To Sit, or to Stand – Modern Working Methods Examined

Sitting at a desk for hours on end has never been considered conducive to healthy working, but what is the alternative?

Well according to CIS Products, UK employees could benefit from standing desks and anti-fatigue mats.

Working days are getting longer and breaks are getting shorter. Sitting down for hours without much movement can have a negative effect on health. It can lead to cardiovascular issues as well as diabetes. A British study undertaken in 1953 revealed that sitting continuously could contribute to health problems and more recent research from 2011 demonstrated that a 112 per cent increase resulted in the risk of diabetes and a 147 per cent increase in cardiovascular events were apparent between the shortest and longest sedentary periods.

So is it time for employers to start considering alternatives? In Scandinavia, sit-stand desks are commonplace, with more than 90 per cent of PC-using office personnel making use of them. The benefits are said to be manifold.

The Benefits of Sit-Stand Desks

Sit-stand desks offer flexibility. Employees can choose their preferred working posture depending on how they are feeling at the time. They can divide their working hours between sitting and standing, without risking injury or ill health through poor posture because their PC and documents are equally and perfectly accessible however they decide to work.

The good thing about sit-stand desks is that they do not cover any more of any area than regular desks. They provide employers with the opportunity to promote healthier working practices, and a healthier workforce means reduced sickness absence and boosted productivity.

Employers can choose from electric, gas lift or manual crank desks depending on budget and preference.

Employee Sit-Stand Education

It should be considered that standing for long periods of time is probably just as unhealthy as sitting and could lead to issues such as back, neck and hip pain as well as swollen legs and vein problems due to pressures on the circulatory system. A balance is ideal, and this should be promoted through employee education.

Employees should therefore be advised to vary their sitting and standing periods as well as taking regular breaks away from their workstations and using a standing desk mat.

Standing Desk Mats

Standing desk mats have built-in anti-fatigue properties. They are made from high-density foam designed to support and cushion the user and encourage regular movement of the feet. Such movement helps activate the pumping of the veins which in turn boosts blood flow and alleviates the pain normally associated with standing for long periods.

If you are considering ways of boosting employee health and comfort, it’s well worth having a look at sit-stand desks.

Beware the Employee Private Admin Cyber Security Risk

As we’ve discussed in previous articles, cyber security is a major issue for any business of any size, and this includes even the smallest, home-run operations.

It is a much discussed fact that one of the greatest threats to data security is the human factor, rather than technology. Whilst you may invest heavily in firewalls and virus protection, cyber-attacks so often come down to human error.

It is said that employees using company networks to carry out private admin is one of the most significant risks, and employers need to realise just how serious this risk could be.

82 Per Cent of Employees Undertake Life Admin in Work Time

We spend a great deal of time at work without a doubt, so it stands to reason that at some point we are going to have a need to undertake some form of personal task. ‘Life admin’ as it’s referred to is a necessity, and if we’re at work for the majority of our day, then some of that admin time is going to occur within working hours. But it’s the making use of company technology to carry out this admin that’s the issue.

Research by Altodigital reveals that 82 per cent of full time UK employees spend a certain amount of time carrying out personal admin tasks whilst at work, and that more time is spent on these tasks during work time than within lunch breaks.

The most common personal tasks include organising finances, booking health and beauty appointments, dealing with bills, and seeking alternative employment. Whilst some of these tasks may seem acceptable and necessary, the security risks that go with them really must be considered. The worrying thing is, four in ten of those questioned for the survey did not feel there were any security risks related to inputting their personal data into work networks, whether via company computers or their own devices.

Cyber Risks Very Real

The truth is, however, that there ARE numerous cyber risks. Storing passwords, credit card details and banking logins in a web browser or cache could prove exceptionally precarious. Personal data stored in emails is also very risky. Company networks are generally accessible by more than one user, offering simple in-roads. Even sending documents to unsecured network printers is potentially risky, particularly if the documents contain sensitive information. The same goes for photocopier hard drives.

As a business owner you’re going to have enough on your plate with the upcoming GDPR legislation kicking in. Allowing employee life admin tasks to be undertaken on company networks is going to raise even further problems because as soon as personal data is entered and stored on a company system, the company becomes immediately responsible for the security of that data.

Jas Sura, Security team lead at Altodigital says, “Although it may seem like simply ordering a new outfit for the weekend and quickly transferring some money to a friend is a quick and easy task, it may introduce problems further down the line. Site login and bank details may be stored automatically onto your device, meaning that if other staff members have access to it, or you leave your laptop unlocked while you are away from your desk, it could be a confidentiality disaster waiting to happen. 

“The explosion in growth of cyber hacking, in both capability and frequency, has caught short businesses of all sizes because it is so easy to do at a basic level. Hacking methods are becoming more and more sophisticated at times capable of fooling more tech-savvy individuals.

“Our recent research revealed that 18% of UK SMEs have been hacked in the last 12 months, with sophisticated email phishing the most common form of hacking. As technology progresses, it’s really important that businesses make steps towards improving their business security – whether that be regularly changing passwords to be more secure, using encryption, having a managed firewall, or making regular backups!”

Take Advice, Set Policies

Businesses really should be taking serious steps to ensure the security of their data, and consideration towards the allowance of personal admin really must factor. Consult with your IT security consultants and legal advisers and put a policy in place so that you are protected.

Charity Urging Businesses to Increase Employment for those with Learning Disabilities

Registered charity Mencap is trying to encourage employers to make use of apprenticeships to boost levels of employment for potential employees with learning disabilities.

Mencap says that research from the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows that fewer than 6 per cent of adults with a recognised learning disability are in paid employment, and that people with these disabilities are up against various barriers when seeking work. These barriers include complex application forms; negative attitudes from employers and rigid interview processes that don’t allow any flexibility.

Lack of Training for Learning Disabilities Apprentices

Even when people with learning disabilities do make it into employment, they regularly face a lack of training and onward opportunities, according to Mencap.

Last year the Government announced a reduction of the minimum requirements for maths and English standards to make it easier for people with learning disabilities to pursue certain apprenticeships.

According to Mencap, “By ensuring people with a learning disability are able to access apprenticeships, it will provide a route into work better suited to people with a learning disability where they can demonstrate their skills”.

According to Government data, during the period 2014-2015, fewer than 1 per cent of apprentices declared a moderate learning disability.

Plans set to Ease the Route in Apprentices with Learning Disabilities

Chief executive of Mencap Jan Tregelles, said: “The introduction of these plans are a welcome recognition from Government that people with a learning disability cannot be left behind when accessing such a vital and valuable route into work as an apprenticeship.

“Lowering the Maths and English requirement for people with a learning disability on apprenticeships could allow a whole new generation to experience the pride, joy and independence that employment can offer – something that just 5.8% of people with a learning disability currently do.”

Furthermore, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, David Gauke, added: “People with a learning disability deserve the same opportunities that others have in every aspect of their lives, including in the workplace. Almost 600,000 disabled people have entered work in the last three years, and we must build on this progress.”

Apprenticeships should act as a valuable route into employment for those with learning disabilities, who have an incredible amount to offer in many ways.

For more information about taking on an apprentice, speak to your local bookkeepers.

Regular Voluntary Overtime Included in Holiday Pay

Towards the end of last year, we discussed in an article how holiday pay must now include results based commission.

The ruling in the Court of Appeal followed a case involving a British gas sales person who had claimed his holiday pay had been incorrectly calculated as it did not include any allowance for the commission he would have earned during the period he was on holiday. We discussed at the time how the decision made by the Court was set to have serious consequences for any business with employees on commission schemes.

Further to this and no doubt of even further concern to business owners, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has recently confirmed that payments for overtime undertaken on a purely voluntary basis should be included in holiday pay, providing they are paid regularly enough to constitute ‘normal pay’.

The Case of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Willetts

The ruling came about following the conclusion of the case of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Willetts and others in which 56 council workers brought employment tribunal claims for unlawful deductions from wages in connection with how their holiday pay was calculated.

The council workers claimed that their holiday pay should have included payments for voluntary overtime. The Tribunal concluded that the workers’ voluntary overtime payments were sufficiently regular to constitute ‘normal pay’, which, according to vast volumes of past case law, must be included in holiday pay.

All Cases Must be Judged on an Individual Basis

The EAT said that where a pattern of work extends for a sufficient period of time and recurs regularly, it should be classed as ‘normal’. However, the EAT did issue a warning that cases do vary and that it is down to the individual Employment Tribunal to decide whether or not overtime payments are adequately ‘regular and settled’ so as to be included in the holiday pay.

This recent decision provides further clarification on a one of the most discussed subjects in employment law.

If you are unsure as to whether your methods of calculating holiday pay fall in line with the latest rulings and case law, seek advice from your local bookkeepers.

GDPR to Become Law Next Month

A new Data Protection Bill is due to be published in September 2017, bringing the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into UK law.

Under GDPR, individuals will be awarded a new right to request that their personal data is completely erased. UK law will extend this right by requiring social media providers to delete all of a personal’s posts from before they were under 18, if requested.

Support will be provided to businesses to make sure they are in a position to manage and secure their data correctly. The Information Commissioner will also be given greater powers to defend consumer interests and will be able to levy increased fines of up to £17 million, or 4 per cent of global turnover for the most serious data related breaches.

Changes in Favour of the Consumer

 The new Data Protection Bill will allow people to enjoy more control over their data. They will get a greater say in what it is used for as it will be easier to withdraw consent for its use. Parents and guardians will be responsible for giving consent for their children’s data to be used, and ‘explicit’ consent will be necessary in order to process sensitive personal data. This means opting in rather than opting out, which should lead to consumers receiving less cold calls.

Furthermore, the definition of ‘personal data’ will be expanded to cover DNA, IP addresses and internet cookies. The Bill will make it easier and free for individuals to require an organisation to disclose any personal data held on them, and it will be more straightforward for customers to migrate their data from one service provider to another.

Strengthening the Law to Reflect Today’s Digital Economy

Many of the changes being introduced are based around the aim of strengthening the law to reflect today’s digital economy. With the introduction of the Bill, it will be a criminal offence for an organisation to recklessly or intentionally allow someone to be identified from the use of data that has been anonymised, in other words, data that has been adjusted in such a way that the holder should not be able to be identified. In addition, criminal charges could be faced by organisations found tampering with data that an individual has requested.

Challenging Changes?

Some of these new requirements may lead to challenges for businesses, particularly those that do not have their data stored digitally, making it more difficult to sort it. Many experts have warned that numerous businesses are by no means prepared for the new rules.

The extent of the new legislation is also presently unclear. There is talk of some exemptions depending on the type of data in question, but nothing has yet been confirmed.

As soon as more details come to light, we will share them. Follow us on Twitter and check back to this news feed to stay up to date.

New Rules on PSC Registers

As of April 2016, most UK limited companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) have been required to hold and maintain a register of people with significant control. The PSC Register as it is known must be filed with Companies House on incorporation and as part of a company’s annual confirmation statement as of June 2016.

With the regime only still fairly new, it has come as something of a surprise to the business world that changes have already been introduced as of 26^th June 2017.

EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive

These changes have come about as part of the EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive (MLD4) covering anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing measures. Whilst the UK is still part of the UK, the laws will apply.

Companies House has decided that the accuracy and completeness of current PSC data needs to be improved. Companies will therefore now be required to report any changes to their PSC information in real time as they happen, rather than wait until the annual confirmation statement is submitted.

The changes dictate that where there is a change to the information, companies will now have a 14-day timescale during which they must update their PSC register, plus a further 14 days in which to notify Companies House. The forms to be used are PSC01 (give notice of individual person with significant control) and PSC09 (give notice of update to PSC statements.

Support Available from Companies House

Companies House has issued a statement saying that for those companies requiring additional support in understanding the PSC regime, there will be individual assistance, particularly for those known to have submitted incorrect PSC information. Further guidance will be issued by Companies House, as well as a ‘report it now’ link being added to its website.

The Regulations governing these changes are yet to be released, but are expected very soon. Guidance notes are also awaited and we will share these as soon as they emerge. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and regularly check back to our news feed to keep up to date.

How to Protect Your Business Against Cyber Attacks

The worldwide cyber-attack that brought the NHS to its knees recently has definitely reiterated the threats faced by businesses working in the modern digital environment.

The much publicised attack made use of hacking tools to spread ransomware known as ‘WannaCry’. Not only did it affect the NHS, but also global shipping outfit FedEx as well as more than 300,000 computers over 150 countries. Cybersecurity company F-Secure described it as ‘the biggest ransomware outbreak in history’.

WannaCry made its way in through emails that had been designed to trick the recipient into opening attachments primed to release malware onto their system. Affected computers locked up files and encrypted them, making them inaccessible to users unless they made a payment using bitcoin. The trouble was, even if payment was forthcoming, there was no real guarantee that access would be restored.

Microsoft released a patch in March this year to fix a vulnerability that WannaCry exploited. However, not everyone installs updates as soon as they become available, which left the vulnerability exposed.

When it came to casualties of the attack, the NHS came off worst. Hospitals and GP surgeries nationwide fell into chaos with patient systems and medical records inaccessible. Other victims included FedEx, Portugal Telecom and Spain’s Telefonica together with German railway Deutsche Bahn.

How to Protect Against Cyber Attacks

It is essential to make sure all software is kept updated. The updates that are made available usually incorporate security patches, which means ignoring them or putting them off is very risky.

Vigilance with emails is also crucial. Looking out for suspicious messages that contain links or attachments should be the norm right across the organisation, with strict parameters set as to what to do and what not to do. As well as employees, make sure outsourced staff and subcontractors are aware of your rules about links and attachments in emails and that they know the risks of downloading programs, apps and software from unofficial or non-secured sources.

Dealing with Cyber Attack Risks

Cyber risk insurance is an astute choice for any business. It is designed to restore an organisation to its complete operational status as quickly as possible following an attack.

Cyber risk insurance covers the policy holder for malicious attacks, cyber extortion, denial of service and human-error data breaches. Depending on the small print, it can provide legal guidance, business interruption cover, public relations advice, IT forensics, data restoration and cover for lost profits.

Hackers are finding new inroads on a daily basis. Make sure your business is safe and covered for this very real risk. If you need practical advice, you can always talk to your local bookkeepers.