Aug 2022
16
Give clients more responsibility over their payroll
You’ve finalised this month’s payroll, payslips have been sent and payments have been scheduled, finally, you can attend to other tasks in your practice. The phone rings – it’s John, one of your clients. He forgot to mention that Mary worked overtime this month and that James was on sick leave. This is the second month in a row that this has happened. It’s now your job to rectify the payroll, which can take up a lot of time and possibly even delay other clients’ tasks in the process.
It can be hard to manage client communications, especially when both you and your clients are busy attending to other matters. John may have sent you an email about this a few weeks ago or left a message with reception, but emails tend to get lost and phone messages can be easily missed.
If only there was a system in place that allowed clients to view a payroll summary before it's been finalised. A system that gives the client more control and lets them have the final say before their employees’ payslips get distributed. Not only would this save you time, it would also give your clients more control and accountability towards their employees’ pay, improving communication and trust between you and your clients.
We have the solution
BrightPay Connect’s Client Payroll Approval feature allows you to send a payroll summary to your clients via their client self-service dashboard. From here, clients can access the dashboard from their computer and review their employees’ payroll and approve it. Once they’re happy with it, you will be notified on your own bureau dashboard that it's been approved. This information automatically flows to the payroll software, eliminating tedious back and forth communication.
This saves your bureau precious time and reduces data errors across the board. The feature also gives your clients more control of their payroll, making them accountable for the payments that land in their employees’ bank accounts. This means that should an employee have an issue regarding their payslip, the client themselves is more likely to have an answer for any mistakes and issues that need resolving.
This seamless flow of information between you and your clients can really set you apart from other practices. Not only does it increase client satisfaction, but it also improves the competency of your practice by allowing you to broaden the services you offer.
Our cloud-extension also comes with a Client Payroll Entry feature. This allows your clients to send updated payroll information from their own client dashboard. From here, clients can then enter any changes to employees’ hours and any additions and deductions for that pay period.
However, these are only a few features of our cloud-extension, BrightPay Connect. It also comes with a wide range of other payroll solutions for accountants than can increase your profits and broaden the scope of your practice.
Learn more about BrightPay Connect by booking a free 15-minute demo, so you can prepare any questions you want to ask us in person, at the event. Here is a quick peak at some of the benefits our cloud extension, BrightPay Connect, can offer your practice:
- Automatic cloud backups of your payroll data that ensure your clients’ data is safe and secure at all times. This also aligns with GDPR best practices.?
- Remote working support by notifying you when someone else has worked on an employer’s file from a different computer, and if they are still working on that file.??
- Bureau branding giving clients a more personal touch to your services, enhancing work relationships.?
Interested in staying up to date on all the latest payroll trends and legislative changes? Sign up to our newsletter below for weekly emails so you can stay in the loop.?
Aug 2022
2
Weather alert: How to handle last-minute annual leave requests
Phew, what a summer we’ve been having! From barbeques to beach days, it’s no wonder staff have been booking days off last-minute to soak up the sun. However, this can lead to businesses becoming short-staffed, which can put a strain on your usual workflow. With more staff taking annual leave, it can also often lead to you spending more time on payroll. You’re a business owner, not a juggler, so how does one handle last-minute holiday requests, every time the sun comes out? Here are our top 3 tips and tools from the payroll industry.
1. Take your annual leave management online
Rather than receiving annual leave requests via letters, phone calls or emails, why not get a software that manages the whole process for you? For example, employee apps are becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason. With an employee app, you can let employees book annual leave themselves, from a few simple taps on their phone. This means your employees can submit annual leave requests from anywhere, at any time.
You, as the employer, will then be notified of this request and can sign into your employer portal from a browser, where you can accept or reject the requests, at the click of a button. This can be done whether you’re on your desktop in the office, or your tablet at the beach – perfect for those last-minute leave requests!
This not only streamlines and automates your annual leave management process, it also makes your business much more tech savvy, improves employee job satisfaction, and aligns more with hybrid and remote working models.
2. Automatically sync employee annual leave to your payroll software
Adjusting payroll files last-minute can be exhausting, especially during busy holiday periods. However, using a payroll software that can automatically sync your employees’ annual leave data back to the payroll software, can save you a significant amount of time, each pay period.
For example, our cloud extension, Bright Pay Connect, syncs all of the data from our annual leave management tool, directly back to the payroll software. This means that all of your employees’ leave data will be up-to-date in the payroll software while you’re using it. This reduces the likelihood of errors on payslips, saving you time rectifying any errors that can crop up from mismanaged annual leave.
3. Get an online company calendar
Having an online companywide calendar lets you view your entire company’s leave (annual leave, maternity leave, sick leave, etc.) from your browser, on any device. This means that when you’re deciding whether to accept or reject a last-minute annual leave request, you can quickly pop onto your online company calendar to see who else might be booked off on those selected dates.
Having an online company calendar also allows you recognise patterns in staff’s annual leave bookings. For example, John might have taken annual leave the past four Mondays in a row, Frank could be unknowingly taking every second Friday off, while Mary doesn’t seem to have taken any leave in the past 10 months. This lets you keep a closer eye on your staff’s time off, and lets you make more strategic and well-rounded decisions for your business.
Summer isn’t over, and neither are last-minute leave requests
As you can see, annual leave management really has never been easier. All of the features mentioned above are available in our cloud extension, BrightPay Connect. If you’re interested in learning more about BrightPay Connect, why not book a free 15-minute demo, where we can show you even more ways our cloud extension can benefit your business.
New to BrightPay? BrightPay is one of the UK’s leading payroll software providers for small businesses, and is award-winning payroll software. Download our completely free of charge 60-day trial, with full functionality.
Want to stay in the loop of all things payroll? Keep up-to-date on all the latest payroll trends, news and legislative updates in our weekly newsletter.
Jul 2022
28
Customer Update: August 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's August update. Our most important news this month include:
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Payroll errors at 3 major companies leave thousands out of pocket
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Could the end of Internet Explorer affect your business?
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AM Summer Sessions: One virtual stage, eight hot topics, hundreds of ideas
Free webinar: Secure and reliable ways to make payments to employees, subcontractors and HMRC [bureau]
Did you know that you can pay employees, subcontractors and HMRC, directly from your payroll software? In next week’s webinar, discover how payment platform, Modulr, can offer your practice faster, easier and more secure payments.
Free webinar: Manage your HR workload this summer (even on holidays) [employer]
Payroll and HR tasks can often overlap; from managing annual leave to backing up your payroll files. In our upcoming webinar, learn how you can streamline your business’ payroll and HR processes with cloud technology.
Last chance: Customer Survey 2022
It’s that time of year again, time for our annual customer survey! To take part, please click the link below. It should only take a few minutes, and we will be sharing the results in the coming months. This is the last chance to participate in the survey, as it will be closing very soon.
Save hours of time by letting clients enter payroll details themselves
Are you spending hours communicating back and forth with clients to retrieve payroll details? In our latest blog, discover how BrightPay’s client payroll entry feature can save you time and help streamline your practice.
Upgrade your business with BrightPay Connect
With BrightPay Connect your employees can:
- View and download a history of their payslips.
- Request annual leave directly from their smartphone.
- Access important HR documents from anywhere.
Why not book a free 15-minute demo to see how BrightPay Connect can help streamline your business.
7 steps to saving an hour of work each payroll run
Do you feel like your payroll process is inefficient? In this free guide, discover seven steps you can take to speed up the process, while also improving accuracy.
Payroll: There's an app for that
Improve employee satisfaction and make your life easier by introducing an employee app with powerful features that can be accessed securely, using their smartphone or tablet, from anywhere with an internet connection.
Staff left out of pocket due to almost 11,000 payroll errors
Employees at the supermarket giant Asda have been left up to £500 out of pocket due to an “issue” with their payroll system. This shows the real-life impact payroll errors can have, and is a reminder to employers of just how important it is to pay employees correctly and on time.
Virtual Summer Sessions for Accountants
Throughout the summer, AccountancyManager are bringing together industry experts, software vendors and practice owners to share insights and advice on eight key topics in the accounting industry. From growing your accountancy practice to the fundamentals of client communication, there’s something for everyone.
Jul 2022
20
Save hours of time by letting clients enter payroll details themselves
Do you feel like you’re spending hours during the week emailing back and forth with clients, making payroll adjustments, and entering details that could have easily been done by the clients themselves? Whether you’re entering their employees’ hours, new starter details, or additions and deductions, it can be frustrating waiting for clients to get back to you with these details.
Imagine if you could share this payroll workload with your clients in a way that didn’t end up in never-ending back and forth emails. Imagine if there was a centralised hub that allowed information to flow effortlessly between you both, automating your payroll workflow.
Thankfully, with BrightPay Payroll Software’s Client Payroll Entry feature, this is now possible. The Client Payroll Entry feature allows your client to send updated payroll information each pay period, before the payslips are finalised. You can send a summary of payroll information from your bureau dashboard directly to the client's self-service dashboard. From here, clients can enter any changes to employees’ hours and any additions and deductions for that pay period. The client can also add any new starters in this area, and enter details such as addresses, phone numbers and tax codes.
The best part about all of this is that any changes the client makes to their payroll fully syncs back to the payroll software, once you have reviewed and approved it. Allowing you time to attend to more important matters of your business. There is also an full audit trail of changes made, so whatever your client has worked on will be tracked and recorded. This not only makes the flow of information between you and your client quicker, but it can also save you hours of time each pay period.
“I've just had a little play with your new 'Requests' feature. Oh my goodness, do you know how utterly fabulous it is? I've loved your software since I was introduced to it, but this is a game-changer. It's going to make such a big difference!”
Annamarie Angell, Deadline Accounting Ltd
Our Client Payroll Approval feature takes innovation to another level by allowing you to send a payroll summary to your clients via their self-service dashboard. Clients can access the dashboard from their computer, review their employees’ payroll and approve it or add a note. Once they’re happy with it, you will be notified on your own bureau dashboard that it's been approved. This information automatically flows to the payroll software, eliminating tedious back and forth communication.
Want to learn more about this feature? Check out this short step-by-step guide and six-minute video on how it works. However, the Client Payroll Entry and Payroll Approval aren’t the only features of our cloud-extension, BrightPay Connect. Learn more about our cloud-extension by booking a free 15-minute demo of BrightPay Connect. BrightPay Connect also comes with a wide range of other payroll and HR features to increase your value and service offering. These include:
- Automatic cloud backup of payroll files
- Employee self-service app
- Annual leave management tool and company leave calendar
- HR document uploading hub
- Bureau branding
It's time to automate your payroll workflow and streamline client communication with our cloud-extension. Book your free 15-minute BrightPay Connect demo today. Interested in staying up-to-date on all the latest payroll trends and legislative changes? Sign up to our newsletter below for weekly emails so you can stay in the loop.?
Jul 2022
8
Free Webinar: 5 ways to boost employee satisfaction
Whether you’re a shop owner, a hairdresser or run an agency, it can be difficult juggling between attending to customers, managing employees AND running payroll.
That’s why using technology that automates employee communication can save your business time, while in turn improving employee job satisfaction. For example, using a cloud-based payroll platform can give employees more control over their data, reduce the amount of emails you send, and streamline your annual leave. This can also allow you to focus on any exciting plans for expanding and developing your business, or other tasks that you might have been putting off.
Our cloud extension, BrightPay Connect, can offer you the features mentioned above and more, streamlining your HR and payroll tasks like never before. In our free webinar on the 20th of July 2022, we’ll be discussing how BrightPay Connect can boost your employees’ job satisfaction by:
- Introducing a fast and easy way to book annual leave, where employees can submit leave requests through an employee app on their smartphone.
- You as the employer, are notified of annual leave requests on your own employer dashboard, where you can easily approve or reject these requests, at the click of a button. You will also be able to view all of your employees’ leave through a user-friendly, companywide calendar.
- Offering an online payslip hub on the employee app, where employees can view a chronological history of their payslips. They can also view, print or download their payslips from any period, at any time.
- Allows you to upload any important HR documents to the cloud, with customisable accessibility. This means that you can choose specific departments or staff members to view certain documents or reports.
- These reduce the amount of unnecessary emails and paper-based letters being sent out to employees, giving them a more streamlined communication experience. It also gives them more control over their payroll data, which improves your GDPR compliance.
The best part? All of this syncs directly back to the payroll software. Register for our free webinar on the 20th of July at 11.00am, to discover how your business can implement a quicker and easier way to communicate with your employees.
Can’t wait for the webinar?
Why not book a free, 15-minute demo of BrightPay Connect today to see our cloud extension in action. It offers a host of other features that can enhance your business, including:
- An entire tab to view upcoming HMRC payments, allowing you to keep track of deadlines.
- Improves the security of your employees’ information by automatically backing up your payroll data every 15 minutes to the cloud.
- Access to payroll reports that are created from within the payroll software. These automatically sync to the reports tab on your employer dashboard, where they can be downloaded in CSV or PDF format.
- The ability to invite unlimited users to your BrightPay Connect account, at no additional cost.
It’s time to take your business to the next level. Book a free demo of BrightPay Connect today, to see how cloud technology can enhance your business processes.
Jun 2022
29
Customer Update: July 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's July update. Our most important news this month include:
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The new wave of payslip distribution
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Streamline your business' annual leave management
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3 ways to boost job satisfaction in your workplace
Get the most out of BrightPay by automating payroll processes
Join our upcoming webinar on the 7th of July, where you will discover how to automate your payroll process. Must-have features include batch-processing payslips, an online client portal, and the ability to send payroll entry and approval requests to clients, before you finalise the payroll.
The importance of automation and why you need it
Join our upcoming webinar on the 5th of July where you will discover how integration has transformed the world of payroll. Having integrated software applications can be incredibly convenient for the end-user. That’s why BrightPay integrates with various applications to automate many day-to-day tasks.
Increased NIC thresholds from 6th July 2022
The NIC thresholds are increasing from 6th July 2022. BrightPay has been updated to reflect these changes, so please ensure that you are using the latest version of the software. These rates will then automatically apply to payments due to be made on 6th July or later.
The new wave of payslip distribution
Say goodbye to the hours spent regenerating payslips or searching through files when employees want copies of their past payslips. With the employee app, employees will be able to access a complete history of their payslips through their smartphones, tablet or any internet browser.
Save your practice over £20,000 per year
Discover in our new free guide, how you can save over £20,000 per year using BrightPay and BrightPay Connect. We’ll look at what’s most important to accountants when choosing payroll software, and exactly how much value it can bring to your practice.
Learn how practice management software could transform your business
Discover in our new free guide, how you can save over £20,000 per year using BrightPay and BrightPay Connect. We’ll look at what’s most important to accountants when choosing payroll software, and exactly how much value it can bring to your practice.
Tech is taking the pain out of payroll and payment processes
By integrating a reliable, real-time and efficient payments platform into your payroll system, your business can save a vast amount of time. Automate how you pay employees, subcontractors and HMRC, with Modulr. This will eliminate errors and improve data security.
Jun 2022
27
NI Threshold increases on 6th July: What to do
It can be difficult to keep on top of payroll updates and changes to compliance. Using a payroll software which takes care of these updates for you can save you a lot of time in the long run. Thankfully, BrightPay Payroll Software is updated to cater for all regulatory changes to ensure you stay compliant. This will save you time and eliminate the headache that comes with manually processing payroll.
The UK Government announced in March that the National Insurance thresholds will increase from 6th July, this means that employees and self-employed people will pay National Insurance contributions on less of their income or profits. HMRC has made clear that all payroll software providers must ensure that their software is updated to reflect these increased NI thresholds. If your payroll software is not up-to-date, HMRC requests that you do not run your payroll until your payroll software has taken account of the changes.
What changes were made to National Insurance Contribution rates?
National Insurance Contribution rates were increased for the 2022/23 tax year by 1.25%. Contributions are to go towards the NHS, health, and social care.
Who is affected by these changes?
Any person over 16 years old who is employed and earns above £190 a week or any person who is self-employed and makes a profit of £6,725 or more a year, will be affected.
If you are a married woman or widowed (with a valid certification of election) or if you’re deferring National Insurance because you have more than one job, you will pay less National Insurance Contributions.
If you earn between £123 and £190 per week, your contributions are treated as having been paid to protect your National Insurance record.
What are the National Insurance thresholds?
Below are the monthly thresholds for employers and employees who fall into the Class 1 category.
| £ per month | 6 July 2022 to 5 April 2023 | 6 April 2022 to 5 July 2022 |
| Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) Employees do not pay National Insurance but get the benefits of paying |
£533 | £533 |
| Primary Threshold (PT) Employees start paying National Insurance |
£1,048 | £823 |
| Secondary Threshold (ST) Employers start paying National Insurance |
£758 | £758 |
| Upper Earnings Limit (UEL) All employees pay a lower rate of National Insurance above this point |
£4,189 | £4,189 |
| Upper Secondary Threshold (UST) Employers of employees who are under 21 pay zero rate up to this point |
£4,189 | £4,189 |
| Apprentice Upper Secondary Threshold (AUST) Employers of certain apprentices who are under 25 pay zero rate up to this point |
£4,189 | £4,189 |
| Freeports Upper Secondary Threshold (FUST) Employers of qualifying employees working in a freeport site pay zero rate up to this point |
£2,083 | £4,189 |
| Veterans Upper Secondary Threshold (VUST) Employers of qualifying employees pay zero rate up to this point |
£4,189 | £2,083 |
If you fall into Class 2, 3 or 4, check out gov.uk, to learn more.
How to pay NIC’s
If you’re employed, your employer will deduct NIC from your wages before you get paid, your payslip will show your contributions made.
If you’re self-employed, you must pay Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance, depending on how much profit you make. Most people pay for this through Self-Assessment or through their payroll software. If you make less than £6,725 profit a year or have a specific job, you may be able to pay voluntary contributions to avoid gaps in your National Insurance record, as gaps can affect your State Pension.
If you’re employed and self-employed, your employer will deduct your Class 1 National Insurance from your wages, and you must pay Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance for your self-employed job. Depending on your combined wages, it will depend on how much National Insurance you will pay.
If you are using the most up-to-date version of BrightPay, these new thresholds have been implemented in the software. To learn more about how BrightPay can help your business stay compliant, book a free 15-minute demonstration today.
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Jun 2022
9
The new wave of payslip distribution
How many times have your employees had problems locating their payslips? Whether employees forget their passwords to access payslips, lose their payslips, or their payslips never got sent to them in the first place, following this up can take a lot of your precious time away as a business owner. If you’re sending paper-based payslips, problems that crop up can take even longer to rectify. Tracking down old payslips from weeks, months, or maybe even years ago can also take up a chunk of your day-to-day admin work.
Payroll should be a smooth and intuitive process, even after payslips have been finalised. Payslip distribution and locating employees’ payslips shouldn’t be a burden or cause unnecessary stress. It should be an automated process, allowing you more time to attend to other matters of your business. Here’s how our employee app can streamline payslip distribution for you.
Let employees access payslips from anywhere, any time
Once the payslips have been finalised, they’re automatically synced to the employee app, allowing your employees to easily access, download and print their payslips from anywhere, at any time. They will also receive a push notification on their phone when a new payslip has become available to view, eliminating the hassle of follow-up emails or re-printing payslips. This gives your staff complete control over when and where they can access their payslips, improving their employee satisfaction.
Stores a history of all previous payslips
Say goodbye to the eons spent searching in file cabinets and desktop files for employees’ old payslips. With the employee app, a complete history of all your employees’ payslips are stored securely on the platform, and are accessible at a moment’s notice. Whether an employee wants to double check an old payslip or is applying for a mortgage – their payslip history is readily available from one centraliszed location, at the tap of a button.
Cuts down on paper waste
Not only does the employee app save you time distributing payslips, improve employee satisfaction, and increases your business’ efficiency, but it’s also better for the environment. Payslips can stack up a large portion of paper weight each year and can be a costly expense for businesses.
It can be difficult to stray from systems that we’re more familiar with, but digitalising payroll processes can help your business stay in line with competition, by evolving to more modern and tech-savvy practices.
Interested in learning more about BrightPay Connect? Watch this short one-minute video on how it works. We offer free 15-minute demos for you to see in more detail how our cloud-extension works, and how it can take your business to the next level.
Related articles:
- What to include on a hybrid working policy
- Digital trends that every employer should know
- BrightPay Connect: The GDPR Survival Toolkit
Jun 2022
1
Customer Update: June 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's June update. Our most important news this month include:
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New RTI Requirement from April 2022 - CIS Deductions Suffered
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3 ways to boost job satisfaction in your workplace
-
New: File CS01s through AccountancyManager
Free webinar: The payroll opportunity in a digital world
It’s time to work smarter and faster when offering payroll services to your clients. Join our upcoming webinar on the 9th of June where BrightPay’s Marketing Manager, Rachel Quinn, will explore 6 current payroll trends, and how they can be used to transform your practice.
How API integration is shaping the future of payroll
During our upcoming webinar on the 16th of June, BrightPay will discuss the benefits of integrating your payroll and accounting software. Our experts will demonstrate how you can streamline the entire process from start to finish using API technology.
Increased NIC thresholds from 6th July 2022
The NIC thresholds are increasing from 6th July 2022. BrightPay has been updated to reflect these changes, so please ensure that you are using the latest version of the software. These rates will then automatically apply to payments due to be made on 6th July or later.
Your guide to save time and money when processing payroll
Processing payroll for your clients can and should be profitable. In this guide, find out how using BrightPay and BrightPay Connect together, can help your practice save time and money. By introducing cloud innovation and automation, you can run payroll more efficiently while making a profit.
Easily manage summer annual leave
BrightPay Connect takes the stress out of managing annual leave. With a company-wide calendar and employee portal, your clients can easily approve holiday requests, on the go. The leave will automatically be added to the employee calendar, and synchronised to the payroll software.
New feature: Nominal ledger mapping – custom items
As part of the BrightPay journal process, users can now add further adjustments to their payroll journal before posting into their accounting software. For example, to record HMRC Payment adjustments, such as employment allowance and recoverable statutory pay.
We want your feedback!
Last year, we introduced new prompts in BrightPay. Now, we want your feedback. Click here to complete a quick, 1-minute survey, so that we can evaluate these changes.
Jun 2022
1
To Pay or Not to Pay – The Jubilee Bank Holiday
On Friday 3 June 2022, there will be an extra Bank Holiday granted to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The usual May Bank Holiday has been moved forward to Thursday 2 June 2022 resulting in a four-day weekend for those able to take time off.
What are your employees’ rights when an additional Bank Holiday is announced?
The general rule is that employees do not have an automatic right to a day off work when this or any other Bank Holiday is announced. Employers will need to review their contract of employment to determine if an employee is entitled to a day off work and to be paid for it.
Some contracts of employment will state that the employee is entitled to a certain number of days of annual leave, “plus bank holidays”. In this case, they will be entitled to the additional Bank Holiday off work.
Other contracts of employment state that the employee is entitled to a set number of days of annual leave, but do not mention Bank Holidays. In this scenario, the employee will not be automatically entitled to the additional Bank Holiday off work.
Some employment contracts provide the employee with a set number of days of annual leave “plus eight Bank Holidays”. Again, this will mean that the employee is not automatically entitled to the additional Bank Holiday off work.
If the contract states “you are entitled to XX days holidays plus the usual bank holidays in England and Wales” again this would not give the worker an automatic right to the additional Bank Holiday because the addition Jubilee day is not a “usual” bank holiday
Employers will need to review their employees’ contracts of employment to see whether all of them, some of them, or none of them are entitled to take the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday off of work.
Where employees do not have a contractual right to the additional Bank Holiday, employers will need to consider if they wish to grant the day’s leave as a gesture of goodwill, if they will require employees to attend work or if they will give employees a day off in lieu of the Bank Holiday due to staffing requirements.
Whilst it is important to comply with the letter of the contract of employment or work, the additional Bank Holiday can also be a morale booster for staff. You may consider granting employees an additional day’s holiday for the Jubilee as an act of goodwill, stressing of course the reason for it being allowed as a one-off gesture.
Related Articles:
Extra Bank Holiday for Queen's Jubilee
