Half of organisations in the charity and not-for-profit sector spend a minimum of 52 days each year keeping abreast of and complying with employment legislation, according to new research. And although, by no means alone in the struggle to keep pace with changes in employment law, one in five charities claim to be unprepared for new grievance and disciplinary rules which come into force in October this year. Over half (55%) believe that the private sector is better equipped to deal with changing employment legislation because they have more funding.
These findings come from the latest survey from The Principle Partnership, undertaken at a recent seminar on forthcoming changes in employment law. The event was attended by HR professionals in the charity and not-for-profit sector.
According to the survey, most charities are taking measures to better manage the increasing amount of legislation they currently face: 44% have built closer relationships with industry peers and recruitment specialists and 44% keep a closer eye on the media. 6% have even taken on an additional member of staff to focus solely on legislation.
However, only 6% have fostered better relationships with government bodies, despite over half (54%) of the HR professionals surveyed, saying that they believe it is the governmentís responsibility to advise and educate on new legislation. Almost a third (29%) believe that it is the responsibility of recruitment partners while 17% believe it is down to the media to provide information and updates on changes in the law.
Chris Smith, CEO of The Principle Partnership, comments:
ìIn a sector where attracting good candidates is highly competitive, it is worrying that HR professionals need to spend at least a fifth of their time preparing for changes in the law. Charities need to take a more strategic approach to recruiting the best people into their business, and the 52 days a year spent on preparing for legislation are 52 days that arenít focused on this goal.î
He continues:
ìFaced with a minefield of information and limited time, it is clear that most organisations require reliable sources of information about changes in legislation. The research highlights the fact that many charities depend on recruitment specialists such as ourselves to provide this information. Through fostering better relationships and partnerships with such specialists, charities can significantly reduce the time they spend on keeping pace with changes in the law and retain their focus on recruiting the best candidates.î
Charities lose 52 days a year preparing for employment legislation
according to new research from The Principle Partnership