Catch up on the week in HR including why three quarters of workers are uninspired, employers are too aloof, jobless count rise fails to shake nerves and weak management blamed for poor productivity.
W/C 20/2/06
CIPD expose working time myths
Responding to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Work Your Proper Hours Day is the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) who say that it is just as easily argued that the UK has a short hours working culture as a long hours one.
While there are more people who work over 48 hours in the UK than in other EU countries, just over a quarter of the workforce in the UK work fewer than 30 hours a week – a far greater proportion than their continental counterparts, say the CIPD.
In their report, Working Time Regulations: Calling Time on Working Time three-quarters of long-hours workers were found to do so out of choice. Their research also finds that almost a quarter of workers who work more than 48 hours a week do so for financial reasons.
Ben Willmott, CIPD Employee Relations Adviser, commented: “The CIPD position is that the best approach to cutting long hours working is to challenge prevailing workplace culture. Employers should look at restructuring working time and offering flexible working to change the way in which people work. This approach, combined with improved performance management, can effectively shift the focus away from merely time spent at work and on to individual outputs instead.”
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Three quarters of workers are uninspired
Seventy-three per cent of workers insist they are not creative at work and are totally uninspired.
These are the findings of brand experience outfit, Jack Morton Worldwide who also found that almost all workers (98%) think their boss is not creative either.
Sixty-two per cent blame the lack of creative flair on the failings of the National Curriculum which they believe is ‘not doing enough to encourage creativity.’
Sadly for bosses, the creative drought appears to be a phenomenon locked into the confines of the office. Fifty-nine per cent said they were at their most creative in their home and personal lives. This rises to three out of five women. But only two out of ten women say they are creative at work.
President International, Lois Jacobs commented: “With innovation at the heart of successful business these days it is crucial that all industries work hard to foster a creative spirit amongst their workforce. “
Jacobs believes that the problem could simply be a confidence crisis, however: “Perhaps it’s typical British modesty, but 73% of those we asked said others were more creative than they were. A quarter of us think our children are the most creative people we know.” she concludes.
The survey also revealed that London is still seen as the creative hub of the UK.
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Tesco staff cash in on £111 million windfall
Staff at supermarket giant, Tesco will be toasting their recent windfall; the result of two Save As You Earn (SAYE) share schemes having matured.
Share price is now well over £3.00 meaning that many staff who joined the SAYE scheme just three years ago will already have doubled their money. Supermarket savers stand to net more than £5,300, equating to a 59% return on their investment.
But most workers are choosing to be savvy savers with up to 65% opting to keep their shares.
Tesco Chief Executive Sir Terry Leahy said: “I know how important our benefits package is to our people. At Tesco we offer fair pay, a great pension and the opportunity for staff to take a stake in the business. In recent years many staff have done this through Save As You Earn.
“I am delighted that so many staff choose to do this and so share in the success that they help to achieve through all their hard work.”
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Employers are too aloof
Just under half of all employees have never had a conversation with their employer. While almost a quarter don’t even know the name of their Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer.
These are the findings from latest research by HR consultancy, RightCoutts. Fifty per cent also claim that their company director doesn’t know who they are either.
Workers in Scotland polled as the least likely to know the name of their boss (30%) with those in London most likely (81%).
Erling Nottaasen, principal consultant at RightCoutts warned that the lack of contact between those at the top and their workers could hinder business growth and damage staff motivation.
“CEOs/MDs need to demonstrate their leadership through empowering local leaders (or senior managers) to meet specific customer needs and to mobilise the workforce to achieve strategic objectives – however this does not mean the CEO should become visibly removed from their staff.”
Further results reveal that 41% of workers believe the reason for employee disengagement is because their MD or CEO is too focused on senior managers. Over half believe that motivation would increase if they had an approachable leader, one that is both visible and interacts with staff.
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Career wins out over family
Sixty-seven per cent of 20-40 year old males put career before family with 57% of women in the same age bracket saying the same, according to a report by Peninsula employment law firm.
Workers (74%) who put their jobs first are also putting in overtime voluntarily with no extra pay with 72% admitting that their personal life suffers as a consequence.
Head of Business HR Compliance at Peninsula, Clare Gunnell said the findings support claims that careers are being put before children and family life:
“Ambitious career minded women have been putting off plans for children until their 30’s for some time but the numbers doing so today is unprecedented. The traditional female role of mother and housewife is looking increasingly archaic and out of sync with modern society. It appears that an ever growing number of women are revelling in financial independence, and the opportunities provided to them through career progression.”
Gunnell adds that the number of single people in society as a whole is on the rise: “The ease of movement of workers from across the EU and population shifts from rural to urban areas has seen many workers move away from their traditional family roots. Increasing numbers are seeking to endeavour life in independence, amongst new surroundings and in pursuit of enhanced career opportunities.”
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Jobless count rise fails to shake nerves
A further weakening of the labour market is not all bad news, said the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in reaction to official statistics.
According to the Office of National Statistics, unemployment rose by 108,000 between October and December 2005, pushing the total number of unemployed people to 1.54 million.
The claimant count, however has fallen by 2,000 over the month. While the number of job vacancies for the three months to January 2006 was 616,800. This was up 12,100 on the previous quarter but down 34,200 over the year.
Dr John Philpott, the CIPD’s chief economist said: “The disappointing employment and unemployment figures for the final quarter of last year are due in the main to a very poor October. Since then demand for labour seems to have stabilised, with the level of redundancies remaining subdued and vacancies and claimant unemployment showing signs of a modest improvement.
“The CIPD’s latest survey of employers confirms this pattern. Although 2006 is likely to be a year of relatively slow growth in employment there is nothing to suggest any kind of jobs meltdown in the coming months.”
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Weak management blamed for poor productivity
The government must rethink its approach to workplace efficiency if it is to allow the UK to close the productivity gap with other countries, warns the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development(CIPD).
The UK still lags behind France, Germany and the US in terms of productivity, according to figures due to be published this Thursday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Dr John Philpott, Chief Economist at the CIPD, says workplace management is the key to efficiency.
“The underlying problem, mostly overlooked by government policy, is that the vast majority of UK organisations still don’t make a good enough fist of managing the productive resources they do have, especially their people.”
Philpott calls for the government to focus more closely on employment practices and work-related training, as well as putting a “sensible limit” on working hours to improve productivity by the hour.
“Coming after a year when UK productivity growth plummeted to ground zero the latest international comparisons will be disappointing for a Chancellor who for almost a decade has put considerable effort into closing the productivity gap.”
The CIPD expects Gordon Brown to use these figures as part of an initiative to improve productivity in the UK economy.
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Foreign languages boost economy
Speaking a foreign language improves job prospects and strengthens UK business, according to the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA).
The national survey of trainers and teachers from work-based learning providers and educational organisations found widespread endorsement of learning additional languages as being a “valuable asset to the economy”.
Each year around 21,000 people enrol on courses with a foreign language as part of a vocational qualification, but this varies hugely depending on geographical location.
Students in Yorkshire and Humberside are among the most likely to choose this option.
The report stressed the importance of languages in key sectors such as IT, business and tourism. Maggie Greenwood, LSDA Research Manager, said: “Being able to speak and understand different languages is increasingly important as British society becomes more multi cultural.
But we need a stronger push to inspire people to learn and succeed.”
The skills body stressed the importance of convincing students that languages will improve their career prospects, along with creating partnerships between learning establishments and improving communication.
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Entries sought for 2006 National Training Awards
Companies who have achieved success through training are invited to enter the 2006 National Training Awards.
The awards, which have been running for twenty years, aim to acknowledge the individuals and organisations which have generated business rewards through training and personal development.
An initiative of the Department of Education and Skills, the programme is run by UK Skills, an independent association which promotes vocational work-based training.
For more on the awards see:
TrainingZONE
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Skills row continues
Nearly three quarters of businesses (72%) say workers should gain more skills in order to compete in the marketplace.
Around half of the respondents, disagree, however believing that skills levels are sufficient for current needs.
According to research by Manpower of around 3,200 UK employers, this difference of perception affects both performance assessment and the emphasis upon flexible working hours.
Research by the Recruitment Confidence Index and the CBI confirms the view that companies believe the marketplace is suffering a skills shortage. The skills gap is increasingly driving the trend for flexible working. As many as 84% of organisations believe it will help to retain skilled workers. In ten years time, 70% of employers plan to offer such programmes.
For more on this story see: TrainingZONE
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Workplace pride linked to seniority and skills
Skilled senior staff are more likely to feel pride in their workplace than untrained or manual workers, a study claims.
Two thirds of Directors and Managing Directors described themselves as “very proud” of where they worked, yet only 7% of unskilled employees felt so contented. Almost two thirds (63%) of manual workers are not at all proud of their workplace.
Job satisfaction varied both geographically and by sector. Employees in the South West of England reported the highest levels of pleasure in their work situation, with 40% claiming to be “very proud”. Almost a third (29%) of staff in Scotland felt no pride in their organisation.
Professional services and the media came top for workplace fulfilment, with the travel and transport sector rating lowest.
Gary Browning, CEO of Penna plc, said: “Being proud of where you work and who you work for is an important component in ensuring a meaningful work existence. If employees lack pride it is likely that motivation and commitment will also be low, impacting on an organisation’s productivity and potential.”
For more on this story see: TrainingZONE
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