News: men and women working later due to rising female pension age
Men and women are working later in life because women have to wait longer to receive their state pension, according to new research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies. HR will increasingly be working with an older workforce as the age of pension entitlement continues to rise – it currently stands at 61 years and […]
The Lowdown on National Apprenticeship Week
With National Apprenticeship Week just round the corner the media buzz is beginning to mount. If you’re unsure what the event is about or what’s going to be happening, read on to find out more. What is National Apprenticeship Week?National Apprentice Week, coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), is put on once a year […]
Six insights into Performance Management best practice
A few years ago, the CIPD report ‘Performance Management in Action’ revealed the shocking statistic that less than 20 percent of organisations said they realised ‘some’ benefit from their investment in performance management. Just pause a moment and think about that number: this means that more than 80 percent of organisations see no benefit at […]
News: business perceptions of employment law differ from reality
Business perceptions of the impact of employment law are at odds with the reality, according to a new government-commissioned study published by Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson. The study, Employer Perceptions and Impact of Employment Regulation, said that businesses viewing employment law as “burdensome” were often expressing a lack of understanding. In the case of […]
Legal commentary: what extension of parental leave means for HR
HR professionals will be more than familiar with the complex array of legal rights enjoyed by working parents – dealing with maternity leave and flexible working requests can consume huge amounts of time. However, parental leave tends to be something of an afterthought – take –up rates are low and employee awareness of the right […]
What you need to be doing when employees leave the business
HR departments carry the vast majority of the administrative burden when employees decide to leave. But beyond the usual P45 paperwork, how else do HR departments need to prepare themselves and ensure the necessary processes exist for departing colleagues, while ensuring that company property is returned and regulations are adhered to? Roger Moore, General Manager […]
News: CIOs increasingly collaborate in face of changing business environment
New research highlights the increasing need for business divisions to collaborate in order to respond to the changing business environment. A Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Colt Technology Services, which investigated the relationships between IT and other business divisions, revealed that insufficient engagement between IT and customer-facing business departments is affecting positive business transformation. Despite […]
A practical view to the pitfalls of auto-enrolment
After what has felt for many like an eternity, auto-enrolment has finally arrived. As the UK’s largest employers complete the process, now is an ideal time to consider some of the lessons learned so that employers with auto-enrolment on the agenda for 2013 can avoid some of the pain and pitfalls that may occur along […]
News: study suggests mismatched employer/employee perceptions around sick leave
A new study points to a difference in perception between UK employers and employees over sick leave in the workplace. “Looking Ahead,” released by Adecco Retail, found that while 87 percent of employers think employees shouldn’t work at home when ill, 31 percent of employees think employers expect them to do so. And despite the […]
News: just half of British firms vet suppliers for Bribery Act compliance
Close to half of British firms (48 percent) fail to vet their suppliers for compliance with the UK Bribery Act, yet only six percent would re-tender if they found out their suppliers were not compliant. These findings were revealed by the Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services team at Ernst & Young, who polled procurement managers […]
Understanding employee healthcare leads to better management
Article by Pamela Gellatly, CEO of Healthcare RM When Dame Carol Black first put absenteeism on the Government agenda in 2008, the market for employee health and wellbeing services really took hold. Over the last few years, we have seen huge investment in this area as employers seek to manage sickness absence better and improve employee […]
News: women non-execs carve very different route to the top
Women non-executive directors (NEDs) are recruited from far wider backgrounds than their male counterparts, a report by headhunters Ashton Partnership reveals. Only 16 percent of the women in the analysis – Women on boards: where is the new NED talent coming from? – hailed from the traditional group CEO or CFO background, compared with 60 […]
Talent Spot: Mark Simmons, HR director at supply & logistics firm Norbert Dentressangle Logistics UK Ltd
Norbert Dentressangle may not be a household name in the UK, but this colossal international logistics and supply chain firm has major ambition and is growing fast. Mark Simmons, HR director of Norbert Dentressangle Logistics UK Ltd since 2007, is part of the team spearheading that growth. Today, the UK business employs 10,000 people across […]
News: students entering job market lack intercultural skills despite employer demand
Intercultural skills are valued as highly by employers as formal qualifications, yet many employers say that education providers do not develop these skills in students before they enter the workforce. These findings are from new global research published by the British Council in partnership with Ipsos Public Affairs and Booz Allen Hamilton. The research, which […]
News: engagement key to combat salary and morale doldrums
HR must prioritise engagement, leadership and talent retention in 2013 to combat sluggish salary increases and poor morale, suggests Hay Group research. The survey found many HR professionals were worried current reward and talent initiatives were off kilter. One in five of the reward specialist respondents believed their organisation’s incentive programme did not deliver, while […]
Case study: AQA improves recruitment process with psychometric testing
As the number of applications per role increases, businesses must find new ways to find the right candidates for the job. New techniques are emerging all the time, often centred in the online sphere which can reduce costs. This case study looks at exam board AQA and how they used psychometric testing and a list […]
News: failure to attract and develop talent is undermining business strategy
Executives’ priority to define business strategy is being seriously undermined by their failure to invest in attracting and developing the talent needed to deliver those plans. This is one of the main findings in a Harvard Business Publishing survey, which calls on organisations to urgently rethink their leadership development models. Over a third of the […]
News: workplace bullies targeting disabled employees
Disabled employees are more likely to be physically and mentally bullied at work – often by their manager – a UK academic study finds. The research from Cardiff and Plymouth universities revealed that employees with physical and mental disabilities or long-term illness are twice as likely to be physically attacked at work. They also endure […]
The difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ performance management
Guest post by Simon North, Founder of Position Ignition and the Career Ignition Club.What does good and bad performance management look like and how do we ensure that our organisations have good performance management at every stage and in every element of what is a significant process? At one level it is easy to see […]
News: flexible working tightens grip on UK firms
Flexible working has taken hold in 94 percent of UK firms, but a few niggling negative attitudes must be snuffed out if it is to deliver maximum business benefits, finds an Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) report. The survey’s findings suggest the days of the 9 to 5 grind are numbered. Half of the […]
