I often hear business owners say that maternity leave would be a nightmare for their business, and that women with children are unreliable. I hear it so often that I frequently ask myself what has been achieved by over 40 years of sex discrimination legislation. 

 

Let me tell you about some people I know. 

Last week saw publication of the latest list of companies to be “named and shamed” for not paying staff the national minimum wage, or national living wage (for over 25s). Included in the list were High Street names such as Debenhams and Peacocks. And within days of its publication, we discovered that Argos would be on the next list, having failed to pay over £2.4 million to 37,000 current and former employees. 

Have you reviewed your HR policies recently? Are they working for your business and delivering the engaged and motivated employees your business needs? Are they still compliant with employment law?