NEWS
Half of UK professionals lack confidence in employers’ ability to prevent sexual harassment
Nearly half of UK professionals( 49 %) say they are not fully confident their employer can prevent workplace sexual harassment, and one in five workers report that their company provides no training on the issue. These findings come from a new survey by compliance e-learning provider, VinciWorks, which warns that many businesses are underprepared for stricter legal duties to curb harassment under the upcoming Employment Rights Act. and ensure they put in place all reasonable steps to prevent harassment, including specific policies and dedicated training.”
Bystander intervention training – a proactive approach proven to help shift workplace culture – remains rare in UK workplaces. Only 16 % of professionals surveyed said their workplace includes bystander intervention training as part of its regular training cycle.
One of the most striking findings is the widespread lack of training to prevent harassment. More than one in five professionals( 21 %) said their organisation provides no sexual harassment training whatsoever. Even among those whose companies do offer training, quality is an issue: 26 % of respondents rated their workplace training as merely‘ okay’ or‘ not good’. Fewer than half of professionals described their company’ s anti-harassment training as‘ good’ or‘ excellent’, and only 13 % gave it an‘ excellent’ rating. Without robust training in place, organisations may struggle to demonstrate they have taken the legally required steps to prevent harassment.
“ The Worker Protection Act introduced a proactive duty on all employers to prevent sexual harassment,” said Nick Henderson- Mayo, Head of Compliance at VinciWorks.“ Under the upcoming Employment Rights Act, organisations will need to go further
US tech firm, Biller Genie, to create 100 jobs in Northern Ireland
Economy Minister in Northern Ireland, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, has announced that US tech firm, Biller Genie, is establishing a new office in Belfast and will create 100 high-quality jobs over the next three years.
Biller Genie is a US tech company headquartered in Florida. It provides a cloud-based accounts receivable platform that automates bill presentment, follow up, online payments and reconciliation.
Welcoming the investment, Minister Archibald, said:“ Biller Genie’ s decision to establish an office in the north is a vote of confidence in our skilled workforce and thriving tech sector. Invest NI has worked closely with the company to secure this significant investment, which will create 100 high-quality jobs with average salaries of £ 65,000. These roles will provide excellent opportunities for local talent, while hybrid working arrangements will help ensure greater regional balance and accessibility.”
The Minister added:“ Strategically aligned foreign direct investment is a catalyst for economic success, innovation and job creation. Later today, I will be travelling to Boston to meet with business leaders and potential investors to showcase the many advantages of doing business here, from our skilled workforce to our commitment to innovation and sustainability.”
The company chose Northern Ireland following a rigorous evaluation of several global locations including Orlando, India and South America.
www. intelligentcxo. com
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