My staff want time off to grieve but I believe they are skiving - how should I best clamp down on them? City superwoman NICOLA HORLICK has the answer...

Working life today is full of constantly evolving challenges and pitfalls. Whether you’re a baffled Boomer, a muddled millennial, or a confused Gen Z-er, our brilliant columnist Nicola Horlick is here to help. I struggle, however, when people ask for days off when they’re trying to get over the death of a dog or a cat. I would speak to HR to see if the rules on compassionate leave should be tweaked, but frankly, they’re too nervous to give a firm line on almost anything. One thing I would say is that there is a huge shortage of skilled staff in many sectors, despite a recent small uptick in unemployment.