Government explores new “defined ambition” pension schemes
The coalition government is exploring whether to introduce new kinds of schemes to replace final salary pensions, which have become too expensive for many private sector employers to run. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday, minister for pensions, Steve Webb, said that he had been speaking to a number of companies […]
NHS Academy set up to train next generation of leaders
A national centre has been set up to train new generations of NHS, public health and social care leaders in a bid to improve patient care. Plans for the NHS Leadership Academy were unveiled by the secretary of state for health, Andrew Lansley, in July last year, and its aim is to train doctors, nurses, […]
Chancellor ‘shocked’ by millionaires’ tax avoidance schemes
The chancellor has expressed shock after looking at the tax returns of multi-millionaires who have exploited loopholes to legally cut their bills with HM Revenue & Customs. Although the move could be considered political posturing after a couple of tough weeks for the coalition government over the ‘granny’ and ‘pasty’ tax furores, it does prepare the ground for the […]
Do UK workers get too many bank holidays?
The two Easter bank holidays just gone cost the UK economy £4.7 billion, with the figure rising to a huge £19 billion if all eight annual breaks are taken into consideration. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, if the country’s regular bank holidays were axed, annual GDP would rise by 1.3% as […]
Blog: Do you recognise your “plumbers” as well as your “poets”?
Recognise This! – Your star performers can’t shine without the daily efforts of your middle tier. Who gets recognised in your organisation? Just the superstars – the top 10% high performers? Or do you acknowledge those who grind out the work day after day – the middle 80% who make it possible for your […]
Talking Point: Why are there still so few women in the workplace?
Once upon a time, real work was for men and women were expected to stay at home and look after the wellbeing of their families. If anything, they were regarded as the ‘silent reserve’ of the labour market. In the 21st century, however, policy makers and businesses no longer need the devastating impact of the […]
Blog: Crappy performance management rule 2 – Never attempt to motivate staff
In my previous blog I articulated rule 1 of crappy performance management: Don’t tell anyone about the vision. In this article we step up a gear and think about the 2nd most important of rules when designing a ‘wet lettuce’ performance management mindset. Crappy Performance Management Rule 2: Never attempt to motivate staff – […]
A day in the life of…an HR professional
Twenty years ago, most office workers arrived for work for 9am, took an hour’s break for lunch and clocked off at five. Fast forward two decades, and the average UK worker now spends an extra 73 minutes at work and takes 31 minutes and 29 seconds less time for lunch – and HR professionals are […]
Legal Insight: How will changes to apprenticeship laws affect you?
As of 6 April 2012, the law concerning apprenticeships will change, which means that employers must be wary of apprentices’ protected status and how it could impact upon their ability to manage and/or dismiss them. What is changing? Under the new regulations, which are set to come into force tomorrow, if an apprenticeship agreement […]
Charities increasingly look to private sector for HR skills
As traditional sources of funding dry up and levels of professionalism continue to rise, charities are increasingly looking to the private sector for the HR skills that they need to manage change. Although third sector organisations have in the past been reluctant to hire people from other industries over fears of too strong a commercial […]
Jealous HR staff ‘bin CVs with pics of pretty rivals’
It appears that internet sensation Samantha Brick may have a point – research has revealed that women should beware of attaching photos of themselves to their CVs because jealous HR staff have a habit of binning them. Brick, a former TV presenter, who has widely been accused of being an internet troll – or someone […]
Legal Insight: The verdict on April’s employment law changes
April sees a number of changes to employment law coming into force in the UK. But the aim here is to sift through some of the coalition government’s rhetoric to provide an easy-to-read summary of the top five changes coming into force this April and exactly what they will mean for employers. 1. Increase […]
Blog: How well would you do if ranked by former employees?
I saw and interesting article this week about a Glassdoor survey which shows that the highest rated CEO is Tim Cook of Apple. His approval rating was a whopping 97 percent. That rating even beat out his former boss, Steve Jobs. And as so many have reported, Jobs was pretty challenging to work for. That […]
Ask the Expert: Who is responsible for providing personal protective equipment on site?
The question In the case of agency staff, can you advise who is responsible for the provision of basic non-task specific personal protective equipment such as hard hats, gloves, coveralls, eye protection, high vis vests, cold weather jackets etc? These workers normally arrive on site with their own kit initially. However, my query has […]
Blog: Workforce career development – Are we getting it right?
How people create opportunities for career development, and growth through learning has aways fascinated me. I’ve previously undertaken research into the subject which has yielded some worrying results. For example, at a major UK charity I worked with, over half (53%) of 800 respondents said they did not have a development plan outlining agreed training and […]
TV Review: The Apprentice Week 3 – Stick to your guns
Lord Sugar took us back to his (Levi) roots last night, to weave his sauce-ery at St Catherine’s docks and introduce the candidates to this week’s task: to create a new condiment – manufacture it, bottle it, brand it, sell it. Sounds simple enough. Not for this lot who managed to get themselves into a […]
Case Study: JT bases leadership development scheme on ideal boss profile
JT (formerly known as Jersey Telecom) has introduced a leadership development initiative centred on an aspirational profile of a senior manager in a bid to encourage proactive organisational change. The company undertook a rebranding exercise last year as part of a new five-year growth strategy intended to take it beyond its civil service background, beyond […]
Performance psychology: Developing the power of the mind
Performance psychology focuses on those factors that enable individuals, teams and groups to flourish and become the best that they can be. It is a long away from other branches of psychology that are often steeped in malady and dysfunction. Instead performance psychology combines business, sports and positive psychology, with the ultimate aim of […]
Experts welcome two-year freeze on skilled migrant cap
Experts have welcomed the coalition government’s decision to freeze the skilled migrant cap for two years, saying that the move will give employers more “certainty” and access to the specialist talent they require. Rather than reduce the current annual limit for the number of skilled non-EU workers allowed to enter the UK, the Home Office […]
How to spot a maverick (and channel their talents)
Ever wondered how to spot a maverick? Look for someone who uses their left rather than their right ear to listen at a closed door or at a colleague’s chest to hear their heartbeat. According to the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of New South Wales in Australia, the […]
