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ISSUE 238 – Synopsis – AUGUST 2024
Levelling up for employees with disability
In the UK, there has been a significant rise in disabled people in employment, with an increase of 338,000, with overall percentage of registered disabled people in work being 54.2 percent (UK Government figures). Across the EU, the rate of disabled workers is 61.2 percent and, in the US, employment rates for working-age disabled women and men hit record highs in 2023, with 36.1 percent and 38.2 percent, respectively. The general upward trend across these territories is put down to increased focus on the economic inactivity of disabled people and the widespread advent of flexible and remote working. The outlook is positive, with disabled people’s lives enriched and increasingly self-reliant. But the disability employment gap remains a significant issue and there is much more that employers can do, to maintain this positive trend and further improve the experiences of disabled people. Throughout the workplace, many disabled people are still experiencing inequality and, in some cases, persecution. Typically, cases occur through an employer not providing reasonable adjustments that would help disabled people do their job, withdrawing job offers on disclosure about disability and employees losing their jobs over disability-related absences, along with workplace bullying and general discrimination. Clearly, that employers potentially open themselves up to liability should be the last reason not to extend equality and inclusion to disabled people. Not only is this an essential principle of DEI and integral to creating diversity across the business, here is an opportunity to plug the skills gaps and develop the prospects of a cohort in society that has hitherto been sidelined.
Organisational design in a hybrid era
Unquestionably, this new era of work is forcing work-planning strategists to take a fresh look at OD, although the basic mandate holds, that OD is about; aligning the structure of an organisation with its objectives, with the ultimate aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness. Nevertheless, how and where work is carried out continues to be a bone of contention and a mitigating factor in strategic approach. According to Forbes: “Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary [that hybrid is working for many] 85 percent of leaders say the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence that workers are productive.” Confusingly, while some businesses are calcifying on hybrid working, others are adapting, flexing and thriving. But lest we forget, back in convention, productivity was spiralling downward and work-related stress and burnout was at epidemic levels. So, do we have to accept a permanently imperfect reality? For now and the future, OD needs to calibrate and find balance, whilst holding fast to the main tenets of ensuring that the right skills are in the right place at the right time. So, in this issue, we are seeking expertise in OD, to shine a light on how businesses have to be prepared for work specialisation, departmentalisation and compartments, formalisation of elements, centralisation and decentralisation. Plus, how is the new working era and swirl of change impacting span of control and chain of command? Is the future of OD strategy to install greater rigidity and rigour, through fixed working patterns that require employees at their desks? Will talent live up to its threat and vote with its feet, if the strategy fails to meet their demands? Right now, the stakes for finding the right strategy could not be higher.
Supporting victims of domestic abuse
With domestic abuse now defined in law and a staggering 2.3 million cases reported each year in the UK, employers are being urged to raise the level of care and support that they extend to employees who are victims of abuse. For its own part, Government announced in January this year that victims of domestic abuse, who do not have the financial means to leave their abusers, will be able to apply for a one-off payment of up to £500, to help them and their children escape danger. So, in this issue, we are focusing on the role of employers in identifying, supporting and guiding victims of abuse to the services and resources available to them. We will be looking for expert guidance in law, so that leaders and line managers understand the legislation in place to protect vulnerable employees. We will be looking for practical advice on how to prepare line managers and developing safeguarding champions, to be aware of the signs that could indicate someone is experiencing domestic abuse, such as, changes in social behaviour and unexplained absence, lack of energy or increased tiredness and visible appearance of bruises or injuries. We are looking for guidance in developing a domestic abuse support policy, that caters for the increase in remote working, on how to respond appropriately to disclosures, implement safety measures to protect employees – guiding them to company specific resources – as well as referring them to medical and emergency services, charitable organisations and counselling services. We will also discuss how benefits can be utilised to build a platform specifically designated to supporting employees, as well as best-practice procedure, from the first signs of abuse and disclosure to the most appropriate route to safety and support.
ESG
That the title of Al Gore’s groundbreaking book An Inconvenient Truth was prophetic is an understatement. The E in ESG points to the irrefutable fact that how businesses operate has a massive and direct impact on the environment, the planet and the health and wellbeing of people around the globe. As climate change impacts us all – causing record-breaking temperatures, flooding and extreme weather patterns – the indelible lines and undeniable links between how the corporate world impacts the environment and human health, are evidenced in pin-sharp detail. It’s taken as read that ESG cuts across the critical tenets of responsible business operations – from reducing emissions and waste and meeting net zero targets – to caring and safeguarding for the environment and people around the world. But frustratingly, geopolitical disagreements and equivocation are placing obstacles in the path of progress. Half the world is committed to the disruption and investment of moving to sustainable fuel and the other half refuses, gifting the latter a competitive advantage in the short term and compounding the damage to the environment. Concurrently, the social dimension of ESG – which covers employee working conditions and mental and physical health, as well as local and global societal impacts – are a significant and unignorable imperative, acknowledging the interconnectedness between employee happiness, productivity and organisational success, as well as the impacts of business operation on local and global societies. Turning then to corporate actions, which are under constant scrutiny – with employees and consumers increasingly demanding ethical and responsible practices from the businesses and brands they align with – G refers to Governance. Right now, all stakeholders – including shareholders and investors – are carefully scrutinising all aspects of the businesses they choose to align with and that crucial link cannot be underestimated. As we know too well, in recent times the wrongdoing and bad practice that has been revealed within some of the most august, auspicious and relied upon organisations and institutions, has shocked to the core. ESG represents the greatest challenge to organisations in all sectors across the world and in this issue – as with all our subjects in this issue – we are looking for guidance and insight into how businesses must operate with ESG at the fulcrum of its values and culture.
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