Blog: The benefits of coaching
In this tough economy, many organizations are cutting back and expect the remaining employees to do more with less. Top performers are feeling the heat and hitting the wall. How do business owners and managers raise the bar in this environment? A recent survey by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) provides an […]
Management book of the year unveiled
‘The Cult of the Leader’ written by Christopher Bones won the Chartered Management Institute’s ‘Book of the Year’ at an awards ceremony hosted at the British Library in London last night. The work was unanimously assigned the top slot by five judges, including Professor Cary Cooper, Sir Anthony Cleaver and former chief executive of the […]
National Apprenticeship Week: How to get started
As we enter another year of economic uncertainty, recruiting fresh faces may not be at the top of the corporate agenda for all companies in 2012. Organisations ranging from large firms through to small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly being asked to balance up diminishing budgets with a need to boost productivity and continue providing […]
National Apprenticeship Week: Training the Baker Tilly way
We first introduced our five-year apprenticeship scheme about six years ago as a way to get a variety of talent through the door. Since then, we have had between 70 and 100 school leavers with good A-level grades studying with us to gain an Association of Accounting Technicians qualification, 17 of which were taken on […]
International Coaching Week: Profile of average coach revealed
Just over two thirds of coaches in the UK are female, more than 45 years old and educated to second degree-level, a study has revealed. The majority have also been coaching for more than five years, with two thirds at it for more than 10, with the topic of ‘leadership’ being the biggest money-spinner. Moreover, […]
National Apprenticeship Week: Who’s doing what and where
The coalition government is attempting to use ‘National Apprenticeship Week’ as a means of drumming up more interest among employers in offering taxpayer-backed apprenticeship schemes. At the official launch event at Channel 4’s offices in London today, Business Secretary Vince Cable kicked off more than 500 events across the country, which are intended to celebrate […]
Minister for disabled: Unemployment result of unwillingness to work
Unemployment in the UK is down to people’s unwillingness to work because there is “no shortage of jobs”, the minister for disabled people has said. Maria Miller, who works for the Department for Work and Pensions, said on BBC Radio 5’s ‘Pienaar’s Politics’ programme yesterday that the current employment situation was the result of a […]
Legal Insight: How not to slip up in the snow
Forecasters are warning that adverse weather conditions in the UK could last until the end of the month, giving employers potential headaches as staff struggle to make it into work. Three inches of snow led to 600 flights being grounded at Heathrow over the weekend, disrupting the plans of up to 18,000 travellers. The […]
Blog: Using Google+ for recruitment
Google+ is becoming an increasingly popular social networking site, but what opportunities does it present to HR and the recruitment process? Circles What sets Google+ apart is its circles. You can use them to separate your social circles and target your posts at the right people. For example, you wouldn’t talk about looking for […]
Lack of workplace training ‘boosts UK inequality’
A trade union-based learning and skills organisation has called on employers to provide their entire workforce with learning and development opportunities in order to boost motivation and retention rates and cut sickness absence. Unionlearn, which is part of union umbrella organisation, the TUC, cited "shocking" statistics from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills‘ Employer […]
National Apprenticeship Week: Apprenticeships O2-style
With the economy still faltering, unemployment at 8.4% and the promise of more job cuts to come, people are naturally becoming more and more worried about their employability and job security. With over one million 16 to 24 year olds out of work, the situation is even more acute for young people as the pressure […]
The Learning Awards winners revealed
The learning and development industry turned out in force on Thursday 2 February in support of The Learning and Performance Institute’s annual Awards ceremony, The Learning Awards. Sharron Davies MBE, twice British Sportswoman of the Year, hosted the event, which took place at the five star Dorchester Hotel, London. The ceremony was filled with international figureheads […]
Waterstones ends unpaid work placements
A high street book store has pulled out of the coalition government’s Work Experience scheme after discovering that unemployed people were working at one of its outlets without pay. The Guardian said that, after it had highlighted the practice taking place at a branch of Waterstones, the retailer initiated a review of the situation. It […]
Blog: Breaking the taboo – How to tackle redundancy and redeployment
Redundancy and redeployment are taboo words which the HR industry is trying to avoid at the moment, but there are times when, unfortunately, we have to face these processes. Obviously this is not something which we take lightly, and alternatives should be considered in the first instance. But if you do have to take the […]
Fewer ex-offenders required to reveal spent convictions to employers
In a bid to boost employment rates among former offenders, the Justice Minister is proposing to dramatically cut the period in which they are obliged to tell potential employers about their criminal past. The changes, which would be included as amendments in his Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, are the first to […]
Sustained high unemployment to ‘permanently damage UK economy’
The sustained high levels of unemployment expected over the next three years are likely to do permanent damage to UK industry and will cost the economy dearly into the long-term, a think tank has warned. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research predicted that unemployment would hit about 9% this year and, even […]
Steve Boorman, Royal Mail’s ex-chief medical adviser, on health and well-being
In these difficult economic times, businesses are becoming more aware of the huge impact that the well-being of their workforce can have on the bottom line. Staff absence alone now accounts for the loss of an estimated 175 million working days a year in the UK. But too many companies regard occupational health services as […]
Ask the Expert: Is it legal to have a dual reference policy?
The question How legal is it when providing references to only confirm dates, sickness and disciplinary information? Are there possible dangers in relation to indirect discrimination? For example, an employee of ours had 59 days of sickness/five episodes, but her performance is way beyond the average, while another staff member has taken three days […]
Move to darker suits reflects darker employee mood
It appears that, since the start of the recession, navy suits are no longer de rigueur but have instead been replaced in sartorial terms by charcoal as a reflection of employees’ darker mood. According to workwear specialists Alexandra, sales of navy blue suits have dropped from 47% of the total in 2005 to only 37% […]
Awards shortlist for best internship provider unveiled
IBM and BP are among those shortlisted in the ‘best large organisation’ category for the National Council for Work Experience‘s 2012 Awards, which are due to be held next month in London. The British Red Cross and Cancer Research UK are likewise among the ‘best charity’ nominations, but the winners of all 13 categories will […]
