February 2021
Acorn Bulletin
Welcome we hope you will find the information in this letter both interesting and informative. If there are any specific HR related subjects you would like us to cover in future editions, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Acorn HR Services have decided to launch this newsletter on a monthly basis, to keep businesses up-to-date with the latest news that could potentially impact on how businesses work.
Home Working:
More home working is likely to be a permanent fixture for a majority of businesses, according to a study. A survey of just under 1,000 firms by the Institute of Directors (IoD) shows that 74% plan on maintaining the increase in home working. More than half planned on reducing their long-term use of workplaces. A smaller survey of bosses whose firms had already cut workplace use suggested 44% of them thought working from home was proving "more effective".
"Remote working has been one of the most tangible impacts of coronavirus on the economy. For many, it could be here to stay," said Roger Barker, director of policy at the IoD.
"Working from home doesn't work for everyone, and directors must be alive to the downsides. Managing teams remotely can prove far from straightforward, and directors must make sure they are going out of their way to support employees' mental wellbeing."
The subjects we are covering in this month’s edition is:
1. Mental Health
2. 3 Keys to 2021 Business Planning
3. Moving from Agile Teams to Agile Organisations
4. Employment Law: Seven Key Tasks for HR in 2021
5. Inclusion, Diversity and Equality
6. Why all Businesses should embrace Sustainability
Time to Talk 2021
Rethink Mental Health
Time to Talk Day 2021 is taking place on Thursday 4 February. Choose to talk about mental health and help change lives.
Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet too many people are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless because of this.
Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.
A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.
We know that the more conversations we have, the more myths we can bust and barriers we can break down, helping to end the isolation, shame and worthlessness that too many of us with mental health problems are made to feel.
Time to Talk Day is the day that we get the nation talking about mental health. This year’s event might look a little different, but at times like this open conversations about mental health are more important than ever.
We know that talking about mental health can feel awkward, but it doesn't have to.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/mental-health
3 Keys to 2021 Business Planning
There is no question the business landscape has changed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but what remains unseen is how adjustments implemented in the past few months will continue to impact the future. While the pandemic has certainly brought new obstacles to the forefront, savvy business leaders know planning now for 2021, while taking the lessons learned into consideration and incorporating them into a strategic business plan, will set them up for ongoing success.
With this in mind, below are a few ways business leaders can plan for the new year.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/3-keys-to-2021-business-planning
Moving from Agile Teams to Agile Organisations
Even though agile is now mainstream, companies still struggle to change at the organisational level. The existing agile frameworks and those used for scaling them haven’t been useful in a company-wide adoption. At this moment, there is a strong focus on soft- and language- skills to help managers in becoming leaders. Yet, this is not enough.
Agile is implemented agile and although all frameworks promote and encourage healthier and more productive relationships, they do not rely on individuals for that. The focus is more on the system and the way of working. To say it differently: we need to improve the system for teams and individuals to thrive, instead of expecting them to change, to fix the culture.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/moving-from-agile-teams-towards-an-agile-organisation
Employment law: Seven key tasks for HR in 2021
2020 was the year that HR was required to react to the unexpected, but it’s now time to plan for the known challenges in the coming year. We look at what HR can do to prepare for 2021.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/employment-law-seven-key-tasks-for-hr-in-2021
Inclusion, Diversity and Equality
There is a real opportunity for employers to take positive steps to attract a more diverse workforce with brooder skills and perspectives by looking at its inclusive policies.
Highlighting sectors that have previously been perceived as male dominated industries could potentially have a negative impact on attracting real talent: sectors
Looking at industry culture can seem like a minefield especially knowing where the starting point is, however, small changes can have a huge effect on diversity and inclusion in your Company and on your workforce.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/inclusion-diversity-and-equality
Why all Businesses should embrace Sustainability
Sustainability is becoming more important for all companies, across all industries. 62% of executives consider a sustainability strategy necessary to be competitive today, and another 22% think it will be in the future.
Simply put, sustainability is a business approach to creating long-term value by taking into consideration how a given organisation operates in the ecological, social and economic environment. Sustainability is built on the assumption that developing such strategies foster company longevity.
As the expectations on corporate responsibility increase, and as transparency becomes more prevalent, companies are recognising the need to act on sustainability. Professional communications and good intentions are no longer enough.
https://www.acornhrservices.com/post/why-all-businesses-should-embrace-sustainability