How should the HR software industry respond to the changing HR environment and rise in HR legislation?
HR software providers must develop flexible, adaptable technology to keep pace with rapidly changing legislation and increasing regulatory pressure on HR departments. With government legislation constantly evolving and no clear governing body overseeing compliance, software vendors need solutions that accommodate both current requirements and future legislative changes to avoid becoming obsolete.
UK workers: Why good enough is no longer good enough
UK employers report a noticeable decline in work ethic over the past 10-15 years, with 82% concerned about employee performance. While most workers want to do well, HR leaders must ensure employees meet reasonable standards during work hours and maintain a fair balance between workplace flexibility and employer needs.
How to… Set up a Health at Work programme
Learn practical steps to launch a workplace health and wellbeing programme, from building senior management support and recruiting health champions to conducting staff assessments and organizing initiatives like fitness classes and walking groups.
On-shoring is the new off-shoring as call centres come back to UK
Major UK banks are bringing call centre operations back from India to the UK, with Santander and New Call Telecom citing improved customer satisfaction, comparable operating costs, and staff loyalty as key reasons for on-shoring. This trend signals a shift away from the traditional offshore outsourcing model that dominated the previous decade.
No ‘time to train’ in SMEs, say Government
The coalition government has delayed extending training request rights to small and medium-sized business employees until at least 2015, citing implementation challenges. The consultation found 77% of small firms opposed the legislation, with concerns that smaller organizations lack dedicated HR resources to manage training requests consistently.
The only way is TUPE for Southern Cross employees
Southern Cross Healthcare will break up and transfer all 44,000 employees to new care home operators under TUPE, maintaining existing terms and conditions. The restructuring follows a financial crisis driven by reduced local authority fees and a £250 million rental burden.
News of the World – employment lawyers reaction
Employment lawyers have criticized News International’s handling of the News of the World closure, arguing the dismissal of over 200 staff without proper consultation breaches UK redundancy law. Legal experts warn of potential unfair dismissal claims and suggest the process lacked essential corporate governance standards.
AA accused of ‘corporate bullying’
The GMB union accuses the Automobile Association of “corporate bullying” by attempting to performance manage 450 staff out of their jobs and replace them with cheaper workers. The AA denies the allegations, stating fewer than 200 patrol staff are affected by performance monitoring exercises due to failing to meet standards.
Murdoch’s employees pay the price of News of the World scandal with no consultation
Around 200 News of the World journalists lost their jobs after the paper’s closure in July 2011 following the phone-hacking scandal. While staff received 90-day severance payments, the NUJ criticized Murdoch for bypassing proper redundancy consultation, calling it damage limitation and cynical opportunism.
BBC announces cuts to tackle criticism
The BBC will cut two-thirds of its senior managers and cap executive pay at nine times the median staff salary, new chairman Lord Patten announced. The broadcaster aims to reduce senior managers from 530 to 200 by 2015 and become the first public organization to publish its “pay multiple” to show salary comparisons.
Difference in earnings between public and private sector widens in poor job market
Public sector workers earned 7.8% more than private sector workers by April 2010, with the wage gap widening 47% since 2007. However, job growth in both sectors slowed to a 22-month low, reflecting employer caution in a weakening jobs market.
Two councils to sack entire payroll in order to meet cuts
Two councils plan to dismiss their entire workforces to enforce pay cuts and changes to terms and conditions. Shropshire Council has already issued P45s to 6,500 staff, while Southampton City Council intends to follow suit, moves the unions say will trigger industrial action.
Mind the British skills gap
Britain faces a skills gap that cannot be solved by restricting immigration alone. Rather than closing borders, the UK needs to invest in training and education to ensure young workers are equipped with the technical expertise and business acumen required in a competitive global economy.
How to improve compliance in organisations
Organisations face significant penalties for non-compliance, with over 20% of UK businesses fined for regulatory breaches costing thousands to millions. Improving compliance requires addressing psychological factors like short-term thinking and misaligned organisational objectives that undermine rule-following efforts.
Call centre jobs league: Burnley 1: Bombay 0
A UK telecoms company is relocating its call centre from India to Burnley after finding labour and property costs have reached parity, while citing greater employee loyalty and efficiency among British workers as additional benefits.
First Default Retirement Age test launched
Professor Bernard King has launched employment tribunal proceedings after his Scottish university employer announced his retirement without his consent, claiming the actions were unlawful. The case tests new laws abolishing default retirement ages and involves disputes over contract extension, age discrimination, and whistleblowing allegations.
Employees have too much holiday, say 25% of SMEs
A quarter of UK SMEs believe employees receive too much holiday and want to cut entitlements by around four days to reduce costs, according to a MetLife survey. However, experts warn that reducing benefits without compensation could undermine employee commitment and retention.
Wanted: HR mentors to support SMEs
The UK government is launching a nationwide network of 40,000 business mentors to support small-to-medium enterprises with HR, marketing, and finance advice, replacing the closed Business Link centres. Major banks including Barclays, HSBC, and RBS are recruiting 1,000 volunteer mentors, with SMEs able to find local support through a new website.
Ask the expert: Employee sent to prison. What do we do?
When an employee is imprisoned for a prolonged period, their employment contract is legally “frustrated” and can be terminated without dismissal claims. Issue a P45 and treat it as a standard departure, while remaining open to reconsidering employment upon their release if suitable work becomes available.
Recruitment to go
Mobile recruitment offers recruitment agencies a cost-effective way to engage candidates discreetly and in real-time. The channel enables recruiters to automate screening processes while allowing applicants to respond to opportunities conveniently during or outside working hours, addressing the challenge of reaching employed candidates for hard-to-fill positions.
