Homophobic workplace bullying: Heterosexuals can be victims too
Until recently, a person needed to be gay to be protected against homophobic abuse in the workplace. This position has changed in light of a new decision in the Court of Appeal. Charles Price advises employers on how to minimise the risks. The Court of Appeal has decided that the Sexual Orientation Regulations 2003 protect […]
Employers face imprisonment under new health and safety laws
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 comes into force today, which could see directors, managers and employees facing a prison sentence, experts have warned.The new legislation broadens the range of offences for which an indiviudal can be imprisoned, without the need for indictment. Plus more offences will be held in the Crown Court for […]
COA Solutions Launches Cost Effective Human Capital Management System for SMEs
UK business management and information systems provider, COA Solutions, today announces the launch of a new addition to its Smart Business Suite – human capital management (HCM) product OpenPeople Lite. This ‘out of the box’ version of COA Solutions’ successful OpenPeople HCM system has been tailored to meet the needs of small to medium sized […]
Workforce management: Right person, right place, right time
Workforce planning is vital during a recession if organisations want to come out on top when the downturn finally ends. Lynda Lewendon outlines the strategies that need to be in place now to weather the storm. Never have staff levels been under such stringent scrutiny, together with all other overhead costs. We are currently going […]
Video: UK must avoid making same training mistakes as last recession
The CEO of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, Chris Humphries, has warned government against using the wrong sort of training as a means of easing unemployment figures during the recession. In this video, Humphries, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, says that we must not make the same recession mistakes […]
HR tip: Music in office
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "During the three days before Christmas we played carols over the Tannoy system. Now several employees have asked if we could play music in the workplace all the time in order to […]
Colborn’s Corner: Gordon’s jobs package
The government is currently looking to play its part in mitigating the effects of unemployment and, earlier this week, the ‘Jobs Summit’ outlined steps to get people back to work. Quentin Colborn addresses some of the key outcomes and questions what impact they will have on HR activities. The big ticket item to come out […]
HR in America: An inspiring visit
HR manager Lynn Starsmore shares her experiences of a month-long exchange trip, which saw her visiting Southern California to expand her knowledge of HR across the pond. This week, she is shown some inspiring HR practices that she will be implementing in her own workplace. Area 2: TemeculaBy the time we had travelled across the […]
Don’t forget your employees when times get tough
Is the current economic climate having a negative effect on employee productivity and motivation? Cath Murphy offers some top tips for organisations looking to rebuild trust and staff engagement levels during the downturn. All too often the human aspects of an economic downturn are ignored and rather than continuing to be ‘your finest asset’, your […]
The role of the HR business partner: Making it work
Although many organisations employ HR business partners, there are different interpretations of the role and varying levels of success. Laura Albregts and Cindy Meervis examine the important part they play in inspiring your organisation and assess what is needed to make the role work effectively. Many organisations have implemented HR business partner roles, whose aim […]
Ask the expert: Sacking during a probation period
An employee, who is currently within her three-month probation period, is not performing to a satisfactory standard. Esther Smith and Martin Brewer advise on the correct procedure to follow should the employer decide dismissal is the only option. The question:I work for a parent-run committee and just need a bit of advice. We employed a […]
Finding someone better than you
I’m on a run of conducting a number of 360 degree feedback debriefs. I have been completing those debriefs in quite different industries. But I have hit a common thread. Nearly every person I have debriefed is working punishing hours. Within the 360 feedback peers, direct reports and managers are advising the individual to delegate […]
Dressing For Success in Times of Recession
There was an article in one of the Sunday papers recently entitled “Dressed for Success in Times of Recession”. Did anyone see it ? How true that comment is. The perennial problem that faces the working mum-to-be should now be addressed by all other members of the work force as a priority. While there are […]
Beating the sick note culture: Health and wellbeing in the workplace
As sports centres prepare themselves for the January rush, organisations can also help look after the wellbeing of their staff and cut absenteeism rates to boot. Verity Gough asks the experts how HR can help maintain a happy and healthy workforce in 2009. New year resolutions are all very well, but as Britain slides into […]
The knowledge crunch: Communication is key
Is there a need, now more than ever, to communicate with your staff? As unemployment soars and the credit crunch bites, Kevin Condon warns of an impending ‘knowledge crunch’. We are all aware that it’s gloomy out there at the moment; business is tough, so I hate to jump onto the band-wagon and be the […]
RPO: Reducing recruitment costs without compromising on talent
Graham Snuggs explains how recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is an ideal solution for organisations looking to reduce the overall cost of their recruitment and time-per-hire, without compromising on the quality of talent they bring in. Recruiting the right staff, with the right skills, in the right role has always been an important factor in an […]
HR tip: Time off for redundant employees
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "Some employees who have been declared redundant have asked for time off to go for interviews, look for jobs and so on. This could disrupt the operation of running down their section, […]
Disability discrimination: Legislative changes
When the government initially consulted on the content of the Single Equality Bill, it was felt that disability discrimination did not need to be revised. However this has changed as a result of the recent House of Lords decision in London Borough of Lewisham v Malcolm (2008). Alice Reeve examines the impact of this decision […]
Got something to say? Your community needs you
Want to get an opinion off your chest, start a debate, or get up on your soapbox? Then become a contributor to HRZone.co.uk! Even if you’re not a writer, you could always record a short video or audio file. Or perhaps you’d like to get really involved and become a community advocate? Here’s a detailed […]
When is incapacity not incapacity?
A landmark tribunal ruling has paved the way for unfairly sacked employees to claim for loss of future earnings even when claiming incapacity benefits. Adam Fuge outlines the case, and explains what this means for employers. In the recent combined appeals of Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd v Fox and Telindus Ltd v Brading the employment […]