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FREE workplace wellbeing learning programme for employers and HR professionals
FREE workplace wellbeing learning programme for employers and HR professionals
Employee wellbeing is a huge topic for workplaces as employers navigate working life post-pandemic and straight into a cost of living crisis. While mental health is definitely spoken about more frequently now, we know that there are still barriers to people being open about how they’re feeling at work – namely stigma, and a fear of discrimination.
According to the ‘Scottish Mental Illness Stigma’ Study, published by See Me and the Mental Health Foundation in 2022, 71 per cent of people with severe, enduring and complex mental illnesses reported facing stigma and discrimination in their place of work in the last 12 months. Of those who identified it as an area having the biggest impact on them, 71 per cent reported being treated unfairly by employers, supervisors or managers, while half (52 per cent) admitted to feeling pressured to not speak about their mental health needs at work.
It’s estimated that, in Scotland alone, mental illness costs employers £2bn a year in sickness and recruitment costs. That’s a huge sum of money that could be avoided. We’re calling on employers to do more to support employees and create a culture where it’s okay to talk about your mental health, and where they know they’ll get support when you need it.
Education is key for employers and managers. It’s okay to not fully understand someone’s situation or experience, but it is never okay to stigmatise and discriminate as a result.
In the months ahead, See Me’s workplace team will be hosting a series of free-to-attend webinars and masterclasses for Scottish employers to shed some light on the importance of taking action to address mental health stigma and discrimination at work – and how to do it.
The sessions will showcase how taking action to tackle mental health stigma at work can benefit your business – by saving money, reducing absenteeism and presenteeism, and creating a better working environment for your staff. The sessions will cover a range of topics, including supporting conversations on work-related stress and how to get management buy-in when it comes to prioritising employee wellbeing.
For more information and to book your place at one of the FREE seminars:
The Joy Factory Podcast: ‘Building a Community from Scratch’ with Lee Turner
The Joy Factory Podcast: ‘Building a Community from Scratch’ with Lee Turner, founder and publisher of Hr NETWORK Magazine
For The Joy Factory’s latest podcast, their founder Susi DeFazio was joined by our very own Lee Turner. As we know, Hr NETWORK is the go-to community for HR professionals, providing a unique combination of news, awards, conferences, and other events to inspire people development and Susi managed to speak to Lee about how it all began and what has driven him for almost 20 years with Scotland’s leading magazine and event group for the HR industry.
Through the Magazine, National Awards and regular Conferences and Exhibitions, Hr NETWORK has become an environment where people can explore their personal and professional achievements.
As its founder, Lee Turner’s vision and values are focused on building momentum for a community that strives to do meaningful work and create an atmosphere where people come together to make a difference.
Everything Lee does comes from the heart and his family-orientated values. In this episode, Lee talks about:
How bereavement and strong bond with his siblings and Mum shaped his character and approach to life…
Lee’s vision, the early days of building resilience throughout the journey and the values contributing to building momentum.
Lee’s down-to-earth, open and honest reflections shine through in this episode – and Susi described her chat with Lee as a privilege.
Celebrating the stars of the Scottish HR industry at the Hr NETWORK National Awards 2023
Celebrating the STARS of the Scottish HR industry at the Hr NETWORK National Awards 2023
The winners of this year’s hugely exciting and much anticipated Hr NETWORK National Awards 2023 in partnership with Roffey Park Institute were announced at the ‘star-studded’ annual Gala Dinner, held at the impressive Hilton in Glasgow, last night.
Almost 700 guests came to recognise, acknowledge and reward the champions of the Scottish HR profession, at the glittering evening, which showcased the winners across 17 different categories including: Gleneagles Hotel (Leading with Kindness Award) Robertson Group (HR Team of the Year) and Scottish Water’s recently retired head of employee experience, Julia Stevenson, who was presented with the award for Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR.
The 16th annual gathering, which is the flagship event for HR professionals across Scotland, was hosted for the first time by radio broadcaster and Scott Wilson.
The coveted Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR award was presented to Julia Stevenson for her commitment and dedication the public and private sectors during a 40 year career, which included employers such as Scottish Water and Bank of Scotland (HBOS).
A full review of the evening including all the pics and highlights from the event will be published in the next issue of Hr NETWORK Magazine.
Category winners of the Hr NETWORK National Awards for 2023 are:
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Attraction & Resourcing Award of the Year, sponsored by Be-IT Resourcing – Multrees Investor Services
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HR Graduate of the Year – Rebecca MacKinnon, Strathclyde Business School
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Employee Engagement Award of the Year, sponsored by Multrees Investor Services – abrdn
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HR Assistant/Officer of the Year – Jennifer McIvor, Three UK
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ESG Award of the Year, sponsored by Robertson Group – ScottishPower
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HR Project of the Year – Turning Point Scotland
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HR Manager/Advisor of the Year, sponsored by AAB People – Stephanie Stewart, Three UK
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Health and Wellbeing Award of the Year – International Beverage
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Organisational Development Award of the Year, sponsored by Roffey Park Institute – Zero Waste Scotland
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HR Specialist of the Year – Kate Paterson, Morgan Stanley
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Learning & Development Award of the Year – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
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Best Employer/Workplace of the Year, sponsored by Jobtrain –Skyscanner
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HR Business Partner of the Year, sponsored by Right Management – Jenny Asher, Aegon UK
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HR Team of the Year – Robertson Group
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Leading with Kindness Award of the Year, sponsored by Leading Kind – Gleneagles
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HR Director of the Year sponsored by LHH – Samantha Kirk, International Beverage
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Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR – Julia Stevenson, Scottish Water (Retired)
Further information regarding the winners and the gala dinner, including all the photographs from the evening will be available in due course. For details regarding Nominations in 2024, Sponsorship and Table Hosting, please contact the Awards Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
OUT TODAY – November 2023 Issue – Menopause: There’s no need to suffer in silence
OUT TODAY – November 2023 Issue of Hr NETWORK Magazine
Hr NETWORK is ‘The Hub’ of Scottish HR and people development with an ‘Access All Areas’ pass to Scotland’s most influential human resource and business professionals across all sectors in Scotland. As well as readers from the world of HR, the magazine is also extremely popular within SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) organisations and is very useful for line managers, heads of department, senior management, managing directors and other professionals throughout the country who play a vital role in the development of people within all industry sectors in Scotland. Published bi-monthly, Hr NETWORK Magazine is informative and a ‘must have’ for its readers, and brings with it in every issue, great opportunities and benefits for advertisers and sponsors too.
Hr NETWORK Magazine November 2023
Menopause at Work: There’s no need to suffer in silence
Last month was World Menopause Awareness Month and with more women in work than ever before, are organisations being accommodating enough to put menopause higher on the agenda? Andy Moore discovers how HR can help ensure more supportive workplaces.
Also in the latest issue:
- The regular sections of the magazine include: Stats, EXTRA and The Bookshop
- The ‘Insights’ section features first class comment from those in the know on a range of subjects including: Hybrid Working; Networking
Click the front cover below to read the latest issue:
Hr NETWORK Magazine announced as media partner for Workplace Equality conference
Hr NETWORK Magazine announced as media partner for Workplace Equality conference
Hr NETWORK Magazine is very pleased to announce it is the media partner for the forthcoming Advice Direct Scotland ‘Workplace Equality Conference’ taking place at Strathclyde University Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow on Friday 10th November.
Workplace Equality Conference
Advice Direct Scotland, in partnership with equality innovators, invites you to join them at the University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow to explore and share practical actions to build success, creating blueprints for equality, diversity and inclusion in the modern workplace. The conference will bring together a wide range of businesses, public bodies and expert organisations engaged in the journey to Fair Work across Scotland.
This full day event will feature a range of speakers, insightful workshops, an ‘EDI’ marketplace along with a panel session for questions.
Hosted by Sally Magnusson and with a keynote address by Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Fair Work and Culture the conference will offer:
- Access to resources, tools and expertise
- Partnership and business opportunities
- Approaches to attracting, recruiting and retaining staff
- Tips on encouraging returners and supporting diversity
- Fresh perspectives and customer insights
- Opportunities to maximise supply chain potential
Join employers, senior managers, frontline managers, HR, learning and development and EDI specialists. Your £65 ticket includes:
- Full day access to the talks
- Workshops in the morning and afternoon
- Panel discussion
- Marketplace offering specialist information
- Breakfast refreshments and lunch
- Drinks reception and networking
For more information and to book your place, please visit: ADVICE DIRECT CONFERENCE
Skills shortages and limited hiring budgets are top recruitment challenges for UK companies
Skills shortages and limited hiring budgets are top recruitment challenges for UK companies
A new survey revealed that 86% of organisations in the UK have found hiring ‘quite’ or ‘very’ competitive in 2023. 46% have lost out on hiring new talent in the last six months as they ‘can’t compete on salary and benefits’, and 40% expect ‘lack of skilled candidates available’ to be their greatest 2024 recruitment challenge.
Despite this, the research, conducted by global talent services company Morgan McKinley as part of its 2024 Salary Guide, found that over half (52%) of UK businesses still plan to hire in the next six months. As for professionals, 51% in the UK plan to actively look for new jobs in the next six months. The survey also revealed that British workers were not happy with the benefits they received: 59% being ‘neutral’, ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘highly dissatisfied’ with their packages. The top five desired benefits British workers look for in a job are: Work from home, bonus, pension, health insurance, and flexible working hours.
‘Higher salary’ remains the most valued reason for wanting to move jobs at 42%, followed by ‘meaningful and impactful work’ at 13%. 49% of professionals in the UK are optimistic that they will receive a salary increase in 2024 and 70% of employers plan to increase salary offers in 2024 for certain in-demand roles.
Contracting appears to be more attractive for many, as 48% of professionals currently employed in permanent roles would consider making the switch to contracting, with the main reasons given being ‘better rates of pay’, ‘greater opportunities to develop skills’, and ‘more flexibility’.
David Leithead, Chief Operations Officer of Morgan McKinley UK, commented: “The underlying economic gloom caused many employers to slow recruitment; the frenzy to secure new hires has been replaced by companies taking time and care to ensure the best hiring decisions are made. Despite this, the pressure to find new talent has remained, as companies look to drive ahead with change agendas, satisfy new regulatory and legal regimes, maximise commercial opportunities, and respond to turnover.”
“Many employers offered inflated salaries to secure talent throughout 2021 and 2022, so it’s unsurprising that salary offers have largely normalised with fewer opportunities available.”
Leithead concluded: “No matter the macro climate, it remains true always that the right talent – that can drive progress and improvement – will remain in demand and companies will pay well to secure them. With the shortage of skilled professionals available, take steps to keep your people engaged, supported and happy; offering benefits that are meaningful to the individual’s specific situation will help here. Benefits around wellbeing and flexibility remain top of the pile.”
The Morgan McKinley 2024 Salary Guide presents up-to-date and accurate salary data for a wide range of roles across the UK, providing hiring managers with industry benchmarks when they are working out what to pay employees and giving professionals more visibility over what they can earn.
Research from 650 businesses and 3,400 professionals was conducted to find out what companies’ hiring intentions are for 2024, what the key motivators are for changing jobs, and what the expectations are for movement on salaries.