The Public Sector People Managers’ Association to launch website
The Public Sector People Managers’ Association is launching a new web portal called ‘Guiding you tHRu’ to help HR managers in the public sector prepare for and measure organizational change. The platform, based on the PPMA’s HR Transformation Roadmap, will offer tools, guides, forums, and resources to assess HR capabilities and implement successful transformations.
Workforce planning: How many staff does it take to run an organisation?
Workforce planning helps organizations determine the right number of staff needed and boost productivity. Rather than arbitrary cuts, strategic workforce planning aligns employee skills and numbers with business demands to sustain growth and improve service delivery.
Volunteering – but who benefits?
Workplace volunteering has grown popular among employers, but questions remain about whether it truly benefits charities or primarily serves as corporate team-building. While skilled volunteers provide valuable expertise, unskilled volunteering may burden charities with manufacturing opportunities rather than addressing genuine needs.
2010: The year of interesting jobs?
Engaging employees with interesting, challenging work is crucial for productivity and retention, especially during uncertain times. Survey data shows over 90% of engaged employees find their work stimulating, compared to just 39% of disengaged staff. HR teams can leverage this insight to improve morale and reduce turnover by presenting new responsibilities and development opportunities as career growth chances.
Abandoned to their fate – ex-employees whose companies cannot afford outplacement?
Companies making employees redundant don’t need to afford private outplacement services—the UK’s DWP offers free job-search support, career training, and assistance through Jobcentre Plus. Many employers and jobseekers remain unaware of these available resources.
HR tip: Phone before sick visiting?
Yes, you should phone before visiting a sick employee at home to respect their privacy and give them advance notice. This allows the employee and their family time to prepare and ensures your visit isn’t wasted if they’re out for health-related activities like walks.
HR professionals exploit the potential of social media
HR professionals are increasingly using social media and Web 2.0 technologies to attract and retain talent, but success requires embedding these tools into business processes and motivating employees to adopt them. Experts emphasize that implementation must align with business strategy, provide clear value to users, and include incentive systems to overcome resistance to change.
Group call for government support on equal pay research
An employers’ group has called for government support to help organisations collect and publish pay data to address the gender pay gap. The request follows recommendations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission ahead of potential mandatory pay reporting requirements by 2013.
Survey uncovers ‘simmering employee discontent’
A survey of 2,000 UK workers reveals job satisfaction has hit an all-time low, dropping significantly among younger employees. The findings show widespread employee discontent driven by job insecurity, pay freezes, stress, and limited career progression opportunities.
Retirement age abolishment would herald major HR rethink
Abolishing the UK’s default retirement age would require significant changes to HR practices, including revised performance management, succession planning, and flexible working policies. Employers would need to ensure fair treatment across all age groups while managing funding challenges related to longer tenures of senior staff.
New legal ruling clarifies employers’ obligation to risks assessments of pregnant workers
A recent legal ruling clarifies that employers must conduct risk assessments for pregnant workers only when evidence shows they face actual health and safety risks, not as a routine requirement for all pregnant employees. The judgment in O’Neill v Buckinghamshire County Council establishes three specific preconditions employers must meet before conducting assessments, potentially reducing unnecessary HR burdens.
Do professional HR personnel need professional training?
Professional HR training is increasingly essential as the role has evolved beyond simple employment management to encompass strategy, law, recruitment, and employee relations. While HR professionals often enter the field from various backgrounds, formal qualifications and continuous education are necessary to navigate complex employment law and progress in the profession, particularly at senior levels.
Ask the expert: Holiday on sick leave?
When an employee on sick leave takes holiday, employers can treat that period as annual leave and pay full pay, or continue sick pay depending on whether the employee formally requests the time off. Holiday entitlements continue to accrue during long-term sick leave.
Competition: Win a Water Wellpoint Wellbeing review for your organisation
Enter this competition for a chance to win a Water Wellpoint online wellbeing review worth over £500 for your organisation. This comprehensive assessment evaluates how work affects employee health and provides employers with actionable insights to improve workplace wellbeing. Complete your entry by February 26, 2010.
Personal development – essential to managers – essential for everyone?
Personal development is essential for managers and professionals alike, continuing beyond formal education into the workplace. While some organizations provide structured training and development opportunities, many fail to implement comprehensive programs with regular reviews and measurable outcomes.
Stress assessed: 40 million Europeans suffering from stress
Over 40 million employees in the European Union suffer from work-related stress, costing the economy €20 million. The British Standards Institute and Nottingham University are leading an international initiative to develop official standards for assessing and managing psycho-social risks in the workplace, addressing a gap in current health and safety regulations.
Council pay freeze leads to thaw demands
Local government unions are demanding councils reconsider an April pay freeze affecting 1.5 million workers, claiming it was imposed without negotiation. The councils say the freeze is necessary to address budget deficits and protect jobs and services, rejecting union requests for a 2.5% pay increase.
Good HR is E.ons away
Energy supplier E.On announced plans to cut 800 jobs, including 600 from its Rayleigh call centre closure, but staff learned about it from a newspaper before receiving official notification from the company, sparking backlash over poor communication and HR practices.
HR tip: Employee refuses contract
When an employee refuses to accept a statement of terms and conditions, employers must still issue it as required by law. If the employee declines, place the document in their personnel file and mark it accordingly—you’ve met your legal obligation while making clear the terms apply regardless of acceptance.
Recruiting? Get the job spec write!
Learn how to write effective job specifications that attract ideal candidates. Expert tips on clarity, brevity, and proofreading help HR professionals communicate role requirements clearly to job seekers, reducing wasted time and improving candidate quality.
