Are Restrictive Covenants a Waste of Ink?

24 / 05 / 2016

Employees have a general implied duty not to compete with their employer’s business or solicit their customers during employment. Having said that, there have been a number of cases where courts have found that dismissal for setting up a competing business during employment was not always deemed to be gross misconduct. It must be truly galling for an employer to...

Observing Ramadan

19 / 05 / 2016

This year Ramadan begins at sunset on 6th or 7th June (it differs for different Muslim groups) and will continue for 30 days. The last ten days and nights of Ramadan are of particular importance and those observing the rite may wish to increase the time spent in worship and take time off. Ramadan is the ninth month of the...

The Curious Case of the Bored Frenchman in the Cupboard

12 / 05 / 2016

We all have off days. It’s quite normal. Everyone has aspects of their job that they hate/ love/bore/ or that excites them. This week I read with increasing incredulity that a Frenchman Frédéric Desnard has taken his previous employer, Interparfums, to tribunal because he found his job boring. Poor little chap. M Desnard is seeking €360,000 (£282,000) in compensation and...

Better Diet Means Greater Productivity

10 / 05 / 2016

At Russell HR Consulting we are generally a healthy bunch. Plenty of green tea and water, healthy eating, exercise and some of the team have wearable fitness trackers. We spend a lot of time at our desks but everyone is encouraged to move around throughout the day and get some fresh air at lunchtime. That said we do have the...

Football in The Workplace - Do You Need a TV Licence?

05 / 05 / 2016

It is no secret that I am not a football fan, but even I was interested in Leicester City’s remarkable achievement when they won the Premier League on Monday. It was an astonishing outcome for a club that (I am informed) were likely to be relegated last season. Starting from a position of being 5,000 to 1 outsiders Leicester City...