Should Businesses Have Policies & Procedures Around Domestic Abuse?

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 training@leewaynwa.org.uk 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.