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 The unpublished private assessment, which was seen by the Guardian, indicated that the government expected between 500,000 and 600,000 posts to go in the public sector and an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 […]
Talent – you’ve got it: you just don’t know it yet
A survey exploring the value that businesses and HR departments place on talent information and its availability has found that a worrying number of companies do not have access to reliable information on crucial workforce issues. Although most companies measure time to hire, only 33% have access to reliable data on the quality of hire […]
Sleepness nights for stressed workers
Three out of four UK workers are losing sleep because of work-related stress, while just over than half have no strong sense of belonging to their organisation. These are the depressing if unsurprising findings of several studies, which reveal the impact of the current challenging economic climate on the workforce. A survey undertaken among 6,000 […]
NEST review may mean more delays on pension scheme
The coalition government has refused to rule out further delays to the proposed national workplace pension scheme after launching a three-month review to determine how it should work in practice. Under current plans, the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), which requires all employers to either enrol their staff in a company pension or pay a […]
Married transexual wins pensions rights
In a landmark ruling, a married transsexual was judged to have been discriminated against by being subjected to male retirement laws after changing their gender from male to female. Christine Timbrell, who was born Christopher Timbrell in 1941, won her appeal to claim her state pension at 60 after Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) […]
Study at Harrods University
Harrods has become the latest employer to devise a tailored degree course for its staff in conjunction with a university in what appears to be a growing trend. The move follows the announcement last month that the University of Portsmouth had developed a bespoke workplace learning programme in Strategic Quality Management with high-tech giant Hewlett-Packard […]
The agile employer: helping employees fit the job
Employers regularly complain they can’t find the right people for the roles they have: however, there is rarely a ‘perfect’ candidate. So what’s the solution to make a person ‘fit’? The most recent unemployment figures from the Office for National Statistics is a stark reality of recession. The number of unemployed people has increased by […]
1/3 of 2010 retirees will fall below the poverty line
An insurance provider has called on the government to take action on pensions after research revealed that nearly a third of all people planning to retire in 2010 will end up living below the poverty line. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a single person in the UK needs to earn at least £13,900 each […]
Training doesn’t lead to much gain, says report
With no proven link between education and training and increased economic performance, the mainstream political parties’ focus on boosting skills to ensure UK plc remains competitive is simply a “sleight-of-hand” to avoid tackling more structural labour market problems. These are the findings of a paper entitled ‘Moving Beyond Skills as a Social and Economic Panacea?’ […]
Emergency budget – what it means for HR and employers
This ‘emergency’ budget, delivered by Chancellor George Osborne (flanked by two Liberal Democrats to prove how well the coalition is working and how much cross-party support the financial plan has) could be significant for managers and HR, according to business leaders and the CIPD. John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel […]