2021 was an auspicious year for EssentialSkillz. In our mission to deliver more value to our customers, we released multiple updates to the WorkWize compliance platform, alongside a raft of new courses and improvements. In this blog, we put the spotlight on some of the highlights that were accomplished by the efforts of our fantastic team over the last year.

1) Launched new features and improvements on our WorkWize compliance platform

Our team has worked hard to roll out new features and improvements to enhance the user experience on WorkWize. Some of these improvements include:

• Improved branding and colour themes – With a more modern design, our platform looks better than ever, all whilst remaining fully accessible in line with WCAG compliance
• Upgraded the performance of our servers – Meaning that WorkWize now responds even faster for our customers and their users
• Upgraded accounts to Automatic User Management – Our support team has now made automatic User Management standard, meaning that all of our customers can measure their levels of compliance more effectively
• FTPS is now supported – We are pleased to offer greater flexibility in how users are imported, with the option to send user data over FTPS
• Enabled External IDs and Usernames for Authentication – You now have the flexibility to use different information to identify your users. Users can be identified using their email address or their username when using Single sign on
• Launched Mobile Friendly updates – Our mobile friendly updates make the platform more responsive on mobile devices and give your staff the ability to easily carry out their compliance training from anywhere
• Added new Help, Support Guides and Videos – Thanks to our Help, Support Guides and Videos, users can resolve queries and get answers to questions quicker and more easily than ever

2) New Courses and Course Updates Released

At EssentialSkillz, we ensure that our courses provide the best learning experience and are up to date with the latest compliance regulations and best practices. In 2021, we were pleased to expand our extensive library of courses with the release of an additional 5 new courses and 15 course updates.

New courses from 2021 are:

• Unconscious Bias
• Gender and Sexuality Awareness
• Emergency First Aid Awareness
• Respect in the Workplace
• Bullying in the Workplace

2021 course updates included:

• Slips, Trips and Falls
• COSHH (Hazardous Substances)
• Return to Work
• Return to Work for Managers
• Disciplinary & Grievance
• Pandemic Awareness
• Phishing Awareness
• Drugs and Alcohol at Work
• Asbestos Awareness
• Internet, Email & Social Media
• Data Protection
• Cyber Security
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Coronavirus
• Legionella

We also have a mobile friendly upgrade available. Now you can choose to upgrade your courses to get a better user experience when using mobile devices for learning.

3) New microlearning features

Our development team have been working behind the scenes on new microlearning features that are soon to be released for our customers. Clients who use Author will soon be able to create Compliance Memos or Learning Nuggets to distribute short pieces of content to their users from within the WorkWize platform. Learning Nuggets also give users the ability to access short, mobile-friendly from anywhere.

4) Won BSIF Award for Customer Service Excellence second year running

Winning this award for the second time is a great tribute to the efforts of the outstanding Customer Support team at EssentialSkillz. Over the past two years, they have delivered an outstanding service, providing our clients with technical expertise, reliability and empathy at a time when businesses really needed it.

5) Completed our yearly Information Security test and Certifications

At EssentialSkillz, we value the importance of cyber security and are committed to providing our customers with the best possible protection. Here is a list of some of the yearly certifications and tests that were carried out in 2021:

• In May, we obtained the Cyber Essentials Plus certification. Cyber Essentials is a verified certification that endorses that the cyber defences we have in place at EssentialSkillz will protect against the majority of common cyberattacks. Cyber Essentials Plus provides an additional level of assurance as an external auditor technically assesses the effectiveness of Cyber Essentials controls that we have implemented
• In July, we became certified for IASME Governance. In line with IASME standards, our cybersecurity policies and procedures are safe and fully GDPR compliant.
• In Q3 we successfully completed our annual PEN Test, when cyber security auditors checked for potential vulnerabilities in the Workwize platform

6) Acquisition by Marlowe

Towards the beginning of Q4, EssentialSkillz was acquired by Marlowe plc, the UK leader in business-critical services and software which assure safety and regulatory compliance. EssentialSkillz will act as a platform for Marlowe’s compliance software businesses as a key part of its governance, risk and compliance division. More information on Marlowe plc can be found at: www.marloweplc.com/about.

7) Ethics and Sustainability

At EssentialSkillz, we have a strong commitment towards sustainability and good ethical practises. In 2021, our efforts were recognised by the EcoVadis program, which gave us a silver award and placed us within the top 25% of companies that participated. We are very proud of this achievement and look to improve our score in the future as we do our part to mitigate our impact on the environment.

Here at EssentialSkillz, we maintain a strong commitment towards sustainability and good ethical practises. We are very proud to announce that our efforts were recently recognised by the Ecovadis program, who gave us a silver award and placed us within the top 25% of companies that participated.

We undertook the program to better understand our ethical and climate impact, as well as help our clients meet their commitments and goals. Participating organisations answered a questionnaire covering four categories: the environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

Once completed, the questionnaire and supporting evidence was reviewed and assessed by an EcoVadis expert. The methodology used by EcoVadis “is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000”.

We are very proud of this achievement and look to improve our score in the future as we do our part to mitigate our impact on the environment.

A pronoun is used to replace a proper noun, such as someone’s name, and is often used to refer to a person without mentioning their name. For example, She is running a little late.

In English, the pronouns we have been taught to use follow a gender binary – she/her for girls and he/him for boys. For example, Igor’s presentation was excellent. He really put a lot of time and effort into it. In this example, ‘he’ is the pronoun which refers to ‘Igor’, and assumes that Igor identifies his gender as a man. While this might be true for Igor, it might not be true or respectful to use for people whose gender identity sits outside of the gender binary.

As our understanding of gender identity and expression has evolved, so has the language around pronouns and their use. No longer are people restricted to the binary gender pronouns he/she – people are free to choose their own pronouns (or lack of pronouns) that better represent their gender identity.

Terminology

The terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.

• A person’s sex is the label given to them at birth based on biological and physiological characteristics at that time. This is either male or female, or in some countries, intersex. A person’s sex is sometimes referred to as sex assigned at birth.

• A person’s gender is a social, psychological and cultural construct and relates to behaviours and attributes that a society associates with being male and female; gender identity is the gender that someone perceives themselves as internally. This can be female, male, neither, a blend of both or another gender(s).

A person might identify as:

• Cisgender if their gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth.

• Transgender if their gender identity is different to their sex assigned at birth.

• Non-binary if their gender identity sits outside the gender binary – they might feel their gender is a blend of both male and female, undefined or neutral, multiple genders or another gender(s). Other identities under the non-binary umbrella include genderqueer, gender non-conforming, genderfluid and third gender people.

Pronouns

For cisgender people, he/she pronouns might be comfortable and appropriate. However, for people whose gender identity does not neatly align with their sex assigned at birth, using he/she pronouns might not accurately reflect how they feel about themselves and could leave the person feeling uncomfortable, disrespected or dismissed.

People whose gender identity sits outside of the gender binary most often use gender-neutral pronouns, such as they/them used in the singular, in place of she/her or he/him. There are also other gender-neutral pronouns they could use or they might choose to forgo pronouns all together. The following chart outlines some common pronouns, what they sound like and how to use them correctly in a sentence.

*This is not an exhaustive list of all of the pronouns.

Sharing, asking about and using pronouns

You cannot determine by looking at someone what pronoun they prefer. Use gender-neutral pronouns or the person’s name until you have the opportunity to ask them or you can confirm which pronouns they want you to use.

It might feel strange to ask someone about their preferred pronouns, but it is important that we begin to normalise sharing and asking about them so that we can use and hear the language that best represents our true selves. Doing so builds a culture of respect and inclusion for everyone.

An easy way to share pronouns throughout your organisation is to add it to various communication channels. For example, on your instant messaging service profile or email signature

When you find out a person’s preferred pronoun, make sure to use it. If you are ever unsure how to use it in a sentence, look it up online or ask the person politely to give you some examples. Using their pronouns shows that you respect them.

Making mistakes

Even if you know someone’s preferred pronoun, you might sometimes make a mistake. These things happen. If you do slip up, apologise and correct yourself. Even if you didn’t intend to cause harm, you are still responsible for the impact.

If you didn’t realise you made a mistake and someone tells you that you hurt their feelings, don’t dismiss it or make up excuses. Be willing to listen to how they are feeling and empathise with them. When we listen, we get a better understanding of the other person’s perspective and show them that we acknowledge their feelings.

You can also help build an inclusive work environment by encouraging others to use a person’s correct pronouns. If a colleague or manager uses the person’s pronouns incorrectly, politely correct them.

Want to learn more about pronouns and how to promote respect in the workplace?

Try our new Gender & Sexuality Awareness Online Training Course for Free. Click the link below for a Free Trial.

Get a Free Trial

Introduction 

At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, many businesses needed to rapidly convert from a physical office to the remote working environment. If you were one of those businesses, you likely have had to tweak your processes to ensure smooth business operations, which might have included your disciplinary and grievance procedures. Before Covid, the idea of conducting a formal disciplinary meeting on a video call might have seemed unthinkable. But now that remote and hybrid working are becoming more permanent arrangements in many organisations, organisations need to have robust disciplinary and grievance procedures that ensure fairness for remote and hybrid workers.

Below are some important things to consider for disciplinary and grievance procedures in a virtual working environment.

1. Technology

If it is not possible to hold the formal disciplinary/grievance meeting in person, then videoconferencing may be a suitable alternative. However, every attempt should be made to avoid technical issues that will impact the meeting. Remember, subjects have the right to appeal if any part of the disciplinary or grievance procedure was unfair or handled incorrectly. Subjects may feel that they have been treated unfairly if for example:

• Technology issues cause undue stress
• They have trouble accessing the meeting or any of the evidence
• They could not express themselves effectively due to the media used.

It’s advisable to test the technology beforehand to ensure that all parties can access the meeting without issue, including the person who will accompany the subject and any witnesses. It is also vital to consider any disabilities that would prevent any participant from accessing or participating in the meeting. Alternative arrangements may be required to ensure that the subject receives a fair hearing.

2. Privacy and security

Remote disciplinary and grievance meetings present a number of privacy and security considerations. It’s important that the online meeting is secure and that access is restricted only to the relevant people. Participants should be advised of confidentiality requirements prior to the meeting and should be aware that no one else can be present in the room while the meeting is taking place. If you need to distribute documented evidence electronically, this should be carried out in accordance with data protection principles. If you intend to record the meeting, all parties must agree to this in advance. If recording is not permitted, this should be explicitly stated to all attendees. 

3. Gathering and distributing documents and evidence

Gathering information and evidence from both sides may be more difficult when working remotely but it is still essential to ensure fairness. Documentation may include personnel files, performance reviews, emails, training records and compliance reports etc. Subjects should:

• Have access to all documentation and evidence.
• Be given appropriate time to review in advance of the meeting.
• Be aware beforehand of any witnesses that will be included in the formal meeting.

4. Right to be accompanied

The subject still has the legal right to be accompanied to a formal disciplinary/grievance meeting when attending remotely. They may be accompanied by a colleague, a trade union representative or an official employed by a trade union. The accompanying person may:

• Take notes on the subject’s behalf.
• Present the subject’s case.
• Talk things over with the subject during the meeting.
• Sum up the subject’s case.
  

You must ensure that the meeting setup allows the accompanying person to do all of these things, even if they are joining remotely. If the accompanying person is unable to access the meeting, the meeting should be postponed to a suitable date. The alternative time and date must be reasonable and not more than five working days from the original date.

5. Is it better to delay?

Considering the challenges associated with remote working, in some cases, it may be better to delay the meeting until it can be conducted in person. In general, unreasonable delays are to be avoided as they can cause additional stress to those involved. However, the risk associated with delays should also be balanced against fairness in these exceptional circumstances. If, for example, the subject cannot access the meeting remotely, the relevant evidence cannot be collected without putting employees at risk or the employee is not able to present their case effectively, then it may be better to delay. Where a delay is necessary, the subject should be notified in writing of the reasons for the delay.

6. Prevention

Managers and supervisors should do their best to prevent issues from escalating to the formal stages of disciplinary and grievance procedures. Where possible, issues should be dealt with informally and at an early stage. But it can be more difficult to notice problems arising when staff are working remotely. It’s more important than ever to ensure that communication is open and frequent and that employees know exactly what is expected of them. Ensure that your code of conduct is available to all employees and reflects the current circumstances. Let your remote employees know how to raise problems and concerns informally.

Working remotely is not without its challenges. Be mindful of your employees’ wellbeing and offer the appropriate support, for example, you can:

• Encourage staff to reach out and ask for help if they need it.
• Build interpersonal relationships with your staff and regularly check in with them.
• Encourage employees to take more breaks and stay connected with colleagues.
• Provide contact details for external mental health support services.

You can also enrol employees in online awareness training on topics such as Mental Health Awareness, Ergonomics, Wellbeing & Remote working, Healthy Living or Mindfulness. There are a number of other online wellbeing eLearning courses that EssentialSkillz offers that can increase awareness around these important topics, helping employees to take better care of their health, safety and wellbeing when working from home.

Conclusion

Disciplinary and grievance is one of the many areas that need to be approached differently in the virtual environment. Remote working brings new challenges, but we’ve learned how well businesses can adapt to rapidly changing work environments. With the right procedures and tools in place, issues can still be resolved effectively and fairly while protecting the wellbeing of your employees.

We are pleased to announce that EssentialSkillz has been acquired by Marlowe plc, the UK leader in business-critical services and software which assure safety and regulatory compliance.

Marlowe plc are an ambitious company listed on the London Stock Exchange. EssentialSkillz will act as a platform for Marlowe’s compliance software businesses as a key part of its governance, risk and compliance division. More information on Marlowe plc can be found at: www.marloweplc.com/about.

EssentialSkillz remains unchanged and will continue operating in the same way from the same location. The existing staff and senior management team will also remain unchanged, it will be business as usual.

This is an exciting move forward for EssentialSkillz and brings considerable benefits to our customers through the scale and breadth of services offered by the wider group. We look forward to providing the same excellent service to yourselves as part of the Marlowe Group.

Slips, trips and falls may seem trivial. We’ve all slipped on a surface, tripped over an obstacle or fallen down a step. It’s all too easy for individuals and employers to overlook the seriousness of this type of incident in the workplace. When we think of risks to our health and safety, we tend to focus on what makes the headlines: fires; building collapses; machinery and vehicle crushes; or exposure to hazardous substances. Yet, the reality is that slips and trips are the most common cause of reported workplace injuries. 

According to the UK regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),  slips, trips and falls on the same level caused almost one third (29%) of all reported non-fatal injuries at work in 2019/20. They can also lead to other types of accidents, such as falls from height or falls into machinery. It isn’t just staff who are at risk. Slips and trips cause half of all reported injuries to the public in workplaces where they have access, such as hospitals, shops and restaurants.

Shattered lives

The HSE has long recognised the individual, organisational and societal consequences of slips, trips and falls. It even went as far as to call its last major awareness-raising campaign “shattered lives”. Unlike some common safety hazards, slips and trips aren’t limited to certain industries; they can happen to you wherever you work.

The personal consequences can be devastating. As well as suffering pain from injuries, people may experience emotional distress, and even lose their livelihood. Physical injuries from a slip, trip or fall can range from sprains, cuts and bruises to broken bones, permanent disability and sometimes death. 

In one case, a woman tripped on a hole in the linoleum floor while entering a bowling club pavilion. She fell, hit her head, and later died. In another case, a cook at a busy fast food outlet slipped on a floor that had recently been wet mopped. As he put out his hand to save himself, he pulled over a nearby deep fat fryer, which spilt 35 litres of boiling hot oil. He suffered extensive burns and needed skin grafts. Another employee at the outlet received serious burns to her right leg and ankle.

Hidden Costs

The HSE estimates that organisations lose more than 1.5 million working days each year from these types of incidents. And the costs don’t stop with lost time. There can be other more hidden costs, such as damage to plant and equipment, production delays, as well as the loss of expertise and experience. On top of this there may be other financial penalties, including fines, compensation payouts and reputational damage. 

Last year, retail giant Tesco was ordered to pay fines of £733,333 after a customer slipped on liquid leaking from refrigerator units at one of its stores. He fell and suffered multiple hip fractures. Data obtained and reported by the BBC shows Network Rail paid out nearly £1m in the five years to 2018/19 for slips, trips and falls at its stations across the UK. The largest single pay-out was £39,631 after a passenger slipped on liquid at Charing Cross station.

Not Inevitable  

The HSE identifies the main barriers for organisations trying to reduce slips, trips and falls as:

• employers and employees failing to take the risks seriously;
• poor understanding of how these incidents happen;
• a belief that slips and trips are inevitable – that they are simply a fact of life; and
• inadequate risk assessments and management controls.

In guidance for its inspectors, the HSE notes that “many employers do not give slips and trips the priority they deserve. They treat them as being outside their control, inevitable or simply the employee’s fault.” It goes on to state, however, that “slipping and tripping are not inevitable, unless, of course, hazards are allowed to remain uncontrolled. Effective action can be taken to dramatically reduce slipping and tripping accidents.”

Most of these actions are simple and low cost (see box). But too many organisations are still falling down on basic organisational, planning and housekeeping issues, and missing the importance of human factors (such as distraction or fatigue) and worker involvement. Issuing slip-resistant footwear or putting up safety signs may seem like you are tackling the problem – and such controls have their place – but unless you tackle the causes further back in the chain, you will never achieve lasting improvements.      

Getting ‘Buy-in’

In reducing the likelihood of slips, trips and falls, staff training and engagement is crucial. First, people need to understand the consequences of incidents that can often seem insignificant or even humorous. Then they need to know where the hazards are and what they can do to help prevent incidents.

The HSE’s inspector guidance advises that “getting workforce ‘buy-in’ to initiatives to reduce slips and trips is crucial” and that to obtain long term reductions “attitudes and perceptions must change”. The guidance further notes: “Sensible measures should be taken to control and minimise risk, but personal responsibility and worker participation are also essential if these measures are to be effective.”

When it comes to informing and engaging employees, EssentialSkillz can help make the difference. Our Slips, Trips and Falls course sets out the practical ways employees can work with their employers to reduce the risk. But in tackling some of the HSE’s key barriers to improvement, our online training goes further. The newly updated course sets the context, dispels myths and outlines the sometimes devastating consequences of what we all too often dismiss as inevitable, or even humorous, incidents. Like all EssentialSkillz training, the course can also be customised to meet the specific needs of your workplace and staff.

Ten Practical Steps 

• Design tasks to minimise potential leaks or spillages; fix any leaks from machinery or other equipment  immediately
• Plan pedestrian routes to avoid potentially contaminated areas
• Use the correct cleaning methods for the surface; don’t clean during busy times
• Choose and maintain flooring carefully – if flooring gets loose, damaged or worn, repair or replace it
• Look at the wider environment – ensure lighting is good and that any slopes or steps are easily visible
• Always ensure walkways, stairs and work areas are clear of any obstructions or trailing cables
• Select the right footwear for the environment and task
• Think about people and organise work to avoid rushing, overcrowding or distractions
• Provide and maintain the right equipment for any unavoidable work at height, and train staff in safe practices
• Involve staff in task and safety decisions, such as choosing protective footwear or altering cleaning methods