Ask the expert: Notice period holiday
Employers can require employees to use remaining holiday during notice periods through employment contract clauses, but must comply with Working Time Regulations notice requirements unless the contract explicitly varies them. Legal experts explain when this applies across different dismissal scenarios.
First time at an Unconference?
New to unconferences? Here’s how to make the most of ConnectingHR on October 21. Connect beforehand via Yammer or Twitter, prepare discussion topics, and remember the format is collaborative and flexible—there’s no need to wear a suit or worry about feeling out of depth.
Building a brand from within – the role of HR
HR teams serve as crucial brand ambassadors within organizations, shaping internal culture that directly influences how employees represent the company externally. By embodying core values and translating employee feedback into authentic brand messaging, HR bridges the gap between management and staff, creating stronger brands built from within rather than imposed from above.
The war for diverse talent
Organizations that embed diversity gain genuine competitive advantages, according to mathematical research showing diverse groups consistently outperform expert groups. By focusing on the commercial rationale rather than equality arguments alone, companies can leverage diversity as a fundamental strategy to reduce errors and drive better decision-making.
Finance talent war rages on – and set to worsen
Companies face a worsening skills shortage for finance and accounting professionals, with 29% of UK employers already struggling to find qualified candidates. Recruitment challenges are driving nearly two-thirds of UK financial leaders to plan compensation increases to attract and retain top talent.
Equality Act: It’s recruitment, but not as we know it…?
The Equality Act requires businesses to overhaul recruitment practices to avoid discrimination claims and costly litigation. Employers must carefully review hiring processes to comply with new health-related restrictions and ensure fair treatment of all candidates, or face legal consequences and reputational damage.
Equality Act: What wasn’t enforced
The Equality Act introduced significant employment law changes, but the UK coalition government withheld implementation of two contentious provisions: mandatory positive action in hiring and pay transparency requirements. Employer surveys suggest these measures face substantial resistance, with only 7% supporting positive action and 13% committing to voluntary pay gap disclosure.
Equality Act: pre-employment health questions – what difference will it make?
The Equality Act now prohibits employers from asking pre-employment health questions or conducting medical examinations before making a job offer, strengthening protections for disabled workers and job applicants. Employers can still screen health after a conditional offer or shortlisting, and must consider reasonable adjustments to help disabled candidates compete fairly.
Equality Act comes into force: overview
The Equality Act came into force on 1 October, consolidating discrimination law and introducing significant changes. Key updates include expanded definitions of discrimination based on association and perception, employer liability for third-party harassment, and increased tribunal powers. HR professionals should review policies and implement staff training to mitigate compliance risks.
National minimum wage rises as Ed Miliband commits to ‘living wage’
The UK minimum wage rose on October 1st, with workers aged 21 now eligible for the higher rate of £5.93 per hour. Labour leader Ed Miliband called for an even higher “living wage” of around £7 per hour, alarming business groups concerned about employment costs.
Leadership matters: A general manager problem
A general manager’s dramatic personality change has left senior managers questioning her leadership style, with one recent incident involving the public dismissal of an HR manager’s concerns raising concerns about potential bullying. Judith Germain advises on navigating this challenging workplace situation through informal and formal resolution routes.
Poor training retention costs UK millions
UK regulated firms waste millions on statutory training because workers fail to apply classroom lessons to their jobs. Many companies treat training as a box-ticking exercise without monitoring whether staff behavior actually changes, creating significant unmanaged risk to organizational reputation.
Share schemes – the basics
Share schemes can help companies reward employees, but understanding the different types is essential. Jonathan Oxley explains the key basics of share schemes and how HR can differentiate between various options to implement the right benefit strategy.
Business transparency: Converse, collaborate, illuminate
Transparency and trust drive employee engagement, and collaboration tools like Salesforce’s Chatter can flatten corporate hierarchies and improve visibility into organizational performance. By enabling real-time communication across all levels, these platforms help create meritocracies where individual contributions become visible and valued.
HR confused over agency worker regulations
Most UK HR professionals lack clarity on the Agency Worker Regulations set to take effect in 12 months, with 80% unaware of non-compliance consequences. The legislation grants temporary workers the same basic rights as permanent staff after 12 weeks, but only 19% of HR decision-makers feel confident about implementation.
UK must address management skills gap
The UK invests less in manager development than international competitors, contributing to poor productivity, warns the CIPD. The HR body urges government to create a strategy for enhancing leadership and people management skills to maximize returns on wider skills investment.
Social media useful but still a security risk
Social media and Web 2.0 tools boost business productivity and revenue, but 70% of companies suffered average $2 million losses from related security incidents last year. Most organizations restrict or block these tools, yet nearly a third lack social media policies and three-quarters don’t monitor employee usage.
Ed Miliband needs to ‘reconnect’ business with Labour party
The British Chambers of Commerce warns Ed Miliband that reconnecting Labour with business must be an early priority. A survey reveals significant disagreement between Labour MPs and small-to-medium businesses on employment regulations and economic policy, threatening business confidence and job creation.
The next generation of talent management
Post-recession companies are increasingly recognizing that talent management and workforce insights are critical to driving growth. Effective “Talent Intelligence”—understanding employees as thoroughly as other business assets—requires HR departments to shift toward business-focused approaches and maintain comprehensive data on workforce skills, aspirations, and potential.
Career management for retention and engagement
Employers can strategically manage employee careers to improve retention, engagement, and reduce recruitment costs. By implementing career development platforms and fostering a culture of internal mobility, organizations can grow talent from within while preparing for competitive labor markets.
