Enabling a culture of compassionate accountability in the NHS
The Berwick Reality The NHS has had a wakeup call. The operational failings in Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation prompted Ministers and NHS leadership alike to contemplate the causes and conditions for patient safety and care, and the subsequent Berwick report has called for a “wide systemic change” within the organisation. Professor Don Berwick highlights the […]
Why no team can survive without conflict
Many people avoid conflict at work like the plague, feeling uncomfortable when things get difficult, fearful that addressing issues will create more, maybe even unresolvable, escalating conflict. And yet workplace conflict can be a good thing, a very good thing even, and should definitely not be feared but addressed. Let’s be honest – having a […]
Death of bank intern raises concern over working hours
A 21 year old intern working at Bank of America in London was found dead after reportedly working 72 hours in a row. Moritz Erhardt, an exchange student from Germany, was found collapsed in his shower following several days of working until 6am. He is said to have suffered from epilepsy and was pronounced dead […]
People on zero hours contracts are ‘paid less than others’
Workers on zero hours contracts are paid six pounds an hour less than other workers (£9 compared to £15), according to research from living standards charity The Resolution Foundation. Those employed on zero hours contracts are expected to be available when the employer needs them (legally they can turn down shifts), although no working hours […]
Male bonuses double those given to women
Over the last 12 months, male managers earned average bonuses that were twice as big as those earned by their female counterparts. The average bonus came to £6,442 for men compared to £3,029 for women. Average salaries were also reported to be close to 25% larger for men (£38,169 compared to £3,029). Extending these figures […]
UK SMEs concerned skills gap could impact profits and growth
Six out of ten (61%) SMEs believe there is a shortage of skills among their workers, according to the latest report from Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking. A quarter (27%) point to gaps in marketing and sales skills, 21% emphasise IT knowledge and 15% cite management and leadership skills as areas that need attention. Just over […]
Toal v GB Oil – EAT rules employers cannot interfere with choice of companion at hearings
A recent EAT decision has now effectively determined that a paragraph of the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance procedures is wrong. As a result managers have very little scope to interfere with an employee or worker's choice of companion at disciplinary or grievance hearings (since the right applies to the broader category […]
Employee causes death following drink-fuelled company party – employer may be held responsible
An employer could be held liable after an employee got drunk at a company party and killed a driver when trying to drive a colleague home. The court said that the fact the incident occurred after he had arrived home from the party was not relevant. What happened? In December 2009 Michael Landri, a bartender […]
Stamping out the stigma around workplace mental health
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. We all have mental health just as we have physical health – it moves up […]
Zero hours contracts – where are we now?
There is no statutory or other official definition of a zero-hours contract. Frequently it is a term applied to casual or bank workers who may be called on when needed and where there is no obligation to provide or accept work. Such workers are entitled to national minimum wage for hours worked, and the appropriate […]
Doing business in Libya – cultural considerations for HR
Libya has been under the control of many people throughout its existence, including the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Ottomans and Italians. Libya was also ruled by Islamic Caliphates and, immediately after its independence in 1951, by King Idris, Libya’s only king. King Idris was overthrown in a military coup d’état in 1969, led by Colonel […]
Empowering your sales staff to revolutionise retail
If Honda’s Asimo, the world’s most advanced robot, were capable of any kind of human emotion, his recent debut as Miraikan science museum’s newest tour guide would have been deeply embarrassing. Despite years of refinement, development and significant investment, Asimo couldn’t interpret the simplest human gestures, and in the process reminded us that he’s just […]
Do your rewards encourage staff loyalty? Looking at the future of employee rewards
This week we saw two great things happen for the U.K economy. Firstly, the BBC announced that the growth in the 2nd quarter of 2013 had reached .6%, outpacing initial economic forecasts according to the ONS. Secondly, we heard from Ernst & Young that UK GDP will accelerate to 2.2% in 2014, an impressive 1.1 […]
Driving employee engagement through environmental sustainability
With today’s socially and environmentally aware workforce, and as Generation Y & Z begin to dominate the labour market, companies must work harder than ever to ensure that their CSR programmes support and drive employee and stakeholder engagement, as well as competitive advantage. CSR, and specifically a company’s sustainability profile, is an increasingly important catalyst […]
Are Millennials more likely to jump ship?
Millennials leave their employers more often, and in greater numbers, than older employees, according to new research. The poll of 233 HR professionals from a range of industries found that 30 percent of respondents said they’d lost 15 percent or more of their Generation Y workforce in the past year. The research was carried out […]
New crackdown on spiralling charity executive pay
Hundreds of thousands of Britain’s charities will soon be issued with a new code of conduct about setting appropriate levels of remuneration for senior executives. The new code of conduct follows revelations by The Daily Telegraph that pay for charity executives had risen sharply, despite the economic downturn. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations – […]
Workers ‘take caring bosses for granted’
Empathetic bosses who go out of their way to help employees with personal and work problems are being taken for granted, according to new research from IMD business school. The study found that employees tend to view these acts of kindness as part of the manager’s duties and do not plan to put in extra […]
Talent exodus on the horizon: how to prevent employees from taking flight
Recent research from Hay Group and the Centre of Economic Business Research shows that employee retention will be a major and increasing concern for HR and organisation leaders. In the UK staff turnover levels are forecast to rise sharply in 2015, resulting in 765,000 more departures than in 2012. And turnover rates over the next […]
Labour tone down criticisms of Next and Tesco after speech leaks
Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant has toned down comments critical of Tesco and Next’s recruitment policies after his original speech was reported to the press over the weekend. In his actual speech, delivered today, Bryant said that Tesco must provide “reassurance” they were not discriminating against Britons in favour of foreign workers. He also cited […]
Is this the start of forced quotas for women in the boardroom?
New proposals by City regulators may force financial services firms to set quotas on the number of women in senior positions and publish diversity policies. The proposals are being considered by the Prudential Regulation Authority, which regulates large banks, building societies and insurers. The proposals form part of a PRA consultation looking at a specific […]
