Businesses have a range of policies and procedures designed to create a safe, structured and fair working environment for their employees.
They set out clear guidelines of what is expected of employees and what they can expect from their employer, ensuring that they feel supported in the workplace.
In recent years, there have been increased calls for businesses to review these to ensure that they cover trending issues such as mental health and domestic abuse.
Guidance released alongside the Domestic Abuse Act (2021) implored businesses to take an active role in tackling domestic abuse, specifically reminding them of their duty of care to their employees.
Despite this recommendation, research conducted by the Vodafone Foundation found that just 5% of employers had specific policies or guidelines around domestic abuse.
There are many reasons why this figure may be so low. For example, employers may feel that they do not know enough about domestic abuse to confidently draft policy and procedure.
There will also be some businesses that don’t believe it is a workplace issue or are unaware of the impact that it will be having on their employees and their organisation.
However, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, reiterating the fact it is an issue that should be taken seriously.
Not only is it good practice to have policies and procedures around domestic abuse, but it can also have many other benefits for businesses and organisations.
They can help to provide a clear framework, enabling you to respond effectively to support an employee experiencing domestic abuse.
This ensures a consistent and empathetic response to disclosures of abuse, which can help employees to get the support they need and allows businesses to put their own workplace support plan in place.
Policies and procedures can also save businesses money, reducing the cost that domestic abuse has through lost productivity or recruitment costs – estimated to be a staggering £14bn every year.
Measures such as adjusting an employee’s working arrangements can have a positive impact and are often quite easy for businesses to implement.
There are many upsides to having specific policies and procedures around domestic abuse and we believe that now is the time for businesses to consider their role in tackling this important issue.
Why Now?
There has never been a better time for businesses to assess gaps in their policies and procedures to ensure that they are covering increasingly trending issues such as domestic abuse.
With a Bill looking at introducing paid leave to survivors of domestic abuse currently going through parliament, it is an issue that employers need to be aware of and know how to respond to.
This will undoubtedly impact businesses across the country, particularly as an estimated 10% of the workforce are experiencing domestic abuse.
Despite being a prevalent issue across society, knowledge around domestic abuse remains relatively limited and knowing how to translate this into actionable policies and procedures can be a challenge.
This is where Leeway can help you!
We have experience of supporting businesses and organisations to or draft policies around domestic abuse, helping them to meet their duty of care to their employees.
We also provide Domestic Abuse Awareness Training which aims to equip businesses and organisations with the knowledge and ability to spot the signs of domestic abuse, whilst also being able to signpost employees or clients to access support.
This provides a great platform for your business to understand domestic abuse, the impacts that it is having on your organisation, and the role that you can play in tackling it.
To find out more about how Leeway can support your business, email [email protected] or visit our website www.leewaysupport.org/training.
We are also running a free Domestic Abuse Training taster session exclusively for Norfolk Chambers of Commerce members! For more information about this or to book your place click here.
