Blog: Why you need a mobile recruitment strategy – today
Some 96% of the Sunday Times 25 Best Large Companies to work for do not have a mobile website. But almost half the population now access the internet via a mobile device and 2.8 million people use one in their job search. A mobile career website is no longer a luxury for ‘big brands’, […]
Tax reform in works to create “John Lewis economy”
The Deputy Prime Minister has urged employers to offer shares to their workers in order to improve productivity and unlock growth, while promising them tax breaks in return. Nick Clegg told an audience at an event hosted by the City of London Corporation and the Centre Forum liberal think tank today that the Coalition Government […]
Test case could see employers set their own DRA
A landmark court case due to take place this week could make it possible for UK employers to set their own default retirement age, even though the state does not have one. The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on whether a City law firm was within its rights to force former partner, Leslie Seldon, […]
Ask the Expert: What questions can I legally ask on a job application form?
The question Can the following questions legally be asked on a standard application form to be filled in during the interview stage and before a job offer is made? Are you able to attend your main place of work for the hours applicable to the specific job applied for? Are you aware of any […]
NHS spends £7m on management training after axing 2,000 bosses
NHS London has reportedly paid consultants as much as £7 million to train GPs in management skills after losing up to 2,000 bosses during 2010/11 as part of a Government-backed drive to axe managerial positions. The Guardian said it had seen an internal NHS London document, which showed that, as of 28 November 2011, contracts […]
Blog: Alternative benefits to give you a hiring edge
As we move forward, it has quickly become common for the modern workplace to relax in order to stay competitive. In a world now dominated by startups and “Google” environments, things like allowing a relaxed dress code and being able to enjoy the occasional beer at work are the new norm. So what are […]
Age discrimination still “firmly embedded” in UK workplaces
Age-related discrimination and stereotyping remains “firmly embedded” in UK society, but needs to be tackled due to the rapidly ageing population, according to a new government report. The analysis undertaken by the Department of Work and Pensions on an Office for National Statistics survey of almost 2,200 people, revealed that one in three had experienced […]
100 employers pledge to open up equality of internship opportunities
More than 100 companies have signed up to Nick Clegg’s social mobility strategy and pledged to take concrete steps to open up work experience opportunities to young people from all backgrounds. Signatories to the Government’s so-called ‘Business Compact’ include nearly 20 financial services companies such as Barclays and HSBC, 10 high street retailers including Tesco […]
Update: PCS threatens further strikes and legal action over pensions
Leaders of the biggest civil service union, the PCS, have warned about the possibility of more strikes and court action if the Government goes ahead with its threat to exclude it from more pension talks. The news came as the GMB, along with 10 other unions, said that they would appeal the High Court’s ruling […]
BMW negotiates with unions over agency worker get-out clause
BMW has entered into negotiations with unions over its use of a legal get-out clause to the Agency Worker Regulations, which would result in it not having to pay temp workers the same as permanent ones. The luxury car manufacturer had intended to employ the so-called ‘Swedish derogation’, which enables recruitment agencies to employ temps […]
The emerging practice of strengths-based recruitment
There are greater numbers of candidates and more people with high potential on the market than ever before. As a result, it is vital that HR professionals think differently about recruitment and approach interviews in a new way in order to ensure that the right candidates are chosen for the right roles. Although the […]
Case Study: Cloud HR system key to Direct Line Group’s transformation
RBS Insurance Group announced earlier this year that it intended to rename itself Direct Line Insurance Group. The move comes ahead of a divestment of the division, which owns the Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege and Green Flag brands, by parent RBS. It has to sell the assets by the end of 2014, under the […]
Blog: Do employee benefits really improve recruitment and retention?
A good deal of businesses see their benefits packages as tools to enhance their retention and recruitment strategies, and employees don’t disagree with them; according to a 2010 survey by MetLife, 43% of employees state that their benefits package has kept them in their current role. Staff turnover costs businesses money, there’s no escaping that, […]
How many of your workforce would you hire again?
A couple of years ago, we asked a number of FTSE 250 HR directors the question: "Given the option, would you rehire your workforce or would you start again?" While the response to the survey wasn’t huge, it was sufficient to draw a few conclusions – not least because a huge 68% of respondents said […]
Graduate recruitment to return to 2007 levels this year
Graduate recruitment is expected to return to pre-credit crunch volumes this year, although median starting salaries will remain unchanged at £29,000 per annum across all sectors. These are the key findings of a report entitled ‘High Fliers: The Graduate Market in 2012’, which was published by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The study revealed that hiring among the […]
One third of UK businesses have no staff contingency plans for Olympics
Although the vast majority of UK organisations recognise that this summer’s Olympic Games will be disruptive in workforce terms, almost a third have yet to develop basic contingency plans to cope. A survey of 1,200 public and private sector organisations across the country undertaken by BT revealed that 29% had failed to consider how they […]
Blog: The art of communication in tough economic times
We all felt it. The incredible desire to get 2012 off to a great start, this Olympic year that’s full of hope, only to be confronted with headlines indicating that the next 12 months could in fact be far worse in terms of the economy and employment market than the ones that have passed. Not […]
Cleaning manager hangs himself at Heathrow over job security fears
The manager of a cleaning sub-contractor for the major airlines hung himself at Heathrow Airport over fears about the security of his job. Keith Stone, who was 50 years old, was found hanging from a de-icing vehicle at Terminal 5 in full view of passengers taking off and landing. According to the Sun, the father […]
Talent Spot: David Arkless, president of End Human Trafficking Now!
David Arkless, ManpowerGroup’s president of global corporate and government affairs, constantly criss-crosses the globe advising on labour issues, talking to governments and spearheading a campaign against human trafficking. It’s an impressive and worthy remit that more than fulfils his modest childhood ambition: “I grew up in a very, very working class family in a council […]
Capita plans to offshore TV Licensing jobs branded as “callous”
Hundreds of TV Licensing jobs are at risk of redundancy under plans by outsourcer Capita to relocate – and partly offshore – work from Bristol. Capita is proposing to move 350 jobs from its office in the city to alternative sites in Lancashire and India. The Communication Workers Union branded the move as […]