People Matter – June 2025

Cyber security – it’s a team effort!

The recent crippling cyber attacks on M&S, Co-op and Coinbase remind us all that no-one is too big to fall victim to hackers, and that the consequences are far-reaching. But let’s not forget that no-one is too small either. In fact, hackers love the low hanging fruit that an underprepared SME presents.

According to research by an insurer in 2023, more than 70% of Irish businesses experienced a cyber attack in the previous 12 months, up from 50% the year before.

Looking at data from the UK, by far the most frequent threat was phishing attacks – where staff receive fraudulent emails or land on fraudulent websites – with 84% of all companies who reported a breach/attack citing this. The next most common was impersonation emails for which 35% of reporting companies said they had been a recipient of such an attack.

M&S confirmed their attack was perpetrated by social engineering, where hackers imitate a trustworthy contact in order to trick employees into sharing passwords and log-in access. In a twist, a third party who had access to their systems was thought to have been the hackers’ target.

There is a lot of technical work to keep your business safe from cyber crime, but as the above demonstrates, your people present a real vulnerability. Your systems may only be as strong as your least savvy member of staff.

In the case of the Coinbase hack, staff were tricked into giving out customer details. Coinbase, an American company, suggested it will cost them up to $400 million and that they had fired all the staff who’d been duped.

So, as well as all the technology solutions, ensure that your staff are well-trained on the risks and best practices of cyber security: strong passwords, two-factor authentication, being suspicious of requests for data, and thinking before clicking on links to name a few. Talk to us about our cyber security awareness training for further help.

Suspended for 11 years!

You may have seen in the press, the extraordinary story of two HSE workers, suspended with pay from their positions for 11 years.

While a suspension can be a useful tool within a disciplinary process, it tends to be discouraged nowadays due to the reputational damage that it can, de facto, cause. That said, where a suspension does occur, you would expect it to last days or weeks rather than months or years.

The key aspect of a disciplinary process is that it is fair. Your policy should give you the framework to achieve this and should be followed throughout. There is a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Code of Practice which provides guidance.

A suspension without pay can be part of an escalating series of disciplinary outcomes. However, if you are suspending someone pending the findings of an investigation, then this should be on full pay, in line with the WRC guidance.

Employee sickness could be one reason why a suspension goes on longer than expected. They need to be well enough to engage with an investigation. Complex court proceedings could be another reason. And if an investigation is being carried out unfairly, then you may be asked to start again, causing delays.

If you are wondering whether you should suspend someone, or have someone on a long-term suspension and don’t know how to proceed, please reach out to us and we can advise you on the best course of action.

Does overtime go over your head?

Overtime can be invaluable to the busy business which needs to get stuff done, AND employees keen to make an extra buck. But how familiar are you with the strange patchwork of rules that govern it?

The starting point is deceptively simple. There is no legal obligation for you to offer overtime, nor even pay for it directly (unless the national minimum wage comes into play). And neither is there an obligation for employees to work it, so it should always be agreed between parties. Then it gets interesting…

You’ve got the Organisation of Working Time Act which broadly states an employee cannot work more than 40-hours per week unless they opt out of it in writing. There’s national minimum wage law which you should check against to ensure that extra hours without pay don’t drag people below this.

There is, of course, market forces and “doing the right thing” which may determine you do pay – a normal rate, time and a half, a discretionary bonus or something else – for overtime.

Don’t forget paid holiday entitlement! When calculating this, all the time they work should be factored in, including overtime hours.

And breathe! If you are concerned you are doing it wrong, speak to us and we’ll help you get over your overtime worries.

“Polygamous” working on the rise

Polygamous working – being paid for two or more full-time jobs simultaneously – is on the rise. The issue has been highlighted by a court case in the UK where a civil servant is accused of fraudulently holding down three full-time civil service jobs at once!

How would you feel if you found out an employee you had entrusted to work for you had a conflict of interest of this manner? Taking the full-time pay from you and another company, but splitting their time and attention two ways. Worse, they could be working for a competitor, putting your data at risk or using your resources to enrich themselves.

At the very least, it may be considered a breach of trust. Regardless of whether you have any specific clauses in your contracts this should provide you with cause to begin a disciplinary process, and in extreme cases dismissal. But you can protect yourself further by including an “exclusivity clause” in your employment contract.

As well as contractual protection, make sure your hiring process is fit for purpose: that you check their employment history tallies and follow up on references. Be extra careful with remote roles where it will be easier for them to pull such a stunt. For help getting protected against polygamous workers, or in managing a current issue, get in touch.

HR for dogs

Tomorrow (20th June) some will be celebrating National Bring Your Dog to Work Day. Yes, really! For many, it may be a fun way to engage your workforce, charm customers, and hey, lavish some attention on our four-legged friends.

If this appeals to you, there are a few things for you to consider in advance in order to make it a success. Start with gauging the thoughts of your whole team. Because just as there are many people who adore dogs, there will be plenty who feel uncomfortable: allergies or even a phobia.

In some businesses, it may not be your staff, but what you do, that is an obstacle. Where hygiene is a priority, for example food preparation, it may just not be suitable to have dogs on premises.

Like humans, dogs come in different shapes and sizes, and more pertinently: temperament. Only well-behaved dogs are likely to be a success on a work placement.

If you think you can go for it, watch out for bedding, bowls and leashes being trip hazards. Make sure their owners keep an eye out for “little accidents” (or “big” ones), and that everyone remembers work still needs to be done.

Losing ½ a head

The outcome was as unfortunate as the terminology. When a skincare brand department in the UK was told to lose 0.5 of a head count, management totally lost their own heads, botching the redundancy to such an extent that a judge ordered them to pay more than £23,000 in injury-to-feelings payments.

The part-time employee, who had mental health struggles, was notified on her day off without any proper selection criteria or consultation. Additionally, arbitrarily going for the part-timer led to indirect sex discrimination being found.

Proper process and immaculate communication are essential when conducting redundancies. Compassion will always help too.