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Employers need not face costly staff disputes

Potentially damaging disputes between employers and their staff could be avoided if line managers were more up to speed on HR issues, in particular equality and diversity, according to the UK’s leading provider of workplace information and consultancy services, Croner

Many organisations delegate personnel responsibility to line managers, says Croner, part of Wolters Kluwer. But they often lack the knowledge and communication skills needed to deal with sensitive issues. This creates a real issue for HR professionals who are increasingly taking a more strategic role within businesses.

With the correct training and guidance, line managers are more likely to identify potential issues, and therefore, less likely to get caught up in disputes or litigation

Croner has today launched compelling new software called Croner Equality and Diversity Compliance Trainer. This invaluable tool for HR professionals allows line managers to be tested at any location. It also helps identify gaps in line managers’ knowledge and those who may require further training.

The three areas covered in the training are recruitment, management and the exiting process of employees.

The software, which is straightforward, interactive and cost effective, helps managers understand:

- How to avoid discriminating against a job candidate
- How to avoid discrimination during employment
- How to avoid discrimination during termination of employment
- What reasonable adjustments should be made for disabled employees

With better understanding of HR issues through the use of the software, employers will:

Reduce risk: organisations using this will have reduced risk of employment disputes arising from mismanagement and non-compliant activity

Reduce cost of litigation: reduced likelihood of disputes implies less expenditure on litigation

Be able to explain legal obligations: educating line managers will make them more effective as well as legally compliant

Be able to provide practical “how to” guidance: the e-learning course is an on-going updateable resource featuring real-life situations

Support line managers: use of e-learning to support this is an effective way of communicating and maintaining effective workplace relationships between line managers and HR

Deliver cost-effective learning: compared with face to face or classroom training, e-learning is extremely cost effective at delivering information to large numbers

Free up HR professionals’ time: delegating personnel responsibility to line managers enables HR professionals to adopt a more strategic role, adding value to their business.

Martin Smith, executive director of Croner, said: “Disputes between management and staff can be extremely damaging to any organisation. As well as the cost of potential litigation, low staff morale can affect productivity, customers might take their business elsewhere and new talent might think twice before applying for employment.

“HR professionals are busier than ever before and often need to take a more strategic role within the business. It is therefore crucial that line managers with delegated HR responsibilities are properly up to speed on best practice in the workplace.

“By using this software, line managers will reduce the chance of getting their business embroiled in costly employment disputes. Not only that, by successfully managing members of staff through difficult and challenging situations, they will ensure the business remains stable by protecting morale and may even increase productivity.”

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