Menopause Not Set to Become a Protected Characteristic

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With just over 15 million women in the workplace, the last few years has seen a welcome focus on how the menopause can impact staff and what employers can do to best assist women through this stage.

Last week the Government responded to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee report Menopause and the Workplace (July 2022). 

The report had made a number of recommendations, including:

  • introducing sex and age as a single dual protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010 to protect women going through menopause
  • launching a consultation on how to amend the Equalities Act 2010 to include ‘menopause’ as a new protected characteristic

What Are The Government’s Plans?

The Government’s response does not accept either of these recommendations, pointing to existing protections available for those experience menopause. This response was in many ways as expected and in accordance with previous government statements. 

However, the Government has, in part, accepted some of the Committee’s other recommendations, including the appointment of a Menopause Ambassador/Champion, a ministerial appointment within the Department for Work and Pensions; and, bringing forward legislation to make the right to request flexible working a day one employment right. 

No timetable has been announced in respect of introducing these provisions. We will keep you posted as and when the Government releases further details, and provide information of how they may affect your business.

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How Can You Best Support Staff Going Through Menopause?

You may want to consider how best to support any staff currently going through the menopause. This could include:

  • Introduce a Menopause Policy for staff. Many of you will have already done this, it is a useful way to show your support for staff, emphasise your commitment to addressing the impact of menopause and a useful way to channel any queries from staff.
  • Appoint a Menopause Champion to act as a central point of contact for staff.
  • Provide training for line managers on the symptoms of menopause and how to support and speak with staff who may be experiencing symptoms. This can be a sensitive subject and line managers are often the first point of contact for staff and may need guidance on how best to approach conversations such as this.
  • Consider what can be done to help staff experiencing the menopause, for example considering home working and adjusting working times.
  • Reviewing the working environment to ensure it is conducive to working if a member of staff is experiencing the menopause – for example, the room temperature and access to toilets.
  • Create an open and trusted environment for staff. Implementing the recommendations above will help you to do this. Menopausal symptoms can be managed in a way that supports staff to be able to continue to work in the best interests of your business.

For further information or to discuss how NQHR can help your business to support staff please contact Rachel Brodie in our team on 07881 092528.

Work Christmas Parties – How To Avoid a HR Headache

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Organising an office Christmas party and want to avoid any HR issues? Read our top tips for how to help everyone in your workplace have a positive office Christmas party experience. 

After years of a pandemic, economic downturns, cost of living crisis, political upheavals and concerning world events, employers are looking to their annual Christmas event to bring some much-needed cheer. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate with staff and thank them for their contribution over the past year. 

But could those plans go awry, leaving you haunted by the ghost of Christmas future (disciplinaries)?

Bah humbug I hear you cry! For who wants to be cast as Scrooge at this time, being seen as the killjoys to some harmless fun? But where there are company-wide parties, there can be alcohol and over-indulgence. Light-hearted banter can escalate into full scale arguments and those long-forgotten frustrations may resurrect themselves, causing tension around the dinner table.

Get the Balance Right

Getting the balance right is critical – allowing people to have fun, whilst looking after their wellbeing. With increased hybrid and remote working, it is also a chance to bring people together and maintain a strong team ethos and build a connection with the company. 

Similarly, hosting an event can make staff feel valued and recognised for their efforts over the past months, fostering higher levels of engagement.

However, it’s also important to be aware of the potential factors which may have a negative impact on employee wellbeing, and how you could best manage these.

Keep an Eye on Alcohol Consumption

Providing a free bar all night can encourage excessive drinking and increase the likelihood of staff behaving inappropriately. You can manage this by offering a set number of complimentary drinks instead and allocating a ‘drinks host’ per table, allowing for some control over the volume of alcohol consumed. It’s also important to make sure that everyone’s catered for, ensuring non-alcoholic drinks are also available.

Manage Anti-Social Behaviour

With the flow of alcohol in large gatherings, it can lead to some anti-social or unwanted behaviour which can have serious consequences. Even where parties are not on your company premises, they are still an extension of your workplace and therefore you may still be liable for any discriminatory behaviour such as sexual harassment or similar claims. Ensure staff are fully aware of your expectations by reminding them of your policies on dignity and respect and on drugs and alcohol misuse. 

Give consideration to the inclusivity of your party arrangements: – whether that’s catering for all dietary requirements, being considerate of timings, venue and accessibility requirements too.

Don’t Exclude Anyone

Not all religions or faiths celebrate Christmas and not everyone likes a party, so attendance should be optional. Some individuals simply don’t like to mix work and social life so it’s important that those individuals are not put under pressure or harassed for non-attendance. Ensure that people’s decisions not to attend is respected and supported. 

Despite their repeated requests over many, many years, Wizzard have not been granted their wish for Christmas to come every day. Which means that employers usually only need to plan for and manage such wide-scale company celebrations on an annual basis.

Getting those plans and logistics right can ensure a joyful start to the New Year for everyone. But get it wrong and you could find the repercussions are felt throughout the year – whether that’s poor engagement scores, grievances or disciplinaries.

We can support you with a wide range of HR services. For specialist HR support with any of these issues, please contact Sue Meehan Boyes in our team on 07384 468797.

Fertility Workplace Pledge Offers Greater Workplace Support

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The new Workplace Fertility Pledge has been launched to give individuals and couples undergoing fertility treatment statutory time off work.

An estimated 3.5 million people in the UK struggle to conceive naturally and look to treatments like IVF to help them to conceive. 

Sarah Martin from the Narrow Quay HR team shares her personal journey with managing fertility treatments alongside work, and how this new pledge could make a huge difference to employees who are undergoing similar treatments.

Managing Work and IVF 

Between the ages of 29 and 34 I went through four cycles of IVF, so I can say first hand that it is a gruelling experience. The medication, the side effects, the multiple appointments and then the dreaded two week wait to see if it’s been successful, following by the crushing disappointment when it doesn’t work.

I took a couple of years off before we embarked on the fourth cycle, to mentally regroup and recharge. When we got to round four, with finances depleted and three unsuccessful rounds behind us, we decided it was time to take a slightly different approach. 

We decided that I would drop from working five days a week to four days to allow me to spend more time focussing on treatment and other holistic treatments, such as acupuncture. This was in 2013, so flexible and part time working was not really a thing for women in their early thirties with no children, especially in the legal sector. In addition, I hadn’t really shared with many of my work colleagues that I was having IVF treatment, something which is of course entirely personal to the individual.

My line manager was hugely supportive and because of the nature of my role at the time, I was able to make the adjustment. The only tricky part was how to communicate the change to the rest of the team, but when it came to it nobody really asked any questions.

What Is the New Fertility Workplace Pledge?

Fast forward to 2022 and the new Fertility Workplace Pledge, which has been launched by Nickie Aiken MP. Several major employers have now signed up to it, including Co-op, Natwest, Metro Bank and Channel 4.

By signing up, employers pledge to provide the following:

  • Accessible information: Having an accessible workplace fertility policy to create an open culture free from stigma, to make sure employees feel comfortable in the workplace, and to prevent the best talent from leaving.
  • Awareness in the workplace: Establishing the role of Fertility Ambassador to open conversations internally and make people aware of available support.
  • Staff training: Ensuring line managers understand the realities of treatment for employees including the physical, mental, and financial impact — and how they can support someone going through it.
  • Flexible working: Giving the right for employees to request flexible working, including reasonable working adjustments, so they can attend appointments.

These are simple, common sense pledges that have the potential to make a huge difference to employees undergoing treatment and to those supporting their partners going through treatment.

How Can Employers Sign Up to the Pledge?

Signing up to the pledge is entirely voluntary, but if employers are keen to do so, then can do so here. 

For those who are interested, but perhaps not sure about signing up, you can still think about how you might follow some or all of the steps highlighted above in order to make your workplace more fertility treatment friendly for your staff.

For me it was a happy ending, our fourth round of IVF treatment was successful and I gave birth to twins in September 2014. I can’t say if being able to work flexibly was a factor in that but it certainly made the process a lot easier. 

For further information on the Fertility Workplace Pledge or flexible working, contact Sarah Martin in our team on 07799 136091. 

How Flexible Should Flexible Working Really Be?

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Did you know those without access to flexible working are twice as likely to be dissatisfied in their job? How should employers navigate flexible working requests?

During the pandemic, the CIPD called for flexible working to become a ‘day one’ right, with its Flex From 1st Campaign.

The CIPD’s Flex From 1st Campaign called for flexible working to becoming a ‘day one’ right, and in June 2021 the Flexible Working Bill was first introduced. It recommended that flexible working should be the default position for all workers post-pandemic.

Although this is yet to be enforced and we have seen a rise in flexible and hybrid working, CIPD research suggests that 46% of UK employees still do not have access to any form of flexible working in their current role. 

Flexible working opportunities can benefit everyone: employers, employees and their families. Offering flexible working can also help with the recruitment and retention of staff and promotes a healthy work-life balance.

How Can Employers Be More Flexible?

With the Flexible Working Bill having had a second review in October 2022, the Government has now committed to a number of changes, including a requirement that employers must consult with workers before rejecting an application, in an effort to explore all of the available options before rejecting the request. 

We take a look at best practice when it comes to managing requests for flexible working. 

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Ask for the Request in Writing 

The requirement for an employee to set out how the effects of their flexible working request might be dealt with by their employer will be removed, but the request should still be made in writing. 

Arguably, this requirement will encourage the employee to really think about their request and how this might work best for your business, but it also allows you some time to give it some serious thought and come back to the employee once you’ve done so. 

Meet with the Employee Promptly

You might have had some informal conversations about the request and that’s fine – part of the rationale for the changes is to try to normalise the process but you should still arrange a more formal meeting to discuss it. 

Try to meet with the employee as soon as possible after the request has been made. This will help you to get a better understanding of the changes the employee is looking to make, and consider whether the change needs to be permanent or temporary, and how it could be of benefit to both of you. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions around the reason for making the request. It could make all the difference and help you to reach an agreement you are both happy with. However, you should always be guided by the employee if discussions become ‘sensitive’, and remember that consultation is a two way process!

Consider the Request Fairly and Look at Alternative Options

Whilst consistency is key, each request should be taken on its own merits as each employee’s circumstances will differ and so will their reason for making the request. If it’s just not workable, employers will now need to consider other options and whether a compromise could better suit your workplace. 

Notify the Employee of Your Decision

Be sure to meet with the employee and confirm your decision. This allows you to feedback on your decision making process, what you have taken into consideration, and why you might not be able to agree to their request. It’s important to base your decision on facts and not personal opinion, and the employee will be more accepting of your decision if they understand the reason behind it. 

It’s always best to follow the Acas Code of Practice on flexible working requests | Acas.

For more support around how best to consult with your employees and manage a flexible working request, please contact Kirsty Hunt in our team on 07384 813077. 

National Minimum Wage Increase & The Cost of Living Crisis

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The Government has announced an increase in National Minimum Wage and National Living wage – but with the increasing pressure of the cost of living crisis, how can employers offer support to employees alongside adhering to wage increases.

What Are the New Rates?

The Government has announced changes to National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) coming into effect from April 2023.

From 1 April 2023 the following increases in rates will be introduced:

  • 92p increase to the NLW for those aged 23 and over (from £9.50 – £10.42 per hour)
  • £1, or 10.9% increase for those aged 21-22 (from £9.18 to £10.18 per hour). This increase is intended to narrow the gap with the NLW and put this age group on course to receive the full NLW by 2024
  • 66p, or 9.7% increase for those aged 18-20 (from £6.63 to £7.49 per hour)
  • 47p, or 9.7% increase for those aged 16-17 (from £4.81 to £5.28 per hour) and
  • 47p increase in the apprentice rate (from £4.81 to £5.28 per hour)

Increasing Pressure

These latest changes will provide much-needed support for low-paid workers at a time when many are feeling increased pressure from a rising cost of living. 

However, the current cost of living crisis is having a hugely negative impact on employee’s financial and mental wellbeing and for many can be a constant source of worry and stress that can cause distraction and dis-engagement at work. 

What can you do, as employers, to support your employees when businesses are also feeling the pinch and inflation has reached a record high?

Lightening the Load – How Can You Help?

  • Travel costs can be really expensive. Allow flexibility on working from home to minimise the travel costs for your employees. If you require them in the office full time are you able to consider contributing to the cost of travel, such as season ticket loans or bus passes?
  • Ensure you get the payroll right and pay your employees on time. Any delays or errors could have a significant effect on your employee’s being able to budget their spending in the month and could result in them being charged by their banks if their accounts become overdrawn.
  • Ensure employees are aware of any employee assistance programmes (EAP) you offer which could provide practical financial and emotional support confidentially.
  • Provide links to financial or debt support that might be available – charities such as StepChange are a good resource. 
  • Ensure your benefits are up-to-date and in place, such as free eye tests, discounted food at local establishments close to the office, subsidised gym memberships or ability to sell annual leave if it is not used at the end of the year.
  • You could provide fruit, drinks and snacks in the office to reduce the cost of bringing or buying lunch or make sure there are clean and well maintained fridges and microwaves are available so people can easily bring in food from home, which is often a cheaper option than having to go out and buy something.
  • Review your family friendly policies and signpost parents to the Government’s 30 hours free childcare scheme and possible tax reductions if they are eligible. 

By offering your employees a forum to talk about any concerns they may have it also provides a sense of support. If you have mental health first aiders they can be a good point of contact and will be able to signpost them to internal and external resources and will also keep an eye those employees who are potentially more vulnerable. 

Even implementing a few of these ideas could make a real difference to your employees financial and emotional wellbeing and will give them the knowledge that you care and you are approachable if they need support. 

If you’d like tailored HR advice on any of these issues or concerns, please get in touch with Helen Couchman in our team on 07799 901 669. 

Workplace Bullying – Is Your Workplace a ‘Bully-Free’ Zone?

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In recognition of Anti-Bullying week (14-18 November 2022), we are shining a spotlight on workplace bullying and provide guidance on how to best eliminate this destructive behaviour from our workplaces.

What Is Workplace Bullying?

While there is no legal definition of workplace bullying, ACAS defines bullying as: unwanted behaviour from a person or group that is either:

  • offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting
  • an abuse or misuse of power that undermines, humiliates or causes physical or emotional harm to someone

Although this is not an exhaustive list, workplace bullying includes:

  • gossiping and spreading rumours
  • ignoring or excluding others 
  • making insulting, offensive and inappropriate comments or ‘jokes’
  • setting unrealistic deadlines and unattainable tasks 
  • withholding information and undermining others
  • denying someone promotion or training opportunities

In the event that bullying in the workplace is linked to a protected characteristic (as defined in the Equality Act, i.e. age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, disability, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation), it may constitute harassment, and will therefore be protected and addressed in terms of discrimination law. 

What Is the Impact of Workplace Bullying?

  • Increase in mental health concerns.
  • A toxic workplace culture.
  • High staff turnover and inability to attract new staff and talent.
  • Increase in workplace disputes and litigation costs.

How Can employers Prevent Bullying in the Workplace?

  • Implement anti-bullying and harassment policies and procedures, ensuring that the company culture and working environment is regularly assessed in light of these policies.
  • Conduct awareness training for staff in respect of bullying and harassment.
  • Ensure that all complaints are addressed and taken seriously. This includes conducting proper workplace investigations. 
  • Ensure that staff follow applicable internal procedures in order to address bullying and harassment at an early stage.
  • In appropriate circumstances, consider using alternate dispute resolution mechanisms, such as workplace mediation. 
  • Focus on creating positive and inclusive working environments that do not enable or foster a culture of workplace bullying and harassment.

If you would like specialist support and assistance with any of the outlined measures, please contact Megan Britz in our team on 07468 698957. 

Supporting Employees Through Pregnancy or Baby Loss

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An estimated one in four pregnancies in the UK end in loss, yet this can be a hidden issue in the workplace. How can employers provide compassionate and inclusive support for those affected, throughout all stages of pregnancy and baby loss?

Many employers in the UK are working hard to achieve a workplace culture that is compassionate, inclusive and supportive. Getting this right is proven to positively impact an employee’s mental wellbeing, as well as their performance, commitment and intention to stay with their employer.

Do your policies and practices measure up? 

Navigating the Deeply Emotional and Personal Journey of Pregnancy or Baby Loss

For employees experiencing pregnancy or baby loss, this will be an extremely challenging time. Often employers are not supporting their employees as well as they could – perhaps because it has previously been a hidden subject in the workplace, considered too personal to openly discuss, or that employers and managers fear getting it wrong and treating the matter without the required sensitivity. 

A recent report from CIPD demonstrates that there is a significant gap in workplace support, as evidenced by their latest survey results, leaving almost a quarter of employees considering leaving their job because of their experience in work in relation to pregnancy or baby loss.

How Does Your Organisation Offer Support, and Could You be Doing More?

  • Paid compassionate leave or other special leave? Nearly half of the employees surveyed (46%) said that such leave was/would have been beneficial. However, whilst paid compassionate leave may seem an obvious option for employees who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss, the new research shows that only 25% of employees received paid compassionate leave or other special leave in addition to any statutory entitlement such as sick pay.
  • A formal policy to support employees experiencing pregnancy or baby loss? Only one in three employers have a formal policy, to help employees and employers navigate this.
  • Understanding from your managers? 60% of employees who experienced pregnancy or baby loss felt their managers failed to show understanding. Of those, 70% agreed that understanding and support from their manager(s) would have been beneficial. This may be a training need for your managers, to upskill them and give them greater confidence in handling tricky or sensitive conversations.
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  • An open and supportive climate, where employees can talk about sensitive issues like pregnancy or baby loss? Only a quarter of the senior HR professionals and decision makers surveyed said that their organisation encourages a supportive, open culture to facilitate sensitive topics like these being discussed. Perhaps reflect on whether you could be doing more to build and maintain a supportive environment for your staff.
  • Paid time off to attend appointments? This was identified by employees as one of the top three forms of employer support which would have been most helpful to employees experiencing loss (alongside paid compassionate leave, and understanding from managers).

Pregnancy and baby loss affects people across the UK every day, and the impact is felt not only by the grieving mother, but also by their partner and their family members, including for example the potential grandparents who may be supporting their adult children through associated surgical procedures and the grief process, whilst of course also grieving themselves.

Please contact Jo Bradbury in our team on 07570 372118, if you would like to explore how we can help your organisation ensure an approach which is underpinned by the principles of flexibility, empathy and inclusivity.

World Cup 2022: Tackling HR Challenges in Your Workplace

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From matches during working hours, to potential tension between employees, we review some of the possible issues employers should be aware of as the World Cup 2022 approaches.  

The Football World Cup starts on Sunday 20 November and continues until the final on 18 December – but is your organisation prepared for the challenges it could bring?

Should Employees Get Time Off to Watch a Match?

Due to the time difference with Qatar (they are three hours ahead of the UK) a lot of the games will take place during the working day. For example, England’s game against Iran takes place at 1pm on Monday 21 November and Wales’ game against Iran takes place on Friday 25 November at 10am. 

Due to the number of teams involved in this World Cup, there will be four games a day for many of the group stages. They will be played at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm UK time, every day. 

As an organisation you should think about the approach you will take with regard to colleagues who want to watch the games. For example, there is a risk that if you only allow England and Wales fans to watch games you may get complaints from say a Moroccan colleague who wants to watch their team play at 10am on Wednesday 23 November. 

The best approach is to be even handed, so if you will allow England fans time off to watch any England games you should consider allowing other teams fans time off to watch their team’s games. You need to think whether you will allow employees to work flexibly or whether they will need to take annual leave to watch the games. 

Could There Be Workplace Tension?

The next thing is to consider possible workplace tensions arising. For example, an employer might think it’s a good idea to set a TV up in an open plan office and allow staff to have an alcoholic drink if it’s a big late afternoon game. But be mindful of how this might make others feel. Some colleagues may not want to watch and might not want to be around alcohol for a number of different reasons. This could lead to tensions between staff, especially when alcohol is involved.  Plan ahead, consider those employees who do not want to watch and remind colleagues of their obligations under any Dignity at Work policies.

Promoting Equality and Inclusivity

The other live issue at this World Cup is LBGTQ+ rights. In Qatar homosexuality is illegal with punishments for being homosexual including prison sentences for up to seven years, or death. A few days ago a Qatar World Cup Ambassador said that homosexuality is ‘damage in the mind’. There is a good chance that there will be protests by some players and fans about the Qatari approach in this regard and it remains to be seen how the Qatari authorities will react. 

This issue is almost certainly going to be addressed during the coverage of the World Cup. If you are going to be showing the games it may be worth reminding your staff of your own organisation’s approach regarding Equality, Dignity at Work and so on and ensuring that any discussions about the matter are moderate, reasonable and respectful. This is not just to try to avoid grievances and Tribunal claims but also to let staff know that they are working in an inclusive, tolerant organisation. 

The World Cup may well give organisations a lot to address and so it may be helpful to give some thought to how you will approach these matters in advance. If there are any issues you would like to discuss please contact Simon Martin in our team on 07384 813076. 

International Men’s Day: How Are You Supporting Men’s Health in the Workplace?

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19 November is International Men’s day and it takes place during the ever popular ‘Movember’. But amidst critiquing the varying successes of moustache-growing, it’s important to also take time to consider the importance of men’s health.

Why Is Men’s Health Important?

The statistics on men’s health speak for themselves – men account for three-quarters of premature deaths from heart disease, are twice as likely to die from drug or alcohol abuse and three times more likely to die from suicide. 

Men are less likely to access psychological therapy compared to women, with men accounting for only 36% of referrals to NHS talking therapies. Research shows that men are more likely to turn to harmful coping mechanisms, such as using alcohol or drugs to cope. When talking about their mental health, one in three men attributed this to their work, according to research carried out by Mind in 2017. 

Whilst the focus on wellbeing and in particular mental health has increased within society and many organisations, why is it that men often face health challenges alone? This can in part be explained by the traditional expectations of what masculinity is – being strong and keeping it together and perhaps a dogged determination to ‘man up’ rather than face health issues. 

It could also be due to a lack of resources and support targeted specifically at men. If we think about men’s engagement with health services, in a man’s life time there are few touch points that offer men the opportunity to look at and discuss their own physical and mental health. So they may not be able to spot any concerns in the first place and when they do, they may not know how to seek help. 

What Can Businesses Do to Help?

As with any health issues, raising awareness is fundamental in facilitating change. Research by the charity Samaritans, found that both language and content of any awareness initiatives needs to be specific for men to actively engage. Running campaigns to highlight men’s health concerns – heart disease, prostate and testicular cancers as well as mental health issues such as depression and suicide. 

Train your line managers to hold wellbeing conversations. Research carried out by CIPD has found out that only 29% of managers feel confident in being able to spot signs of mental ill health. Likewise when discussing taboo subjects on men’s health, it can be hard for both manager and employee to feel comfortable to open up. 

With one in eight men experiencing some poor mental health at any time, it’s important that managers are able to consider the possible life experiences that may be affecting men at work – becoming a father, bereavement, relationship breakdowns. Managers need to have the skills to open up that conversation, not rush to provide a solution but ask the right questions and most important of all, provide space and time to listen to the individual.

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Create safe spaces to have vulnerable conversations and permission to open up without being perceived as a weakness. Those safe spaces are across the whole organisation not just with line managers, so this is about ensuring that all employees have an appreciation of likely health issues and can play their part in spotting the signs and supporting colleagues.

Signposting to resources and support. Many organisations may have an employee assistance programme which can offer targeted support for men’s health. Likewise there are external organisations that can help. Sometimes this just isn’t obvious for men who may be having physical or mental concerns. So organisations need to clearly signpost and direct men to those services that can help.

We have come a long way in regards to focusing on health and wellbeing at work for all employees, but on this International Men’s day we should take the time to drive that conversation forward. By talking about the issues and trends in men’s physical and mental health, we can encourage more men to be open about their feelings and access support.

For specialist HR support with any of these issues, or for how you can support International Men’s Day, please contact Sue Meehan Boyes in our team on 07384 468797.

Continued Growth for Narrow Quay HR – Megan Britz Joins the Team

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Narrow Quay HR is delighted to welcome Megan to the team as an HR Consultant. Megan joins us from South Africa where she founded and ran a successful employment law and HR business for nearly ten years. 

During that time, she received excellent reviews for her professionalism, extensive knowledge and personable approach. 

Megan is passionate about creating conscious, healthy and empowered working environments and has a particular interest in workplace culture and bullying.

 Megan’s recent accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider reflects her interests and provides a further insightful perspective to the support she can offer to clients.

Megan will be primarily working on workplace investigations, which is at the forefront of Narrow Quay HR’s portfolio of services. This work requires our HR Consultants to investigate often complex and sensitive workplace disputes and requires excellent analytical skills as well as a great deal of emotional intelligence – a perfect fit for Megan’s skillset.  

Megan commented:

“I am absolutely elated to be joining such a progressive, dynamic and resourceful team. Narrow Quay HR provides a range of expertise, specialised advice, and bespoke training in evolving areas of HR, and I look forward to partnering with the team and our valued clientele on an incredible HR journey”.

Narrow Quay HR Directors Caitlin Anniss and Sarah Martin commented:

“It’s well known that one the things that sets us apart from other HR Consultancies is that a number of our team have worked as both lawyers and HR Consultants, which is exactly Megan’s background and one of the reasons we are so excited to welcome her to the team. 

Megan’s genuine passion for supporting workplaces to optimise the way in which they function will support the work that we do on workplace investigations and be of tremendous value to Narrow Quay HR as we continue to evolve and look at innovative ways we can offer a greater range of support and expertise to our clients”.

If you’re looking for specialist HR support, or have any questions, please contact Megan Britz on 07468 698957.