In this latest edition of the HR radar we find out what you thought of the 2006 Budget, was there anything to excite or tantalize those working in the profession? Keith Luxon, HR Director of Veolia Water UK, Euphrosene Labon author of several HR books and Jonathan Senior of Sharp End Training share their views.
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Keith Luxon, Director of Human Resources, Veolia Water UK.
“Not a desperately exciting budget … more a holding pattern for future changes.
“The education commitments looking to invest as much in each pupil in the public sector as in the private sector have to be a good thing. As long as it is wisely invested and results improve.
“The comments on offering more choices to working women are to be welcomed but no great detail yet – will it be more than a sound bite?
“Of greatest concern is that he did not mention pensions and what the Government’s plans are to respond to the Turner Commission – this will have more impact when they announce it rather than all the measures in this budget.”
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Euphrosene Labon, is the author of several books including Profit From Unlimited Thinking and A Little Book of Self-Coaching Tips.
“The Spring budget? All smoke and mirrors. The Chancellor puts Harry Potter to shame with his ability to wave a magic wand over the nation’s finances. Unfortunately, unlike Potter, there is rarely a happy ending.
“It’s good that the government has finally noticed that businesses of the future require literate school-leavers. There is even mention of funds for SMEs. Discrimination against working women also comes in for a mention.
“Unfortunately, for businesses of any size, there is a downside to any wealth-creating through our human assets. Someone has to pay.
“Brown continues to set a bad example to those balancing their budgets by continuing his debt-based spending.
“It is a fine ideal to have employment for all. Just not all in the public sector. He has already wounded Britain’s creativity and enterprise – and probably our economy in the longer term.
“This budget seems to have done nothing to stop the rot.”
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Jonathan Senior, Chartered Manager, Sharp End Training.
“As HR and training professionals, we are ultimately aiming to make people better, feel better and get the most from themselves, that’s why I welcome the extra investment in talented athletes of all sports and sport in general announced in the budget.
“We have seen time and time again how doing well in sports gives the whole country a collective boost and for too long we have watched other countries, notably Australia, invest in talented people AND mass participation on an almost industrial basis. I only hope that we can do in six years what it has taken them 25.”
These are just a handful of our members’ views but we’d like to hear from you. Please post your views on the Budget in the box below and start the debate today!
