaigning, for instance, using the photocopier to produces masses of leaflets.
You are also entitled to stop any political symbols being worn at work. Do you have a dress code or a policy on political activities in the workplace? Use these to let your staff know about your expectations. And with Brexit being at the fore of all parties campaigning in the run-up to the election, any comments that could be construed as harassment, particularly towards other nationalities, is a strict no-go area. HR departments may need to be prepared for conflict on this matter.
So, onto the election and the policies that could affect those of us working in HR.
Conservative Plans
It is expected that Theresa May is planning to protect workers’ rights, as she is said to want to create a fairer, equal society and to aid social mobility. The Conservatives said they would ‘protect and enhance’ workers’ rights in the Brexit White Paper – which would include the three million EU nationals living in the UK, as well as UK citizens in the EU.
Most parties want to keep the employment rights we already enjoy under the EU, so hopefully most of these won’t be changed much, whoever wins the election.
Hopefully May will also stay firm to her promise to help to end the stigma of mental health in the workplace, and the Tories have already promised to back legislation on the gender pay gap – so let’s hope that won’t change either.
Labour Plans
If Labour come to power, Jeremy Corbyn has promised that they would raise the minimum wage for all to a minimum of £10 an hour by 2020. Good news for employees, although there may be some companies questioning if they could afford it. Labour also want to add another four bank holidays to the calendar – these could be especially significant for companies that work with counterparts overseas who don’t have the same days off.
At the moment, the Taylor Review is looking into modern employment practices, including the gig economy and zero hour contracts – so it is hoped that this does not get forgotten amongst all the political campaigning – and its findings overlooked. Read more on the review here.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
T: 07767 308717 or send a message.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
The Budget and what it means for HR
This is the last time that we will see a Spring Budget – the main budget will be seen in the Autumn from now on – so the way businesses plan their year may also change in response to this.
These are the main points that concern HR and human resources departments:
Self-employment
The announced plan to increase NI rates of the self-employed was met by uproar, especially as the present government has made a pledge to support the small business. As a result, Chancellor Philip Hammond had to make a U-turn on this in the days that followed the announcement. Good news for the moment for the ever-increasing gig economy. Read our previous blogs on the Gig Economy here.
The initial decision was intended to help even up the tax benefits between employed and self-employed people, with Hammond stating that there was around a £4,000 disparity between the tax paid by an employed and self-employed person each earning £32,000. However, as critics have stated, the self-employed don’t benefit from the likes of sick pay, holiday pay and maternity pay to name just a few.
But as more people diversify in their working lives, experts say that this has only served to highlight that issues with taxation will become ever more complex – and could be a threat to the gig economy if people can no longer afford to freelance.
Back to work
An interesting development for those of us in HR is the promise to support those returning to work after a career break. A total of £5 million has been set aside to help these people, which will of course include many women coming back into the workforce after having children.
Business rate
Business rates are set to be capped, so that they will not rise by more than £50 a month. A £300m discretionary fund will go to local authorities to enable them to help businesses with their rates where they see fit.
National Living Wage
As we know from the Autumn Statement, the National Living Wage is set to increase to £7.50 this month. The personal tax allowance rises to £11,500 and the higher tax rate now starts at £45,000.
Educations, skills and training
Technical skills come into focus, with the launch of T-Levels, for those training in the sector from age 16-19, while the number of technical courses available will be cut in order to raise the quality of the remaining ones. £40 million will be ploughed into the Department of Education to test and pilot a number of lifelong learning projects. Increasing STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and maths) in schools is also going to be a priority.
And finally, you should have heard from the Pensions Adviser or someone in your organisation who may have information about your staging date. Most payroll companies use the auto-enrolment software and can set up the scheme, but if you have any queries please contact us at admin@embracehr.co.uk.
If you would like to discuss this subject further and how it may affect your business, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
T: 07767 308717 or send a message.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR Wins Aylesbury Business of the Year Award
Cecily Lalloo is delighted to announce that her company – Embrace HR Limited – has won ‘Aylesbury Business of the Year’ Award at the inaugural SME Buckinghamshire Business Awards, which took place at the Double Tree Hotel, Milton Keynes, on Thursday 30 March 2017.
As Cecily Lalloo was out of the country at the time of the award she invited her team, clients and other small businesses who had supported the company’s growth to attend on her behalf – “I’d asked Shirley Parsons to accept on my behalf as I have known her since 1996 as my former employer, and then client and mentor. Everyone was so excited on my behalf and FaceTimed me the news.”
The requirements of the award, sponsored by Events & PR, were to show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination, as well as sound management practices. In addition to being based in Aylesbury, entrants to this award were also expected to demonstrate sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
Embrace HR Limited was started in 2009 and, as the company gained more clients, Director, Cecily Lalloo recruited VA’s (Virtual Assistants) and other HR associates to support the business, growing quickly to a team of six. In March 2016, the business moved to premises in Porters Lodge, Aylesbury.
The awards were launched on Valentine’s Day, inviting business leaders to show the love for what they do. In the business community, SME stands for ‘small to medium enterprise’ but in this instance, said Ian Cording, FSB Regional Chairman, “stand for ‘smooth, mad-for and embrace’”.
Cecily Lalloo, said “I am absolutely over the moon! I am passionate about my business and the work that we do and extremely proud of Embrace HR, so its lovely to gain recognition by winning the award. Like many other small businesses, I work with other small businesses and find this works well for us all.”
For further information, visit www.embracehr.co.uk or contact Cecily Lalloo on telephone: 07767 308717 or send a message.
Support Worker and Female Special Needs Nanny, Westcliffe on Sea – CLOSED
We are recruiting for our client who is looking for 2 support staff to assist with autistic children – brother and sister – at their own home in Westcliffe on Sea.
Pay: from £11 per hour weekdays and from £12 per hour weekends.
Please quote the relevant reference number in your application.
Support Worker – Ref RK/01
*Female Special Needs Nanny – Ref RK/02
Who you are
You will be reliable, trustworthy and have experience working with children with autism (ASD) and additional needs including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and cerebral palsy. You must be confident to work in the client’s own home as well giving supporting in the community.
The children
Both children are academically bright, however, they require guidance and assistance when interacting with others and benefit from routines and consistent direction/prompts from their caregivers. They find social situations difficult to manage and their thought processes are rigid, there is only ‘black and white’ with ‘no grey’ areas. There are four children in the home which can result in frequent incidents of difficulties and outbursts.
The children lead active lives with activities such as swimming, football, tennis and basketball and you will be expected to take part in these activities in the home and the wider community. You will have good IT and numeracy skills to support with educational tasks to further their learning, therefore your spoken English should be excellent to assist with speech and language tasks.
The role
You will be required to undertake domestic tasks relating to the client and children such as helping with dressing, planning activities, cleaning up following kitchen tasks, tidying the house following use and supporting the siblings when required. You will work closely with the family and their therapy teams and implement their daily therapeutic programmes.
You should have a full UK driving license plus use of your own vehicle.
Your role will include accompanying the family on annual holidays as well as on whole day activities.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
This post operates a non-smoking environment at all times
Training and support will be provided (outside of normal working hours)
* The Employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
Apply NOW sending your CV and cover letter
For a full job description and an application pack click here to complete our contact form quoting :
Ref RK/01 for the Support Worker
Ref RK/02 for the *Female Special Needs Nanny
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
If you are an agency please do not contact us.
The Employee Experience
How your staff engage at work is vital for productivity, as well as staff recruitment and retention.
Customer experience is now all-important for those in the retail, entertainment and hospitality arenas, especially as the landscape has changed, allowing customers to review their experiences – good or bad – almost instantly on social media.
The level of care that is given to these customers is something that HR professionals now need to focus on, as employees expect the same kind of consumer-style experience at work – and will be passing on the same kind of reviews when they leave.
When we watch Netflix, for example, it looks at our choices and offers up more films and TV programmes than it thinks we will like. HR needs to do the same thing in the workplace – offering a personalised experience, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Companies are using the Cloud, artificial intelligence and mobile computing to develop their businesses in every aspect – and that includes HR. HR departments in big players such as General Electric and IBM are making the whole employee experience human-centered – ironically by using the latest technology.
At General Electric, they now have a Head of Employee Experience, who looks at everything that can help staff be happier and therefore more productive – their environment, the tools they use and the technology they have access to.
And a study by The Future Workplace and Beyond.com – The Active Job Seeker Dilemma – showed that more investment was now going into training, improving work spaces and offering more rewards. Offering a better employee experience will help you to attract and retain the best talent in your industry.
The working environment
Most offices these days are open plan – interestingly, it has been mooted that these spaces are designed for extroverts, who need plenty of stimulation from colleagues, but for the introverts, who can be just as creative and talented, the space does not work so well.
A study by Steelcase across 17 countries found that staff who had control over where and how they worked, and who had the freedom to choose a work space to suit the job in hand – were 88% more engaged at work.
Take a look at how your work spaces work for various kinds of people – and different kinds of work. Apply your own feelings on where you like to work, where you like to go to get a job sorted, areas where you avoid working or meeting. Are there spaces for sitting quietly and concentrating, breakout areas for informal creative discussions and so on?
The employee experience should be as important as the customer experience. Your company probably considers every interaction that the potential customer will make with the organisation, from their first visit to the website, to their purchase, aftercare and beyond. This is how you need to look at the potential employee – consider their experience from that first recruitment ad to their first day at work, the last day, and everything in between and beyond – how you can support them, and guide them on their journey through your organisation.
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Cecily Lalloo at Embrace HR.
T: 07767 308717 or send a message.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
CARER IN LONDON N14
VARIOUS CARER ROLES – permanent, night maternity cover, bank workers
The Role
Our client is looking for support staff to assist with their 13-year old son who has complex needs arising from injuries as a consequence of an illness when he was a few months old.The role will be working with the family; mother, father and older brother in North London, N14.
Our client’s needs include cerebral palsy which affects his whole body and developmental delay. He has associated severe learning difficulties, no verbal communication and poor fine motor skills and requires constant supervision and care with all aspects of his daily living, including drinking and feeding, as well as personal care. He has epilepsy and can present with numerous seizures during a shift.
About you
You will have experience looking after children with such complex needs and also working with physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and other therapy teams. You will be able to keep records and implement programmes to promote our client’s learning, care and independence in the home and community.
We are looking for happy, lively people with outgoing personalities. Our client enjoys tactile play and spending time with his parents and brother doing activities which enable him to access the community. Candidates may be requested to accompany the family on holidays so this should be a consideration when applying for this role.
Pay rates per hour
Day hours: £12 weekdays / £13 weekends
Night Waking hours: £13 weekdays / £14 weekends
Carer – Permanent School Holidays:
40 hr per week, 13 weeks a year
Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4.30 pm
Carer:
Week 1: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm Mon and Thu plus 8.30 am – 4.00 pm Saturday
Week 2: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm Mon and Thu plus 8:30 am – 9.00 pm Saturday.
Waking Night Carer (maternity cover):
3 x 12-hour night shifts per fortnight (average of 18 hours per week)
Join our Bank Workers list:
To cover roles and hours as above.
Other requirements
You should have a full UK driving licence, be willing to support our clients on annual holidays and whole day activities and we are looking for a confident swimmer.
You will help with domestic tasks relating to the client such as helping with dressing, cleaning his equipment, cleaning up following kitchen tasks and washing. These essential tasks need to be undertaken in order to allow his parents to spend more one-on-one time with our client.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
This post operates a non-smoking environment at all times
Training and support will be provided (outside of normal contracted / working hours)
No agencies please
* The Employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
For a full job description and an application pack click here to complete our contact form quoting reference JAEMB-MAR2017.
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
Support Workers in CM22 Essex – CLOSED
Support Workers : Part-time and Bank in Essex
Pay:
£12.00 per hour weekdays and £14.00 per hour weekends
If you have experience of working with children with special needs, or can demonstrate a genuine interest in this area, with the right aptitude and willingness to learn, we would like to hear from you. We can offer a rewarding job with a bright and enthusiastic 8-year old boy who has cerebral palsy and non-verbal communication needs. Our client lives at home in spacious accommodation in CM22, Essex with his mother, needing support in all activities of daily living including personal hygiene, feeding and dressing. He also needs support when enjoying out of school outdoor activities such as ice skating.
You will need to be:
We can offer:
For a full job description and and application pack click here to complete our contact form quoting reference JBMAR2017.
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being employed.
Closing date for applications 9 April 2017
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports independent case managers, and business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR is not an employment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
Female Carer in Luton – CLOSED
About the role
The job will involve working with a 16-year-old girl who has learning difficulties. She is a very happy girl and does not present with challenging behavior. She lives at home in a loving, stable family environment. She has severe physical, cognitive and communication difficulties.
The family home has been fully adapted to her needs and provides spacious accommodation with new equipment. The post will involve working within the family environment, at the child’s home, as well as with activities away from the home, providing assistance in all activities of daily living, personal hygiene, feeding and dressing. Training and support will be provided.
The existing support team would welcome you and all work well together. All care tasks are completed with two carers so support and assistance is constantly available.
Are you?
Experience:
Experience in caring for children/young people with disabilities is an advantage; however enthusiasm, patience and willingness to learn are key aspects of the role.
Hours:
We have available shifts as follows:
Waking night shift hours:
Thursday nights 22.00 – 09.00 additional overtime is available.
School Holidays:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday 09.00 – 15.30 and 15.30 to 22.00
Remuneration:
You will be paid between £11 and £14 per hour depending on shift worked and experience and National Minimum Wage NMW + £1 for a sleeping night, as well as receiving ongoing training and support.
Satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS disclosure and proof of eligibility to work in the UK are essential. A car driver is desirable.
Closing date for applications: 14 March 2017
* The employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010
COMPLETE OUR CONTACT FORM for a full job description and application pack – click here quoting reference EMB-SA-NO-022017.
Based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Embrace HR supports business owners who do not have their own HR department or those that do but need help from time to time. We also work across the Home Counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and also SMEs based in London.
Embrace HR Limited is not a recruitment agency. We recruit directly for our clients.
No agencies please.