As we reach the end of the year, our 12 Days of Christmas countdown revisits each month’s most notable happenings.
Entering November, the CIPD announced a new code of conduct for HR professionals, an independent review uncovered deep-rooted issues in the London Fire Brigade, and tech giants Meta and Twitter dealt with the fallout from mass redundancies.
What HR needs to know about the new CIPD code of conduct
The CIPD released a new code of conduct and ethics for HR professionals which will come into effect from 1 January 2023.
The new code is built around values of positive and active impact on working lives, civic virtue and stewardship, good character, professional service and competence, and personal responsibility.
It replaces the existing code of conduct in place since 2012.
Review finds racist, misogynistic working culture in London Fire Brigade
An Independent Cultural Review of the London Fire Brigade highlighted widespread racism, misogyny and more than 2,000 complaints of abuse from staff.
The review also uncovered diversity issues within the organisation, with 95% of firefighters being white.
The report was commissioned after 21-year-old trainee Jaden Francois-Esprit took his own life in August 2020 after being bullied at work.
HR lessons from Twitter and Meta layoffs
Meta announced plans on 9 November to sack 11,000 employees, equivalent to 13% of the company’s workforce. Twitter, which had recently been bought by Elon Musk, also told 3,700 people on 4 November that they had lost their jobs.
Twitter would even go on to reach out to former employees who were sacked, as their experience was needed to help develop new features.
Best of HR magazine from November 2022:
How HR can best support victims of domestic abuse
Should HRDs call time on workplace booze culture?
HR needs to prepare for further sackings in 2023
