Networking is out of most people’s comfort zones, and recently I attended a brilliant networking event called #WorkTheRoom at The Ivy in London. It was wonderful to meet so many entrepreneurs with so many different skillsets in one room and I learnt so much from them in just one afternoon which in itself was worthwhile.
When I speak to people who are starting out in their HR career, I always tell them that one of the strongest assets they ahve is their network. Love it or hate it, networking is essential to build a strong connections with other business professionals as it can help you achieve your personal and professional goals in a number of ways. Whether you’re looking for a new job, seeking career development, or simply seeking new opportunities, networking can help open the doors to make these things happen.
One of the things I get asked often, is how did I progress my career?
I started my working life as a Travel Agent and selling holidays on the high street, I made a move into HR as an HR administrator, and now I run my own multi-award winning business which is a dream come true.
The answer I give is – I did not achieve this dream alone!
2020 has been a really strange year for all of us, but one of the benefits that has come from the year, has been the time to reflect and focus upon what are the most important things to us.
We swapped our boardrooms for kitchen tables, created home working spaces and got our head around Zoom really quickly! But for many people it has given them an opportunity to review their careers and development plans, for some, this may mean changing careers altogether.
Previously, HR was primarily seen as a processing department, hiring and firing and keeping employee records up to date. Today, HR departments are much more dynamic, and have played a pivotal role in leading businesses through the most challenging climate which has never been experienced before.
Today is a very special day, because I officially pushed the button to print my book!
Launch Your HR Career will be released on 20th November and my blog followers will have exclusive access to a very special copy of the book.
Launch Your HR Career is for those who want to grow their confidence, develop their resilience, discover their purpose and carve the best HR career for themselves. If you are a career changer, university student, already in HR and lack motivation or even someone with an interest in HR, this is the book for you.
It is said that duvet days originated in the UK in 1997. August One Communications introduced the scheme that allowed employees time off that was not pre-planned or sickness. The idea behind duvet days was to reduce the number of sick days that were taken, specifically the days when an employee is ‘pulling a sickie’.
Benefits of the duvet day
Introducing duvet days can ensure that employees feel that they are being treated with respect. As a result they become more productive in the workplace. The scheme also allows employees to avoid lying to their employers, specifically on days where they are not in the right frame of mind to work. Promoting honesty in the workplace and not lying about being ‘sick’.
Drawbacks of the duvet day
Idleness could be encouraged, and also a lack of responsibility for overindulgence the night before might become the norm in the workplace. If the duvet day does not offer any additional perks to retain staff, then perhaps it isn’t right for your company.
Adding duvet days to your business
To add duvet days to your business you need to think of how you will make it work and also the steps you need to take to implement it. Below is a checklist of things you need to think about:
Implementing a Duvet Day Policy – new and existing employees
Number of days (majority of employers offer two per year)
Time of year days can be taken
Days of the week that can be taken
Duvet days vs mental health days
In 2017 an employee was praised by her employer for taking a ‘mental health’ day. (Read about this story here)
But what is the difference between a mental health day and a duvet day?
A duvet day in essence is a day that is taken when you are not sick but would like a day to rest and recharge yourself. Mental health days are a sick day and employers are encouraged to treat time of work because of mental health the same as days taken off for physical health problems.
While it may be easier for an employee to take a duvet day or say they have food poising to avoid having a conversation about mental health, all employees should be encouraged to talk to their employer to allow for potential reasonable adjustments.
Sickness absence management
Having an employee call in sick is frustrating but inevitable. Employees will have sickness at some time and be unable to attend the work place. Stress as a reason for sickness is difficult to manage and it is on the increase, sick notes being extended and long-term sickness situations can be frustrating to manage. Frustration can come from feeling there is nothing that you can do about this, but there is.
Natalie Ellis HR 