Work smarter: Welcome to the office of the future
You probably didn’t think the office of the future would be in Wootton Bassett, but one tech company have made themselves a workspace that would leave Marty McFly in a spin… Plantronics have all the gadgets. They make headsets and other work-related electronics which turn workplaces into mobile work-anywhere spaces, and help mobile workers stay […]
A guide to… Attracting talent
The issue of talent management has climbed steadily up the corporate agenda in recent years. Now, as business leaders prepare to take advantage of an economic upswing, the urgency with which companies must find the right talent with the right skills to execute on growth strategies is becoming ever more pressing. Despite the importance that […]
Ask the expert: Changing flexible working hours
This time the experts, Esther Smith and Martin Brewer explain how to change an employees flexible hours to fit the business. The question: Changing flexible working hours We agreed to a flexible working pattern (reduced daily hours) for an employee with young children starting school. Several months on this is not working for the business […]
T Mobile data selling scandal staff fined
Two former T-Mobile staff have had to pay £73,700 in fines and confiscation orders after being found guilty of selling on the details of half a million customers to direct marketing companies. Darren Hames, an area sales manager for the mobile phone operator in Hatfield, stole the information about customers whose contracts were due […]
Growth won’t solve the UK’s labour market problems
The UK’s labour market has deep-seated structural problems that will not be solved by a return to economic growth alone, the CBI has warned. In a report entitled ‘Mapping the route to growth: rebalancing employment’, the employers’ lobby group said that the decade of growth before the recession had masked a number of entrenched problems. […]
To boost share value, tailor your talent treatment
The adoption of a more personalised approach to developing, nurturing, managing and compensating key workers can boost total shareholder return by up to two thirds over a five-year period, a report has revealed. But the study among senior HR professionals at 44 organisations and 110 individuals undertaken by talent management specialists Jackson Samuel also indicated […]
Low Pay Commission to review intern and apprentice pay
The Low Pay Commission has been tasked with evaluating whether young people taking up internships should be paid and to review whether apprentices currently receive a fair wage. The coalition government has also asked the Commission to examine how current National Minimum Wage regulations could be simplified and made easier to administer as well as […]
Managers failing to motivate and communicate
Poor management communication and an inability to motivate staff are key reasons why only a third of UK personnel are currently working to their full potential, a report has claimed. A survey among 2,000 workers undertaken by staff development company European Leaders revealed that a huge two thirds failed to understand their company’s vision, which […]
Slavery in Northern Ireland revealed
Modern-day slavery is alive-and-kicking among some workers in Northern Ireland’s fishing, mushroom and catering industries, a report has warned. The research undertaken between June 2009 and December 2010 by a team at the Institute for Conflict Research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation revealed that some migrants to Northern Ireland, who were mainly of Filipino and […]
Serious problems with vocational business courses in schools
There is a “serious problem” with the quality of the vocational business courses being offered by the majority of English schools, inspectors have warned. Ofsted said in a report entitled ‘Economics, business and enterprise education’ that it was unhappy with the courses being provided at 30 out of 39 English schools. Even though students often […]
Mind the talent gap – is effective talent management being ignored?
As the public sector takes the necessary steps to meet budget cut demands, is there a danger that organisations will overlook the importance of effective talent management with potentially disastrous long term effects? Public sector management consultancy Hay Group surveyed 131 public sector leaders ranging from board and executive level to middle management and came […]
‘Worrying deceleration’ in job market points to sluggish recovery
The employment market showed a “worrying deceleration” last month, raising fears that sluggish economic recovery will hold back job creation in the private sector and fail to offset widespread public sector job losses. A survey of 400 recruitment consultancies undertaken by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and management consultancy KPMG revealed that the hiring of […]
Manufacturing needs more education and training
The manufacturing industry has warned that unless more government focus is placed on boosting education and training opportunities to counteract skills shortages, it is unlikely to fulfil hopes of driving future economic growth. According to the ‘Manufacturing Outlook’ survey for the second quarter of 2011 published by manufacturers’ organisation EEF and accountancy firm BDO, even […]
Book review: How to get top marks in… Managing poor work performance
Jeremy Badcock is our peer reviewer this time and he finds this advice from Kate Russell a useful tool to pass on to new managers. Title: How to get top marks in… Managing poor work performanceAuthor: Kate RussellISBN: 0954605454 It is quite a challenge to review a book written by someone calling herself the HR […]
Creating calm after the storm: employee engagement best practice following major organisational change
A disenfranchised workforce poses a significant problem to an organisation. In the HR industry it has been widely recognised that employees who are no longer engaged in an organisation are less likely to be flexible, work overtime or take on additional work or responsibilities. This can then have a knock-on effect on an organisation’s overall […]
The elephant in the HR department?
Not a real one, but as good as…. The elephant I’m talking about is stress, overwhelm, burnout. Here’s an example from a recent post on the dilemmas section of an HR jobs board: "I have never been under more pressure at work. I’m an HR manager of a small firm. Two of my team members […]
Calls for government to engage with unions to avoid unrest
Rather than making threats against the unions, the coalition government would do better to actively engage with public sector staff if it wants to avoid mass industrial action this autumn, employment experts have warned. The recommendations came after business secretary Vince Cable was booed and heckled at the GMB union’s annual conference in Brighton yesterday, […]
Banker bonus tax to battle ‘Britain’s lost talent’
The Shadow Chancellor plans to table a motion to levy a new £2 billion tax on bankers’ bonuses in order to fund back-to-work schemes for young people and those living in unemployment black spots. Labour’s Ed Balls is currently try to secure the backing of Liberal Democrat and Tory backbenchers to support an amendment to […]
40,000 jobs could go at Royal Mail
The Royal Mail is preparing to axe as many as one in four of its workers – or 40,000 jobs – over the next five years in the run-up to privatisation. The postal operator has already agreed a three-year deal with the Communication Workers Union to cut headcount by 8,000 per year until 2013. […]
Britain’s got talent: but how do you find yours?
On Saturday, the talent of Jai McDowell was publicly acknowledged when the 24 year old won Britain’s Got Talent, the nation’s favourite talent show. His prize was £100k, a place at the Royal Variety Performance and the potential of a flourishing career in the UK’s music industry. ITV’s successful television programme provides a solid structure […]
