Government to drive paternity leave awareness
A third of fathers are oblivious of their rights to paternity leave, a survey has revealed, as the government launched a month-long ‘Dads at Work’ awareness campaign to try and rectify the situation. The campaign comes in advance of a move to allow new mothers to transfer the last six months of their year-long maternity […]
Employers snubbing staff training
While a huge 88% of UK employers acknowledge the importance of staff training, most are either put off by the cost or simply fail to make time to arrange it. These are the findings of a survey undertaken among 1,100 organisations and 4,300 workers in the UK, France and Germany by software company Citrix to […]
CIPD: We’re not out of the woods yet!
The UK labour market remains in an “extremely fragile state”, with the unemployment situation likely to get worse before it gets better, an expert has warned. Figures released by the Office of National Statistics showed that total unemployment fell for a second consecutive month, albeit by a meagre 3,000 people, for the three months to […]
Firms warned over first aider rules
More than three quarters of UK employers have inadvertently broken health and safety laws at different times in the past by having no trained first aiders present in the workplace, according to a charity. But even those that appear to be employing appropriate numbers of skilled personnel in this area often misinterpret guidelines introduced last […]
The rules of engagement : Retaining talent’s top 10 blunders
In these changing times, it makes sense that employee engagement is the holy grail of many businesses. However – we so often get it wrong. From badly managed benefit schemes through to poor leadership styles, here are the top 10 errors and how to avoid them. 1. Lack of subtlety Employee engagement is a complex and incredibly […]
Google innovation
Google is well known for innovation, but how can a culture of innovation be fostered in an organisation? People operations director, Liane Hornsey, shares some secrets from Google. A company that has carved a reputation for pushing the envelope, Google has been consistently lauded as one of the most innovative companies in the world by […]
Layla Bunni’s on the case: Facebook fail by employee
This month Layla is on the case of an employee who has been discussing remuneration packages on Facebook. What should be done and would you deal with it this way? The case It has been reported to the HR manager that an employee working in the payroll department has been discussing matters relating to a […]
Beating the frustration: improving HR’s relationship with recruiters
Historically HR and recruiters haven’t had a great relationship, yet they both need each other – something has to be done so we can both get along. While in theory recruitment only forms a small part of an HR manager’s role, in practice it can be one of the most time-consuming elements. In addition, at […]
Hooray for homeworking
The majority of people who work at home get more done as they are subject to fewer interruptions and can fit work in with their other commitments more effectively. These are the findings of an online poll among 350 full- or part-time home workers across both the public and private sectors undertaken by the Telework […]
Cost of living rise will put pressure on business, says CIPD
A surge in cost-of-living inflation is coming at the “worst possible time” for pay bargaining as it may trigger wage rises that many UK employers can ill afford, warns an HR professional body. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the annual inflation rate as measured by the headline Retail Prices Index (RPI) rose […]
City University unveils Centre for Performance at Work
City of London University plans to open a new interdisciplinary centre to provide research and advice to organisations, policymakers and academics on business leadership and performance, wellbeing at work and talent management. The Centre for Performance at Work, which is scheduled to be launched officially on 9 March, will bring together experts from the University’s […]
Mixed reviews for Conservatives cooperative concept
The Conservative Party’s reiterated proposals for public sector workers to set up Lewis-style co-operatives and be given the power to remove underperforming managers have met with a mixed response. Although the Tories first announced its policy to introduce social enterprises in 2007, the current government has offered a similar option in the form of mutual […]
HR business partners: Old habits die hard
It’s all too easy to give HR generalists a new job description and title and expect them to start operating as a Business Partner. What is usually underestimated is how difficult it is for them to move away from old habits that act as a barrier to success in their role. The move to the […]
HR professionals ‘risk being left behind’, says CIPD
HR professionals risk being left behind unless they find ways to help senior managers reach their goal of building a genuinely sustainable business model for the future. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the first report from its Next Generation HR project said that the HR function needed to move from its […]
Ask the expert: Demotion – any choice?
Does an employee have to accept a demotion and hefty pay cut? Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise. The question: Three years ago a relation was offered the opportunity to move from a ‘hands on’ role to an office-based role. He was given a letter which stated that it should not be considered a […]
Redundancies are set to almost double in the first quarter
Redundancies are set to almost double in the first quarter with nearly a third of public sector employers planning to cut jobs and the private sector unable to make up the shortfall despite signs of renewed hiring activity. A survey undertaken among 700 organisations by market researchers IPSOS Mori indicated that the jobs market would […]
53% of UK employees express passion for their jobs
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, the Kenexa Research Institute, a division of Kenexa, a global provider of business solutions for human resources, researched, "What makes an employee passionate about his/her job?" Having passion for one's job is defined by the extent to which employees are excited about their work, feel a sense of […]
Can you enforce your dress code?
Differing legal opinions on the implications of a crucifix-wearer losing her discrimination appeal against British Airways means that it is still unclear what dress codes employers may enforce without risk of litigation. Christian Nadia Eweida today lost her appeal against a ruling that cleared BA of indirectly discriminating against her on the basis of her […]
Saying ‘I love you’ (in a work-appropriate way)
How often should you say thanks? Saying thank you to your employees is something which should be second nature and shouldn't happen just once a year. Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton explain how often you should tell your employees you appreciate them. When we speak to corporate groups, we'll send out pre-surveys that ask employees […]
Dinnerladies win discrimination case over Council
A ‘groundbreaking’ ruling, which found a Yorkshire council guilty of sex discrimination for paying bonuses to men but not women, could open the way for similar compensation claims across the country. The Appeal Court backed a claim that 13 female carers and dinnerladies working for Sheffield City Council had been subjected to discrimination because they […]