What will keep you up at night in 2024?

Workplace health and safety and human resources is constantly changing and evolving. It’s easy to fall into a trap of believing that once you have policies written up and in place, the work ends there – unfortunately, it’s not always that simple.

Read on to find out our top 10 HR and Health and Safety hot topics for 2024.

HR

1. Long-term sickness

Long-term sickness of employees is likely to impact every business at some point. Businesses are under increased pressure to understand what they can do. They need welfare strategies, the right benefits approach, and the right HR interventions to reduce the impact of this epidemic.

2. Recruitment

The “war for talent” has been intensifying. Although there are more people on the market right now, than say a year ago, companies still can’t fulfil the needs they have. In recent years, the value of skills-based hiring has become increasingly widely recognised, with recruiters focusing more on competence and capabilities over educational backgrounds.

Being attractive to people with the right skills is key. The employee value proposition has never been more important – can you afford to lose the “war for talent”?

3. Artificial Intelligence

Possibly the biggest buzzword of the past year – AI. The popularity of technology like text generation software has increased rapidly in recent months, becoming a valuable resource for professionals, but companies must carefully balance the risk and the opportunity it brings.

Regardless of which side of the fence employers are on, it’s increasingly likely that an AI revolution is only just beginning. We still have a lot to learn…

4. Bullying

Acknowledging the existence of workplace bullying and taking robust action against it is vital for businesses of all industries and sizes.

There are 9 protected characteristics in law, everything else relies on kindness and compassion. Just because it’s not a protected characteristic, doesn’t mean it won’t cause damage and offence. Open discussions about bullying should be encouraged and employers should consider establishing mechanisms for reporting, investigating and disciplining such incidents.

5. Unemployment

Unemployment is on the rise. There will be more people in the labour market next year. On the surface, to businesses – this sounds like good news.

The challenge remains for businesses to source specialist talent.  Increased unemployment is the sign of a weakened economy. Being robust and having the right HR support, the right People strategy and the right benefits, culture and innovation, can set you apart, and let you ride out the storm. 

Health & Safety

1. Control of silica dust

Silica is the biggest risk to construction workers health after asbestos. Exposure to RCS (Respirable Crystalline Silica) over many years can cause lung cancer and other serious lung conditions.

Those working in construction or manufacturing are at a particularly increased risk of developing such conditions, due to the nature of work involving drilling, grinding, cutting and polishing of brick and concrete that creates the fine dust particles containing RCS.

2. Managing mental health

Many publications suggest that one in four people in the UK will have a mental health problem at some point¹. When work-related stress becomes prolonged, this can lead to both physical and psychological damage, including anxiety and depression. Pre-existing conditions can also be exacerbated by problems faced at work.

Implementing and communicating a Mental Health at Work plan, raising awareness, encouraging openness and providing good working conditions ensures that employees can be supported appropriately.

HSE ‘hot topics’

We have compiled three recent news stories from HSE that are topical right now:

3. There have been increased warnings associated with construction workers’ long-term health being impacted by moving and handling heavy objects, leaving some struggling to stand, walk or sit down. From 4 September 2023, HSE inspectors will be carrying out inspections of construction sites, focusing on the health risks of moving and handling materials on site².

 

4. HSE has expressed that more needs to be done to protect Britain’s truckers from work-related stress. Their Working Minds campaign, which began in August 2023, targets HGV drivers and their bosses, to promote good mental health whilst at work, in partnership with The Road Haulage Association (RHA)³.

 

5. The cost of making mistakes – a waste management firm was recently fined £3 million following the deaths of two workers, involving forklifts and loading of a lorry⁴. A Warrington-based company was fined £90,000 after risking exposing the public to asbestos during a renovation project⁵.

It’s important that, as a business, you are covering aspects of HR and Health and Safety in your operations strategy and updating your processes in line with recent events and law changes. Neglecting these issues and not complying with key updates can put not only your people but the future of your business at risk.

 

 

 

1. ‘Mental health facts and statistics’ – Mind, 2020. – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental-health/how-common-are-mental-health-problems/

 

2. ‘Latest construction campaign to prevent ill health from moving and handling materials’ – Health and Safety Executive, 2023. – https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/08/31/latest-construction-campaign-to-prevent-ill-health-from-moving-and-handling-materials/

 

3. ‘Working Minds: Stress campaign to help HGV drivers’ – Health and Safety Executive, 2023. https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/08/10/working-minds-stress-campaign-to-help-hgv-drivers/

 

4. ‘Waste management company fined £3m following HSE investigations’ – Health and Safety Executive, 2023. – https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/09/07/waste-management-company-fined-3m-following-hse-investigations/

 

5. ‘Construction firm fined £90,000 after exposing public to asbestos during renovation work’ – Health and Safety Executive, 2023. – https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/08/24/construction-firm-fined-90000-after-exposing-public-to-asbestos-during-renovation-work/#:~:text=A%20Warrington%2Dbased%20construction%20company,found%20guilty%20in%20its%20absence.