Case studies

After recent controversies employee surveillance is under the microscope

The benefits of hybrid and remote working have been thoroughly discussed and publicised – whether it's improving your employee's wellbeing with a better work-life balance, fewer commuting expenses and those overpriced lunch breaks or doing away with geographical restrictions to hire from a wider talent pool.

But of course, some drawbacks just won't go away – one of which being the quandary of how to make sure your remote workers are actually working!
The most obvious and simple solution is to trust them. If their daily duties are ticked off by clocking off time, does it really matter whether they are glued to their screens every minute of the day?

For some it does! And this has led to a rise in worker surveillance. There are significant ethical issues when it comes to monitoring an employee's productivity via tracking software, yet around one in five companies has admitted either installing tech to snoop on staff or planning to....The software can check attendance at meetings, log how long workers take to read and reply to messages & even secretly film them.
Several firms have come under fire, amid allegations of monitoring remote workers' activities.

Earlier this year, a worker was ordered to pay back the equivalent of £1500 in wages to her ex-employer, after tracking software deemed, she had "misrepresented" hours of work.

In another incident, August 2023, insurer IAG terminated an employee with an impressive 18-year career (in which time the employee was known as a good worker) because after introducing keystroke monitoring technology, the firm noted periods of zero keystrokes on her device when working remotely.
Naturally, many feel this type of monitoring is intrusive and shows a lack of trust, and some big names have received backlash to their worker surveillance.

What is the law on monitoring staff?
Karen Holden, CEO of A City Law Firm "Monitoring employees working remotely or at the office is not illegal if it complies with regulations including the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Employment Practices Data Protection Code 2011," Holden previously told HR Grapevine.

"An employer ideally should have carried out an impact assessment so it can show there is a legitimate interest behind the mechanisms and how the data is to be stored and used. This is also helpful for the employer to understand and balance trust, and motivation against any loss of staff confidence.
"The employees should provide their consent and have knowledge of what the employer is doing if an employer is to avoid potential grievances and claims. As such a dedicated policy should be circulated to inform staff of what is being done and why to avoid surprises and confusion (unless this has already been set out in their employment contracts)."

Holden continued: "All staff should be treated equally to avoid claims of discrimination and caution should be exercised not to infringe a person's privacy by being too invasive. Given recent times an employer should be sensitive to staff well-being, health and the hours staff are working.
"This is actually common practice in large London businesses. Specifically for keystroke capture, employers will need to obtain written agreement for this type of monitoring in some cases."

Why does it matter?
If done properly, employee tracking is totally legal, but implementing such software risks breaking employer-employee trust, and many people have spoken out against the rise in these measures.

Will workers accept more surveillance if it allows more flexibility?
If new research is to be believed, working in a Big Brother environment is a trade-off many are willing to accept in exchange for one of the most sought-after work perks.
GetApp UK- a UK-based B2B software comparison site surveyed over 1,000 SME employees to better understand their perspective on flexible working schedules. They found that 71% of staff would agree to more surveillance at work to be granted a flexible working schedule.

This correlates with GetApp's previous study, which found that a high proportion of employees that have changed jobs in the last 2years, moved to find a new role which permit a flexible working schedule.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT - RECRUITER - CARA

@ SER since January 2023 - Machine Tooling

Tell us about a professional success story that you're proud of.

Recently placed a candidate in an opportunity he described as "life changing" as it enabled him to progress within his career to service manager, join a growing and innovative company not to mention add an extra £10,000 plus to his salary to spoil his family. It's not about winning a quick fee but building relationships placing candidates in long term careers that suit their goals!

Most important skill a successful professional need to have in recruitment?

Actively listening to your candidates. So many recruiters give the industry a bad name by sending candidates here there and everywhere instead of taking the time to listen and understand what their pain is and what they want from their career.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

My perfect weekend would be spent eating out or baking (I'm a massive foodie) and spending quality time with my loved ones and little cockapoo. Or having found cheap flights on skyscanner for a spontaneous weekend away.

What's something surprising that few people know about you?

Despite falling off my chair and over my own feet daily, I used to be a dancer and even won a cheerleading national championship.

What are some of your favourite local spots to visit?

Definitely Amico Mio Whalley! A hidden gem in the Ribble valley that won best new business 2021 under the new owners. Although, I am biased as I have worked there since my early teens...

Why did you choose to pursue a career in your field?

Although most people tend to say they fall into recruitment I knew since Uni this was what I wanted to do. I wanted something that would combine my money motivation with helping people , but whilst also keeping me on my toes so I don't get bored. Recruitment certainly keeps me on my toes.

What do you think makes you unique as a team member?

My ability to fall over everything in site and humorous contributions to the SER "sports day", but also ability to switch from laughing with the team straight into business mode when on the phone.

What are some challenges you have faced since joining the team?

I have a borderline photographic memory, so all my candidate conversations are in my head, but making sure I am keeping my notes up to date on the computer and not one of my MANY notebooks has been a challenge but we're getting there! Organisation is key in recruitment.

What are your favourite travel memories?

The best trip I have been on is my most recent trip to Elounda in Crete! The commission at SER has helped me treat my boyfriend to not one but 2 holidays away so far and I can't wait to go back in September. That or my solo travels around Italy and getting lost in Verona...

Favourite memory from working at the company?

Must be Jimmys weekend stories in the Monday sales meetings or the SER "sports day" and open bar at the guzzling pig!

Do you have any strategies for dealing with stress at work?

If recruitment was easy everyone would be successful, so every now and then you get a stressful phone call. Taking 5 minutes out of the situation to grab a diet coke and have a joke with a colleague before throwing yourself into a different task works well for me. Control the controllables, be accountable and laugh off the rest.

How do you prefer to collaborate with team members?

In the SER office there is a wealth of knowledge to draw from, learning from top billers who have been in the game 5 – 10+ years from their techniques makes a world of difference.

What do you think our future looks like as a team?

SER seems to be growing and growing ; always lots of new faces in the office so I can see us going from strength to strength.

Have you any personal or professional goals for yourself?

Hoping to become the go to recruiter in the machine tool industry for your next career steps and put a deposit down for my first house which I will fill with many, many dogs...

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?

I lived and went to school in Oz for a year and I have always wanted to go back to visit, Rio, Thailand and Vietnam are also big ones on the list!

In the survey from Morning Consult, 87% of workers said they would be interested in a 4-day work week and 82% believed that widespread adoption would be successful. Yet, an overwhelming majority (75%) said that they will only be interested in a shorter week if remote work continued to be a significant aspect of their week.

Many employees that joined the workforce over the pandemic, younger workers, seem more likely to prioritise their wellbeing and work-life balance and embrace unprecedented work habits.

"Since the COVID pandemic, the whole world of work has been completely transformed," Joe Ryle, Director of 4 Day Week campaign, told the HR Grapevine. "In many ways, people had their eyes opened to the fact that we can work differently. There's a sense that the world of work is being reimagined. I believe this has opened the door to new ideas like a four-day week."
With the passing of the Flexible Working Bill, employers might need to prepare themselves for workers demanding a variety of different patterns, including a four-day week. But the above figures suggest that maintaining a level of flexibility around remote work might be more important than a shorter week on its own.

Yet, this research is particularly poignant considering the success of the world's largest trial of a four-day week, set up by The Four Day Week campaign, which saw 61 companies enter the trial and 56 of those firms continue with a shorter week post-trial.

The campaign says that workers are able to be as productive in a shorter week as they are in a conventional five-day week, and points to the benefits a shorter week could have on the economy.

"Essentially, we need to reduce working hours," continues Ryle. "The hours we are putting in are too long, and that's causing burnout, stress and overwork. We know that 18million working days are lost every year to work-related stress. That's a problem for our wellbeing and health, but it's also having a negative effect on the economy. We are working some of the longest hours in the world while having one of the least productive economies."

Source: www.hrgrapevine.com

SER Ltd have signed up for the Pendleside Hospice corporate challenge for the 2nd year running. Last year we raised a nice £4,260. We obviously want to beat that this year...

We have a few things planned already, with lots more TBC

- 6 aside football tournament was held on Saturday 29th July @ Accrington Stanley Sports Hub

- Wednesday 27th September @ 12pm – Friday 29th September @ 12pm - 48 hours of non stop cycling!

Thank you for helping us to support Pendleside Hospice. As an independent charity they rely on donations and fundraising to enable them to provide much needed care to the people of Burnley and Pendle. Your generosity and support is therefore very much appreciate.

Just Giving Link

SER have been out and about these weekend, raising money for Pendleside Hospice.

We put together a team to take part in a 6 a side football tournament, which took place on Saturday 29th July at Accrington Sports Hub.

12 teams completed on the day and Mill Hill came away with the win.

Huge thanks for everyone that took part and attended. Special thanks to all the little helpers, who were on bucket patrol collecting cash donations.

Finally a massive thanks to James, who apparently was Man of the Match!

SER LTD continue to grow!!

We are pleased to announce that Jason Wallis and Louise Worswick have joined the mad house!

Jason joins us with a wealth of recruitment experience, Jason has been brought in to head up and develop a manufacturing desk.

Louise has joined SER Ltd with an extensive knowledge and experience within the Finance sector. Louise has joined as a specialist Finance and Accounting Recruiter.

Louise.... "The reason I contacted SER originally was because they placed my other half in his role. He was working with two recruiters originally however the service James provided was far superior, so he went with James exclusively.

Then after a few conversations with Joe I understood why.

The thought of then setting up a new division within the company was extremely exciting to me. The team have been lovely since joining, I'm excited to get the ball rolling."

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT - RECRUITER - JAKE

@ SER since October 2022 - Audio Visual & Events

What are your career goals?

I aim to build a reputation within the industry for being honest, transparent and having my client's and candidate's best interests at heart. The nature of the job allows us to guide people to make life changing decisions and there is a lot of responsibility as a recruiter to do the right thing. By doing this correctly, everything else will follow suit.

What inspired you to join the team here?

I'd be lying if I said the money wasn't a factor. Though, after my interview I remember Ben telling me "the works dos are mega!". The FOMO of missing out on a good do seemed to outweigh everything else!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love cooking, writing music and spending time with my partner and beautiful son Arlo.

What is a dream that you want to make come true one day?

From growing up with very little money, it's inspired me to work myself into a situation where I am financially free and able to provide my family with all of the experiences that I never had growing up.

Do you have any creative outlets or interests?

I've been writing many variations of rap music since I was 11 years old. One of my favourite places to be is in the studio stood behind a microphone "spitting some bars"!

Who are some of your biggest influences?

My little sister has been a massive influence in my life due to her happy and smiley aura. That's what life's about and if you can keep a genuine smile on your face, even through tough times, you will always get the best out of life.

What do you think makes you unique as a team member?

I bring a bundle of positive energy to boost team spirits and keep everyone in a good, healthy mindset. Always smiling!

What is the best thing that has happened to you this year?

My partner giving birth to our son was without a doubt the best thing that's happened to me this year and probably will be for the rest of my life. Seeing how she has adapted to motherhood and watching our little creation grow so quickly is an amazing and quite emotional feeling.

What's your favorite memory from working at the company?

Has to be "sports day"! From watching Simon demolish a full jar of marmite in seconds, me going for a swim in a bucket of apples and Cara trying to scoop up the whiteboard with a spoon whilst we were all dressed in daft costumes. There's no other workplace where you can get paid for having a day like that! If there is, I will be available on a freelance basis for your next "sports day!"

How do you like to structure your day?

I always always always plan my work the night before! So much can happen throughout a day in recruitment that can distract you from the task at hand. It's so important to have a clear, structured plan of what you aim to accomplish and stick to it as best as you can.

How do you typically approach problem-solving?

I always try my best not to rush things. If an issue arises, the best course of action is to take a breath and come up with a plan on the best way to deal with the situation. Rushing when problem solving only produces more problems to resolve.

What would you like to learn or improve upon in the future?

I would like to be more Technical and see first hand and what is expected of the Engineers that I recruit, rather than just hearing from my clients. A day out on the tools would be a solid experience to gain a deep understanding of my industry.

What's your favorite type of food or cuisine?

Ooo it's a tough one but will have to be something oriental. Big fan of a noodle dish!

If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?

100% would clone myself. Being able to get twice the amount of tasks done in the same timeframe would be an absolute dream.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT - RECRUITER - COURTNEY

@ SER since November 2021 - Fire & Security

What have been some of the most important lessons you've learned throughout your career?

Keep going! Don't give up after a bump in the road! Recruitment is tough and you must have a strong backbone, but it is also very rewarding!

What do you love most about your job?

Helping people find their perfect role and employee! You are at work far too long to not enjoy your job/company.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

Sat in the sun, by a pool with my nearest and dearest drinking a large wine and eating pasta!!

What movie genres interest you the most?

Really into murder documentaries and thrillers!! I believe that's now a 'red flag... So, there you go haha

What's something that you've always wanted to try or learn?

I am absolutely terrified of heights, but I've always wanted to jump out of a plane.

What value have you added to this team that no one else can?

I am the funniest person in the office... Hands down!

What's the best trip you've ever been on and why?

Florida! We went a family and some of our family friends with a private villa & had fast track passes to all the parks! I would recommend everyone to go at least once in their life!

What do you enjoy most about working here?

I laugh every single day! Never a dull moment in this office.

What tips or advice would you give someone starting a new job?

Be yourself!!! It can be so daunting joining a new company, we've all been there. Just remember that there's a reason you got this far & got the job. Laugh, make friends, and enjoy it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Healthy, happy & extremely successful... Not that I'm not those things now, but long may it continue.

Have you set any personal or professional goals for yourself?

To smash my target from last year... Which, I am already half way there!

What's your favourite type of food or cuisine?

Italian and Indian!! Give me either of these and large glass of wine and I will be one VERY happy girl!

How would your best friend describe you in three words?

Funny, Loud, Heart of Gold

High Court rules agency staff cannot be used to cover strikes (again)

Employers can no longer use agency staff to fill in for striking workers during industrial action after the High Court ruled that legislation introduced in 2022, by the then Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is unlawful.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT - RECRUITER - BETH

@ SER since November 2021 - Telecoms & IT

What do you love most about your job?

I'd be lying if I didn't say earning the money haha, but I do love speaking to new people everyday, and dealing with existing clients and building relationships on a personal level.

What do you think sets you apart in your field?

I have come across a lot of recruiters in my sector who don't follow the process, I think what sets me apart is the fact I will follow the process through from cradle to grave, ensuring the full process is carried out smoothly for my candidate and client, and I also take time out to learn technical elements within my sector

Tell us a bit about your family?

I am very lucky to have such a close family, I have all my 4 grandparents who I am extremely grateful for, they even designed a tattoo of mine without them knowing! We're all avid Burnley supporters (SU!) And all extremely close. I have 2 nieces Elsie and Mabel and I love being an auntie.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Me and my fiancé Keri love a festival or a gig. I love going to see live bands such as Courteeners and Arctic Monkeys, when I'm stood in a field with a beer in hand with live music, you know life is gooood ????

Why did you choose to pursue a career in your field?