Advanced Role and Skills of a Valuable HR Assistant

What is this seminar about

The breadth of the role of the HR assistant is constantly increasing, making the role ever more challenging. It is vital that the effective HR assistant stays up-to-date with ALL employment law issues and best practice skills. Any mistakes in this area can be costly to the organisation. With this in mind Falconbury have developed a second HR assistants workshop that focuses on the extended issues faced by HR assistants in busy HR department on a regular basis.

Attend the second part of our comprehensive series for HR Assistants to enhance your knowledge and begin your journey to the next level.The programme focuses on the wider role of the HR assistant including pay, benefits, sickness and absence and other essential topics.

What are the key objectives of this programme

This essential follow-up programme has been designed to build on the knowledge and skills gained from Part 1. The aim is for you to increase your knowledge to a point, which will enable you to overcome day-to-day issues with confidence and, depending on your current role, take on more responsibility in the department.

Attend this course and boost your confidence when facing challenging issues in the following areas:

• Managing sickness and absence
• Pay and benefits legislation
• Determining pay levels
• Employing performance related pay
• Assessing employee benefits
• Statutory and organisational time-off rights
• Informing and consulting employees
• Accounting for people
• Employee records

Practical case study based learning

A unique case study has been developed specifically for this programme. Throughout the course participants will work in groups on exercises based around a pseudo organisation. They will examine and resolve specific HR issues that are present within the company and reflect real-life scenarios. This will give the group the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have learnt in a practical context during the programme and receive structured feedback and guidance from the expert trainer.

Who can benefit by attending?

This course has been developed as a continuation of learning from the Role and Skills of a Valuable HR Assistant and also as a stand alone course for those that would like an update on the specific issues this addresses.

• New and existing HR staff looking for more training
• Experienced HR staff looking for an update on law and procedures
• Staff assigned to HR duties and responsibilities
• Past attendees to this series have included HR assistants,Assistant HR Officers, Personnel Officers,HR and Training Co-coordinators,PA’s, Office Managers, HR Administrators, and HR Officers.

The Contribution of HR

• The changing role of HR
• Corporate strategy and objectives
• Strategic human resources management
• HR as a strategic business partner
• Impact on HR careers

Managing Sickness Absence

• Identifying the size of the problem
• Some causes of absence
• External statistics

CASE STUDY-EXERCISE 1
Participants will investigate high levels of sickness and absence in a division and propose how to manage this

• A sickness absence policy
• The responsibility for managing sickness absence
• ‘Fit notes’
• Return to work interviews
• Trigger points
• Sickness as a ‘fair’ reason for dismissal
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Occupational sick pay

Understanding Pay and Benefits

CASE STUDY-EXERCISE 2
Participants will examine and respond to a claim for equal pay

Legislation and pay

• The National Minimum Wage
• Equal pay

Determining pay levels

• Internal relativities – job evaluation
• The external market place
• Drawing up the reward policy
• Deciding how to pay

Performance related pay

• Bonuses and incentives

Lawful deductions from pay – Main employment benefits

• Company cars
• Private medical insurance
• Pensions
• Permanent health insurance
• Flexible benefits
• Voluntary benefits

Managing Performance

CASE STUDY-EXERCISE 3
Participants consider how to manage the performance of someone whose performance is unsatisfactory

• The use of the probationary period
• The benefits of a formal staff appraisal system
• The need for a capability procedure
• Linking pay and performance

Managing Redundancy

CASE STUDY-EXERCISE 4
Participants consider the criteria to be used in determining redundancies

• Definition of ‘redundant’
• The legal requirements for consultation
• Deciding the criteria
• The rights of those made redundant
• Motivating those who remain

More Employee Time Off Rights

CASE STUDY-EXERCISE 5
Participants consider the right to time off in several different scenarios

• Time off for public duties
• Time off for training
• Time off for union duties and activities
• Time off to act as a ‘companion’
• Time off as a health and safety representative
• Time off to act as a representative for European Works Councils or as part of the Information and Consultation agreement

Accounting For People

Useful HR statistics

• Staff turnover
• Sickness absence
• Equal opportunities monitoring
• Human capital accounting

Employee records

• The Employment Practices Code
• Employee files and access
• Sensitive information
• Sick certificates and medical reports

Sources of Help and Advice

• Jobcentre Plus
• ACAS
• BIS
• BusinessLink
• Professional bodies

Programme and workshop leader

Anne Knell, MA, FCIPD is a partner in Newways 90, an HR consultancy offering a broad range of personnel advice and support to clients in all sectors of business. She was previously with Arthur Andersen working with clients on HR and employment law related issues. She gained her personnel experience at Morphy-Richards and CheseboroughPonds and also headed up the courses department for the National Institute of Industrial Psychology. She is the executive editor of Gee’s Personnel Manager’s Factbook and the Reward and Recognition Handbook.

 

Do you have a team of HR assistants who are helping with the unique challenges that busy HR departments have to deal with on a day-to-day basis?

Falconbury deliver our HR assistant programmes In-House for a number of organisations in the UK. The training is interactive, packed with case study based learning and tailored to your organisations needs and culture.

For more information call Caroline Glen on +44 (0)20 7729 6677 or and we will get back to you immediately.

European Employment Law Update

The Role and Skills of a Valuable HR Assistant

Positive Persuading and Influencing Skills

The HR 'Executive Mini-MBA'

This course qualifies for the following CPD programmes:

• Cert: 0.00 hours

• Abbey Pynford Plc
• Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP
• BEDS & LUTON PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST
• Christian Aid
• Collyer Bristow LLP Solicitors
• Egger (UK) Ltd
• Gala Coral Group
• Geldards LLP
• Historic Royal Palaces
• Home Group Ltd
• Johnson Matthey Plc
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• National Bank of Greece
• National Lottery Commission
• NCSL
• Newsquest Specialist Media Ltd
• Now Training Ltd
• Port of Tyne
• Royal Opera House
• Sanofi Aventis
• SCC International
• Siemens Financial Services Ltd
• Smiths Gore
• The Berkeley Scott Group Plc
• The Morgan Crucible Company plc
• The Prostate Cancer Charity
• Walsall College
• Westminster Kingsway College
• Wilson Bowden Plc
• Winterthur Financial Services UK LTD