Retention – the big issue of 2010
All the signs point to retention being one of the key issues for HR – while under threat of redundancy, employees hung on to their jobs. An upturn may mean a brain drain – what can HR do? David Leyshon, Managing Director of CBSbutler, shares his view. A recent survey undertaken by specialist technical and […]
Study reveals secrets to successful leadership
Although most organisations believe that strong managers with a target and numbers-driven approach are crucial to success during a recession, a new study has revealed that bosses with a more democratic, people-oriented style generate better performance. According to a two-year research project undertaken by the Work Foundation, self-aware leaders who focus on developing mutual relationships […]
Union claims Fujitsu job cuts are discriminatory
In a warning to HR managers everywhere, the Unite union is questioning whether compulsory redundancies at Fujitsu’s applications services unit are disproportionately hitting women, people from ethnic minorities and part-timers. IT systems and services provider Fujitsu said in August that it planned to axe about 10 per cent of its 12,000 UK staff, but so […]
Islington council hires interim director following suspension
An interim director has been brought in to oversee Islington Council’s troubled HR function following an investigation into claims of bullying and financial mismanagement by its boss. Richard Mycroft has been brought in to caretake the department after Maria King was suspended on full pay in December last year. Senior members of King’s team are […]
Mover and shaker: Caroline Waters, director of people and policy, BT
Director of people at BT honoured with OBE in 2010 New Year’s honours. Caroline Waters, director of people and policy at BT, was given an OBE for services to diversity and equal opportunities. Waters has led the telecoms giant’s efforts to open up careers to more women and ethnic minorities, and is also chair of […]
Succession planning: The bigger picture
Asking the big questions about sucession planning, where it fits in to the organisation and who should be included with Chris Berry. Which individuals in your organisation really need to have a succession plan developed for them? Is it just board-level executives, or perhaps each member of the senior management team? Or are there other […]
Employee development: The role of the line manager
Examining the importance of the employee-line manager relationship in employee development with experts from the Insititute of Employment Studies. Any research that is done focusing on people within organisations almost invariably concludes that the employee-line manager relationship is crucial. Two pieces of research carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies , for example, came […]
Employee confidence back on the rise
Employee confidence rose slightly in the fourth quarter of 2009 in all of the world’s 12 largest economies apart from Japan, indicating that the global economy may be on the up again. According to a poll undertaken by HR software provider Kenexa among 15,500 staff across the 12 countries, staff confidence rose to an average […]
Ask the expert: Sacked after 10 months
A graduate has been sacked after ten months, seemingly unfairly. Is there anything which can be done? The question: A person has been employed for approximately 10 months and passed probation after three months with no adverse comment. This is their first job after graduating from University. Recently they received a letter […]
Don’t get complacent about pensions
While the outlook for defined contribution pension plans looks set to improve in 2010 as markets start to rise again, now is not the time for complacency, an investment services company has warned. As a result, HR professionals need to review the schemes that are currently being provided to staff based on lessons learned during […]
Employers adopt ‘sophisticated’ methods to cope with recession
Employers need to adopt a more sophisticated approach to staff retention and development if they are to weather the current financial storm effectively, according to a new survey. A recent poll conducted among 550 senior HR managers in 17 countries by HR consultancy The Scala Group and the ACE Network found that only 25 percent […]
Recession leaves managers demanding more work with menaces
The recession has led to a big increase in bullying in the workplace, with the number of cases doubling from a decade ago, according to a new survey. A poll conducted by the union Unison indicated that more than a third of workers experienced bullying in the last six months – twice the figure of […]
Snow pay: should you dock wages of snowed-in workers?
Although employers may have a legal right to withhold workers’ pay if they do not come into work because of the snow, such action could not only be challenged but could also hit morale. The legal lowdown stands as follows: staff members are legally obliged to get themselves to work and companies are entitled […]
Social notworking – the dark side of social networking
Social networking presents modern challenges for employers. Here lawyer Gillian Mair gives legal advice on forming a social media and networking policy in your workplace. The ever-growing popularity of the use of the internet as a way of keeping in touch with friends has led to the rapid rise of social networking sites such as […]
Suspended sentence for NHS CV liar
In a reminder that HR professionals are not above the law, one senior NHS manager in Devon has just received a suspended prison sentence for lying about her qualifications. Kerrie Devine was a senior HR manager at East Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) between 2003 and 2006, but had to reapply for her post […]
Snow business: The winter survival kit for your organisation
Snowed under? Get some relief from the cold snap with this advice exploring creating extreme weather policy and making the most of technology. As waves of snow sweep into Britain from Siberia, civilisation as we know it appears to have broken down. With transport and infrastructure severely disrupted, up to 20% of workers […]
Snow business: 14% not in work, costing economy £0.5bn per day
Absence is at an all-time high as employees find themselves snowed under, according to FirstCare, who estimate it will cost business £0.5bn per day to cope with such high levels of absence. Is it quiet in the office? It seems likely as more employees are staying at home than ever seen before due to the […]
HR tip: Company car during notice
Learn HR is a leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications, and is experienced in advising on common HR and payroll problems. A wide selection of tips and guidance can be seen below. HRzone.co.uk recommends that any tips are taken as a starting point for guidance only. This week , […]
Talented graduates seek work in call centres
Talent war? What talent war? Call centres appear to be winning a better quality candidiate since the downturn. While contact centre agents have traditionally been considered undereducated with few other options, a huge 25 per cent are now graduates, with 14 per cent having a post-graduate degree under their belt. Moreover, according to a report […]
HMRC launches new crusade against minimum wage violators
A new Dynamic Response Team has been created, tasked with working on ‘high profile and complicated’ minimum wage cases. Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs has launched a new body, the Dynamic Response Team, with the aim of resolving the most high profile and complicated National Minimum Wage cases. One of the key priorities for the […]