Jobs market to suffer “slow, painful contraction”, warns CIPD
The UK jobs market faces a “slow, painful contraction” as public sector job losses outpace private sector hiring, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s latest employer survey. Public sector redundancies have exceeded Office for Budget Responsibility predictions, with unemployment expected to rise further amid economic uncertainty.
Legal Insight: How to tackle bullying in the workplace
Workplace bullying requires more than just anti-harassment policies to be effective. Organizations must take a strategic, proactive approach led by management, going beyond written commitments to actively prevent bullying, harassment, and cyber-bullying that can result in costly legal claims and reputational damage.
Ask the Expert: What is the legal situation around medicals?
Medical assessments in recruitment should only be used when health or physical ability is genuinely relevant to the job role. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have limited circumstances for requesting pre-employment medicals and must consider reasonable adjustments for any disclosed disabilities.
Security certification introduced to help public sector hire right skills
The British Computer Society has launched a pilot certification scheme for government information assurance professionals to help public sector employers hire specialists with the right skills. The scheme, developed with GCHQ’s CESG agency, covers six security roles across three practitioner levels and will fully launch early next year.
CIPD Conference: ‘No one-size-fits-all for leadership practices’
Leadership practices cannot be one-size-fits-all, according to Marcus Buckingham at the CIPD annual conference. Instead of formulaic approaches, he advocates using a strengths-based model that filters leadership through individual personality traits and dominant characteristics.
Employee resilience – whose responsibility is it anyway?
Employee resilience is increasingly promoted as a workplace skill, but debate persists over whether it prioritizes staff well-being or performance. The concept’s effectiveness depends on individual factors like age, experience, culture, and support systems—not just personal strength.
CIPD Conference: Creating a culture of innovation
Innovation requires a corporate culture that encourages employees to challenge the status quo and learn from mistakes without fear of repercussions, according to speakers at the CIPD’s annual conference. Key insights highlighted how managers play a crucial role in supporting innovation through collaboration and experimentation.
CIPD Conference Blog: Social media and knowing what not to fear
At the CIPD11 conference, Neil Morrison shared insights on managing social media in the workplace, debunking common fears around reputation, productivity, and security. Rather than restrictive policies, he advocates for trust-based approaches that empower employees and support professional development through social tools.
Regional Growth Fund to create 4,000 SME jobs
The Regional Growth Fund will provide £500m in financing to small and medium-sized enterprises through a partnership with major banks, with the Government and RBS, NatWest, and HSBC aiming to create approximately 4,000 jobs across England.
CIPD Conference Blog: Eight steps to enhance resilience at work
Learn the eight key components of resilience at work—including self-belief, optimism, adaptability, and emotion regulation—to help your workforce manage stress and perform better during economic challenges.
CIPD Conference Blog: O2 on linking engagement and customer service
O2 transformed from a struggling BT spinoff into a customer-focused organization by linking employee engagement to customer service. The telecommunications company uses rapid feedback loops, direct customer-to-management dialogue, and employee product testing to create advocates who deliver exceptional service.
CIPD Conference Blog: Sir Terry Leahy on how Tesco pulled ahead of the pack
Sir Terry Leahy, former Tesco CEO, shared key leadership principles at the 2011 CIPD Conference that helped drive the retailer’s market dominance. His insights emphasize listening to customers and frontline staff, setting audacious goals, establishing clear values, and fostering a culture that rewards generosity and encourages creative risk-taking over fear.
The future of work: what the world will look like in 2025
Discover the three career paths that will shape the workplace by 2025, based on research analyzing technology, globalization, demographics, and society. This global study identifies grassroots advocacy, social entrepreneurship, and micro-entrepreneurship as the most valuable roles emerging over the coming decade.
CIPD Conference: People management key to Tesco’s success, says Leahy
Former Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy credits the supermarket’s success to effective people management, stating employees need interesting work, respect, advancement opportunities, and supportive leadership. Speaking at the CIPD Conference, Leahy outlined key lessons including embracing truth, setting ambitious goals, and prioritizing vision and culture.
Shortage of truck driver trainers could lead to UK transport crisis
A shortage of truck driver trainers threatens a UK transport crisis as only 64% of freight drivers are expected to complete mandatory Driver CPC training before new EU regulations take effect in September 2014. The 35-hour certification scheme will affect nearly 800,000 professional drivers, but insufficient trainers could leave latecomers unable to meet requirements.
Case Study: Lancaster Landmark Hotels focuses on attitude to boost retention
Lancaster Landmark Hotels improved staff retention and customer service by implementing performance management software that measures employee attitudes and behaviors using standardized criteria. The cloud-based system enables managers to conduct regular reviews and compare performance across departments, helping identify and retain staff with the right hospitality mindset.
Talent Spot: David Smith, HR director at LV=
David Smith transformed HR at LV=, bringing the function in-house in 2008 and helping the company grow from 2,000 to 5,000 employees while becoming a top-four UK car insurer. He shifted recruitment from 80% agency-based to 80% direct hiring, reducing costs by £1 million despite doubling staff numbers.
Blog: Five measures for creating an environmental impact
Human resources departments can drive environmental impact through five key measures: implementing hybrid vehicle fleets, promoting bike-to-work schemes, digitizing HR processes, enabling flexible working arrangements, and aligning workplace policies with corporate sustainability goals.
CIPD Conference: “HR must become business leaders and strategists”
HR professionals must evolve into business leaders and strategists to drive organizational performance and change through people, according to CIPD president Gill Rider. Speaking at the organization’s annual conference, she emphasized that economic challenges, demographic shifts, and declining trust in leadership have made strong business acumen essential for HR professionals.
Melody Hossaini’s verdict on the Young Apprentice: Episode three
Melody Hossaini reviews Young Apprentice episode three, where contestants launched floristry businesses with £800 startup funds. She analyzes the winning team’s pricing strategy and critiques the losing project manager’s boardroom decisions.
