Each year, HR teams are tasked with providing employees with the most updated benefits and policies to maintain compliance and improve employee retention. But as laws change and new requirements are implemented, it can be difficult to ensure compliance. There are several changes coming this year that could impact your employees – are you prepared for the changes?
Equal Pay and Gender Equality
There are several high profile cases right now related to gender pay gaps and equal pay. Companies in the supermarket industry like Sainsbury, Tesco and others have been accused of unfairly paying female employees less than their male counterparts for the same work. As these cases are resolved and judgements made, this will provide a path for other industries and workers to come forward. Making sure your gender pay gap reporting is in compliance, as well as implementing measures to balance inequities is vital to ensuring your employees are paid fairly and in compliance with the law.
CEO Pay Gap Reporting
This new reporting is going into effect in 2020, but organisations with 250 employees or more must begin compiling figures in 2019 to provide reporting that shows the gap between the average worker pay and the CEO compensation. Companies that are not in compliance will face penalties, and identifying large gaps can begin internal conversations of how to improve the gaps between workers and leadership.
Non-Disclosure Agreements
The government is looking into the use of non-disclosure agreements in the workplace and for good reason. Previously used to prevent employees from sharing protected intellectual property when they move to a new company or competitor, non-disclosure agreements are now being used to silence claims of harassment or workplace misconduct. Non-disclosure agreements are still legal, but the future is uncertain. If your organisation uses non-disclosure agreements, it is important to make sure employees have a way to anonymously report harassment, workplace misconduct, or other business disputes so their voices can be heard without fear of repercussions.
HR teams must stay ahead of regulations but also be aware of new changes that could be coming soon due to industry and governmental updates. If you need help better managing your HR processes, automating HR admin and payroll, or simplifying reporting, talk to us. Our integrated solutions can help reduce time spent on HR admin, avoid manual entry errors, and much more.
