Redundancy and restructure & Why you should be concerned with staff group chats

In this episode of the podcast I cover two topics that employers should be aware of; the first comes from a listener question about redundancy and changing terms of an employee’s contract and the second topic is inspired by the front page of my local newspaper, The County Press.   

In this episode I will cover:

• The definition of redundancy and how it relates to a restructure.
• When changing terms of employment can trigger a redundancy situation.
• What you need to consider as an employer.
• The case of Fauchon v Packman Lucas Associates which deals with this issue.
• Why employers need to give consideration to what employees are sharing and sending to one another on group chat services.
• Why I believe group chats are high risk for employers from an internal perspective and a risk to reputation.
• The key points to consider to try to direct employees on the usage of group messaging services such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Action Points

1. If you are considering reducing staff hours or making internal changes consider whether there is a potential redundancy.
2. If you are unsure give consideration to your obligations to consult with staff individually and potentially under collective consultation rules.
3. Implement a ‘group chat’ policy either as a separate policy or as part of your social media policy – A policy will be available to download in our DIY Documents shop shortly but in the meantime if you would like a policy please contact alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk
4. Educate staff on the appropriateness and risks of communications with colleagues.
5. Outline your rules and expected behaviour in communications amongst staff.
6. Seek advice if you are unsure.

Useful Links

Fauchon v Packman Lucas Associates – Employment Appeal Tribunal

The Isle of Wight County Press 

Please do leave any comments, ideas and best practice below. Please ensure that any comments are respectful to all views and opinions.

As part of our HR Harbour annual subscription service for employers we provide guidance and training for employers, supervisors and managers. If you would like to know more about the HR Harbour Service and how you can get unlimited support from as little as £180 per month please contact me for a no obligation discussion – alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk or you can find full details here: HR Harbour

Don’t forget you can contact us by telephone 01983 897003, 01722 653001 or 023 8098 2006