Hello everyone, welcome to our latest newsletter. March's edition contains significant changes in employment and Health & Safety law (taking effect in April), expert advice and guidance from our consultants, latest news and upcoming training courses. This month’s highlights include:

On April 6^th, the traditional ‘sick note’ will be replaced with the ‘fit note’. Whilst the fit note will lead to important procedural changes for your company, I believe that the real value businesses could gain from this change lies in an improved ‘fit to work culture’, as a result of better communication and  more information from the medical profession on an individual’s capabilities.

 At a higher level, the real commercial value gained from an HR function is delivered when the HR approach changes from a fire fighting, reactive position to an HR business-partnering situation. It is vital that organisations have clearly communicated strategic goals, structured around organisational development, growth, change and improving profitability. HR can then deliver results through a better understanding of the strategic goals of the business, while still supporting the everyday business functions and line managers directly.

Using the fit notes example, the real challenge for HR managers should not be how to manage the new forms and procedures, but how to manage staff morale, people development and absenteeism in their company. It is this ability to really understand the business needs and rise above the everyday issues that distinguishes good HR professionals and gives them the ability to deliver results at a strategic level.

This is one of the main reasons I left a job as an in-house HR Manager and moved into outsourcing because an outsourced HR and Health & Safety function can drive the business forward from a position of partnership, making it their primary business to understand the goals, objectives and vision of your company, rather than simply getting mired down with the day to day administration of your policies, procedures and staff issues.