Will the Apprenticeship Levy cost your business? 

What is coaching? Coaching is a development technique based on the use of one-to-one discussions to enhance an individual’s skills, knowledge or work performance. Coaching targets high performance and improvement at work and usually focuses on specific skills and goals, although it may also have an impact on an individual’s personal attributes (such as social interaction or confidence). Coaching typically lasts for a relatively short defined period of time, or forms the basis of an on-going management style. • It is essentially a non-directive form of development, though this is not a hard and fast rule • It focuses on improving performance and developing individuals’ skills • Personal issues may be discussed but the emphasis is on performance at work • Coaching activities have both organisational and individual goals • It provides people with feedback on both their strengths and their weaknesses • It is a skilled activity, which should be delivered by people who are trained to do so. However, this can be line managers and others trained in basic coaching skills Coaching has in recent years become an increasingly popular tool for supporting employee development and it is clear from research that the technique is very much here to stay. The 2014 CIPD Learning and development survey report finds that 76% of organisations offer coaching, with an additional 12% planning to offer it in the next year. Who delivers the coaching? Coaching services may delivered by external coaches or by full or part-time internal coaches who may be line managers or members of the HR department. The findings from the CIPD Learning and development survey show that line managers are most likely to take the main responsibility for delivering coaching, followed by other internal coaches. Coaching is less frequently delivered by external coaches although proportions using external practitioners are higher among smaller companies. What are the benefits of coaching? • Cost effective development tool that can be delivered on a daily / ongoing basis • Coached employees can develop skills to coach other people within the business • Supports development of individual’s either in their current role, or for future roles within the business (supports succession planning) • Employees can feel motivated and engaged so has a positive impact on retention, motivation and performance • Can focus on the achievement of business goals, so impact on overall business performance For more information on how Coaching can benefit your business, get in touch!

You may be feeling unclear about how the referendum vote for Britain to leave the EU affects the recruitment and current employment of workers from EU countries. Here are some of your questions answered: What does Brexit mean for workers from other EU countries ? The referendum result changes nothing right now, as Britain remains in the EU until the Brexit deal has been negotiated by the UK government. This could be more than two years away. Workers from other EU countries have the same rights as they had before the result. Can I continue to employ workers from other EU countries? Yes. It is still unlawful to treat EU workers any differently from workers born in the UK. Workers who believe they have been discriminated against for reasons of nationality or national origin can still make a claim under the Equality Act 2010. Can I still recruit workers who are from the EU? Yes. Again, it is still unlawful to discriminate against or in favour of workers from other EU countries. Job applicants who believe they have been unfairly turned down for a job due to their nationality or national origin can still make a claim. Are there any additional documents required if I employ workers from the EU? No. All workers must continue to provide the same identity and 'right to work' checks, whether an EU or British worker. . You can be sent to jail for up to 5 years and receive an unlimited fine if you know or should have known that you employed someone who doesn’t have the right to work in the UK. Please get in touch if you have any questions about what documentation is required for ‘Right to Work.’ What will happen once Britain does exit the EU? Longer term, the rights of workers from the EU will depend on the Brexit deal negotiated. The deal is likely to include detailed provisions about the future status of workers from the EU. If you have any questions about the referendum result affects the recruitment and employment of EU workers get in touch! Email:lorraine@ldhrconsulting.com

All employees have had the legal right to request flexible working since 2014. Research has shown than 76% of employers in the UK offer at least one type of flexible working, but according to Timewise*, only 6.2% of jobs are advertised as flexible. What does flexible working mean? Flexible working is part time, working remotely (i.e. from home), job sharing and working irregular or compressed hours. 54% of workers report that they work flexibly, but this is limited to mostly part time workers, as just 5% say they are either job sharing, working compressed hours or term-time only. What are the benefits of working flexibly to Employers? Some of the benefits for employees are: achieving a better work-life balance; the ability to work while raising children or having other care responsibilities; work around commuting; an aging workforce can work flexibly and work for longer. There are also considerable benefits for employers: • 65% of employees who work flexibly are satisfied with their work-life balance, compared to just 47% of employees who don’t work flexibly. This has an impact on motivation and commitment in the work place • High performing employees are retained by the opportunity to work flexibly (we know employee retention increases customer service and reduces recruitment and training costs for the business) • Advertising that you recruit for flexible working attracts a more diverse workforce and new talent into your business. This is also positive for employer and business branding • A flexible workforce meets the changing needs of our 24/7 society. Therefore flexible working meets the demands of your customers • Flexible working can bring flexible payroll costs, which can support your business during seasonal or low/high demand Have you considered advertising and recruiting flexibly for your next vacancy? To find out more about flexible recruiting, get in touch! - * Source CIPD June 2016

From 1st April 2016 the National Living Wage was introduced, which means that all workers aged 25 and over have to be paid a minimum of £7.20 per hour by law (this is set to rise to £9 per hour by 2020). The reason for the National Living Wage introduction is to support the government’s vision of a higher wage, lower welfare, and lower tax society. The National Minimum Wage will continue to apply for workers aged below 25, currently £6.70 for those aged 21 to 24, £5.30 for those aged 18 to 20 and £3.87 for under 18’s. How this has affected the hospitality industry? • Welcome Break, the Motorway service operator have announced that they will pay the National Living Wage to all workers, irrespective of age. This will ensure they continue to attract young talent to the Company. • A detailed analysis by the Resolution Foundation Think-Tank believes that rises are affordable for the UK Plc, but acknowledges that 46% of all those affected (2.7 million people) work in wholesale, retail and hospitality. • Premier Inn owner Whitbread have said they have “developed plans” to deal with the new National Living Wage and would mitigate the “substantial cost increase” through productivity improvements, efficiency savings and “some selective price increases.” • A number of hospitality companies, including JD Weatherspoon, have raised concerns that the compulsory wage increase will lead to higher costs and result in more pubs and restaurant closures, ultimately having a negative effect on the hospitality industry and wider economy. • Deutsche Bank has warned that “the National Living Wage will place significant pressure on companies in the hospitality industry space and would stunt potential growth for a few years.” What have some hospitality clients told me? “Our payroll budgets will not be increased, we need to absorb the costs into the current budget” Hotel GM, South “We will be reviewing pay at all levels in the business to ensure a differential remains between general roles and Supervisory and management positions” Hotel GM, North West “We also need to consider the impact on pension contributions, following the introduction of the work place pension” Restaurant GM, South East “We plan to increase the standard wage across the hotel for all employees, regardless of age. Our minimum wage for all employees has always been the same” Hotel Owner, Midlands Thank you to all clients who have contributed. I would be interested in hearing more views and views from other industries on the effect of the National Living Wage.