1 in 4 employers have seen an increase in staff sicknesss
A new survey from Acas has found that:- 1 in 4 employers have seen an increase in staff being off sick compared to a year ago. Acas commissioned YouGov to ask employers at the end of August if they had seen any changes to the number of employees being off sick compared to 12 months ago. The poll found that:-
-
26% of employers had seen an increase in sickness absence.
-
9% had seen a decrease.
-
59% said that the number of staff being off sick had roughly stayed the same.
-
6% didn't know or were not sure.
Acas Chief Executive, Susan
Clews, said:- "It is clear from our poll that 1 in 4 employers
have seen an increase in staff absences compared to a year ago.
Bosses that handle sickness absences effectively can help to reduce
it, prevent any unnecessary disputes at work and stay within the
law. Acas has advice and training for businesses on how to prevent
sickness absences and address the causes."
Acas advice is that businesses that effectively address sickness can
improve staff morale and wellbeing, boost productivity, reduce
absence levels as well as save money. Steps that can help to reduce
sickness absence include:-
-
Having an absence policy that is clear on what is expected of managers and their staff if they need time off work.
-
Create a culture at work where staff feel supported and comfortable raising problems that they trust will be taken seriously.
-
Deal with the causes of absence such as work-related stress or workers struggling to balance work and caring responsibilities.
Acas advises that a good work-life balance can lead to lower levels of sickness absence. To help staff, employers should:-
-
Encourage staff to speak up if they feel they're under too much pressure at work.
-
Train managers to spot signs of a poor work life balance.
-
Offer flexible working where possible.
-
Encourage breaks from work, including during the day and making sure employees take holidays.
-
Regularly review workloads.
Lead by example - if managers and senior leaders have a good work-life balance, this will create a culture for employees to follow Acas's full advice is now available online at:- ACAS.Org.UK.
Last minute buyer indecision
1ST,
it's important to acknowledge that the successful sale of a house is
not always in the control of the seller. Buyers can change their
minds at the last minute, or experience a radical and unexpected
change in circumstances that means the purchase is no longer viable.
This often results in a collapsed sale.
Faced with last minute buyer indecision, sellers will sometimes drop
the price in order to keep the sale on track, but it's good to be
careful in this respect because some savvy buyers might be trying to
gazunder you, intentionally umming and ahing so that you offer a
panicked price reduction. This is especially true if the change of
mind is happening just before signing the contract.
Last minute buyer financing issues out of the seller's control is
the financial status of the buyer. If they've got issues with
financing on their end, it can delay or even end the sale process.
The best way to avoid this is to progress the sale only with a buyer
who can already demonstrate a mortgage agreement in principle and
can show proof of funds up front.
Other problems include:-
-
Unrealistic valuations in a falling market... This 1 is very much in the control of the seller, and it's 1 of the most common mistakes committed on the housing market, especially in a market with falling house prices. Asking too much for a property can delay finding a buyer, or result in no buyer interest whatsoever. It's estimated that homes marketed at a higher price than their eventual sales price take around 2 months longer to sell than accurately priced listings. When choosing an agent to represent your sale, be cautious of the 1 who gives the highest valuation; they are probably just trying to win your business.
-
Moving day mishaps... If moving out on the same day as home sale completion, stress levels can already be high as sellers prepare take metre readings, clean the property and do last minute packing. On top of that, 11th hour drama can still occur such as:- technical glitches on final money transfers meaning keys cannot be released, leaving all parties in limbo! Buyers using Part exchange avoid such problems using their License to Occupy. This means they keep the keys to their existing property for up to 2 weeks so they can move out at leisure without the pitfalls of everything happening all on the same day.
-
Choosing the wrong estate agent... On the subject of agents, there are more things to be mindful of. Because not only should you tend to question the agent who offers the highest valuation, but also the 1 who charges the lowest rate of commission. Instead of being wooed by their financial offerings, do your research and find out which agent has the best reputation, online reviews, the best track record, and the strongest knowledge of the local market. 1 great way to gauge agent competence is to consider how quickly they sell the homes on their books and what percentage of the asking price they achieve. If sales are timely and close to asking price, you've got a good agent on your hands. And a good agent makes a massive difference to your selling experience.
-
Buyer's surveyor finds major issues... This 1 can be a real problem for sellers. If the buyer's surveyor identifies major problems with the property, the sale can collapse completely. Things like:- Japanese knotweed, subsidence, and severe water damage can, at the very least, cause major delays and force you to fork out for the remedial works, or knock thousands off the asking price. As a seller, it's important to be proactive with any serious issues within your home. Trying to hide issues such as:- Knotweed or subsidence can land you in hot water and will always be found during the survey process. It's well worth spending the money upfront to address these issues before you list your home on the market, rather than having to do so at a later date which can delay your sale and, in many cases, cause it to collapse.
-
Fall throughs in the chain... Any of the above issues can cause buyers to flee and your sale to fall-through. On top of this, if your sale is tied up in a chain and 1 of the other sales in that chain falls through, it can, and often does, set-off a domino effect that eventually results in your own sale falling through. How do you avoid being vulnerable to a breaking chain? Find cash buyers who aren't reliant on selling their current house to fund the purchase of yours. Part exchange companies like Quickmove Properties can step in to fix a broken chain by buying the property which lost their buyer.
-
Scams... Finally, and as a word of caution, beware that scammers operate in the housing market and, while the chances of them targeting your sale are slim, it's always best to be vigilant. Always check who you are emailing or sending sensitive information to. If you're asked to do anything that seems slightly odd, just take a moment to confirm that it's legit by speaking to your agent or conveyancer.
Sales Director at Quickmove
Properties, Mark O'Dwyer, commented:- "Selling a home on the
open market can be a complex and stressful journey. It can take a
long time to find a good buyer and then longer still to complete the
conveyancing process. Worse still, at any point along the way,
something can go wrong causing the sale to collapse. It's an archaic
process that is showing little sign of improving, even with the
abundance of tech products now on offer. This is 1 of many reasons
why home movers use hassle free property part-exchange. Silver
downsizers especially enjoy the speed, certainty and convenience of
selling their bricks and mortar property in part exchange for a
suitable onward property, such as a modern park home. PX provides a
concrete time frame and guaranteed cash offer, with peace of mind
that things won't go awry or fall apart completely."
Sources:- Citizens Advice; Which? The Express; Avrillo; House Move
Pro; This is Money; Housebuyer Bureau; What Mortgage?;
GetAgent.co.uk