You're my kind of a-hole

 Christmas has been a tradition for almost a couple of thousands of years.

Sure, it’s changed over the years, particularly in terms of being more of a commercial holiday (alongside being a religious one), but in any case, it happens every year.

A bit more recently, I’ve had a couple of festive traditions myself.

A TALE OF TWO TRADITIONS

The first tradition is attending Pete Tong’s ‘Ibiza Classics’ event.  This takes place at The O2 Arena in London, and we’ve been going since 2019 with some friends (and we always see my wife’s niece there too).  The superstar DJ hosts a fabulous event, with some superb special guests – this year he had Becky Hill and Alison Limerick.

The event is so good, we already have tickets for 2026 (and we usually buy the following year’s tickets even before attending this year’s gig).

The second annual tradition is sitting on the couch and watching the best Christmas movie of all time – Die Hard – with my dog Basil.  I know Bruce Willis said it’s not a Christmas film, but what does he know?

NOT ALWAYS A HAPPY TIME

Not everyone has a great time at Christmas.  Being a prominent annual tradition, it can also have negative connotations for a lot of people, so it’s not always ‘merry’.

If you have known me for a while, you will know that I’m not a huge fan of the festive season.  It’s not a good time for me, and I don’t enjoy it.

In fact, this might serve as a useful reminder that not everyone in your organisation may want to partake in the festive activities.  At this time of year, we are bombarded with things like Secret Santa, greeting cards, team parties, or Christmas songs played at full volume.  

As an employer, if you know your team (which I always encourage to be a primary thought), then you will know to treat them as individuals.  Where possible, ensure that your team know that, when they need support or someone to talk to, they have somewhere to go.  Aside from the professional advantage of staff who feel valued are often more productive - more importantly, it's the right thing to do.

Personally, my wife and I - along with our dog Basil - are getting away to the Cotswolds for a week, not only to get away from any potential pressure of Christmas, but also to take a well-earned break.

NOT A VICTORY FOR EVERYONE

Thanks to the new(ish) government, there will be some legislative changes too, which will affect all employers.

The Labour government’s flagship bill – the Employment Rights Bill – has finally passed through the House of Lords to get royal assent, so it will imminently be law.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "We have just introduced the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation”. He went on to say it’s a "major victory for working people in every part of the country".

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The new legislation will give workers day-one rights to sick pay and paternity leave, and contains new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.
 
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The initial sticking point was Labour’s plan to give all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job - a point from which the government backed down - but the government will bring in enhanced protections from six months in employment, which is the bill's most significant measure.
 
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However, I don’t think it’s all good news for employers.  The bill makes life harder for small business owners who, if they have decent HR support, would be treating their staff the right way.  On the face of it, the bill is great for employees, but it’s not great for employers.  Ultimately, the knock-on effect will be that businesses will be more cautious about hiring (a possibility that could be a major issue in today’s employment market).

WAGES GOING UP AGAIN

Another key announcement came as part of the government’s Budget statement – the National Minimum Wage is rising.

Employees over 21 will get £12.71 an hour - an increase of over 4%.  18-20 year olds will get £10.85 an hour and 16-17 year olds will get £8 an hour - which are increases of 8.5% and 6% respectively.

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However, the director of the Living Wage Foundation, Katherine Chapman, said the increases "fall short" of the 'real living wage'.

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At first glance, it’s great news for workers, but it adds a financial burden on employers and could slow business growth across the UK.  The increases are higher than the rate of inflation, and employers should start thinking of the implications and impact on your business now - don't wait until the payroll run in April.

MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO

In parts, the economy is volatile.  

With the Employment Rights Bill coming into effect and the National Minimum Wage going up – alongside developments such as the Bank of England cutting the interest rate – 2026 will be a year of trying to maintain the status quo.  For employers, it could be a tough year.

As mentioned earlier, all employers should be treating their employees as individuals.  Economic factors can cause instability, but this is not a feeling you want to instil in your team, especially at Christmas.

My advice would be to give your team a happy and safe Christmas, and keep them informed as early as possible about any changes – or, of course, reassure them of the safety and stability that you can provide.  It is good for employees to have a semblance of normality, where possible.

AND FINALLY…

2025 has been a year of growth for AJB HR Consultancy Services.  We have some fabulous retained clients, and I’m very grateful that we are in a position of being a value-led organisation – in that, we work with clients who have aligned values.  We are looking forward to another year in business and seeing where 2026 goes for us all.

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Of course, if you haven’t already spoken to your HR team, either about your growth plans or about any of the legislative changes mentioned above, then please do so as soon as possible.  And, as always, if you don’t have a HR provision, then please get in touch to see how me and my team can support your business.

In the meantime, whatever you are doing, I hope you stay safe and are as happy as you can be over the festive season, and we’ll see you all in 2026.

P.S. THAT TITLE

“You’re my kind of a**hole” is a quote from Die Hard 2 – the second best Christmas film of all time, which we’ll be watching on Boxing Day.

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