Ask the expert: Holiday during probation period
Can an employer, in a small business, prevent new employees taking annual leave during their probation period? Martin Brewer and Esther Smith advise. The question: We currently have a six-month probation period. We are a small firm and I have six new employees which makes up a third of the staff. Are […]
The benefits of a default retirement age
Matthew Lawrence outlines his views on why the default retirement age should not be removed and warns that a change to current policy could have serious financial implications for employers. At the outset it is important to state that workers over 65-years-old are often an invaluable resource of knowledge and experience, something sorely needed in […]
HR and learning: Should we be one big, happy family?
In a series on HR and learning strategy, Paul Kearns asks whether it is about time learning and HR specialists were seen to be working much closer together as one, single, coherent source of expertise in people management. It is amazing that HR and learning professionals do not work more closely together. Anyone […]
What is your boss really thinking?
Have you ever wondered how your boss interprets your actions? Chester Elton answers questions about what bosses really think when their employees exhibit typical workplace behaviours. What’s my boss thinking when I don’t speak up in a meeting, come in late with an excuse, volunteer to organise all the team private parties and events, or […]
Huge gender pay gap in City
Women working in the UK’s financial sector receive around 80% less in performance-related pay than men, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The commission’s Finance Sector Inquiry found that women employees earned an average of £2,875 in bonuses, compared to an average of £14,554 for men. The inquiry included a survey of […]
HR tip: Stopping swearing
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: One of our employees consistently uses bad language in all his conversations. This is offensive to some people who hear it and even more so when it forms part of a complaint […]
Colborn’s Corner: The end of civil service redundancy cheques?
There are plans to cut generous redundancy payments for the 500,000 civil servants in Britain. Quentin Colborn examines the issue and questions what employers are trying to achieve by such payments. If one topic has been on the lips of HR people over the last year then ‘redundancy’ has to be close to being top of […]
Diversity at B&Q: The people business
Retail chain B&Q is well known for its success in employing a diverse workforce. So what is its secret? Lucie Mitchell speaks to the organisation’s diversity advisor to find out. Home improvement retailer B&Q is well known for its diversity policies. It has earned a reputation for employing older workers and has […]
Engaging all the generations in our workforce
Karen Frost explores the key differences between each of the four generations and explains how to overcome the challenge of Generation Y. If you stop and think about it, we currently have four generations of people in our workforce. This has always been the case, but the needs and aspirations of each […]
HR solutions for small and dispersed populations
In a globalised environment, how do organisations with small employee numbers and a wide geographical distribution make the case for HR technology investment or outsourcing? Rachel Anderson advises. The demands of a multi-national environment mean organisations often have sophisticated local HR requirements but with a small number of employees in each location, which often […]
Create a diverse workforce for business success
Equality and diversity must be seen as a business issue, despite the recession, because promoting a diverse workforce can bring many benefits to both employer and employee, says Sarah Williams Gardener. The total benefits to the UK economy of reducing the gender segregation of jobs and increasing women’s employment has been estimated as anything up […]
Is your HR department ready for the economic upturn?
The Institute of Chartered Accountants has predicted the UK economy will grow by 0.5% in the third quarter, sparking reports Britain is coming out of recession. Denis Barnard asks, is your HR department ready for the good times? According to the Institute of Chartered Accountants, which recently surveyed 1,000 chartered accountants across the UK, business […]
Ask the expert: Employee’s wife harassing female staff
The wife of a male manager has been harassing two female employees. Can HR do anything to stop this from happening? Matthew Whelan and Esther Smith advise. The question Two female staff have complained that they have received nasty calls and texts from their male manager’s wife, accusing them of sleeping with […]
How to encourage employee creativity and innovation
Fire the imagination of your staff and they will become more engaged and motivated. Mocky Khan outlines five top tips on how to create an environment where staff can unleash their creativity. ‘Rinse and repeat’: the first shampoo manufacturer to add these three little words to the label doubled the company’s global sales […]
The paperless office: To fear or not to fear?
Technology correspondent Jon Wilcox takes a look at the ‘Holy Grail’ for offices and asks whether it will ever be realistically attained. The subject of the paperless office concept is almost as perennial as conversations about the weather. For the past 40 years since it was dreamt up, the notion of a paper-free […]
A summer of strikes?
The strike at the Lindsay Oil Refinery was a highly-publicised one. Since then, a number of other strikes have taken place with others being threatened. Pam Loch explains what HR professionals can do to avoid industrial action. The Lindsay dispute – the unofficial angle Unlike other disputes the Lindsay dispute was different in that it involved […]
Getting your outsourcing contract back on track
While we know outsourcing can offer real business benefits, new research shows there is a feeling of discontent among many businesses when it comes to outsourcing payroll, says Roger Fullilove. We recently undertook some research which revealed the key drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among UK companies that outsource their payroll. The results highlighted the five key issues […]
Video webcast: James Caan on turning your company into an ideas factory
How do you encourage innovation in your company? Does promoting open communication between employees at all levels work? Dragons' Den James Caan answered these questions and more in our web TV show. In association with the government's iawards, which celebrate British achievements in science, technology and innovation, leading entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star James Caan spoke […]
HR tip: Types of holiday – statutory, bank and public holidays
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: I have been looking through the contracts of employment of several of our employees and find reference to statutory, bank and public holidays. There appears to be no consistency. What exactly are […]
Information overload: Mind mapping software
Suffering from information overload? Chris Harman explains how mind mapping software can help individuals and organisations to work smarter and manage projects more efficiently. The phrase ‘participatory culture’ has been defined as a ‘new way of life that lets people create and circulate self-made content such as video, audio, text, and images’. The culture has been […]