Beyond 2020: The post-pandemic workplace
Covid-19 has been the ultimate workplace disruptor. Over the last few months, business priorities have changed, with business as usual superseded by the need to respond urgently to the pandemic. Classic business models have been reshaped by circumstances, leading to fundamental, and potentially permanent changes, to the world of work. Diversity has become a central topic for business through the crisis, with many areas of diversity and equality experiencing major setbacks.
Changes as far reaching as these pose challenges but they also present opportunities
The future workplace
Is agile working here to stay? We consider how employment policies and management practices need to evolve to be compatible with agile and remote working. Policies should reflect what is right for business in the long term and we will explore how to meet legal and regulatory requirements, while staying true to cultural values.
Diversity and inclusion
In this session we will look at the pandemic through the lens of diversity and consider the effect that the pandemic itself, and the business response to it, have had on particular groups of workers. We will look at the data, assess the impact on particular groups and suggest ways in which businesses might reinforce their diversity agenda to protect against disproportionate impacts. We will also look at how businesses can respond positively to the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement to develop a meaningful race strategy.
Board diversity, pay reporting and contentious remuneration
Has the pandemic changed the conversation about board diversity and fair pay? In this podcast, we focus on whether Covid-19 has stalled diversity at the top of organisations, how existing pay inequities may be impacted and amplified by the pandemic, and how decisions made about remuneration against the backdrop of the pandemic can lead to contention and litigation.
Click here to read more about Board Diversity: the Asian Landscape, and here for Board Diversity the European Landscape
Workplace culture – Bullying and harassment
In a remote working environment, interactions between colleagues are less open to observation. Spotting harassment, bullying and other forms of misconduct is more challenging than ever. We will explore how employers can identify hidden behaviours and what steps they should take to address the risks, including the need to make whistleblowing policies fit for purpose for a home-based workforce.
Workplace culture – Handling investigations remotely
In many workplaces, video calls have become the main method of communication but how well are these suited to handling sensitive employee relations issues? We will look at the practical difficulties employers face when investigating complaints and carrying our disciplinary procedures remotely and will consider how to handle issues such as investigating in a timely way, the right to be accompanied and covert recording of meetings. We will also address whether the remote disciplinary hearing is here to stay.
