Talent spotting and talent shopping
In 1997, strategy consultancy McKinsey coined the (perhaps controversial) phrase, "the war for talent" and while it’s a given that having great talent is business critical for any organisation, many companies have still taken a reactive rather than proactive approach to talent attraction. In a lot of cases, employers will only start to source talent […]
Google levels playing field for gay employees
Google has begun paying gay staff in the US on average £650 per annum more than straight employees in order to compensate for the extra taxes they have to fork out. The wage hike, which will be backdated to 1 January this year, is to make up for the fact that when US organisations offer […]
Work-related illnesses cost UK economy £36bn
Although the number of staff who were fatally injured at work fell significantly last year, non-terminal illnesses caused by poor working practices cost the UK economy nearly £36bn. According to provisional figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), some 151 workers died in fiscal year 2009-2010, which equates to about 0.5% per 100,000 employees, […]
UK loves flexible working – but not managing productivity
UK businesses are embracing flexible working policies, yet are risking the bottom line due to a lack of time and attendance systems to effectively manage productivity, says a survey. A survey of 50 HR professionals carried out by Amano UK found that 98% of respondents were in favour of their business adopting flexible working practices. […]
Whitehall HR to be unified
Former head of the Football Association Ian Watmore has been appointed to lead a cross-departmental group charged with creating a single HR strategy across Whitehall. As chief operating officer of the Cabinet Office’s new Efficiency and Reform Group (EFG), Watmore will be expected to work with Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, and chief […]
Summer and autumn of direct action ahead
The head of the RMT union has called for a general strike and co-ordinated community direct action in protest at proposed government cuts as ministers brace themselves for a summer or autumn of discontent. General secretary of the transport union Bob Crow issued a “call to arms” at the RMT’s annual conference in Aberdeen yesterday, […]
Employers: take advantage of ‘golden hello’ before it gets scrapped
Employers are being urged to take advantage of ‘golden hello’ recruitment and training subsidies before an expected government review puts their future in jeopardy. The call came as official figures revealed that 10% of graduates who left UK universities last year were unable to find jobs, up from 8% last year. The number could soar […]
Blame the Jabulani football, not the leader
At the time of writing, I’m not alone in reflecting on England’s exit from the football World Cup – the papers, the internet, the broadcast media seem to be talking about nothing else. But if you cast your mind back just a few days, one of the biggest talking points in South Africa was […]
Leadership Matters: Affair between director and her direct report
This column answers your questions on leadership, talent management, performance improvement and the employee behavioural issues that can cause even the best leadership techniques to go awry. This time an affair between a director and a person reporting to them is making life awkward. The dilemma My manager (a director) has been having an affair […]
It’s competitive, but graduate jobs are out there
Graduate recruitment has increased substantially this year following 24 months of swingeing cuts, but competition remains fierce with an average of 45 candidates applying for each position. According to a poll undertaken among 100 top employers by High Fliers Research, organisations plan to take on 17.9% more graduates this year than they did last, restoring […]
The eyes have it: looking after your employees’ sight
With computer screens increasingly used in people’s working lives it is vitally important that your staff have the eye protection they not only need, but are legally entitled to. Protecting employees’ eyesight against computer screen use is not just the law, it also makes good business sense. But despite that, Specsavers research has revealed […]
Unemployment set to soar
The coalition government’s austerity budget will result in the loss of 1.3 million jobs across the economy over the next five years, according to leaked Treasury estimates. The unpublished private assessment, which was seen by the Guardian, indicated that the government expected between 500,000 and 600,000 posts to go in the public sector and an […]
For talent, opportunity knocks
Talent management programmes contribute to staff engagement because personnel believe such schemes help prepare them for future roles and speed up career progression, according to a leading HR body. But employees that do not take part in such initiatives are no less happy with their organisation and take no more pride in it than the […]
Adidas brings recruitment in-house
Adidas is in the process of bringing its global recruitment activities in-house as part of a bid to improve staff retention rates. Following a comprehensive review, the sports shoe giant, which employs more than 40,000 staff worldwide, decided to introduce an integrated strategy for both internal and external recruitment across its portfolio of brands, which […]
NHS not so ‘protected’ after all
Despite reassurances from the coalition government that front-line services would be protected, many NHS Trusts are already being forced to make redundancies, introduce recruitment freezes and cut back on services, according to the BMA. A survey of 92 local negotiating committee chairs undertaken by the doctors’ association revealed that 24% already planned to make redundancies […]
The management world is still turning
In days long ago we recruited people as managers because of their character, as shown by their attitude and achievements. It was at the end of WWII when there was much to be done; the view was that well proven leadership and a good strong character were the qualities most needed for responsible jobs. That […]
Recruitment – it’s not as easy as it sounds
So it might not be rocket science but recruitment is such an important part of your people strategy, it can’t be neglected. Get the basics right first and it’ll become a whole lot easier and more effective. The basis of recruitment appears simple – finding the best person for the job. However it’s vital that […]
Ask the expert: Advertising short term vacancies and contracts
Martin Brewer and Esther Smith advise on whether you need to advertise short term vacancies and contracts. The question: Advertising short term vacancies and contracts Could someone please clarify the law regarding the advertisement of short-term vacancies such as maternity leave? I am the Deputy Manager and my Manager is due to go on maternity […]
Immigration cap: it’s happening
Even though business and Cabinet disquiet over a proposed immigration cap will lead to a wide-ranging consultation on the issue, the government is expected to implement the measures anyway. According to the Daily Telegraph, Home Secretary Theresa May is set to announce the consultation imminently, after members of the Cabinet privately expressed concern that a […]
Interns need ‘training wage’ says CIPD
The CIPD says all employers should be obliged to pay interns a guaranteed ‘Training Wage’ to prevent exploitation. A policy paper entitled ‘Internships: To Pay or Not to Pay?’ published today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) proposed that all interns regardless of their occupation or industry sector be paid £2.50 per […]