Unions mount legal challenge to Government pension changes
UK’s six largest public sector unions are mounting a judicial review challenge against government pension changes that switched from the retail price index to the consumer price index for annual increases, claiming the move lacked consultation and breaches existing legislation.
Blog: How to take the pay issue off the table
Fair compensation is essential before recognition and rewards can be effective. To “take pay off the table,” organizations must compensate employees fairly based on contributions, have transparent salary conversations, and supplement base pay with meaningful recognition programs.
Brain drain from 50p tax rate underestimated, warns Diageo chief
Diageo chief Paul Walsh warns that the 50p tax rate is causing high earners to leave the UK and deterring others from relocating there, claiming the brain drain impact is being underestimated by government and media.
Tesco temp agencies ask workers to waive EU employment rights
Tesco temp agencies are asking workers to sign contracts waiving their new employment rights under the Agency Worker Regulations, a legal loophole becoming widespread across UK industries. The practice allows employers to bypass legislation granting agency workers equal pay and benefits after 12 weeks.
The HR Headmistress: Coping with ET1 tribunal claim documents
Employment tribunal claims are rising, but HR professionals can effectively handle most ET1 documents themselves rather than automatically referring them to solicitors. By getting actively involved in managing claims and understanding the straightforward issues typically involved—such as unfair dismissal or wage disputes—HR can add significant business value while reducing costly legal fees.
Ask the Expert: How long do I need to keep emails for?
Email retention requirements vary by data type and industry. The Data Protection Act states personal data shouldn’t be kept longer than necessary, while specific sectors like finance require six-year retention periods. Retention decisions should balance legal obligations with business needs on a case-by-case basis.
Stone Roses’ ticket scramble hits staff productivity hard
Stone Roses reunion tickets sold out in 68 minutes, causing UK staff productivity to plummet by roughly a third during the morning sale. While employers may allow occasional personal time for major events, employment lawyers warn that tolerating widespread ticket-buying disruptions could set problematic precedents for workplace conduct.
Staff education and training are critical to corporate security
Employee training is critical to corporate security, as many breaches result from human error like opening malicious emails rather than sophisticated hacking. Organizations must provide staff with education on cybersecurity threats, establish clear usage policies, and involve both IT and HR to ensure workplace security practices are understood and followed company-wide.
Blog: Developing a customer-service mindset in HR
HR professionals can foster better customer service by hiring people with the right attitude and teaching them job-specific skills. Leading companies like Amazon and Starbucks prioritize service-oriented candidates because attitude comes from within, while technical abilities can be trained.
IT outsourcing cuts costs, but fails to improve quality, warn HRDs
Public sector HR directors believe IT outsourcing can cut costs but won’t improve service quality, according to a survey of 100 government employees. While nearly two-thirds expect reduced spending, only one in four anticipate better services.
Pay awards to increase only marginally in 2012
Private sector pay awards are expected to increase by a median of 2.5% in 2012, marginally higher than 2011’s 2.3%, but still well below pre-recession levels and inflation forecasts. Company performance and financial capacity remain the primary drivers of wage settlements, with retail and construction sectors offering the lowest increases.
Video Interview: How Oracle is creating a socially-connected workplace
Jon Ingham interviews Oracle’s David Christopher about how the software company is building a socially-connected workplace to improve communication and collaboration among its 22,000 regional employees and drive cultural change.
CEO Insight: Company Shortcuts’ Lara Morgan on staff retention
Lara Morgan, CEO of Company Shortcuts, shares her approach to staff retention through open communication, flexible work culture, and team bonding. She emphasizes that strong company culture, built on honesty and appreciation, directly impacts employee loyalty and business success.
Blog: On-boarding as a first step to cutting staff attrition rates
A strong onboarding program is critical for reducing employee attrition. Companies that invest in structured, multi-month onboarding with mentorship, clear objectives, and engaging culture-building activities significantly improve retention rates and employee productivity.
SAP appoints new head of HR for UK and Ireland
Laura Burton has been appointed as the new HR director for SAP UK and Ireland, replacing Terri Ellison. She will oversee recruitment, training, and benefits for approximately 1,100 staff while leading the organization’s HR business partners to support the company’s global growth ambitions.
Leadership development is top L&D priority over next 12 months
Leadership development ranks as the top L&D priority for the next 12 months, with 61% of learning professionals planning to provide this training. A survey of 417 L&D specialists also found that classroom training remains the most popular delivery method at 90%, while mobile learning is the fastest-growing medium despite currently lower adoption rates.
Outlook improving but still uncertain for interim HR managers
HR interim managers face improving prospects with shorter gaps between assignments and rising day rates, according to the Institute of Interim Managers’ latest survey. However, uncertainty persists as companies still struggle to shift HR from administrative roles toward strategic, technology-driven functions.
Software Satisfaction Awards 2011: The winners revealed
The Software Satisfaction Awards 2011 ceremony celebrated excellence across the software industry, with over 300 attendees gathering in London. Winners were recognized across categories including HR management, CRM, accounting, payroll, and business solutions, with FreeAgent named Software Vendor of the Year.
Council censured for revealing personal details of 900 staff online
Dumfries and Galloway Council breached data protection laws by accidentally publishing the names, salaries, and dates of birth of nearly 900 employees online for two months. The Information Commissioner’s Office ruled the council violated privacy regulations, prompting the authority to audit and strengthen its data handling procedures.
Mobile case management system saves the equivalent of 13 NHS staff
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board deployed mobile case management software to 370 district nurses and health visitors, saving 8,300 hours annually—equivalent to adding 13 full-time staff. The system lets community health workers access and update patient records remotely, eliminating office trips and freeing time for direct patient care.
