Tweeties sweeties, tweeties!
Mars UK launches a first-of-its-kind recruitment campaign with Tweet Shop vending machines touring nine UK universities in February 2013. Students can exchange tweets for free Mars products and graduate scheme information, making recruitment interactive and social-media focused.
Technology: employees need to understand the crime of stealing data
UK workers widely underestimate the seriousness of transferring corporate data to personal devices and new employers. A Symantec survey reveals over half of UK employees admit to taking confidential information when leaving jobs, often unaware this constitutes data theft and carries legal consequences.
Are you ready for people to walk out?
HR departments must prepare comprehensive exit processes beyond standard paperwork, including leaver forms, ePayslip systems, training records access, and company property returns to ensure smooth departures while maintaining compliance and reducing turnover costs.
Cancer care not on the priority list for employer-funded overseas health schemes
Many employers struggle to afford international health insurance for overseas staff, with only one-fifth prioritizing cancer coverage. A new report reveals gaps in employer understanding, including misconceptions that travel insurance suffices and confusion about EU protections.
Ask the Expert: can you refuse to interview an unsatisfactory former worker?
Employers can generally refuse to interview a former employee with poor performance or attendance records, or one dismissed for misconduct, provided they don’t discriminate. However, caution is needed if the poor record relates to protected characteristics like disability or pregnancy, which could expose you to discrimination claims.
In a nutshell: Lorraine Makepeace, Head of Amazing at The Chemistry Group
Lorraine Makepeace, Head of Amazing at Chemistry Group, shares five strategies for building effective company culture: make values meaningful and resonate with employees, set clear behavioral expectations, measure outcomes in reviews, hire candidates aligned with your values, and reward employees who embody them daily.
The Children and Families Bill – 21st century working or HR headache?
The government’s Children and Families Bill introduces flexible working arrangements including shared parental leave, allowing parents to distribute childcare responsibilities more equally. The reforms aim to modernize workplace practices and enable mothers to return to work earlier while fathers take greater involvement in childcare, though employers warn they need flexibility to decline requests based on business needs.
Best Practice: how to keep calm in a crisis
Learn how organizations and individuals can manage stress during workplace crises. Understanding the stress response and supporting employees through challenging times—like redundancies or operational failures—helps companies maintain calm while protecting both business interests and staff wellbeing.
Technology – HCM Cloud customers line up to make their choice
Major cloud HCM vendors including Oracle, SAP, Workday, and Salesforce are competing for market share in 2013. Customer wins like eVerge Group implementing Oracle Fusion HCM and Ahlstrom adopting SuccessFactors demonstrate growing enterprise adoption of cloud-based HR solutions to replace legacy systems.
Executive deafness to employee voices creating lack of engagement
UK employee engagement has hit a record low, with only 35% actively engaged, largely due to executives failing to listen to staff concerns. Public sector workers are particularly affected, with just 21% trusting senior leaders and 62% feeling excluded from important decisions. The CIPD survey highlights that responsiveness to employee voices is critical for engagement and organizational performance.
Mid-Staffordshire: a challenge to HR to show its mettle
The Francis Report into Stafford Hospital’s patient deaths highlights widespread NHS failures and calls on HR professionals to drive urgent cultural change. HR leaders must use recruitment, training, and engagement strategies to rebuild staff confidence and prevent future scandals.
Blog: how to avoid discrimination in recruiting
Employers can reduce discrimination risks in recruitment by implementing a structured process: create detailed job descriptions and person specifications, use application forms with removable identifying information, cover applicant names during shortlisting, and conduct standardized interviews with consistent questions and scoring sheets.
Carry on Cabby – self-employment fuelled by recession and by choice
Self-employment in the UK rose by 367,000 people between 2008 and 2012, reaching 4.2 million workers. While job losses during the recession initially drove the increase, growth accelerated between 2011-2012 as more people chose self-employment for better work-life balance and pursuing passions, particularly among workers aged 50 and above.
Legal: no mass sackings, but check your equality policies in the wake of gay marriage vote
Following Parliament’s approval of gay marriage legislation, legal experts dismiss fears of mass job losses but recommend employers review their equality policies to balance conflicting beliefs and ensure clear guidance on employee obligations.
News: Cyber-loafing – employees latest way to be bone idle
A university study reveals that employees spend 60-80% of their internet time on cyberloafing, or non-work activities. Businesses must actively enforce internet usage policies and implement detection mechanisms to avoid legal, reputational, and financial risks associated with inappropriate online behavior.
News: man-flu cured by sick economy
UK workers are coming to the office sick more often due to job security fears, according to a new survey. Six in ten workers took no sick days in 2012 despite catching colds or flu, with those who did take time off returning after just 1.4 days instead of the previous two-day average.
Technology: stopping employees going rogue
Companies face significant risks from rogue employees with access to sensitive data, systems, and credentials. Key vulnerabilities include shared admin accounts, unmonitored password spreadsheets, inactive employee accounts, weak access controls, and inadequate role-based permissions. Regular security audits and proper identity management are essential to prevent insider threats.
News: work experience and a vicious circle
Young job seekers face a persistent employment barrier where 70% know someone rejected for lacking experience. A UK study reveals that one in two young adults feel frustrated by limited career options, with experts recommending schools prioritize work experience to help students stand out to employers.
News: employees still fear redundancy in 2013
One in 12 UK employers feared making redundancies in the next six months in 2013, up from just 2% the previous year, as economic stagnation threatened jobs. High-street retail closures intensified workplace anxiety, though 77% of firms pledged to avoid layoffs for six months.
Blog: how fiefdoms destroy company cultures
Fiefdoms within organizations erode company culture by creating isolated divisions that prioritize local leadership over organizational goals. When departments operate independently—like separate employee recognition programs—they deepen divisions and undermine company-wide cohesion and employee commitment.
