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What can I do to help tackle Modern Slavery in the UK workplace?

What can I do to help tackle Modern Slavery in the UK workplace?

by | Jul 21, 2022 | Corporate Governance

At the end of this month, July 30th 2022 marks the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and reminds us that many forms of Modern Slavery are still a problem across the world today. All organisations have a duty to play their part in raising awareness and working together to eradicate the existence of both slavery and trafficking. According to the United Nations, in 2018 about 50,000 human trafficking victims were detected and reported by 148 countries.

Modern Slavery can take many forms including the trafficking of people, forced labour, servitude or slavery. According to Gov.UK : ‘Any consent victims have given to their treatment will be irrelevant where they have been coerced, deceived or provided with payment or benefit to achieve that consent’. But Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking are not just an international problem. The impacts of these crimes are still seen and felt every day in the United Kingdom.

A new BBC Documentary, The Real Mo Farah has this week revealed that Sir Mo Farah was brought to the UK as a child, given a false name, and forced to work as a domestic servant. According to the BBC, Sir Mo said he had to do housework and child care in exchange for food and had his relative’s contact details taken from him and destroyed. While his case has caused outrage in the media, sadly his story is still all too common.

Statistics about Modern Slavery in the UK

In 2020, the Office of National Statistics published a report setting out the challenges of producing an accurate measure of how prevalent Modern Slavery is in the UK because of its’ hidden nature. They provided statistics taken from the National Referral Mechanism which showed that:

  • In 2020, more than 10,00 potential victims of Modern Slavery were referred to the National Referral Mechanism
  • 63% of victims claimed their exploitation had happened in the UK and 26% said that it had happened overseas
  • Male victims increased from 68% in 2019 to 74% in 2020

Modern Slavery can take many different forms, but increasingly cases of human trafficking, labour exploitation and debt bondage are appearing in the UK workplace. Modern slavery can exist anywhere – in larger organisations where goods are imported and exported and also in our communities, local businesses and households. Complex supply chains can often allow forced labour to thrive, and companies with a significant UK market presence often indirectly rely on people working in slavery to produce the goods they sell, or may have supply chains that can encourage trafficking.

Numerous companies subcontract their services or have supply chains managed by external staff which often unintentionally masks or hides a company’s involvement in trafficking or slavery. According to antislavery.org, “Human Trafficking exists because vulnerable people are often willing to take big risks in order to provide for their families”. Traffickers exploit and manipulate human emotions for their own gain, often promising victims they can make their dreams come true or change their lives – frequently offering jobs, accommodation, and wages which never materialise. Victims may find that they have to give up their passport, pay a trafficking debt or pay ‘commission’ to their traffickers.

They can be left trapped in a different country with no possessions and no means to return. Victims then become reliant upon their traffickers and may face threats and violence if they refuse to work. And so the cycle continues. On a local basis or in small-scale industries, many of us may struggle to believe that Human Trafficking could be happening in our local area or in companies in our community. Sadly, this is the case. People can be exploited in the farming industry, in construction, beauty and hospitality, and even when working in other people’s homes. In fact, any role that involves people being trafficked to work for very low pay, or even none at all, is modern-day slavery in action.

Using and Abusing Technology in Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

This year, the theme for World Trafficking day focuses on the role of technology as a tool that can both enable and impede human trafficking. The United Nations explain that: ‘With the global expansion in the use of technology – intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift of our everyday life to online platforms – the crime of human trafficking has conquered cyber space. The internet and digital platforms offer traffickers numerous tools to recruit, exploit, and control victims; organize their transport and accommodation; advertise victims and reach out to potential clients; communicate among perpetrators; and hide criminal proceeds – and all that with greater speed, cost-effectiveness and anonymity’. However, technology can also be used to impede and prevent human trafficking and modern slavery.

The internet gives organisations a platform to pool and share resources and gather digital evidence against the crimes being committed. Online resources can also be used to prevent modern slavery by training and educating workforces through e-learning as well as awareness-raising activities on the safe use of the internet and social media. Raising awareness and providing education gives people the tools to be alert to the dangers of modern slavery, as well as helping to prevent them falling victim to it themselves.

Training and Educating your Workforce to help prevent Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

The Modern Slavery Act (2015) law sets out the UK Government’s legal requirements for how organisations must address and report on modern slavery. This law applies to any company doing business in the UK with an annual turnover of £36 million or more and states they must produce annual statements about how they are tackling Modern Slavery. However, all organisations, regardless of size, have a responsibility to ensure their staff are aware that the problem exists and to know what they can do to help eradicate it and provide support for victims.

Many companies now request evidence of an ethical supply chain as a part of their working policies to ensure that all individuals remain free from Modern Slavery and are treated fairly and justly, and their Human Rights are supported. By recognising and talking about this issue, employers also help to raise awareness amongst their employees.

Implementing staff training such as that provided in our Modern Slavery Awareness Training Course is essential to help teach all staff about the issue of trafficking and the problem of modern slavery in workforces across the UK through educating and informing. By providing relevant, reputable information, you can ensure that your staff have all the knowledge they need to keep your workplace operating ethically and fairly.

What signs of Modern Slavery or Trafficking might I notice in the Workplace?

There are a number of general indicators of modern slavery and trafficking that everybody should know about. These include (but are not limited to):

Legal Documents

Is the person in possession of their own documents? (Passport, bank details etc). Victims often have to give possession of these to someone else or may have to use false or forged ID documents.

Living Arrangements

Does the person know where they live? Victims may not know their home or work address, they may live in poor, sub-standard or unsuitable accommodation and have no choice about where they live or who they live with. Victims of trafficking may also live in excessively large groups in the same place

Working Conditions

Do they have a contract? Can they choose how or where they work? A person may not be given time off work or could be forced to work long hours over long periods. Victims of trafficking or modern slavery may also be reluctant to share any personal information with their colleagues.

Medical Care

Does the person have untreated injuries? Are they reluctant to seek help or see a health care professional? A person might be vague about how their injuries occured or dismiss your concerns.

Physical Appearance

Does the person appear malnourished or withdrawn? A person might wear the same clothes every day, not be dressed adequately for work, or be without protective or warm clothing. They could also have unexplained injuries.

Finances

Does the person seem to be in debt to someone else or dependent on someone else for money? Victims may receive little or no payment for their work, have no access to their own money or be controlled or punished financially. Behaviour Is the person withdrawn or frightened? Can they answer questions and speak for themselves? A person may appear under the influence or control of others or be unable to provide basic facts. If you suspect that someone is in slavery, do not confront them or try to fix it yourself as this could lead to increased harm for them. Instead, inform relevant authorities or organisations such as the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or if necessary call the Police.

If you would like more information about how we can support your staff training and help raise your employees’ awareness of Modern Slavery, take a look at our Modern Slavery Awareness Online Training which forms part of our Corporate Governance suite of courses. As well as offering our e-learning Modern Slavery course, we can work with your organisation to design and develop bespoke learning solutions, tailor-made to suit your business needs, and reflect your organisation’s ethos and policies on Modern Slavery.

There’s Nothing Trivial about Soft Skills

There’s Nothing Trivial about Soft Skills

by | Mar 15, 2022 | Topics, Business and Power Skills

The workplace is changing.

Even before the Covid-19 Pandemic, employers were seeing skill gaps and shortages, increased requirements for improving workplace diversity, and the need to create more inclusive organisations.

Pre-pandemic, The CBI and McKinsey researched skills gaps over the next decade, and found that nine in ten workers will need some form of reskilling by 2030.

With the impact of the pandemic being felt in the labour market, the Office of National Statistics established that by November 2021, more than half of businesses who reported a worker shortage stated they were unable to meet demands.

More organisations than ever are now finding themselves needing to focus on their existing workforce and looking at the ways they can retain, upskill, and support their staff.

Employers have realised that the traditional ‘soft skills’ – teamwork, communication, leadership skills, productivity, emotional intelligence, problem solving and time management (along with wellbeing) – have become essential factors in employee performance.

 

What are hard skills and soft skills?

Soft skills are more often described as relating to an individual’s personality traits, attitude, and behaviours. Although these are often innate, they can also be developed and honed through the correct type of training. They’re abstract and more difficult to measure than hard skills as they include communication and people skills. But calling them ‘soft skills’ doesn’t make them any less important. In fact, many organisations argue that they’re more important than some of the more technical ‘hard skills’. Soft skills are the skills help workers to build connections, collaborate with one another, manage conflict and solve problems.

Hard skills are skill sets that are easier to quantify. They’re learned abilities, acquired over time, and improved by repeating and learning. These can include computer skills, having a degree or academic qualification,or the ability to operate certain machinery.

With the changing landscape of the workplace, soft skills are becoming more important than ever across all organisations.

Recruiter Monster reports that ‘you can be the best at what you do, but if your soft skills aren’t cutting it, you’re limiting your chances of career success’ – further demonstrating why more and more employers are focusing on improving the soft skills of their workforce as part of their staff retention planning.

Why are soft skills important?

According to Forbes, ‘Soft skills are essential to the future of work’, and all organisations can benefit from employees who are resilient, good team players and great communicators.

In the changing workplace landscape, organisations need people with soft skills to build relationships and connect with people as this benefits customers and colleagues and in turn, profit margin.

Developing a team of staff with excellent soft skills is essential, because this provides employers with employees who are flexible and adaptable at work, and who cope well during times of change. Most workplaces today are fluid and dynamic, so having a team of staff with an interpersonal skillset that enables them to problem solve, team build, and manage change is essential for employers.

Being a competent communicator and able to work well in a team also makes those with soft skills the best ambassadors for your organisation – more able to build excellent relationships with customers, and more likely to progress in the workplace, ensuring you increase your staff retention.

 

How do soft skills help wellbeing?

Professional services firm Deloitte found that wellbeing is becoming a number one priority for workers. With home and work life more closely interwoven than ever before, the Covid pandemic has brought the importance of wellness to the forefront. Employees expect a better work life balance, with a focus on health and wellbeing, and many reports indicate that ‘soft skills have the power to help improve mental health’.

Connecting with colleagues, showing empathy, and having emotional intelligence can all help individuals to cope with the stressors they encounter in the workplace and in every day life. Being able to talk about depression and anxiety openly, and in a caring and supportive way, can stop people with mental health issues from feeling isolated, and have a positive effect on their thoughts and feelings.

IOSH states that ‘In this modern age the ability to connect on a human level is critical. We can all make a difference to our workplaces and colleagues, by taking time to develop our soft skills and thinking about how we can use them to support one another’.

 

Soft skills Training

Employers regularly report that retaining good employees in their organisation is their number one priority, and through upskilling and providing continuous learning, you’ll have more satisfied, engaged staff and higher levels of retention.

But can you really train someone in soft skills? Many employers assume that soft skills are innate and can’t be developed or changed. In fact, assuming your team will always know how to act in any situation can lead to numerous problems. A great deal of evidence suggests that soft skills can be boosted via focused training interventions, and all individuals can benefit from on-going training – to help them to boost their productivity, enhance the way they build relationships with others, and improve the way they communicate.

Soft skills training can get employees to change their own development mindset. Even when an individual isn’t a natural at certain soft skills, it’s possible to train them and improve their skill set. Post-pandemic, teams are communicating in different ways – often via Zoom or other online platforms  – and with hybrid workforces. Now is the time to ensure all your employees have the communication skills and flexibility to succeed in a changing world of work.

You’re guaranteed to boost employee confidence too, by investing in their soft skills training you’re showing that you believe in them and want them to continue to grow and develop within your organisation. You’ll help build their confidence and resilience, and give them the opportunity to explore outside their comfort zone.

We work with a number of organisations who ask us to develop bespoke training for them, tailoring it exactly to their team’s learning needs, and helping them to upskill and retain their workforce. We also provide ‘off the shelf’ soft skills training solutions, quick and easy to implement, and ready and waiting for you to try out today.

Some of our most important Soft Skills training courses are explained below:

Leadership Skills Training

This course is aimed at managers and supervisors who want to develop more effective relationships with their team members and explores at leadership theory, team development and the importance of communication. The course encourages leaders to look at team goals and demonstrates the importance of teamwork.

Emotional Intelligence Training

Our Emotional Intelligence training course is for those in supervisory roles seeking to develop more effective relationships with members of their teams. This course is a great starting point for people new to their leadership role as well as more established managers that want to enhance their skills and understand themselves. The course acts as a great introduction to the subject and covers the key concepts and theories relating to emotional intelligence.

Mental Health Awareness Training

Our Mental Health Awareness course helps to promote a healthy and supportive working environment and is packed with hints, tips and strategies for supporting employee mental health. The course focuses on workplace wellbeing and is a beneficial tool for all employees as part of their health and wellbeing.

Developing Teamwork Training

Here, you’ll explore the basics of teamwork and get information about how to successfully put a team of people together who will work well together. The course covers team conflict and conflict management strategies and explores how to build resilience into your team.

Time Management Training

Here, you’ll get a shown how to better manage your time, both professionally and personally. Once techniques have been learned and implemented, employers will be left with a happy, healthy and more productive workforce.

Home Working Training

This course was designed and developed to make sure that your homeworking employees remain safe and free from ill-health (mentally and physically) when working from home, and also to help them to remain connected and involved within your team This content-rich course is bursting with hints and tips to make working from home as effective and efficient as possible.

RealSense are here to help support and transform all your digital learning, so for more information, advice or support about the importance of soft skills training, or any other training issue, don’t hesitate to
Get in touch.

Top Tips for Working From Home

Top Tips for Working From Home

by | Oct 26, 2021 | Employment and HR, Health and Wellbeing, News

With the Topic of Working from Home still dominating the news, it seems that many people have become more permanent homeworkers, at least for a part of their working week. As the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) suggests that working from home is one of the best ways of impacting the spread of Covid-19, it’s possible that more people may find themselves back in their home offices (or at their dining room tables!) as Winter approaches.

Our Home Working Online Training has been one of our most requested courses in the last 18 months, with users telling us that they have benefited from the guidance it provides to make their working day as productive as possible, and to help them strike a work/life balance. Here, we take a look at some of the hints and tips the course provides, and the ways in which homeworkers can ensure that they remain effective and efficient employees. Our hints and tips are also available in a free, downloadable PDF which you can keep and then refer to as required.

Download our FREE PDF for Tips for Healthy Homeworking

Top Tips for Working from Home

Manage Your Time

To help minimise stress, try to identify and prioritise your most important tasks and make a to-do list. Some people find that using SMART helps them to do this – making sure goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.

Create a Working From Home Routine

Start and end your work day with a routine. Set your alarm, get dressed and make sure you are at your desk with everything you need ready to start work. When possible, try to take your lunch break at the same time each day and even build in time a walk or some meditation to help break your day into manageable chunks.

Get some Fresh Air

Making sure you leave the house, breathe in some fresh air, and have a change of scene at least once a day (ideally more) is important for mental well-being. You could go for walk, run, cycle, or even just stretch your legs.

Communicate

Don’t be too task-focused if you have people reporting to you or when working closely with colleagues, remember to ask how they are and be interested in what they have to say. Homeworking can be challenging for people in different ways so talk and share your thoughts with your colleagues.

Think about Your Workspace

Try to make sure your workspace is away from the main living area of your home, although ideally not in a bedroom. Lots of light and a plant can help to create a positive work atmosphere.

Make sure your chair is set up correctly to support your posture to avoid aches, pains and strains, and check that your equipment is working correctly and not hindering your work. You need to be comfortable while working and ensure you take regular breaks to minimise static movement.

Take Regular Breaks and Exercise

Move about and stretch, get some fresh air outdoors, go up and down the stairs – anything that will get your body moving. Set yourself alarms to remind you to get up from your desk and move. Have you re-evaluated your fitness routine since restrictions began to lift? Many gyms and classes have now reopened and others continue to offer online fitness programmes and training. You could also consider Pilates or Yoga to help with flexibility and aches and pains.

Focus on Food and Nutrition

Give some thought to preparing your food for the week and try to make meals simple and easy to put together for those times when a video call may go on longer than expected. It’s easy to forget to eat or miss your lunch break completely when working from home so make a real effort to do so, even set an alarm if this helps.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day (some people find that using a reusable water bottle with markings or timings on it helps them to stay on track) and try to choose healthy snacks.

Minimise Distractions

Good productivity is usually best achieved by focusing on one task at a time. Why not put your phone on silent or out of the way whilst you concentrate on certain projects, or use a ‘do not disturb’ setting on messenger apps.

Try to work in a quiet area of the house where outside noise is less of a distraction and be sensible about internal noise in the house such as the washing machine spinning when you are taking calls.

Get Out and Socialise

Make sure you get out of the house and see people, see if you can arrange face to face meetings with colleagues (socially distanced if necessary) or even arrange to meet them socially if you live near to each other. Even wrapping up warm and taking a brisk autumnal walk with a colleague while discussing a project you’re working on together can work for some people.

Staying in regular contact with your colleagues is really important to ensure that you still feel a part of the team and avoid feeling isolated. Share your own thoughts and ideas with your colleagues about how to best make working from home work for all of you.

For further information, help and support, have a look at our Home Working Course, it takes about 30 minutes to complete and is the ideal tool for those adapting to working from home.

If you need more support or guidance, check out our Health and Wellbeing catalogue which includes lots of other courses you may be interested in, including our most popular course, Mental Health Awareness Training.