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HR Briefing Issue 222
23 December 2004
http://www.hrzone.co.uk
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SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS ****
1. Feature: Boosting the bottom-line with childcare policies
2. Feature: Talent Management – just another HR fad?
3. Payroll Tip: Entertainment and gifts
4. Entrepreneurs to kick-start 2005 by going-it-alone
5. Any Answers – absence, maternity leave dismissal, vacancies
SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS ****

Editor’s note
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Festive absence is cause for concern this season for members.

Research shows that businesses can expect a rise in stress
related absence primarily because families are having to spend
more time together and equally, people with no family are on
their own for longer.

For many businesses, however, the absence problem extends
throughout the year. Members, Peter Duckitt and Peter Stanway
hold opposing views over how to deal with the issues. While
Duckitt favours nurturing and training, Stanway takes the ‘bah
humbug’ approach and declares it is too difficult to change
behaviours.

Add to the debate at: http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134930

HRZone would like to wish you Season’s Greetings and best wishes
for a successful 2005.

Regards

Annie Hayes
Editor
mailto:editor@hrzone.co.uk

HR Zone is one of the world’s leading online resources for HR
and training professionals.
For details of how to reach this audience:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/help/advertise.html

News
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A selection of newsworthy items from the site this week:

Feature: Boosting the bottom-line with childcare policies
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In this feature Mark Reardon looks at how working parents can
get rich pickings from existing benefits including childcare
vouchers.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134629

Feature: Talent Management – just another HR fad?
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Talent management is the latest buzz word in the HR field but is
it just another empty HR fad? Michael Moran cuts the jargon and
examines the issues.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134965

Payroll Tip: Entertainment and gifts
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This week’s tip looks at the tax legislation for third-party
entertainment including hospitality rules.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134896

Rise in Christmas absenteeism expected
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Employers should be on the lookout for increased absenteeism,
warns a psychological health specialist, as a result of the
four-day holiday.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134938

Entrepreneurs to kick-start 2005 by going-it-alone
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HR could face a staff retention crisis in the new year; latest
findings reveal that one in five people are planning to start
their own business in 2005.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134992

Tories vow to slash red tape
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The Conservatives have unveiled plans to lift the red tape
burden if they win office at the next election.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134985

Christmas tube strikes hold London to ransom
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Strikes planned to cause maximum disruption over the Christmas
period will cause chaos for Londoners.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134986

More e-HR news and features:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/ehr/news.html

More compensation and benefits news and features:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/comp&bens/news.html

More payroll news and features:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/payroll/news.html

More employee development news and features:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/employee/news.html

More employment law news and features:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/employment_law/news.html

Community
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Any Answers is the place to go to share your professional
experiences with others. A selection of new Any Answers
responses posted this week:

Peter Stanway and Peter Duckitt disagree over the way forward
for absence management:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134930

Tracey Topping is warned that her plans to side-step a member of
staff returning from maternity leave could wind her company up
in court.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134940

Members get themselves in a twist over the rules governing
advertising jobs vacancies:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/134702

Read all the latest questions and add your own:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/anyanswers

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