Facing up to social media
With an estimated 30 million Facebook and 9 million ‘Tweeters’ in the UK, social networking sites are more popular then ever. However, the potential problems they can cause for businesses mean they are not so popular with employers. How can employers tackle these issues? Amy Pearce, Senior Employment Consultant at Croner discusses some of the […]
Financial Times to offer first non-exec director post grad course
The Financial Times will start offering the UK’s first formally accredited post-graduate qualification for non-executives directors from 1 September this year. The six-month-long Non-Executive Director Certificate is based on the UK Corporate Governance Code and will be accredited by Edexcel in a bid to support the professionalisation of the sector. Lesley Stephenson, a Financial Times publisher […]
And our survey said… the HRzone member survey results
Last month we asked the whole audience several questions about what type of information they want from us, as well as in which format, how they want it delivered, what subjects they are most interested in and what they’d like to see more of. I’d like to share with you some of the results most […]
1/3 of unionised workplaces expect a strike over next year
Just over three quarters of employers believe the UK is moving into a new and more unstable era of industrial relations, with a third of those that recognise a union expecting their workers to go on strike over the next 12 months. According to an online poll among 371 HR practitioners undertaken by the Chartered […]
Latest research gives tips for ERP success
To ensure success when introducing complex ERP systems, organisations must ensure that staff training is differentiated, focuses on changes to working practices and takes place at all stages of the project lifecycle, research has found. A study undertaken by Dr Stephen Grourlay, a reader in the leadership, HRM and organisation department of Kingston University’s Business […]
Organisations could use social tools to aid ROI and engagement
Enterprise social media and collaboration tools could help employers to obtain a better return on investment from their knowledge workers and improve engagement, a study has found. A survey among 150 managers and knowledge workers undertaken by Forrester Research on behalf of project and portfolio management software provider AtTask revealed that, despite often high levels […]
The guide to… rewarding staff when salary increases and promotion are frozen
Recent economic data has revealed low levels of wage inflation, indicating that many organisations are implementing low or no pay increases for the coming year. In addition, headcount freezes are reducing opportunities for promotion. Vincent Belliveau, EMEA General Manager for Cornerstone OnDemand, outlines how businesses can motivate their employees in this challenging environment. Pay raises […]
New study highlights decision-making differences between genders
Men are prone to make black-or-white judgements when making decisions, while women are more inclined to see shades of grey, according to a study from Warwick University. This means that the former gender appear more suited to work environments that require decisive action, while the latter are likely to be more effective in occupations where […]
Ageism ‘endemic’ in the workplace
Ageist attitudes are endemic in the workplace and must be tackled by appointing a dedicated minister to champion over-60s at the highest level, a care home and retirement property provider has warned. The call for change came after Anchor commissioned ICM to undertake a survey among 2,011 adults who were over 18. The research revealed […]
CIPD HRD: How can HR and L&D work better together?
On 6-7 April 2011 we joined TrainingZone.co.uk to exhibit at and attend the CIPD HRD conference. We also met a lot of training professionals and experts and some chipped in to our vox pops. See the video here and find out what biscuits are doing to engage learners in your organisation…
Wellbeing – can it work with flex?
In recent years ‘wellbeing’ has become a bit of a benefits buzz-word with many employers now feeling that they have some level of responsibility for looking after their employees. The reasons are varying, including factors such as commercial benefit, legislative requirements or the desire to be seen as an employer of choice. A typical wellbeing […]
HP boss wins breathing space over sexual harrassment letter
A letter detailing sexual harassment allegations against former Hewlett-Packard boss Mark Hurd will not be unsealed until September as revealing its contents before he has a chance to plead his case could cause him “irreparable harm”. The letter, written by celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred on behalf of former HP contractor Jodie Fisher, triggered a chain […]
Coaching ‘vital’ to laid off managers
Coaching can play a “vital” role in helping older managers cope with finding themselves unexpectedly on the job market again after being laid off, research has found. The two-year study undertaken jointly by academics at the Universities of Surrey and Bath among senior managers aged 49 to 62, who lost their jobs in acrimonious circumstances, […]
Engagement matters – HR and L&D can work together when they get engaged
At the Plateau Insights user conference – which took place in the ancient city of Rome – learning experts took on an age-old issue. Is the LMS dead? Plateau CEO, Paul Sparta, quizzed the panel of Clive Shepherd, Donald Taylor and Nigel Paine for their expert knowledge. One of the themes they picked up […]
Cable criticises Cameron immigration targets
Expert opinion came down firmly on the side of Vince Cable yesterday after he criticised the “very unwise” targets set by the Prime Minister to cut non-EU immigration to “tens of thousands” a year. The Liberal Democrat Business Secretary has repeatedly expressed fears that a permanent cap on immigration could damage UK economic competitiveness by […]
Judge ‘league tables’ proposed to improve employment tribunals
The CBI has called for the creation of regional league tables that rate the performance of individual judges as part of proposed reforms to an employment tribunal system it believes has become “a barrier to justice”. The suggestion by the employers’ lobby group came in response to the coalition government’s ‘Resolving Workplace Disputes’ consultation, which […]
HR at a crossroads: can we collaborate to improve business execution?
Successful organisations need strategic HR people working with IT people to create systems that empower the alignment of workforces through a combination of goals, targets, pay for performance, reviews and effective communication of strategy. That’s the theory anyway. The reality – as exposed by a new study from Cloud Computing firm SuccessFactors and services giant […]
Recruitment procurement framework for local authorities sees 11 companies triumph
Eleven recruitment agencies have been appointed to supply temps to local authorities under a newly-let Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources procurement framework in a bid to cut costs and reduce the time spent on tendering. The national framework agreement is operational now, but the first wave of early adopters is not expected to go […]
Employers not buying into value of apprenticeships
Although the coalition government claims that apprenticeships generate a £40 return for the economy for each £1 of investment, two thirds of employers do not believe on-the-job training is appropriate for their organisation. According to a study commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to explore the economic value offered by government-funded post-19 […]
Chancellor Osborne – payroll’s hero, comp & ben’s villain?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer took the brave first steps to simplify Britain’s complicated tax and National Insurance (NI) payment systems in the recent Budget. Lengthy consultations follow, but with crystal ball in hand, Matt Duffy of Aon Hewitt considers the pros and the cons. From where we sit, we can see obstacles aplenty, but […]
