Ask the Expert: Is posting Facebook pictures of planking at work acceptable?
Employers can take disciplinary action against staff who post workplace planking photos on Facebook, as this behavior poses health and safety risks and potentially damages company reputation. The severity of punishment, including possible dismissal, depends on a thorough investigation and individual circumstances.
Engineering suffers from lack of jobs not skills, says study
A Birmingham University study challenges claims of an engineering skills shortage, finding that fewer than half of engineering graduates work in the field six months after graduation. Researchers suggest the real problem is a lack of available jobs rather than insufficient skilled workers.
Legal Insight: Preparing for the Agency Workers Regulations
The Agency Workers Regulations, set to take effect on 1 October, represent a major shift in UK employment law that will grant temporary workers equal pay and conditions after 12 weeks on assignment. The legislation guarantees day-one rights to facilities and job vacancy information, with more substantial protections kicking in after 12 weeks, significantly impacting employers managing an estimated 1.3 million agency workers.
Blog: Less than 24 days to go! What do you think about the Agency Regs?
The Temporary Agency Regulations take effect in less than 24 days, requiring employers to decide how to respond. The Government’s reported wavering on implementation has sparked debate, but organizations must act now to comply or adjust their temp workforce strategies.
“Millions” of public servants to strike in November, warns union
Civil service union leaders have agreed to organize a second strike in November over public sector pensions, with officials warning that millions of public servants could participate. The TUC said it is prepared to coordinate nationwide industrial action if government talks on pension reform fail.
Microsoft loses second top US manager amid fresh UK revelations
Microsoft has lost its second senior US executive in two weeks amid revelations of inappropriate behavior during a UK High Court sexual harassment case. Linda Zecher, vice president of worldwide public sector business, departed to lead Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, following Simon Witts’s sudden exit. The departures coincide with allegations of misconduct and excessive drinking culture involving former UK executive Simon Negus.
Three UK firms win global awards for older worker practices
Three UK companies—Centrica, Marks & Spencer, and The Co-op Group—have won global awards for their innovative practices supporting employees aged 50 and over, including flexible working options, pension schemes, and age diversity training programs.
Employers urged to provide more guidance on acceptable social media usage
Organizations should provide clearer social media usage policies to staff, as research shows employees have significant concerns about security risks. A study found one in six UK workers worry social networks threaten corporate security, while 27% believe employers need stronger acceptable usage guidelines.
Blog: Gamification – silly name, but it could help engagement and innovation
Gamification applies gaming psychology to workplace environments to boost employee engagement and innovation. By leveraging game mechanics that naturally motivate people, organizations can improve recruitment, retention, and performance in non-game settings.
How to select an HR SaaS provider
Selecting the right HR SaaS provider requires documenting your business needs, evaluating vendor functionality and development approaches, and comparing total costs of ownership over multiple years. Key considerations include product scalability, legislative compliance obligations, and contract flexibility to ensure the solution aligns with your budget and requirements.
CEO Insight: Company Shortcuts’ Lara Morgan on the importance of recruiting the right people
Lara Morgan, co-founder of Company Shortcuts, emphasizes that recruiting the right people is critical to business success. She shares her strategies for identifying top talent, including trusting your instincts, evaluating cultural fit, and seeking recommendations from trusted employees.
Employers could pay millions in extra VAT recruitment charges for temp staff
HMRC disregarded a tribunal ruling that would have reduced VAT charges on temporary worker supplies, potentially costing employers millions more. The dispute centers on whether recruitment agencies should charge VAT on commissions only or full invoiced amounts, with conflicting tribunal decisions and unclear guidance creating ongoing uncertainty.
E-rostering helps Leeds NHS Trust manage workforce more efficiently
Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust replaced its paper-based rostering system with MAPS Healthroster, an electronic system that streamlines workforce management across 13,000 staff. The e-rostering tool reduces administrative burden, improves scheduling efficiency, and ensures accurate payroll while freeing senior nurses to focus on patient care.
Blog: Should HR take responsibility for the phone hacking scandal?
A business ethicist argues that HR departments bear responsibility for the News of the World phone-hacking scandal, claiming they failed to monitor for unethical behavior and alert senior leadership before the crisis spiraled out of control.
Talent Spot: Guy Pink, HR director of Addaction
Guy Pink, HR director of drug and alcohol treatment charity Addaction, plays a vital supporting role in managing staff costs and creating an optimal work environment. His efforts have helped the organization achieve a place on the Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work list, despite recent mergers and redundancies.
Blog: The internal superinjunction
Organizations have long operated internal “superinjunctions” that restrict employees from speaking candidly about their workplaces, but social media is eroding this control. As employees increasingly voice opinions online, companies must shift from managing communications defensively to embracing internal social dialogue as a strategic opportunity for insight and innovation.
Update: Fujitsu contractors to strike over “insultingly low” pay offer
Over 1,000 Fujitsu contractors working across five UK government departments will strike on September 19 over pay increases of just 1.5-2.5%, which unions say are insultingly low and below inflation. The action affects IT services for HMRC, DVLA, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, and Office for National Statistics.
Colt saves £300,000 on recruitment costs by consolidating systems
Colt Technology Services consolidated 15 recruitment systems into a single cloud-based solution, saving £300,000 in annual costs while improving hiring efficiency across its 13-country operation. The SuccessFactors system deployed in just 10 weeks enabled better candidate identification and significantly reduced agency fees.
Virgin Media provides customer service-style Employee Services
Virgin Media consolidated its HR, payroll, and benefits departments into a unified Employee Services division to improve staff experience and efficiency. The centralized team resolves 87% of employee inquiries on the first contact using customer service software integrated with employee records.
Almost half of student internships are still unpaid
Nearly half of student internships are unpaid, according to a survey of 22,000 graduates by Graduate Prospects. The study found that 43% of interns received no compensation, despite new government guidelines recommending that internships lasting six weeks or longer should pay the national minimum wage.
