Best Practice: Diamond Jubilee holiday guidance from Acas
Acas has published guidance for employers managing the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee holiday, which creates a four-day weekend with an extra bank holiday on 5 June and the moved May bank holiday on 4 June. The guidance advises employers to establish clear leave policies and understand their contractual obligations regarding holiday entitlements and payments.
Blog: ‘The start-up of you’ – Becoming a career entrepreneur
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha explore how to apply entrepreneurial strategies to career development in “The Start-up of You.” The book argues that in today’s uncertain job market, professional success increasingly depends on networking, adaptability, and thinking like an entrepreneur rather than relying on traditional employer-employee loyalty.
Video Interview: Winning Impression’s Katrina Collier on social recruitment
Katrina Collier, founder of Winning Impression, discusses common mistakes organizations make with social recruitment and shares strategies to attract top talent through social media channels.
Bridging the leadership communication gap
Senior leaders often fail to communicate transparently with employees, creating a trust gap between management and staff. HR must bridge this divide by focusing on organizational culture and helping leaders explain the reasoning behind their decisions.
UK employers waste £692m on out-of-policy expenses claims
UK employers wasted £692 million last year on out-of-policy expenses claims, with nearly £9.85 of every £100 spent going towards unauthorized items like premium airline tickets and non-preferred hotels. Only 1.2% of these non-compliant submissions were caught and rejected by approvers, highlighting poor policy interpretation across businesses.
50p tax rate harming job creation, claim businessmen
Over 500 business leaders have signed a letter claiming the 50p income tax rate for high earners is damaging the UK economy and discouraging job creation and investment. They argue the levy, which reaches 58p with national insurance, puts populist politics before sound economics and should be scrapped in the upcoming budget.
Blog: Building a magnetic culture
Employee recognition is the strongest driver of engagement, accounting for 56% of variance in how engaged employees feel. Kevin Sheridan’s Building a Magnetic Culture outlines the 10 key drivers of engagement and demonstrates how recognition and culture management directly impact organizational success through improved margins, revenue, and customer satisfaction.
Boots pulls out of 2nd controversial unemployment scheme
Boots has withdrawn from a government work programme for the long-term unemployed due to its compulsory elements, citing company policy against schemes that force people to work. The move comes as ministers already dropped sanctions from a separate youth work experience initiative following criticism from employers and charities.
Legal Insight: How to guard against constructive dismissal claims
Constructive dismissal occurs when an employee resigns due to serious employer misconduct, such as breach of contract terms. Employers can reduce these claim risks by maintaining updated policies, training managers properly, promptly addressing employee issues, and ensuring consistent implementation of procedures.
Research puts migrant construction worker safety in the picture
Using pictures in construction safety training could reduce migrant worker deaths and injuries by up to 20%, research shows. Migrant workers comprise 6% of UK construction workers but account for 17% of work-related deaths, often due to language barriers and unfamiliarity with UK safety standards. Visual training methods including photographs and pictograms significantly improved worker understanding compared to text-based instruction alone.
Changes to skilled migrant rights will “cause big problems for employers”
The UK government will restrict skilled migrant workers earning under £35,000 from staying longer than five years, a policy critics warn will harm employers and discourage top talent from relocating to Britain.
Talent Spot: Nikki Hall, chief HR officer at SHL Group
Nikki Hall has served as chief HR officer at SHL Group for 12 years, overseeing the company through multiple mergers while maintaining a dual role that combines HR leadership with product management expertise in talent assessment software.
Blog: How to make the most of an international labour pool
Hiring remote workers expands your candidate pool and reduces office costs, but requires careful consideration. Prioritize positions suited for remote work, seek candidates with remote experience, arrange occasional in-person meetings, and prioritize strong communication skills to mitigate the risks of hiring sight unseen.
Analysis: SAP’s SuccessFactors’ roadmap draws mixed analyst reaction
SAP’s SuccessFactors roadmap shows mixed analyst reaction, with clarity on cloud HR offerings but questions remaining about payroll, benefits, and workforce management integration. While existing SuccessFactors customers benefit, SAP’s on-premise talent management faces innovation constraints and eventual discontinuation.
Talking Point: How to eat an elephant – Moving to a strengths-based culture
Moving from traditional competency-based approaches to strengths-based recruitment and performance management can dramatically improve organizational results. Research shows focusing on employee strengths can generate 36% performance improvements, yet implementation requires strategic planning, pilot testing, and manager training to succeed across the organization.
Nearly half of staff slam managers as “ineffective”
A survey of 4,500 managers reveals that 43% of employees consider their managers ineffective due to inadequate leadership training. Research shows that proper management development can boost organizational performance by 23%, yet many employers use ineffective training methods instead of proven approaches like professional qualifications.
Inclusion: Reaping what you sow
Diversity programs cut during economic downturns may cost companies dearly. Research shows organizations committed to diversity see 2.7% higher profit margins, while diverse workforces drive innovation, better customer understanding, and improved employee satisfaction.
Spiralling childcare costs risk driving parents out of work – report
Spiralling UK nursery costs, rising 5.8% annually for under-twos while wages stagnate at 0.3%, are forcing parents to leave work because childcare is no longer affordable. A Daycare Trust report shows some families are no longer better off employed after paying childcare expenses, with 44,000 fewer families receiving tax credit support.
Blog: Finding the right way to praise
Effective praise requires specificity and authenticity. Rather than generic recognition, leaders should identify exactly what employees did well to make a tangible impact. This small shift in how managers deliver feedback can drive significant improvements in employee performance and engagement.
Is interim HR management for you?
Interim HR management appeals to senior practitioners seeking new challenges, offering diverse clients and greater flexibility, but requires overcoming obstacles like securing initial assignments and effective networking to succeed in this demanding career path.
