Cable announces funding for on-job training
Business Secretary Vince Cable has unveiled plans to increase annual funding for on-the-job training by £222 million to hit £1.4 billion this year in a bid to create 100,000 new places. To mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week, Cable has also urged employers to follow the lead of firms such as British Airways, […]
Future looks bleak for employee relations
Deteriorating employee relations will be a hallmark of the year ahead as longer working hours for no additional remuneration, growing skills shortages and worsening relations with management lead to increased levels of stress and disengagement. According to a survey among 550 HR professionals undertaken by King’s College London and law firm Speechly Bircham, 46% saw […]
Man in sexual harrassment claim against John Lewis
A male worker is suing John Lewis for sexual discrimination over claims that management did not take his complaints of sexual harassment by a female colleague seriously. Konstantinos Kalomoiris attested that 68-year old Bianca Revrenna slapped his bottom on three separate occasions even after he had asked her not to and that he made a […]
Windpower breathes hope into ‘jobless recovery’
Despite warnings that the UK risks a US-style ‘jobless recovery’, one bright spot on the horizon is the wind energy sector, which has seen a 91% leap in employment over the last three years. A report commissioned by industry association RenewableUK and EU Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the power sector, revealed that the […]
Gen Y not so obsessed with social media
Despite preconceptions to the contrary, most Generation Y workers believe their employers should not allow staff to use social media at work, refrain from viewing their social networking activity and hold back from using the medium for recruitment purposes. Instead the 4,500 15 to 34 year-olds questioned by digital consultancy Decode tend to view the […]
Work visa crack down proposed
Immigration minister Damian Green is proposing to crack down on work visas for non-EU students after they leave education in order to create a “fair playing field” for UK graduates trying to enter the jobs market. In a speech to the think tank Reform, Green claimed that change was necessary to stop people from using […]
HR development not prioritised in budgets
Although three quarters of UK managers see staff development as a key priority over the year ahead in order to generate organisational growth and competitive advantage, HR personnel are not being included in the mix. According to a survey of 2,500 HR and non-HR senior managers from private and public sector organisations employing more than […]
Workday show the lean way to do HR tech
HR is responding to the new lean way of working in their organisations: and this extends to the way human resources is using technology, finds Stuart Lauchlan. “The Cloud has emerged as a great post-recession platform,” argues Aneel Bhusri, co-CEO of Cloud HCM firm Workday as he looks back at a year that saw […]
Pre-employment health questions – an FAQ
Last October the Government brought into force most provisions of the Equality Act 2010 (EqA). One of the more controversial aspects of this new law is turning out to be the prohibition on pre-employment health questions. The law is potentially a minefield and the Act itself is less than helpful, not even specifying what amounts […]
#ConnectingHR Tweet up: Doug Shaw goes for a song…
At the #ConnectingHR Tweet up on 31 January a whole load of HR folk got together to chat and meet each other face to face. Doug even went for a song… Doug has referenced a few people from the #ConnectingHR community, a social media based community of human resource professionals which seeks to connect HR […]
Paternity leave – can the government achieve family utopia?
Can the Government really achieve Utopia? Can there ever be a work life/balance for both men and women. That is what the Government hopes to achieve with expanding on the new Additional Paternity Leave provision. The current lawEligible employees as of 6 April 2003 are entitled to take either one whole week or two consecutive […]
Coalition must help lowest earners and prevent poverty
The coalition government must introduce specific, targeted policies to help move 10 million people out of low skill, low wage employment as well as hit poverty reduction targets, a think tank has warned. According to the Work Foundation, an estimated 10 million people in the UK currently earn less than £15,000 per annum and are […]
Freelancers filling skill gaps in SMEs
Small-to-medium enterprises are increasingly employing freelancers to meet their short-term staffing needs and the trend is set to continue into the foreseeable future, according to a study. A survey of 1,000 UK SMEs undertaken by freelancer sourcing web site OfficeCavalry.com revealed that a quarter plan to boost headcount over the year ahead, with 38% of […]
Bribery act hesitation could lead to export blacklist for UK
UK companies face ending up on an international export blacklist as a result of coalition government moves to water down the Bribery Act, an international anti-corruption watchdog has warned. Mark Pieth, chairman of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 36-member anti-bribery group, issued the warning after Ken Clarke, the justice secretary, said yesterday […]
How to recruit higher quality candidates: a key lesson from consumer marketing
By thinking like a marketer, recruiters can create a targeted sourcing strategy that can deliver a higher quality of hire, says Tim Geisert of Kenexa. In 2004, Dove, one of Unilever’s biggest beauty brands, sponsored a global research study that asked 3,200 women for their views on female beauty and well-being. Among the results was […]
Businesses to be fined when losing employment tribunal
Business groups have reacted with shock to coalition government proposals to fine employers up to £5,000 if they lose an employment tribunal case. The plans, which are buried in a government consultation paper that is intended to shake up the tribunal system, would result in employers having to pay the Exchequer half the amount of […]
Book review: The Right thing – Sally Bibb
Reviewer Jeremy Thorn considers a book described as ‘everyday’ which proves to be anything but… Title: ‘The Right Thing – an everyday guide to ethics in business’Author: Sally Bibb. ISBN 978-0-470-68853-4 – Wiley £14.99 This book is described as ‘an everyday guide to ethics in business’, but it is anything but ‘everyday’ – it is quite […]
Ask the expert: a TUPE puzzle
The experts, Adam Partington and Esther Smith advise on a TUPE puzzle… The question: TUPE puzzle A well known bank recently closed down the Independent Agency Network – staff are employed by an Independent Agent who has a contract with the Bank to run local agencies for them. It was decided by the bank […]
Atmosphere of fear leads to accidents going unreported
An overzealous safety culture at Network Rail meant that workers failed to report up to a two out of five accidents over a five year period because they were “fearful” of the repercussions. An inquiry by the Rail Safety and Standards Board estimated that, in most instances, staff made a conscious decision not to notify […]
Graduate unemployment at 15 year high
Graduate unemployment is now at a 15-year high, with one in five university leavers who entered the job market last year failing to get a job, according to official figures. Data from the Office of National Statics revealed that the number of graduates who are available for work but unable to find any has nearly […]