HR Heartbeat: Don’t look back in anger at annual leave, Labour’s 4-day work week, and…

Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we give you a rundown of the week’s top employment law stories. Stay on the pulse of current trends impacting your business, plus get up-to-the-minute commentaries on all things HR and legal.

Don’t look back in anger at annual leave requests!

It’s official, the Gallagher brothers are reviving Oasis! With the exciting news of an Oasis reunion, employers will need to brace themselves for a surge in annual leave requests.

It might be a year away but staff will be gearing up to relive the glory days of Britpop. So it’s crucial to have your annual leave policies and absence management in place so you don’t get caught up in a Champagne Supernova of holiday requests!

Using a staff holiday planner can make the process supersonic! Stay prepared and make sure your business runs smoothly even if your team is off enjoying big gigs or concerts.

Labour’s 4-day work week

Labour’s 4-day work week could soon let employees compress their hours, meaning they would work the same hours over 4 days instead of 5.

This update, spearheaded by Angela Rayner, sheds more light on the government’s plans to expand flexible working rights as part of Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay.

Business owners understandably have questions and concerns about the implementation of this new right, as it will require careful planning and support.

For those looking to navigate these changes smoothly, BrightBase offers ready-to-use flexible working policies. These resources can help business adapt to new regulations and handle an influx in flexible working requests with no hassle!

For more information, try asking Bright Brainbox: ‘Can I implement a 4-day working week?’

Celebrating National Payroll Week

It’s National Payroll Week! From the 2nd to the 6th of September, we celebrate the crucial role that payroll professionals play in ensuring employees are paid accurately and on-time.

The work of payroll professionals is complex, vital and often behind-the-scenes. But it’s essential to keep businesses running smoothly, and staff engaged and happy.

Want a faster way to pay employees on time and accurately all from one place? Whether you’re a business owner or payroll professional yourself, BrightHR Payroll integrates with our HR software to make the process as easy as can be.

With features like automatic calculations, compliance with statutory pay rates, and a single source of truth for all your employee data, learn the full benefits of BrightHR Payroll here.

Survey says! 1 in 3 UK businesses unaware of Labour’s HR changes…

We recently conducted a survey which reveals a significant majority of UK business owners are unaware of Labour’s proposed 60+ changes to employment law.

And a staggering 88% have concerns about these upcoming changes, yet only 19% feel fully equipped with the in-house support needed to implement them by October.

Time and cost are the biggest concerns, highlighting the need for fast, cost-effective HR solutions to help businesses adapt quickly.

For more detailed insights, download your full report for free here: Get my FREE report

And that’s a wrap. Tune in next week for more headlines and make sure you stay ahead of major employment law changes!