UK Association of Coaching gets a code of conduct
The UK’s Association of Coaching has endorsed a Code of Conduct submitted to the European Union earlier this month by two international industry bodies in a bid to professionalise the sector. The European Mentoring and Coaching Council and the International Coach Federation are positioning their code as a basis under which coaching and mentoring professionals […]
NOTW – what next for employees?
The demise of the News of the World (“NotW”) has come as a result of the phone hacking scandal that has rumbled on for a number of years and, more recently, dominated the news even while at the same time a new country has formed and drought ravages nations further from home. Besides the obvious […]
Employment downturn imminent, say experts
Conditions in the labour market are weaker than earlier in the year and evidence suggests that a renewed employment downturn is imminent, experts have warned. Although figures from the Office of National Statistics indicated that UK unemployment fell by 26,000 to 2.45 million or 7.7% of the total workforce in the three months to May, […]
Case in point: Capability dimissals and medical opinions
Capability dismissals are often complex and require a consideration of both the needs of the business in having the employee at work, and the wellbeing of the employee who is suffering ill health. The recent EAT decision of DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd v Doolan sets out the principles for employers. It is almost always […]
NAO warns public sector HR is not delivering
Changes in the nature of the HR role across government is contributing to a lack of value for taxpayer money spent on training civil servants. While the government estimates it spent £275m (or £547 for each civil servant) on training in 2009/10, spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) reckons that this is "significant underestimate". […]
Unemployment will not improve before 2016, says CIPD
Unemployment will peak at 2.7 million in mid-2012 but anaemic economic growth will lead to the same number of people being out of work in four year’s time as there are today, an HR body has warned. The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development has revised down its December 2010 forecast, in which it predicted […]
Nissan offshores HR shared services to India
An Indian offshore outsourcing provider has acquired Nissan’s HR shared services centre for an undisclosed sum and bagged a seven-year contract to provide the Japanese car manufacturer’s 54,000 staff with transactional HR services. Genpact, which has provided Nissan with a range of other business process outsourcing services for the last six years, has purchased the […]
UK fraud rising to record levels
UK fraud figures hit a record £1.1 billion in the first six months of this year, with managers and staff being responsible for a quarter of it, according to KPMG. The amount of fraudulent activity committed rose 59% over the same period last year, the management consultancy’s Fraud Barometer revealed. Although government agencies have traditionally […]
Rail union considering legal action over lost contract
A leading rail union is considering whether to take legal action over the decision not to award Bombardier the Thameslink contract in a bid to save 1,400 jobs at the train manufacturer. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said it was taking legal advice over a potential challenge on the grounds that the tendering process […]
How should the HR software industry respond to the changing HR environment and rise in HR legislation?
In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the amount of pressure being placed on organisations’ HR department by the board, and with HR legislation flying out of Downing Street at an alarming rate, software providers have been forced to develop technology that meets client requirements in a constantly changing environment. HR technology […]
UK workers: Why good enough is no longer good enough
Kate Russell says that over the last 10-15 years, there’s been a noticeable decline in the British work ethic. HR needs to take control. Recently I was asked to take part in a Five Live debate centring around the findings of Centre for Social Justice think-tank that 82% of employers are concerned about British […]
How to… Set up a Health at Work programme
Whether you are already running health initiatives in your workplace or just getting started, the British Heart Foundation’s Health at Work experts suggest these practical steps for a successful health and wellbeing programme. Create a support group made up of representatives from all levels and across the organisation to help plan and promote initiatives. Gain […]
On-shoring is the new off-shoring as call centres come back to UK
Santander’s decision to transfer its Indian call centre operations to the UK in a bid to boost customer satisfaction would appear to indicate that the offshore model is “increasingly past its sell-by-date”, according to experts. The move comes less than a week after New Call Telecom announced that it was moving its call centre operations […]
No ‘time to train’ in SMEs, say Government
The coalition government has ruled out extending the right to request time for training to employees in small to medium businesses until at least 2015. Under proposals made by the last government, staff in companies with less than 250 personnel would have been entitled to the same rights as those in larger organisations by April […]
The only way is TUPE for Southern Cross employees
Southern Cross Healthcare has pledged that all 44,000 of its employees are to be transferred to new care home operators under their existing terms and conditions after confirming that the group is to be broken up. The organisation’s biggest landlords, including Four Seasons, NHP and London & Regional, have been in crisis talks with Southern […]
News of the World – employment lawyers reaction
Employment lawyers have reacted to the News of the world news. The uncertainty surrounding newsroom staff at the paper, based at News International, and rumours regarding their treatment have alarmed some in the field. Although the allegations against the paper and it’s management and behavious has been shocking it was still surprising when the closure […]
AA accused of ‘corporate bullying’
The Automobile Association is indulging in “corporate bullying” by attempting to ‘performance manage’ 450 staff out of their jobs in a bid to replace them with cheaper, lower skilled workers, the GMB union has claimed. Patrollers across the country have allegedly been called into meetings and given a “take it or leave it” offer of […]
Murdoch’s employees pay the price of News of the World scandal with no consultation
Some 200 NoW journalists have lost their jobs after the last edition of the newspaper went out on Sunday 10 July 2011. Sub-editors at sister tabloid The Sun walked out last week in protest. Affected journalists have been told they will receive a 90-day payment to cover the legally-required consultation period of job cuts. But […]
BBC announces cuts to tackle criticism
The BBC will axe two thirds of its senior managers, curb the pay and perks of those remaining and introduce a cap on the director-general’s salary, its new chairman has announced. Lord Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust and a former chairman of the Conservative Party, promised to take action over the “toxic” issue of […]
Difference in earnings between public and private sector widens in poor job market
Although public sector workers are now paid an average of 7.8% more than their private sector counterparts, the number of people finding work in either area has slowed to a 22-month low. According to the Office for National Statistics, by April 2010 the difference in average earnings between public and private sector staff has widened […]
