Autumn fall in recruitment
A small dip in recruitment opportunities occurred in September following a small fall in August, according to the Monster Online Employment Index. Year-on-year hirings are down by a third: the highest fall last month was seen in the public sector, which fell by 10%. Technology continues to suffer with less opportunities available in IT and […]
Protect your staff from swine flu – or risk being sued
Employers who are not seen to be adequately protecting staff from swine flu could be sued by angry employees, says Gary Tait, who advises on how you can protect both employees and the business. Being sued by an employee is a nightmare scenario for an HR team, but one which could possibly come true if […]
All on board?
Clare Roberts, managing consultant at PA Consulting, discusses how to assess the responsiveness to change in your organisation. One of the challenges of delivering significant organisational change in today’s climate of economic uncertainty is the way in which people are engaged through the process of change. It is widely understood that transformational change needs the […]
It’s HR, not a magic pill
Continuing his series, Paul Kearns explains how HR can work wonders, but the temptation of ‘magic pill’ quick fixes must be avoided. Some of us might like to think we can work miracles for our organisations but none of us should ever fool ourselves into thinking we can perform magic. Yet in practice that is […]
Maintaining the talent pipeline through a downturn
Nick Griffin, Head of Graduate Services at GRADdirect, part of Reed Specialist Recruitment, discusses how recruiters can meet the increased demands for higher quality recruits from the business with fewer resources, less time and a reduced budget. Close to half (42.3%) of graduate recruiters who responded to a GRADdirect survey said they were going to […]
Ask the expert: Removing allowances from contracts
This week a public service client is seeking to remove a car allowance. How should this be managed? Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise. The question I work for a public sector organisation and we are looking for ways to make efficiencies. It has been highlighted that some of our employees have […]
Poll: What effect will the Pereda decision have on your organisation?
The ECJ in Pereda v Madrid Movilidad SA has held that if a worker becomes sick during a period of annual leave, they are entitled to delay their holiday and carry their annual leave forward. What effect will this have on the way you deal with employees who may become sick while on leave? There’s […]
Octopus wins another Software Satisfaction Award
Octopus HR, the web-based HR software provider, won its second small business HR software prize at the Software Satisfaction Awards last night, and beat Enterprise HR winner Cascade HR to the web-hosted HR prize. Octopus overcame Select HR in the SME category, while Cascade beat SnowdropKCS HR to the big company prize, confirming the […]
Risk for employees as businesses cut insurance
Desperation to cut costs has led to some organisations skimping on insurance, leaving employees and businesses at risk, claims new research from AXA and British chambers of Commerce (BCC). Only a third of businesses understand their legal requirement to cover employees with employer’s liability insurance, leaving over half a million employees uninsured, according to […]
HR tip: Regular absenteeism
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: A couple of our employees quite regularly are absent on Fridays and Mondays, claiming minor illnesses. One likes to spend time in his caravan and the other visits her mother miles away […]
Success in a recession: Politics
It certainly has a bad name, but politics is a fact of life in the business world and, rather than being ignored or denied, maybe it is time to celebrate politics and learn to play the game, says Blaire Palmer. We live in a time when it is acceptable, if not required, to dismiss politics […]
Does the Pereda ruling make you feel ill?
Alison Norris, an HR expert with Employment Law Specialists & Health and Safety Advisors mhl Support, suggests a remedy – and indulges in a little bird watching… In September we had (yet) another decision from Europe that shook us to the core. The ruling related to one Francesco Pereda, a council worker from Madrid, and […]
On the case: flexible working and childcare
In the first of a new series, senior associate Layla Bunni gives insight and advice on real life legal cases. This month, an employee’s idea of flexible working is causing issues. The dilemma:A manager has approached the HR department to discuss some performance issues that he is currently experiencing with a member of his […]
Tory plans to raise retirement age
Following a high court ruling the age of retirement could stay, the Conservatives have announced they would raise the state retirement age to 66 – for both men and women. Although there are already plans to raise the retirement age, the present Government is not seeking to raise the age to 66 until 2026. The […]
Disciplinary and grievances in the aftermath of redundancy
Dealing with redundancies for businesses can be tough, but staff who remain pose challenges of their own. Laura Livingstone and Christopher DelaMare examine the correct procedures for dealing with employees using the ACAS Code. For many employees, job security seems like a thing of the past. Staff may be demoralised or fearful of […]
Top 10 tips: Engagement for managers
For your employees to be productive, motivated and loyal, it is vital that the line manager is engaged and knows how to lead a team. Doug Shaw shares his top ten tips on how to be a successful manager. 1. Create the ‘right’ culture. Pretty much everything you do as a manager impacts the […]
Ask the expert: Long term sickness and insurance
An employee has been claiming sickness insurance for seven years. Now he’s 60, it’s run out and the employer is footing the bill. Can his employment be terminated? Martin Brewer and Esther Smith give advice on a particularly complex case. The question: An employee has been off sick for seven years and has been […]
Sick or on holiday? Is it up to the employee now?
The ECJ in Pereda v Madrid Movilidad SA has held that if a worker becomes sick during a period of annual leave, they are entitled to delay their holiday and carry their annual leave forward. What does this mean for employers in terms of managing their employees and ensuring this right isn’t abused? The facts […]
Countdown starts for Software Satisfaction Awards 2009
This Thursday 8 October, key representatives from the business software industry will gather at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to pop some champagne while discovering how their users rate the products they provide. Last year’s surprise winner in the SME HR software category is back, and faces Select HR in the same category […]
The future is mobile: Time to give employees a fresh challenge
Chris Phillips explains why now is the time to take talent and internal mobility seriously and gives advice on how organisations can get their own strategy up and running. The economic outlook might be looking brighter now than at any point in the last 12 months, but this is no time for HR to rest […]