Employment Tribunal

Unreal!

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

The eight week personal empowerment programme I wrote as an optional resource for those who apply for Growing Talent but don’t progress past the selection stage, is not only certified by The CPD Certification Service but now on it’s third cohort!

Yesterday was the first session. The format is always the same. The first 45 minutes or so focus on the course content followed by open discussion on anything and everything. Brain storming ideas on personal issues, job searches and entrepreneurship.

The foundation content for week one is exploring and analysing where we are, where we want to be, how to get there and tools to use at each stage.

So, what were the thoughts at the end of the session?

“This has been so amazing. Better than I thought. I feel energised and ready to move forward.” Karen.

Karen still felt the same after I gave her some additional homework tasks on top of completing the e-workbook!

Human connection, collaboration and exploration are fundamental to self-empowerment.

Roll on next week!

If you are currently unemployed in London looking for your next opportunity without the pressure of a cv and formal job interview, why not join Growing Talent? Deadline to apply 2 June 2025.
_________________________

Hidden in plain sight!

Jane JamesLeave a comment



Reaching the end of the traditional working week, what has been achieved in your workplace?

Done anything meaningful for #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek?

What’s the lasting impact?

The theme for 2025 is ‘community’ and the impact on us. The workplace is a key ‘community’. Sometimes we’re there more than at home!

Something impactful workplaces can do anytime of the year is run neurodivergent awareness sessions.

Change assumptions into curiosity. Isolation into inclusion. Hidden into seen.

Want to know more?

City & Guilds 2025 Index shows 13% of employers involved in current Employment Tribunals are there because of a conflict with neurodivergence.

It’s easy for pressurised managers to assume symptoms seen are behaviours/attitude. It can also be costly!

Neurodivergent conditions are protected under Disability within the Equalities Act 2010. Compensation in this areas is uncapped with average payments around £45K.

It’s estimated 1:7 adults are neurodivergent – many won’t know it. Assessment in the UK can take 7+ years. Medication is often in short supply. Learning how their neurodivergence shows up enables them to learn how to tame it. This is key in the workplace to enable creativity and productivity to flow whilst smashing the risk of burnout.

Ensuring managers have awareness training to understand how to be curious and engage with all members of their team – is a cost effective ‘no brainer’. Isn’t it?

As is giving colleagues the tools and knowledge to be an ally.

As a certified ADHD Coach, I have devised CPD certified sessions for workplace managers and colleagues.

Are you interested to learn more for your workplace? Contact me for an exploratory chat

Some thoughts from managers who have completed the awareness session:

“I learnt more about the legal side and our legal obligations that I wasn’t aware of.  I didn’t know it was classed as a disability.

I learnt more about the executive functioning and how that’s impacted and additional ideas about how to support someone with ADHD to make reasonable adjustments for them.”

“I thought it was really informative and contained a good level of information to increase the awareness for a manager in spotting and helping individuals with ADHD”

Why do we keep doing the same old same old?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

We know there are different options out there – but maybe they are a little too unknown.

If I’m honest, that’s why I kept my old watch for so long. I brought it on the 1stanniversary of my business – in shock really that I was still in business – and wanting to mark the occasion. 

For the last few years, it has run slow. Without my glasses, I can’t see the date. Trying to change the date without changing the time was a frustrating challenge for me which usually resulted in giving up and having the wrong date and time!

I’ve now gone digital. Easy to read time and date, funky options for the face, interchangeable straps – the positives are endless! Why didn’t I make the change before and reap the benefits sooner? Well better late than not at all!

Which got me thinking about employers looking for new talent.

When sharing the positives of Growing Talent with employers, I’m met with the same expressions I had over changing my watch. 

It’s tough to make a change, do things differently and take a fresh approach even in conjunction with – not in place of – existing recruitment practices.

With increased costs of employing someone in the UK soon to come into force, it’s even more pivotal to employ those who fit your role, business and team and vice versa. 

But, how do you know someone before you’ve employed them? 

A key problem for employers. 

For those with roles to fill in London, the solution could be @Growing_Talent.  Check out the benefits below:

  • Zero cost
  • A four-part getting to know you event
  • A profile sheet showcasing the individual’s skills, attributes and potential
  • Slow dating style 1st stage selection – quality time building on the connections already made
  • 1-2-1 final selection stage – in-depth exploration of each other
  • Robust pre-onboarding covering workplace, life skills and qualification in mental health and wellbeing
  • A dedicated mentor for you and your selected participant
  • Weekly mutual reviews to audit progress
  • Access to a wider, diverse talent pool
  • Increase your social mobility investment
  • Sets you apart from your competitors
  • Enhances your brand reputation
  • Higher retention of new joiners
  • On going support

Does your existing recruitment process offer all of this?

If you have a role based in London, why not try @Growing_Talent out?

Get in touch for more details.  Next programme commences early February 2025.

Doing the right thing or risking a lawsuit? Food for thought?

Jane James1 Comment

As a Mental Health Instructor for over 10 years, I am enthused to see the growth towards seeing and respecting mental health in in the same way we see and respect physical health.  Everyone is comfortable enquiring if a cold is better – not quite so comfortable asking how someone is feeling on their return to work after say depression.

 

The internet is full of well intentioned plans and events to raise the bar in talking about mental health and I see more employers supporting events like #MHAW2019 – Mental Health Awareness Week which starts 13 May.  Really great intentions.

 

But is there a risk of being sued under the Equalities Act 2010 and taken to Employment Tribunal?

 

Some of the employers I know allow all staff, regardless of screening to see if they are equipped to listen to someone else’s pain, to be a ‘listening ear’.

 

You don’t know what you are going to hear when you sit down to listen to someone struggling.  It can be an emotive area the listener has strong views on – such as self-harm.  Even if they can listen without judging – are they knowledgeable on how to signpost someone on? do they know how to take care of themselves after listening to someone’s pain?

 

I feel very strongly that we should be talking more openly in every day conversations about all human issues especially mental health.  But I feel just as strongly that we need to train those listeners how to listen, signpost and look after themselves.

 

Why not have a #MHAAT (Mental Health Aware And Trained) badge for trained employees to wear all year – not just one week.  Wouldn’t we make more of an impact and reduce the risk of a challenge under the Equalities Act at Employment Tribunal?

 

What do you think?

Abuse of Employment Tribunals…… a ticking time bomb?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

I stumbled across this piece on the This is Money website from January 2011 which I found startling especially as I know it is still true today.

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-1710536/Comment-Employment-tribunals-are-legalised-extortion.html

 

The anguish a legal process like this can have on someone trying to run a small business is huge, yet every step in the process is about giving money to the claimant not whether they have a case, have harassed and  caused harm to someone else through their spurious claims.  Even the ACAS mediation service just wants to agree a financial sum to settle!

 

It is absolutely right in my opinion that people who have been badly treated by employers should have free redress to compensation but only if they have a real case.

 

‘Litigants that fail at Employment Tribunal with their spurious claims against employers – even those who aren’t their employers, recruitment consultants etc –  shouldn’t those litigants pay the legal costs of the person/organisation they wrongfully accused’.

What are your thoughts?