Employment Relations Issues
This resource guide provides Internet links on good employment practices.
The NHS is constantly trying to find innovative ways to encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to work in healthcare organisations across the UK. Good employment practices will assist in achieving this goal.
The NHS has an Equality and Diversity Standard (Standard 2: Improving Working Lives) and the NHS web sites in each country have helpful information and guidance for anyone in an employer or people management role, e.g. Board Medical Director, GP, Clinical leader.
Practical tips and information
- The ACAS Helpline can answer most questions on employment relations matters.
- Job and person specifications must be drawn up in such a way that they do not include unnecessary requirements.
- Employers need, where reasonable, to be able to make job information available in the form a job applicant chooses, for example large print, audiotape or in electronic format.
- All web-based material should be accessible to the technologies used by some Deaf and disabled applicants, for example, screen readers used by blind and visually impaired people.
- Follow best practice advice with regards to interviews and selection tests in order to avoid unlawful discrimination.
- Ensure that training and education arrangements follow best equal opportunities practice.
- Appraisal, performance reviews, disciplinary and other procedures must be free from unfair discrimination.
- Promote ‘inclusive’ employment policies such as flexible working and job-sharing.
- If in doubt, consult a Human Resources or Diversity specialist.
Key Web Links
General issues
The NHS Employers website has sections on Childcare, Equality and Diversity and international recruitment (including information on induction programmes for Consultants and GPs). See Equal values: equal outcomes - a partnership action plan for the medical and dental workforce (2005) which is available in PDF format by selecting it from the publication list displayed when you access this link.
NHS Scotland website: See document: Equal Opportunities Policies: guidance (Scotland) PDF file.
DirectGov provides a user-friendly guide through different aspects of UK employment law.
The Equality and Diversity Forum is a network of national organisations committed to progress on Equality and Human Rights issues at work, sharing best practice and developing guidance. There are useful publications available on this site.
Improvement Network website : Designed mainly for local government managers, this site has good practice information in a number of areas such as ‘Employing all kinds of people - managing a diverse workforce’.
The Investors in People site provides free practical advice to help managers manage staff more effectively, and includes best practice advice guides.
www.equalitydirect.org.uk
This site has details of an advice line offering employers free advice on a range of equality issues.
Age
The Employers Forum on Age has publications such as ‘Avoiding the Age Trap - Factsheet’ (2004) for employers in pdf format.
Directgov website : The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) leaflet entitled Employing Older Workers is available to download from this site.
Disability
The Royal National Institute for the Blind has online help for Employers.
The Employers Forum on Disability site has publications such as :
- Barrier free E-recruitment;
- The Disability Communication Guide;
- Briefing Papers - on Adjustments in Employment;
- Managing Sickness Absence;
- Managing Recruitment;
- Health and Safety and the DDA
Members and Non-members are able to order documents online for a small fee.
The Department of Health website has a document: Looking Beyond Labels: widening employment opportunities for disabled people in the new NHS (Department of Health, 2000). The aim of this guide is to highlight areas of best practice that organisations need to consider in the employment of disabled people. It looks at how they can ensure that disabled people receive fair treatment in all aspects of employment. (England)
Gender
www.gendertrust.org.uk
This UK charity helps people with gender identity issues and offers management guidelines for the employment of transsexuals.
Work-Life balance
www.employersforwork-lifebalance.org.uk
This site provides resources for organisations and individuals, e.g. Case Studies, Legislation, Jargon Buster and Problem Solver sections relating to work-life balance issues.
NHS Scotland website : This includes a document provides NHS best practice guidance on ‘family friendly’ policies. (Scotland).
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