All charities are set up for the purpose of helping or supporting a cause, and everyone who works in it will share the same values.
However, charities are like businesses in many senses they need to:
- make money
- comply to all legislation (employment law, health and safety etc)
- be ethical and treat their service users, customers, employees and trustees with fairness and respect
For the charity to survive in hard times, especially during a pandemic, all of these cogs must be well-oiled and work effectively together.
Pandemics will throw people’s lives upside down; it will challenge people’s beliefs and create uncertainty. Many employees do not fare well with an uncertain future, work, life or at home. And this lack of ability can come out in certain behaviours. You may see employees acting differently and may become disruptive or challenging.
Employers supporting employees with their mental health is more important than ever with the pandemic. It’s really important to address any concerns and respond positively and provide extra internal/external support where needed.
All employers should not leave issues unresolved, brushed under the carpet or not addressed properly as the problems don’t magically go away, they fester, and become a disease which spreads across the organisation. Very often the employee will be rallying for support, upsetting individuals, spreading malicious gossip, become insubordinate and generally just being disruptive to the organisation. In turn that creates and atmosphere in the workplace and can damage the reputation of the charity. Damage to reputation can sometimes not be recoverable no matter how hard your PR team works.
Dealing with issues informally
It is always recommended that issues are dealt with informally if it isn’t a serious issue. If the issue fails to be resolved or if the issues come up again, it may need to go to an informal stage. Sometimes at this stage if issues are resolved, it may require the employer issuing a ‘management instruction’ which is an informal written warning explaining the concerns and how the employee should improve. If this fails, then the next step would be to deal with this matter at a formal setting.
Dealing with issues formally
Before you are able to invite and employee to attend a formal disciplinary meeting, the manager or investigating officer needs to have designed a detailed management report which outlines the problems. The employee is to be provided with a copy of the report and an invite to the hearing, with the right to be accompanied. The hearing is held, and the meeting can result in a written warning (first or final). If it is the individual’s first offence, there is unlikely to be a dismissal notice issued. This would only usually happen in the case of gross misconduct cases. The employee will receive and outcome letter and a right to appeal. The issue should be resolved at this point, but failure of the employee to follow the expected behaviour could result to a further formal disciplinary meeting and either a final written notice is issued or a dismissal – depending on the severity of the situation.
Right of appeal
Sometimes employees will appeal about the sanction, process or failure to gather particular information. If the employer feels it is warranted, they can arrange to hear the appeal at an appeal hearing. The hearing would usually be held by a more senior manager. The employee will be invited to the hearing with the right to be accompanied. The employer’s decision at the appeal hearing is final and there are no further steps for the employee.
In order to avoid a claim at an Employment Tribunal, it is recommended that you consult a qualified HR professional.
www.specialisedhr.co.uk