Just having a job gives satisfaction
Job satisfaction has risen to +42 across all sectors despite economic uncertainty and stress, as employees place greater value on simply having employment. According to the CIPD’s Employee Outlook survey of 2,000 workers, this mirrors patterns from the 2009 recession, when job security concerns make workers less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.
A right royal wedding – how will the extra bank holiday affect you?
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding on 29 April 2011 was declared an additional bank holiday in the UK. Employers must carefully review employment contracts to determine how this extra public holiday affects staff entitlements, particularly regarding part-time workers and those on sick or maternity leave.
Survey: Shared services – more with less?
Shared services are increasingly seen as a cost-cutting solution for public sector organisations facing austerity pressures. Despite historical challenges around cultural differences and data ownership, councils and public bodies are collaborating to achieve savings, with examples like London’s “super-council” merger targeting £100 million in annual savings.
Two-thirds poor at leadership development
Over two-thirds of global employers admit poor leadership development practices, despite recognizing its importance for managing growth and international expansion. A new IBM survey of 700 HR executives reveals that successful companies are 57% more likely to use collaboration tools and analytics to support global teams and develop future leaders.
Gove reforms will not provide employability
Education Secretary Michael Gove’s school reforms emphasizing academic subjects over vocational training will not equip employers with necessary workforce skills, warns the Financial Services Skills Council, citing concerns about creating a two-tier education system.
The future’s bright – the future’s online…
Online learning is experiencing a resurgence in IT training as businesses seek cost-effective solutions during economic constraints. After initial disappointment with static courses, improved technology and remote delivery methods are now making e-learning increasingly viable for training staff on new systems globally.
Treasury probe into CSR fairness impact
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is launching a formal investigation into whether the Treasury complied with its legal duty to assess the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review on racial minorities, women, and disabled people. The probe follows claims by the Fawcett Society that the Treasury failed to provide evidence of equality impact assessments despite repeated requests.
Earned value: cost-effective e-learning
Earned value is a project management technique that helps businesses track e-learning project progress by comparing planned costs against actual costs. When applied correctly to synchronous e-learning projects, it can improve quality and value beyond simple budget control.
Social learning: L&D for the 21st century
Social learning leverages trust and interconnected networks to enable 21st-century workplace development, complementing traditional formal training with collaborative, peer-based knowledge sharing that reflects how modern organizations actually operate.
Sainsbury’s upskills with food colleges
Sainsbury’s is opening six in-store food colleges to upskill over 8,500 staff members across the UK, offering training in product knowledge, food preparation, customer service and sales. The initiative aims to boost sales and enhance expertise at food counters and cafes, with the first college launching at its London Colney store.
If you don’t ask you don’t get – why do women fail when it comes to negotiating?
Women earn 30 percent less when negotiating and often fail to ask for themselves, though they negotiate effectively on behalf of others. Research shows women worry more about relationship impact and rejection, while men focus on securing advantages. This difference contributes significantly to the gender pay gap over a career.
How will the 2012 pensions reform affect your business?
The 2012 National Pensions Savings Scheme requires all UK employers to automatically enrol employees in an approved pension scheme and contribute at least 3% of qualifying earnings. HR managers should prepare now, as implementation is staged from October 2012, with larger companies affected first.
SMEs the place to be, say interim managers
Interim managers increasingly prefer working for small-to-medium-sized businesses over large corporations, even accepting 50% lower pay, according to new research. They cite benefits like less bureaucracy, faster decision-making, and greater job satisfaction, while becoming more open to performance-related compensation.
Migration cap open to abuse, say critics
Critics warn that the government’s new annual migration cap of 21,700 skilled non-EU workers is a “blunt tool” that fails to address widespread abuse of the intra-company transfer system. Excluding these transfers from the cap despite evidence of exploitation means the policy won’t effectively tackle the actual concerns around labor market undercutting.
More women taking senior civil service roles
Women now hold 34% of senior civil service positions in the UK, a slight increase from 33% the previous year. Meanwhile, leading companies have backed an initiative to increase female board representation to 30% by 2015, citing improved governance and performance benefits.
Christmas temp labour shortage
Employers are increasingly hiring temporary workers over permanent staff, but high demand for temps is creating Christmas labour shortages despite rising unemployment. A recruitment survey found 22% of employers plan to increase temporary hires within three months, while logistics and care sectors face the most severe staffing gaps.
Ask the expert: Restrictions on taking annual leave?
Experts explain whether employers can restrict annual leave to only what employees have accrued. While restrictions on statutory holiday are limited under Working Time Regulations, contractual terms can require employees to take leave only after it accrues, provided the minimum 5.6 weeks annual entitlement is guaranteed.
The bribery act – what is a gift too far?
The Bribery Act, implemented in April, creates specific offences to combat bribery in public and private sectors, significantly impacting corporate hospitality practices. Businesses must document gifts and hospitality to clients or risk substantial penalties and criminal prosecution under the new legislation.
Employees exit – and take confidential data
Seven in 10 UK workers intend to take confidential company data when they leave their jobs, believing it belongs to them, according to Imperva research. Intellectual property and customer records are the most commonly targeted information, with 72% admitting they’ve already stolen data from previous employers.
Cable anger over watering down of bank bonus reform
Vince Cable clashed with Chancellor George Osborne over proposed UK banking bonus reforms, insisting transparency is essential after Osborne suggested delaying unilateral disclosure requirements for bank bonuses exceeding £1 million.
