Plain Talking HR

10/09/2026

💚 World Su***de Prevention Day – 10 September

Su***de prevention is not only a healthcare issue but it is a workplace issue too.

People do not leave their worries at the door when they arrive at work. Financial pressure, bereavement, relationship difficulties, ill health, isolation and workplace stress can all affect someone’s ability to cope.

Employers cannot solve every problem, but they can create a culture in which people feel safe enough to say, “I’m struggling.”

Companies should:

• Train managers to recognise changes in behaviour and respond sensitively
• Encourage regular, private wellbeing conversations
• Make mental-health support visible and easy to access
• Review workloads, unreasonable deadlines and workplace pressures
• Introduce a clear su***de-prevention and crisis-response policy
• Train appropriate staff to manage conversations about su***de
• Treat disclosures seriously, compassionately and confidentially
• Check in after sickness absence, bereavement or a personal crisis
• Provide continued support rather than relying on a single conversation

The UK’s first workplace su***de-prevention standard, BS 30480, offers employers guidance on creating safer cultures, training staff and supporting people at risk.

Visit this link for more details
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/workplace/su***de-prevention-bsi-standard/.

Sometimes the most important question a manager can ask is not, “When will the work be finished?” but, “How are you, really?”

If you are worried that someone may be suicidal, do not ignore it. Reach out, listen without judgement and help them access appropriate support.

Anyone struggling can contact Samaritans free, day or night, by calling this number : 116 123

Let us build workplaces where nobody feels they must struggle in silence.

09/09/2026

Imagine the relief of not having to worry about the complexities of HR, allowing you to focus on what you do best.
There are numerous benefits of outsourcing your HR.

It is without a doubt a strategic move as HR comes with so many complexties which are often underestimated, that handing this over to an expert can significantly enhance your business operations and growth potential.
Running a business is no small feat. From strategy and sales to customer service and compliance, it's easy to feel stretched thin.

Your staff are the backbone of your business so ensuring your HR functions are in order is not just about compliance. It is also about fostering a culture of growth whilst staying on the right side of the law.
Read more in this blog about the benefits and how to take the first steps

HR comes with so many complexties which are often underestimated- handing this over to an expert enhances your business operations and growth potential.

07/09/2026

Not every turning point arrives with a grand announcement.

Sometimes it begins with a conversation, a kind word, an unexpected opportunity or someone who sees something in us that we have not yet recognised in ourselves.

That person may never know the significance of what they said or did. They may not realise that their encouragement gave us courage, their kindness restored our hope or their belief helped us choose a different path.

We are all connected in ways we may never fully understand. A small moment for one person can become the beginning of something life-changing for another.

Never underestimate the difference your presence, your words or your kindness might make. You could be someone’s moment when everything begins to shift.

Who has been that person in your life?

You could tag them today to show how much you value and care for them or simply message or call.
One of the reasons I wrote my book was to remind people of the little things that bind us together.

07/09/2026

Thank you to Luton Herald & Post for this great article about my two Bronze Awards
in the Great British Business and Community Awards - I have to wait until 25th September to find out if I have won a Silver or Gold but I feel very blessed to have been selected
Thank you to Great British Expo's Ltd who organised these awards.

Luton based HR Specialist win a Bronze lifetime achievement award

04/09/2026

Wishing a joyful Janmashtami to everyone celebrating. 🙏

Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna and is a time of celebration, reflection and devotion for Hindu communities around the world.

The teachings associated with Lord Krishna remind us of the importance of wisdom, courage, compassion and doing what is right, even when the path ahead is difficult.

For employers and leaders, recognising religious and cultural celebrations is an important part of creating a genuinely inclusive workplace. It shows employees that their identity, beliefs and traditions are seen, understood and respected.

Inclusion is not simply having the right policies in place. It is demonstrated through curiosity, consideration and everyday actions, whether that means acknowledging an important festival, allowing flexibility for worship and family celebrations, or taking the time to learn about the traditions that matter to colleagues.

May Janmashtami bring happiness, peace and renewed hope to everyone celebrating.

Happy Janmashtami!

02/09/2026

I am absolutely delighted to share that I have been selected for two Bronze awards in The Great British Business & Community Awards 2026:

🥉 Lifetime Achievement
🥉 Female Entrepreneur of the Year

To be recognised in one category would have been an incredible honour, but to receive recognition for both my entrepreneurial journey and lifetime contributionin HR feels particularly special.

My career has always been about more than building a business. It has been about supporting people, helping organisations create better workplaces and encouraging leaders to treat their employees with fairness, dignity and respect.

There have been challenges, risks, lessons and many moments when resilience was essential. Every experience has become part of my own red thread, shaping the HR specialist, businesswoman and author I am today.

I could not have reached this point without the clients who trusted me, the colleagues and collaborators who supported me, and the family and friends who encouraged me along the way. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey.

The Silver and Gold winners will be announced at the awards evening at the Crowne Plaza Marlow on 25 September. Whatever happens on the night, I am extremely proud and grateful to have received this recognition.
THANK YOU Great British Expo's Ltd

31/08/2026

“Resilience isn’t carrying on as though nothing happened. It’s learning to weave even life’s broken threads into something meaningful.”

We often describe resilient employees as those who keep going, remain productive and appear unaffected by whatever life has placed in their path.

But true resilience is not pretending that nothing happened.

It is acknowledging the difficult experience, allowing time to process it and gradually finding a way forward, sometimes with new boundaries, different priorities or a changed perspective.

In the workplace, people may be navigating bereavement, illness, relationship breakdown, caring responsibilities, redundancy or challenges that their colleagues know nothing about.

A compassionate employer does not simply expect them to “bounce back”. They listen, offer appropriate support and recognise that recovery is rarely a straight line.

Good HR is not about lowering standards. It is about creating a workplace where people can be honest about what they need and are given a fair opportunity to rebuild their confidence.

The broken threads do not have to be hidden. With patience, understanding and support, they can become part of something meaningful.

28/08/2026

Today is Raksha Bandhan – the day of Rakhi and the red thread. This of course is special to me for many reasons and it was also the inspiration for the title for my book 'The Red Thread'

Raksha Bandhan is a beautiful celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters, symbolised by the tying of a Rakhi, a sacred thread representing love, protection, loyalty and lifelong connection.

For me, the red thread carries an even deeper meaning.

It reminds us that the strongest relationships are not held together by obligation, but by trust, shared values and the knowledge that someone genuinely has your back.

That principle matters in every part of life, including the workplace. When people feel supported, respected and safe, relationships become stronger and everyone has the confidence to flourish.

Today, I celebrate the people whose threads are woven into my own story and the connections that remain strong, wherever life may take us.

Happy Raksha Bandhan to everyone celebrating. ❤️

You do not have to be a Hindu to appreciate the significance of this - everyone should be applying these principles in life. Celebrate those whose threads are woven in your story.

28/08/2026

Should publishing salaries in job adverts become a legal requirement?

The Government is consulting on proposals that could require employers to publish salary information in job adverts or provide it in writing before an interview if no advert is used.

The aim is to improve pay transparency and help tackle discrimination. At present, candidates can invest considerable time in an application and attend several interviews before discovering that the salary does not meet their expectations.

Publishing pay could:

- Save time for candidates and employers.
- Reduce the opportunity for discriminatory pay decisions.
- Prevent previous salary levels from following people throughout their careers.
- Make negotiation fairer for candidates who feel less confident asking for more.
- Encourage employers to examine inconsistencies within their existing pay structures.
- Build trust from the beginning of the employment relationship.

However, making it law would also create challenges. Employers would need clear and defensible salary bands, while existing employees might understandably question why a new recruit is being offered more than they receive.

There is also a risk that some employers will publish excessively broad ranges that provide very little meaningful information. A range of £30,000 to £60,000 may technically appear transparent, but it does not give applicants much certainty.

In my view, greater transparency would be a positive step, but the detail matters. Employers should be required to publish a genuine salary or realistic range and explain what determines where someone will be placed within it.

It should not take new legislation for employers to recognise the benefits. Businesses can begin preparing now by reviewing:
- Current salaries for comparable roles.
- The reasons behind any differences.
- Pay and progression criteria.
- The consistency of recruitment decisions.
- Whether existing employees could be unfairly disadvantaged.

Pay transparency is about more than adding a figure to an advert. It requires employers to be able to explain and justify how people are paid.

What do you think?
Should salary information in job adverts become compulsory, or should employers retain the choice?

26/08/2026

With the last Bank Holiday Monday looming this weekend before Christmas I still hear from employers who are confused about pay and time off in lieu, often called TOIL.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no automatic legal right to:

- Have a bank holiday off work.
- Receive double time or an enhanced rate for working it.
- Receive another day off in lieu.

What an employee is entitled to will usually depend on the wording of their employment contract and the employer’s holiday policy.

UK workers are generally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid statutory holiday each year. An employer can choose to include bank holidays within that entitlement. For someone working five days a week, this could be 20 days of annual leave plus eight bank holidays.

If an employee is required to work on a bank holiday, they may simply receive their normal pay unless their contract provides for an enhanced rate. Similarly, time off in lieu should only be expected where it is included in the contract, workplace policy or agreed with the employer.

Part-time workers must not be treated less favourably. Their overall holiday entitlement, including any allowance for bank holidays, should normally be calculated on a fair pro-rata basis. This is particularly important for employees who do not usually work on Mondays, when many bank holidays fall.

Employers should make sure their contracts clearly explain:

- Whether bank holidays are included in annual leave.
- Whether employees may be required to work them.
- Whether enhanced pay or TOIL will be provided.
- How and when TOIL must be taken.
- What happens when a bank holiday falls on a non-working day.

Clear policies prevent misunderstandings, inconsistent decisions and the traditional post-bank-holiday payroll headache.

Don’t rely on assumptions or phrases such as “usual bank holidays”. Check that your contracts and policies say exactly what you mean.

And if you have out of date policies and contracts or don't have any at all - get in touch!