Authors: Kelly Mansfield
Price: £9.99
Publisher: Workplace Law Publishing
Pages: 176
ISBN: 1900648679
Unlike familiar DIY products, this book doesn’t quite do what it says on the tin – or, rather, on the front cover. However, I should have checked the back cover first, which puts it in the ‘law/humour’ category. This hits the mark, whereas the title suggests more robust levels of advice specific to difficult scenarios.
Once you get past nine pages of contents – which doesn’t include the index – the book is divided into seven sections: people, safety, policy, facilities, support for those facilities, best of the rest and then curious case law.
Disappointingly, the remaining pages are dedicated to promoting the Workplace Law Publishing group and advertising from the major contributors, which is not entirely appropriate.
The sections are well laid out and, more importantly, easy to read, with caption-type theme titles, followed by the issue to be looked at – for example, ‘Going to the ladies – Do I need to provide written permission for a transsexual to use the ladies toilets?’.
On many of the areas the book does provide some good practical direction, including things to be taken into consideration, in pragmatic, lay terms. However, on more than a few topics, different contributors give contradictory advice on the same issue and how to deal with it – which may not be helpful and possibly a little confusing to some less experienced in this field.
It is an entertaining book, and this is how it should probably be approached by readers responsible for such matters, but don’t throw away your other reference books just yet.
Useful? Two out of five stars
Well-written? Three out of five stars
Practical? Three out of five stars
Inspirational? One out of five stars
Value for money? One out of ive stars
Overall? Two out of five stars
Reviewed by Malcolm Houghton-le-Chapple, head of HR, Amersham & Wycombe College
