Many employees are now working remotely as a result of COVID-19 and many other employees have had their working hours reduced. In addition, employers are looking to the future and considering new ways of working which will mean less employees will be physically in the workplace together. These changes present employers with new challenges with their ability to inform and consult with employees about proposed changes in the workplace.
Historically, employment law has been criticised for not keeping up with the pace of change in ways of working.
To help employers comply with their legal obligations in this new era for work, Deloitte has developed an innovative information and consultation platform. At its core, this platform:
1. facilitates efficient design and implementation of information and consultation processes; and
2. helps improve the quality of information and consultation processes for both employees and their representatives.
Opens in new window
Opens in new window
Compliance support
The platform can help your organisation comply with its significant legal obligations and mitigate the risk of exposure to potential liabilities or protective claims.Better employee experience
The platform helps to deliver an improved user experience for your employees and their representatives by providing an interactive central source of information in relation to proposed changes in the workplace. It helps employers demonstrate to their employees their commitment to delivering on their obligations.Comprehensive history
The platform can provide a detailed account of communication and employee activity at individual employee level, thus helping employers to have confidence that they have fulfilled their legal obligations.
The platform can be used by employers, employees and their representatives. Each group has its own interface designed to maximise their user experience.
A central team is able to use the platform to manage multiple sites providing employers with the flexibility to implement large scale processes quickly and effectively. The functionality for each user group includes:
1. Employers
Employers can design information and consultation processes and this can be supported by guidance notes on relevant topics and template documents.2. Employees
Employees will benefit from a central interactive source of information, accessible at home or in the workplace.3. Representatives (employee representatives or trade union representatives)
Representatives of employees (including trade unions) can access training materials in relation to their role, correspond and consult with both the employer and the employees, and raise questions on behalf of the employees they represent.
Client personalisation
The platform can be customised to include organisation specific content and branding, enhancing the familiarity and user experience for your employees.Representative selection
Employees can nominate candidates for election and elect representatives within the platform.Updates and messaging
Employers can send notifications to individuals or groups of individuals together with key information and documents. Employees can communicate with their representatives or employers within the platform.FAQs
A ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section can provide answers to employees’ most common queries. This can be updated during the consultation process by the employer as they learn more about their employees’ concerns.Employee representative section
This is a dedicated area for employee representatives where they can see communication directed at them or access information to cascade to the employees they are representing.Comprehensive history
A detailed export of communication and employee activity is available to employers at the end of the consultation process.
Opens in new window
Opens in new window