Black Friday, the US shopping tradition, has taken hold of the UK in recent years. In 2014, it was estimated to have cost British businesses over half a billion pounds as employees clicked and shopped for bargains online and on foot. This year, the figure is expected to rise. Now is the time for your … Continue reading
Although the EAT has not yet provided guidance on dealing with social media-related conduct issues, there are some elements of a recent decision that employers can learn from, writes Kevin Poulter An employee dismissed for posting ‘banter’ on Facebook several years before initially succeeded in his claim for unfair dismissal, but that decision has now … Continue reading
A sports team employee in America has been fired after apparently sending a tweet from the wrong account. Local reports state that the unnamed employee was dismissed by the Texas Rangers American Football team after tweeting “Fire Charlie” – a reference to the University of Texas team’s head coach – after a disappointing game for … Continue reading
A 14-year-old boy has been added to a national police database after sending a naked picture of himself to classmate via Snapchat. The uncontrollable rise in sexting amongst children must be tackled, but is punishment the right solution? Although the unnamed boy was not arrested or charged, the incident – which the police became aware … Continue reading
Sold as an end to ‘golden goodbyes’, a cap on redundancy payments for public sector workers is set to be introduced by legislation following promises made in the Queen’s speech. But the true impact will be felt much further. The Guardian reported that: A legally binding £95,000 cap is to be imposed on redundancy payments … Continue reading
Emojis, the ever-expanding range of pictorial icons used to supplement text-messages and social media, are entering workplace vocabulary. Is it time for businesses to embrace ‘text speak’ or should the office be emoji exempt? The news that 76% of U.S. workers use little yellow faces in their day-to-day work-related emails is at odds with the … Continue reading
Recent research suggests that more than half of all UK jobseekers use social media sites in their search for employment and an increasing number of employers are taking advantage of this growing trend by adapting and supplementing traditional recruitment processes with social media-based methods. However, there are a number of potential pitfalls and regular guidance … Continue reading
I joined BBC World Business Edition on 5 August 2013 (video below) to discuss the curious case of KK Ho, a redundant employee who reinvented himself as a bonds salesman on the trading floor. Mr Ho was given time to find new employment after being made redundant from his management role in the Property Maintenance … Continue reading
A senior Tesco manager who tweeted that shutting five depots was an example of “awsome teamwork” and #worldclass has come under fire in Westminster. Distribution Director Steve Strachota sent the tweet about the re-structuring of Tesco distribution centres which will see thousands of posts transferred with some quite possibly at risk of redundancy. The depots facing closure are … Continue reading
A poll of 1,200 office workers has found that half of employees never consider the risks presented to companies by downloading data to their office computers or smartphones. In the survey carried out by IT staffing provider Modis, 40 per cent of those surveyed said they were not aware of their employers IT security policies. … Continue reading
Kevin Poulter 