M

About Us

We’re not your average HR consultancy. Led by Sam Swinstead, a plain-talking HR professional with over 20 years of experience, we focus on sensible, practical advice that gets results.

Social Media

Need Help? Call Us on

01252 757359

Drop Us a Line!

hello@vivohr.co.uk
April 2025 Employment Updates

April 2025 Employment Updates

April is always a month of change for employment law and employment updates. We know that over the next 18 months there will be a lot to keep up with but what is happening right now? Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 From 6 April 2025 there will be a new...

read more
Employment Rights Bill 2024

Employment Rights Bill 2024

Why read all 158 pages of the Employment Rights Bill 2024 when we've done it for you? Very superficially it has to be confessed & for now skipping over much of the very lengthy sections about trade unions, public sector rights and the new labour market enforcement...

read more
Induction and onboarding

Induction and onboarding

A good induction and onboarding process will be key to integrating new starters with your business and setting them up to succeed. The aim of both is to lay the foundation of a strong relationship between the employee and the organisation, but the two things do serve...

read more
Navigating Recruitment and Background Checks

Navigating Recruitment and Background Checks

Recruitment and background checks go hand in hand for many employers although background checks can be conducted at any time if necessary. Background checks are used to confirm someone’s validity, honesty and ability to do the job. Different industries, businesses and...

read more
Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

You have probably heard the terms neurodiversity and neurodiverse being used more frequently over recent years. But do you really know what they mean and why understanding them is important for your business? In this blog we run through the basics of understanding...

read more
2024 Employment Law Updates

2024 Employment Law Updates

Employment Law Updates usually take place each April, this year however bucks the trend with changes starting from January and carrying on throughout the year. Here's our rundown of employment law updates for the year. What's been, what we know is coming and what to...

read more
Part Time Holiday Allowances

Part Time Holiday Allowances

Are you working out your part time holiday allowances correctly? One of the most precious things to an employee (after job security and satisfaction of course) is holiday, it can also be one of the most headache inducing elements of employing people  especially...

read more
Declaring custodial convictions

Declaring custodial convictions

The legally required period for declaring custodial convictions by individuals to their employer has changed. New legislation (Section 193 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force on 28 October 2023 which means that criminal convictions...

read more
Navigating Recruitment and Background Checks

Navigating Recruitment and Background Checks

Recruitment and background checks go hand in hand for many employers although background checks can be conducted at any time if necessary. Background checks are used to confirm someone’s validity, honesty and ability to do the job. Different industries, businesses and...

read more
Declaring custodial convictions

Declaring custodial convictions

The legally required period for declaring custodial convictions by individuals to their employer has changed. New legislation (Section 193 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force on 28 October 2023 which means that criminal convictions...

read more
Is a 4-day working week coming ever closer?

Is a 4-day working week coming ever closer?

61 companies recently trialled a 4-day working week and, in a report, published this week the results seem to speak for themselves. 92%, that’s 56 business who took part in the trial have decided to continue with a 4-day working week with some making it a permanent...

read more
Employee Travel Plans in 2021

Employee Travel Plans in 2021

We’re sure you were glued to the news last week waiting to know what will and won’t be allowed for our summer holidays this year so we’ve pulled together just a couple of useful resources for you with things you should be aware of when it comes to your employee travel...

read more
Do small businesses really need HR support?

Do small businesses really need HR support?

One thing the events of 2020 have shown us is that the answer to ‘do small businesses really need HR support?’ is ‘Yes, they absolutely do!’ Probably not in house and not full time but definitely a presence, maybe in the shape of, hmmmm, I don’t know, someone like us,...

read more
Are you missing your daily commute?

Are you missing your daily commute?

One of the good things to come out of lockdown for those of us that do still a daily commute to work is that it seems to be a lot quieter out there, which helps reduce the time we spend on the road. But what about those of us who are now working remotely? Without the...

read more
Planning for a second lockdown

Planning for a second lockdown

Over the summer, if you squinted, it looked and felt like things were slowly returning back to a more recognisable state but unfortunately as we are all aware cases of Covid 19 seem to be on the rise. Localised restrictions have been put in place for many parts of the...

read more
Burnout & Presenteeism

Burnout & Presenteeism

Employee Burnout & Presenteeism How are you? Really? This is a question you should be asking your employees on a regular basis? Burnout has doubled since lockdown began. Burnout is categorised as depleting energy or exhaustion, mental distancing or negativity to...

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

Redvision

Redvision

At vivoHR we always like to make sure you have the basics right; this starts with making sure you have up to date documents. It’s an important foundation to any business and a positive step in the right direction. Sometimes companies grow so fast they need to get...

read more
Fortune Law

Fortune Law

At vivoHR we have been working with one of our legal clients on a monthly retained basis for about a year and a half. They’ve got a brilliant team and continue to recruit. We’ve been helping support them from the very outset including onboarding and then helping them...

read more
Provision of HR Strategy & Function

Provision of HR Strategy & Function

Project Scope PRD, driven by growth in the market and in its workforce are a company committed to progressing their home-grown talent. The aim was: To develop the skills of the newly formed Senior Management Team PRD provide billing software for telecommunications,...

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

You have probably heard the terms neurodiversity and neurodiverse being used more frequently over recent years. But do you really know what they mean and why understanding them is important for your business? In this blog we run through the basics of understanding...

read more
(Company) Culture Club

(Company) Culture Club

How would you describe your company culture? Is it something that’s written down so when you’re asked about it you can simply read it off? Or, is it something that you can see in the values, behaviours and attitudes of your employees because it’s something you live...

read more
Creating a Positive Organisation

Creating a Positive Organisation

Creating a Positive Organisation These articles by Professor Robert Quinn are well worth read. The concept of taking the function of HR away from "sticking bandages on old wounds" into working with the Senior Leadership Team to create positive, innovative and...

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

Empowering Neurodiverse Teams

You have probably heard the terms neurodiversity and neurodiverse being used more frequently over recent years. But do you really know what they mean and why understanding them is important for your business? In this blog we run through the basics of understanding...

read more

Indirect Sex Discrimination

The Northern Ireland Equality Commission have been found guilty of indirect sex discrimination and although the tribunal recognised they had done so unintentionally they were still ordered to pay £8,000 to the claimant. Simply put, indirect sex discrimination...

read more

Disqualification by Association

I think we'd all agree we need to protect children & young people from sexual predators, potential abuse or harm but how far do we go in ensuring this protection? Is any measure acceptable or do we risk breaching the rights of others in our quest for child...

read more

Discrimination and Bullying

The Mirror reports on the tribunal currently underway in which a female Muslim worker is claiming racial & sex discrimination.If the allegations are found to be true it would seem this employee experienced a bullying manager of the worst kind - timing toilet...

read more
Equal Pay for Equal Work

Equal Pay for Equal Work

Equal Pay for equal work! You may have seen on the news this weekend that Asda are facing mass legal action by women who work in their stores. Over 1000 women so far have lodged claims with apparently a further potential 19,000 enquiries being dealt with by the legal...

read more

Discrimination and Obesity

How fat is fat enough?! Overweight enough to be protected against discrimination that is? Last week The Advocate General gave his view that it is unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds of obesity. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) now has to decide...

read more

Sexual Harassment and Racial Discrimination

Every employer's worst nightmare? It would seem that Annabel Karmel (she of how to feed your children properly fame) was accused of sexual harassment and racial discrimination by an ex-employee. Charges that she has vehemently denied and which were subsequently...

read more

Age Discimination in the news again

Channel 4 are facing an Employment Tribunal for Age Discrimination after John McCririck was successful in a preliminary hearing to establish whether or not he had the right to bring a tribunal claim. Channel 4 had argued that McCririck was not an employee but the...

read more

What Is a Disability?

What is a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act? Well it appears that the definition is ever widening and employers should not be too hasty to assume that a medical condition will not be covered by the legislation for protection from Disability...

read more

Equal Pay

An Equal Pay Case that has been heard by the Supreme Court has ruled that it is acceptable to compare the pay of workers from different establishments within one local authority. More than 200 female classroom assistants and nursery nurses have won the right to bring...

read more

Workplace Sexual Harassment

Workplace Groping features in the headlines again - there is interesting article in the BBC about it today. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21573043 We're not convinced a "no touching rule" at work is necessary, useful, practical or even desirable but businesses do...

read more

An update on yesterday’s blog

We are pleased to report that thankfully the Court of Appeal saw sense & concluded that a breach of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act can't be claimed when any damage to relationships or reputation that result from the dismissal are a consequence of the employee's...

read more

Breaching Human Rights with an unfair dismissal

We've just read that a judgement expected from the Court of Appeal today may have  an impact on how tribunals reach their verdicts in unfair dismissal cases.  If the verdict goes in favour of the claimant, the tribunal may be required to consider whether a dismissal...

read more

Religious Discrimination?

Is this yet another case of the government overreacting and focussing on the wrong things without fully understanding what they are dealing with? David Cameron pledges on Prime Minister's Questions to "change the law" to allow religious symbols to be worn at work...

read more
Induction and onboarding

Induction and onboarding

A good induction and onboarding process will be key to integrating new starters with your business and setting them up to succeed. The aim of both is to lay the foundation of a strong relationship between the employee and the organisation, but the two things do serve...

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

When stress can be good for you

When stress can be good for you

We’ve talked a lot about managing your mental load, especially since March last year. It’s easy to always see the negative to side to ‘being stressed’ but for this post we wanted to talk to you about positive stress………no honestly, stress can be good for you. Good...

read more
Mental Health in the workplace

Mental Health in the workplace

Mental health problems affect 1 in 6 workers so identifying poor mental health in the workplace is something we all need to be getting right. Take a look around your team, can you easily see who may be suffering with stress, anxiety or another condition? No, I didn’t...

read more
Stress Awareness Month 2019

Stress Awareness Month 2019

We can all experience feelings of stress now and then and some of us may feel it more than others; it’s often a natural reaction to dealing with life situations and events. Doing something new for the first time, not being in control, feeling like we are in danger,...

read more

Fit For Work

FIT FOR WORK IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS From today employers in England & Wales can access the Government service to help get employees on long term sickness absence back into the workplace. The Fit For Work Service is aimed at SMEs and for employees who have been...

read more

Mental Health Awareness Week

It is Mental health Awareness Week from 11-17 May 2015. ‪#‎MHAW15‬ Since their first Mental Health Awareness Week back in 2000 The Mental Health Foundation have helped generate public debates around how anxiety, sleep deprivation and exercise can impact our mental...

read more

Health at Work

This Spring was due to see the launch of the new Government Health and Work Assessment and Advisory Service (HWAAS) although it appears that this will now commence in "late 2014" according to the gov.uk website.# This service aims to provide an occupational health...

read more

World Mental Health Day

It's World Mental Health Day today - every year on 10th October there is a national focus on the mental well being of people. Of course, there is a need for this to be a focus all year round but this day aims to bring mental health to everyone's attention....

read more
Part Time Holiday Allowances

Part Time Holiday Allowances

Are you working out your part time holiday allowances correctly? One of the most precious things to an employee (after job security and satisfaction of course) is holiday, it can also be one of the most headache inducing elements of employing people  especially...

read more
Blue Monday 17 January 2022

Blue Monday 17 January 2022

Blue Monday falls in the third Monday in January – next week! Our banks accounts are empty, we’ve already broken our new year resolutions, if we even started them and it’s dark. No wonder it’s the classed as the most gloomy day of the year and has been given the name...

read more
Part Time Holiday Entitlements

Part Time Holiday Entitlements

One of the most precious things to an employee (after job security and satisfaction of course) is holiday, it can also be one of the most headache inducing elements of employing people  especially when you have part-time employees! Are you working out your part...

read more
Holiday Carryover

Holiday Carryover

In normal times it is unlikely in most circumstances holiday carryover into future years is offered to staff but the government have passed regulations to ensure businesses have the flexibility they need to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and to protect workers...

read more

Fit For Work

FIT FOR WORK IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS From today employers in England & Wales can access the Government service to help get employees on long term sickness absence back into the workplace. The Fit For Work Service is aimed at SMEs and for employees who have been...

read more
April 2025 Employment Updates

April 2025 Employment Updates

April is always a month of change for employment law and employment updates. We know that over the next 18 months there will be a lot to keep up with but what is happening right now? Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 From 6 April 2025 there will be a new...

read more
Employment Rights Bill 2024

Employment Rights Bill 2024

Why read all 158 pages of the Employment Rights Bill 2024 when we've done it for you? Very superficially it has to be confessed & for now skipping over much of the very lengthy sections about trade unions, public sector rights and the new labour market enforcement...

read more
2024 Employment Law Updates

2024 Employment Law Updates

Employment Law Updates usually take place each April, this year however bucks the trend with changes starting from January and carrying on throughout the year. Here's our rundown of employment law updates for the year. What's been, what we know is coming and what to...

read more
Kickstart Scheme

Kickstart Scheme

You may have already heard about the Government Kickstart Scheme which has been created by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).  It is a scheme which provides funding to employers to create job placements.  When it was first set up you needed a minimum of 30 job...

read more
Post Brexit Immigration Rules

Post Brexit Immigration Rules

New Immigration Rules In our new post-Brexit world UK employers need to think differently immigration and about how they recruit and employ EU citizens (not including Irish citizens) as free movement between the UK and EU has ended The points-based immigration system...

read more
Lockdown 3.0 Employers Update

Lockdown 3.0 Employers Update

So here we are again then huh?!  Lockdown 3.0 we see it is being called, so here is your Lockdown 3.0 Employers Update (as of today anyway). We notice that the legislation being voted upon runs to 31 March with Boris reported as stating that this is "not because we...

read more
CJRS Extension

CJRS Extension

The government has announced the CJRS extension, it is now going to run until March 31 2021. The CJRS extension aims to support individuals and businesses who are impacted by disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) this winter. The CJRS extension will run...

read more
Commission in holiday pay

Commission in holiday pay

Holiday season means holiday pay. Working out holiday pay for many employees is fairly straight forward but there can be some spanners in the works especially when dealing with commission in holiday pay (or other variable payments such as shift allowances and on call...

read more
New furlough rules minor update

New furlough rules minor update

Nothing new to report on the the new furlough rules but there is some clarified wording shared below from the HMRC that does give reassurance that anyone furloughed for at least 3 weeks at any time prior to 30 June (even if currently back at work) can be furloughed...

read more
Latest furlough guidance

Latest furlough guidance

Sit comfortably & get ready to wade your way through the latest furlough guidance which we’ve aimed to make sense of and summarise, in addition highlighting any areas that may still be unclear. Extended Furlough Period We have confirmation that the furlough period...

read more
Record keeping during Furlough

Record keeping during Furlough

It is important that you establish good record keeping during furlough of your decisions and actions during the Coronavirus situation – we suggest documenting this now while it is fresh in your mind in case you ever need it later on.  One key essential point is...

read more
Latest version of the CJRS

Latest version of the CJRS

True to form the Govt / HMRC announced the latest version of the CJRS (furlough) on the evening before the weekend – Thursday 9 April this time!  In truth it updates just these key points and two of the big points will affect very few of you I think- point one being...

read more
CJRS Guidance Update

CJRS Guidance Update

Over the weekend the Government updated the Corona Virus Job Retention Scheme, CJRS guidance, so grab yourselves a cuppa and take a read of what it all means. This gives us CJRS guidance on some of the areas we have been waiting for answers to but still leaves many...

read more
Furlough, a bit more information

Furlough, a bit more information

We believe it is clearer now that the furlough leave will initially run from March to May (may get extended) – not three months from when you start it as I had hoped – but that is my interpretation and we still await 100% confirmation – just thought it may be helpful...

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

HR Horror Stories

HR Horror Stories

Halloween is right around the corner! Have you got the decorations up and the sweets ready for trick-or-treaters? At vivoHR we love this time of year, and we always make sure to dress up for the occasion.  As Halloween is coming up, we thought you might like an...

read more
Easter at work

Easter at work

Easter, a 2000-year-old Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a major Christian Festival. It's celebrated all over the world but how do you celebrate Easter at work? Easter marks the arrival of Spring... Finally! Nowadays, for many,...

read more
Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day

The first Friday of every March is National Employee Appreciation Day so at vivoHR today that has meant chips for lunch for everyone! It is widely recognised that happy employees are productive employees; they are less likely to go off sick, to raise grievances or to...

read more
National Work From Home Day

National Work From Home Day

Today is National Work From Home Day, we’ve mentioned before that we are advocates of the work from home option, the flexibility, no long commutes, the home/work balance are just a few of the many benefits and it seems that now more employers are recognising them too...

read more
Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Do you have your New Year Resolutions in place yet? How about adding a few of these to that list? Spend some time this year planning your employment strategy. It is time well spent but it is often a “luxury” that we don’t allow ourselves. It will...

read more

Don’t be an April Fool

Its April Fools day, we've fallen for many April Fool jokes in our time and we don't want to be party poopers as we like a good joke as much as anyone...but this article from last year is a harsh reminder about the risks of letting practical jokes get out of hand in...

read more

April Fool

Don't be an April Fool!! Setting your colleagues on fire, touching a colleague's testicles, putting your colleague in a wheelie bin, landing your radio controlled helicopter on your colleague's turban, doing a "moonie" in work - when practical jokes go bad! So today...

read more

Eggstra Bank Holiday

Eggstra-ordinary bumper bonus bank holiday year! If your company holiday year runs from April to March this concerns you. Easter in 2015 falls in April & then in 2016 it falls in March meaning that if your holiday year runs from April to March there will actually...

read more

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone! Wishing you all a fantastic festive break and wonderful start to 2015. vivoHR has now shut until 6 January - we'll be mainly drinking mulled wine, eating mince pies & watching Christmas movies for the next two weeks! Retained HR Support...

read more

Happy Birthday vivoHR!

We've been so busy providing fantastic HR Services to our clients that our second birthday passed us by in a blur! We were two years old on Saturday 14th September - wow that time has flown by fast! Emma & I raised a glass to ourselves sitting at our respective...

read more

International Women’s Day

Today is International Women's Day which aims to celebrate all things great about womankind, as well as tackling some of the issues still prevalent today. The Gender Agenda is the global theme - tackling inequality and discrimination, whilst the UN focusses on putting...

read more

Happy Christmas

That's it  - vivoHR have gone on holiday!  We have shutdown from today until 7th January and we look forward to talking with you all in 2013. In the meantime we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

read more

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.