HR Horrors

As it is Halloween, we thought we would treat you to a few of our shocking HR tales in hopes you can pick up some tips and tricks to avoid ending up in a similar situation.

Disclaimer: these stories are true; readers are advised take note!

“I didn’t know my employee was pregnant until she was in labour”

You think you’d know if your employee was pregnant right? Especially when they have been sat next to you for the past 9 months! Well, so did this employer… until the individual called in sick as they were 40 weeks pregnant and in labour!

You would assume as an employer to be notified when an employee falls pregnant however, as proven by the above, that’s not always the case. It’s therefore important to ensure that you have other measures in place to flag up welfare concerns. These should include:

• Creating an environment free from judgement around family leave or familial commitments and be mindful of how family leave is discussed around the workplace
• Introducing a family leave policy outlining reporting requirements and entitlements to leave/pay
• Being open about the support and health and safety provisions which will be taken for pregnant & breastfeeding staff
• Training management on how to build and maintain effective communication and relationships with staff
• Addressing any changes to an employee’s behaviour or appearance via your welfare procedures
• Keeping any eye out for welfare concerns i.e. is your employee taking their breaks throughout their working day, has there been an increase in absence, timekeeping, performance etc. 

“We’ve had a busy year and now the team have three months to use up all their holidays”

When work is busy, the last thing you want to add into the mix is holiday cover but putting this off will only lead to operational difficulties later in the year. It also presents a health and safety risk for staff if they aren’t getting adequate rest throughout the year. 

As an employer you should be proactively monitoring holiday usage throughout the year and ensuring time off is evenly distributed around your team and work commitments. If you would like more governance over when leave is taken, you can serve notice for staff to take their holiday at a time suitable for the business (subject to serving double the amount of notice for the number of days you would like them to take). Moreover, your holiday policy can specify certain periods in the year when holidays will not be authorised.

“I’ve just read a press article about my employee being sentenced to immediate imprisonment, but I didn’t even know they were due in court or had any charges against them”

Unless you operate in an industry which requires staff to undertake DBS checks or it is widely known that your employee has been involved in a criminal matter, then chances are, you won’t find out about their pending criminal charges, unless they are declared. For that reason, it’s common for employers to find out about convictions close to or after court dates. So, how can you avoid this situation?

• Ensure that your contracts specify that there should be no court order or undertaking restricting an individual from performing their obligations under it
• Specify that criminal activity which is inconsistent with continued employment will be considered a gross misconduct offence
• Encourage open communication built on trust and transparency within the team
• Address any rumours which you may hear regarding such matters directly with the employee
• Request advance notice of leave dates as this may trigger conversations around why certain dates need to be booked off

“An employee has turned up to the office fancy dress day inappropriately as a Playboy bunny”

As with every work-related activity, there is a level of professionalism and appropriateness, which you would expect staff to adhere to. Unfortunately, though, sometimes this mark is missed. Employers must therefore ensure they have a policy in place to deal with matters when things go wrong! Regardless of whether it’s a fancy-dress or dress down day, your policy should clearly stipulate that employee’s attire should reflect the professional environment in which they work. Failure to comply with this requirement will be dealt with under the Company’s disciplinary policy. When notifying staff of these activities, it is worth reinforcing the Company’s expectations i.e. no offensive, culturally inappropriate or sexual costumes should be worn.

“I think a member of staff is dealing drugs in the workplace”

If you suspect staff are dealing and/or taking or bringing drugs in your workplace, you have an obligation report and deal with the matter. This is not only a criminal offence but also puts those on site at a health and safety risk and as such, need to be addressed promptly. Employers are advised to:

• Implement a drugs and alcohol policy permitting random and with cause testing
• Introduce an internal procedure for reporting concerns
• Report criminal activity to the appropriate authorities
• Cite substance abuse as a gross misconduct offence under their disciplinary policy
• Promptly address any welfare concerns or suspicious activity 

If you’re an employer, I’m sure it’s not just the ghosts and ghoulies keeping you awake at night, especially following yesterday’s budget announcement. If you’re looking for some peace of mind when it comes to navigating your HR challenges, then why not get in touch with one of our dedicated consultants and find out how we can support you.