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HR Zone Members Newswire Issue 71
26 October 2004
http://www.hrzone.co.uk
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SITE HIGHLIGHTS ***** SITE HIGHLIGHTS ***** SITE HIGHLIGHTS
1. Editor’s Comment: Campaigners fired up for UK smoking ban
2. Feature: Getting online with the Home Computing Initiative
3. HR Tip: Holiday pay
4. HR & Payroll free qualifications up for grabs!
5. Any Answers: breastfeeding, data protection, HR ratios
SITE HIGHLIGHTS ***** SITE HIGHLIGHTS ***** SITE HIGHLIGHTS
Editor’s note
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The TUC have made fresh calls to roll-out a total workplace
smoking ban in the UK. Editor’s Comment examines the arguments
and looks at the ethical balance between the right to clean air
and the right to smoke. Scroll below to read the full story. If
this is an issue you feel strongly about then share your views
with other members by ‘posting a comment’ at the end of the
article.
Many of you will be preparing to leave for the annual CIPD
conference this week being held between 27-29 October but if you
have to stay behind in the office then don’t worry – HRZone and
TrainingZone will be reporting live from the event to give you
the conference at-a-glance, latest updates and news as it
breaks.
Free prize draw! HRZone and HRD & Payroll solutions are offering
HRZone members the chance to win one of three 14 week HR or
Payroll qualifications. To find out more read the story below
and don’t forget to pick up your free entry form at the HRD &
Payroll stand Q10 at the CIPD conference. See you there!
Regards,
Annie Hayes
Editor
mailto:editor@hrzone.co.uk
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Member’s news
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Welcome new members
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This week, HR Zone welcomes members from the following
organisations, among others, to the site:
Towry Law Group; Softscape Europe; NEC Group; Reed Consulting;
ExpressHR; Intel; Yorkshire Building Society; Weir Strachan &
Henshaw Ltd; Gwynedd County Council; Entertainment UK; Clinton
Cards plc; ALD Automotive; Eton College; Siemens Business
Services; Huntswood Outsourcing; Accenture; Natures Way Foods
Ltd; Swansea NHS Trust; Premier Employer Solutions; National
Grid Transco; Sony UK; Skillstream Ltd; The Craft Collection;
IML Group plc; Scottish Water; Botanic Inns Ltd; M1 Engineering
Oracle human resources management system
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management.
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Click below to get your Free collection of articles on today’s
most pressing HR topics:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/oracle3.html
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Editor’s Comment: Campaigners fired up for UK smoking ban
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Anti-smoking sentiment is growing in the UK as bans roll-out
across the EU and cries to protect workers health gathers more
support; Editor’s Comment looks at the arguments and assesses
the potential impact for employers.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132471
Feature: Getting online with the Home Computing Initiative
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In 1999, the government launched new guidelines to improve
levels of computer literacy in the UK in a drive to get the
whole nation online through the Home Computing Initiative (HCI);
Sue Harley argues that every organisation in the UK regardless
of size should consider implementing an HCI scheme.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132522
HR Tip: Holiday pay
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HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a
range of HR tips. This week’s tip looks at recovering holiday
pay on termination of contract.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132536
HR & Payroll free qualifications up for grabs!
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HRZone together with HRD & Payroll solutions bring you the
chance to win a 14 week HR or Payroll qualification. The entry
forms are available at the CIPD conference in Harrogate.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132392
Software buyers must consider e-filing requirements
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Speaking to payroll staff at the Softworld event in Birmingham’s
NEC, Inland Revenue business adviser Marie Gibbs warned of the
looming online filing deadline and told employers to ensure
software can deliver.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132383
Civil servants vote to strike on Guy Fawkes night
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Remember, remember, the 5th of November but not perhaps this
time for the foiled plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament;
members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have
voted by two to one for a one-day national civil service strike
over government plans to axe over 100,000 jobs.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132513
TUC makes fresh call for autumn bank holiday
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The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is urging the government to make
this Monday one of three new bank holidays. The TUC say the
government should bring the number of bank holidays into line
with the rest of Europe who have an average 11 compared to the
UK’s eight.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132511
Retailers warn of job slash if NMW goes up
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Further National Minimum Wage (NMW) raises could hit retailers
so severely that they would be forced to axe as many as 20,000
jobs.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132517
Workers go the extra mile in hope of promotion
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Promotion prospects are the key reason why employees put in
extra effort at work; reveals a new survey. Recruitment giant
Manpower surveyed 1,113 people as part of their search for
‘Britain’s Most Valued Employee.’
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132384
Any Answers answered: Job evaluation
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Q – We have anecdotal evidence that doing job evaluation of most
or all the workforce can be seriously demotivating for
individuals and depress morale for an extended period. Also we
are told that it is often a rather mechanical process which does
not truly reflect the value of the employee to the organisation.
Is there evidence to support this view and if so should we avoid
doing job evaluation?
Peter Burton
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A – How you do it is really key to the process. Job evaluation
can be an immensely rewarding process which ultimately benefits
every individual within the business.
But the approach you take is key to how it will be received. If
it is truly consultative and everyone affected by the process is
involved in some way, you’ll probably find that though the
process will be more time consuming it is ultimately very beneficial.
If you just take a management and consultancy team and instruct
them to make the decisions you may well find that morale drops
substantially but the process will be much faster.
We’ve conducted our own evaluations recently and generally we’ve
found that morale is improving because of it.
Nik Kellingley
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http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132390
If you have a question – or can offer an answer – go to
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/anyanswers/
Any Answers
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Any Answers is the place to go to share your professional
experiences with others. A selection of new Any Answers
questions posted this week:
Alison Simcox asks: “I have an employee returning from maternity
leave who wants to know if she is entitled to be paid for the
time she takes off to go and breastfeed her baby in our creche?”
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132409
Data protection policies: Judith Barker is looking for some
examples that include the usage of CCTV – if you have worked on
a similar project then share your knowledge by clicking here:
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132528
Alison Snow is looking for some stats to highlight average HR to
workforce ratios. Can you help her?
http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/132544
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