Failure to Follow Policy

Whilst it is important to have effective policies within your Employee Handbook, these are only beneficial to your business if your Managers adhere to them.

For example, in the case of Hunter v Lidl Great Britain Ltd - Lidl had an anti-harassment policy in place that stated that harassment was unacceptable in the workplace. However, when Hunter began working at Lidl as a teenager, they experienced harassment from a colleague.

This unwanted conduct amounted to physical contact and inappropriate comments of a sexual nature. When they raised a complaint with their manager, they were told to take the conduct as a "compliment". This led to the claimant resigning, as they felt unsupported by their manager and that they couldn't continue working with their colleague.

When this was taken to the Employment Tribunal, it was found that although a harassment policy was in place it was not followed, since the Manager did not take the complaint seriously. As a result, the claimant was successful and was awarded £50,884.62.

To ensure that your Managers are following your policies effectively, you can utilise training and make it clear that it is their responsibility to adhere to your company policies.

For further HR advice or guidance in relation to the topic above, get in touch with the Lansbury HR Consultants. We are here to support businesses nationally and locally in Burton-on-Trent, Swadlincote, and Derby.