Highest level of adults engaged in learning for a decade
The proportion of adults who are currently in some form of education or training or have been over the last 36 months is at its highest level for 10 years due to the difficult economic climate. According to a UK-wide survey of 4,964 adults undertaken by TNS Omnibus and sponsored by the Local Government Association […]
Legal update: Discrimination and commission
Employment law briefing – practical, digestible takeaways to help you make sense of the confusing world of employment case law from Suzanne Horne of Morrison and Foerster. This month, discrimination and capping commission. Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Takeaway: Requirement of a degree not age discrimination The Court of Appeal has held that […]
Boost profit with wellbeing and CSR
There is a direct link between employers’ profitability and investing in issues such as the health and wellbeing of staff and ethical corporate behaviour. These are the findings of research published by Business in the Community (BITC), a membership organisation with the remit of promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR). A study undertaken for BITC by Ipsos […]
Lack of clinician training a danger to NHS
The new government must protect the future of the NHS by acting to prevent the further erosion of clinicians’ training budgets, a junior doctors’ leader has warned. As a result, Dr Shree Datta, chair of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Junior Doctors Committee, said that the government needs to “plan properly” in order to ensure […]
Take the Alan Sugar leadership test
Alan Sugar has returned to our screens in the Junior Apprentice (Wednesdays, 9pm, BBC1), we present the Alan Sugar test – have you got what it takes to lead in your organisation? The thirst to find the next crop of leaders and entrepreneurs seems to show no signs of abating judging by […]
SuccessConnect: Get with the Cloud or lose your job in HR
Is Cloud Computing effectively calling the bluff of the HR director? For years HR people have longed for a seat on the board, complaining that they are unable to make their true contribution to adding business value to their organisations because they’re bogged down in traditional processes and paperwork. Cloud Computing potentially changes all […]
PCS wins high court bid
A union has won its High Court bid to halt government measures that would have cut redundancy pay for civil servants in order to save it £500 million over three years. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union had called for a judicial review after changes to the Civil Servant Compensation Scheme were introduced without […]
‘Football fever’ – World Cup absence
Nine out of ten employers have no plans in place to help manage staff absence during the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa. According to a poll undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) among 1,000 organisations, a mere 5% have already developed a policy to manage staff absence during the tournament, […]
The leadership required to forge a coalition government
While political power talks continue and we wait to see if we will be offered a coalition, multi-party deal or minority government, Austin Swain considers the leadership skills needed to forge a strong, workable, multi-party parliament. The political landscape has shifted beyond recognition in the last 10 days. Clegg, Brown and Cameron have moved […]
Ask the expert: Disciplinary while off sick
How can we sort out disciplinary while the employee is off sick? John Brandon and Esther Smith advise. The question: I have an employee under an existing disciplinary sanction, who now has another ‘issue’ over capability and have asked them to attend another disciplinary meeting. They have responded by getting themselves signed off sick […]
Is Simon Cowell your dream HR director?
A poll has revealed that Simon Cowell is the ideal HR director, while Lord Alan Sugar is the dream CEO. The results are part of a nationwide poll which questioned 1,386 members of the British public to find out which well-known names they would most like to see in roles that are typically found […]
SuccessConnect: Dalgaard’s Wheel of Fortune
Cloud HR and Business Execution firm SuccessFactors has beefed up its portfolio with CEO Lars Dalgaard boasting that the firm now has so many offerings that he has to leave it up to pot luck to decide what to talk to customers about! Speaking at the firm’s New York Success Connect user conference, Dalgaard – […]
Unite announce BA strike action plans
Unite have announced plans for BA strike action. British Airways cabin crew are to strike from May 18 – 22 inclusive, May 24 – 28, May 30 – June 3 and June 5 – 9. These dates tally with the five days strike/24 hours off reported earlier and are likely to wreak havoc on employee’s […]
BA strike fears continue
Unite union leaders have been urged to call almost three weeks of strikes at British Airways as they prepare to meet cabin crew representatives today to discuss next moves. The recommendations were made by some union officials to their leadership after Unite members voted overwhelmingly – 81%, on a turnout of 71% – on Friday […]
Sainsbury’s suppliers to offer skills training to unemployed
Sainsbury’s has struck a deal with 60 of its suppliers to train 100 unemployed people in trades that are currently suffering from underinvestment and skills shortages. The Sainsbury’s Supplier Trainee Partnerships scheme will provide successful applicants with a 12-month paid contract to work for one of the supermarket chain’s key suppliers in construction, engineering, facilities […]
The new face of reward – grasp the opportunity
With reward and bonuses hitting headlines, now is the time to reconsider how your reward system works and make it more effective than ever. The recession has brought the issue of bonuses and salaries into sharp focus. Whilst the majority of the attention has been focused on the financial sector and bonuses being given to […]
New government must provide clear plan for business growth
Whatever the outcome of the power talks currently happening to determine who leads the country, the incoming government has just 90 days to prove its business credentials, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) says. Issuing a 12-point plan for growth, the employers’ group said the next government has to put business at the heart of […]
Letter to an ex-MP – what next for the honourable members?
What can discarded MPs do now they are bereft of their constituencies? Gary Flood has unearthed this correspondence between one ex-MP and an executive recruiting agency for a light hearted look at what MPs might turn their hand to next… From: Executive Career Counselling LtdTo: Ex MP Joan Smythe IN STRICTEST CONFIDENCE Dear Joan, Thank […]
Lawyer takes firm to tribunal after redundancy during sick leave
A former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers has taken the firm to an employment tribunal over claims of disability discrimination after he was made redundant while on sick leave caused by workplace stress. Colin Tenner was a former equity partner, who specialised in public sector consultancy for the Belfast branch of the company. He attested to the […]
Cutting the deficit: off-shoring could be the answer
So the 2010 election delivered a hung parliament: whoever eventually fills the power vacuum for good should consider offshoring thousands of civil servant jobs, including HR and finance roles, in order to cut the huge public deficit. This is one of the key recommendations from a policy paper entitled ‘We can cut the deficit: Ten […]