The Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations will be implemented in six months time on 6 April 2005 but despite findings which show that HR and personnel professionals believe the new legislation will have either some or a lot of impact on their business nearly 90% of organisations are yet to address the issue.

These are the findings from the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA) survey based on 64 respondents across a variety of sectors.

The new rules will apply to undertakings with more than 150 employees enforcing employers to consult with their employees on business issues.

IPA Director, Willy Coupar, commented:

“We are encouraged that 80% of respondents to our survey plan to address the new legislation before the end of 2004, but we are concerned that the deadline for establishing pre-existing agreements is fast approaching and these companies may be leaving things too late.”

The IPA says that a number of organisations including United Welsh Housing Association, Diageo, Egg, Bromford Housing and Bank of Ireland have benefited from improved performance as a result of enhanced information and consultation processes.

“We continue to find evidence in our research, and during the delivery of our consultancy services, of improved performance in those organisations that have embraced information and consultation.”