The downside of nepotism
Nepotism in leadership appointments undermines trust and damages organizational morale, as public scrutiny increases for high-profile hires. Fair, transparent, and merit-based recruitment processes are essential for maintaining employee confidence and ensuring leaders are equipped to succeed.
Strike action will be “long and hard and dirty”, warn unions
Public sector unions plan coordinated strike action from November 30 over pension reforms, with leaders warning it will be “long and hard and dirty.” Up to two million workers including hospital staff, teachers, and refuse collectors are expected to participate, with potential disruption extending through next summer.
First five employers sign up to voluntary gender reporting scheme
Five major employers including Tesco, BT, and National Grid have signed up to a voluntary gender reporting scheme designed to increase women’s workplace participation and boost the UK economy. The ‘Think, Act, Report’ initiative requires companies to publicly report on female board representation, promotion rates, and pay gap progress. The government claims better use of women’s skills could add £15-23 billion annually to the economy.
Case Study: Acas helps HMRC devise social media usage policy
HMRC partnered with Acas to develop a social media usage policy after high-profile incidents involving employees. The policy addresses staff engagement guidelines as the department expands internet access to all employees and launches a digital engagement strategy.
Analysis: Private sector fails to offset public sector jobs cull as unemployment soars
Unemployment hit 7.9% in the three months to July, marking the largest quarterly increase since 2009, as public sector job cuts of 111,000 far outpace the private sector’s ability to create new employment.
Blog: How HR can speak the language of the top table
HR professionals can gain executive attention by speaking the language of business leaders: demonstrating productivity gains and cost savings through employee engagement metrics. Using concise one-pagers with hard-hitting statistics—such as engagement’s impact on sick days, turnover, and revenue—positions HR as essential to organizational success.
Update: Intern name-and-shame campaign avoids media companies
A campaign to name and shame companies with unpaid internships is avoiding media organizations—among the worst offenders—due to fears they won’t cover critical stories. The initiative, led by Graduate Fog and pressure groups, is targeting 76 companies across retail, tech, and publishing to clarify their internship pay policies.
Talent Spot: Michael Stirrup, head of HR at Waterstons
Michael Stirrup, finance director at IT consultancy Waterstons, has taken on his first HR role while maintaining his financial responsibilities. With support from an HR consultant, he is developing a new HR strategy and appraisal system focused on company values and people development.
Age discrimination awards three times higher than average, warns expert
Age discrimination awards averaged £30,289 in 2010-11, nearly three times higher than other discrimination types, prompting experts to warn employers to review policies and training to avoid costly tribunal claims.
Blog: Three ways to deal with employee lateness
Persistent employee lateness costs businesses thousands in lost productivity annually. Implement three management strategies: establish clear timekeeping policies, create formal procedures starting with informal discussions, and maintain fairness by understanding occasional unavoidable delays.
How to create a sustainable L&D strategy
Building a sustainable L&D strategy requires linking training directly to business performance and measuring return on investment. Effective people development depends on line managers actively coaching employees and aligning learning initiatives with organizational goals, rather than treating training as a box-ticking exercise.
Cap is not damaging economy, says immigration advisor
The UK’s immigration cap shows no evidence of damaging the economy, though it’s creating employment challenges in the public sector, according to the government’s chief immigration advisor. The Migration Advisory Committee recommends closing 70,000 jobs to non-EEA workers while keeping specific skilled roles open to migrant workers.
Women may not be able to ‘have it all’, warns female chief exec
A female corporate leader warns that women entering the workplace must accept that achieving career success alongside family may require difficult choices and sacrifices. Female graduates often arrive with unrealistic expectations shaped by media portrayals, leading to disappointment and exit from the workforce. Proper preparation and mentorship are essential for navigating the boardroom.
Learndirect launches ‘Make It Count Week’ to boost workplace skills profile
Learndirect launched ‘Make It Count Week’ to encourage employers and individuals across the UK to invest in workplace skills and training. The campaign aims to inspire 10,000 people to enroll in courses within a week, with support from 13 partners including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Skills shortages and unemployment to remain endemic, warns study
A joint study warns that the UK’s education system fails to meet industry needs, leaving skills shortages and unemployment as persistent problems. Unless schooling better aligns with growth sectors like green energy, healthcare, and digital services, these issues will intensify, particularly at entry and intermediate skill levels.
DWP reverses decision to offshore 200 UK jobs
The Public and Commercial Services union successfully pressured IT supplier HP to reverse plans to offshore 200 UK jobs to India. Union members at HP sites voted for industrial action, citing both job losses and security concerns over transferring sensitive Department for Work and Pensions benefits data overseas.
Blog: I was a vampire HR manager – does it matter?
An HR manager who was a vampire enthusiast explores whether her goth subculture hobby should define her professionally. She shares her experience gradually revealing her interests to colleagues after proving her competence, questioning if appearance and hobbies truly matter in the workplace.
Fresh pension proposals to hit millions of workers in their 40s
The coalition government is considering accelerating the state pension age increase to 67 by 2026 instead of 2036, potentially affecting eight million workers in their 40s who would need to work an additional year. The proposal comes as an employment tribunal found age discrimination when an employer dismissed a worker to avoid pension costs.
Law firms collaborate to boost disadvantaged access to legal profession
Over 20 UK law firms have launched ‘Prime’, an initiative to provide fair work experience access for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds across the legal profession. Backed by law societies and The Sutton Trust, the scheme requires members to offer at least 50% of work experience places to underprivileged candidates with financial support included.
Business has talent – and much of it over 65
Successful business leaders like Warren Buffett and Liliane Bettencourt prove that talent doesn’t decline with age. Research shows older workers offer strong work ethic, loyalty, and reliability, while having lower sickness absence rates than younger employees.
