To Talk or Not To Talk? Talking With Employees About Retirement

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 14/02/2023 Introduction The subject of retirement is tied up in legal loopholes and shrouded in sensitivities. Hence, it has become a hot HR topic. In some jobs, there is a statutory retirement age. This means that the retirement age is specified in law (e.g. for some public servants, like Gardai and Defence ...

TU Recognition Rights Return to Talks at The Top Table

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 17/10/2022 Dr Gerry McMahon discusses the final report from the High Level Working Group tasked with reviewing collective bargaining and the industrial relations landscape in Ireland. The Context The tricky topic of trade union recognition rights returned to the top table recently, when the ‘High Level Work...

How To: Get A Pay Rise

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 03/10/2022 The Insolvency Service of Ireland recently announced that most people have some form of debt. Unfortunately, the prospects for getting out of debt are now grimmer than ever - with inflation at its highest level in almost 40 years and interest rates on the rise. And it looks like there’s little sign...

How To: Prepare for a WRC Hearing

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 07/09/2022 The Adjudication Context The Workplace Relations Commission’s (WRC) adjudication service investigates disputes, grievances and claims made by individuals or small groups under employment, equality and equal status legislation. Under Section 41 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015, Adjudication O...

How To: Manage Workplace Conflict

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 09/05/2022 When it comes to ‘conflict’, the bad news is that: ‘an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind’, so, huge efforts are made by many to sidestep, resolve and eliminate conflict, whether it be in the home, the workplace, the Ukraine or elsewhere. Despite these efforts, ‘conflict’ remains ...

How To: Handle The New Code of Practice on Harassment at Work

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 04/04/2022 Introduction Following hard on the heels of the revised Code of Practice on bullying at work, to coincide with International Women’s Day, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has launched an updated version of the 2002 ‘Code of Practice on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work’...

How To: Manage Your Time Effectively

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 07/03/2022 Introduction In an era when a return to the workplace is back on the agenda, working time and breaks are protected via the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act and the new Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect applies to all employees (incl. remote workers), this may be a good t...

How To: Develop Effective Empathy for Sensitive Scenarios at Work

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 10/02/2022 Introduction It’s now well established that as a component of emotional intelligence, empathy can play a crucial role at work. Empathy, which is the capacity to really ‘connect’ with others, is critical to our working lives. It enables more effective communication and is positively related to job p...

How To: Deal With Difficult People At Work

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 04/01/2022 Introduction Difficult people come in all shapes and sizes. So, your approach to dealing with them should be driven by the type of difficult person and behaviour that you’re experiencing. Of course, how you deal with the dilemma will also depend on your self-esteem, self-confidence, professional co...

How To: Avoid A Constructive Dismissal Decision

Posted in: How To... with Dr. Gerry McMahon on 02/12/2021 The recent decision of the Labour Court to set aside a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) determination in a constructive dismissal case serves yet again to underline the complexity associated with this area of employment law. Explaining the rationale behind its decision, the Court pointed out th...