How leadership can help the economic recovery
Leadership will be a key aspect when business seeks to recover from the recession. Experts in leadership including Ken Blanchard and Tom Peters share their thoughts. Whether it is representing the brand’s values or inspiring and engaging staff, the role of leader has never been so important as it will be in 2010. The present […]
Jobcentre Plus gets a plus with improved services
With the help of HR and behavioural change specialists, Jobcentre Plus has begun work to offer business a better recruitment option. The pilot programme, which took place in Greenwich, focused on addressing the additonal pressure on the nationwide service because of the recession. No longer is the jobcentre dealing with typical jobseekers alone: the recently […]
Going postal – the role of HR in a strike
The industrial dispute which has engulfed Royal Mail in recent weeks has led many commentators to predict another 'winter of discontent'. Kevin Dougall explores the role of HR and how to avoid bitter disputes in the first place. Many younger HR workers will not remember the strikes which blighted the 1970s and 80s, but recently […]
Happiness more important than money, claim employees
Getting the right work-life balance, up-skilling and family time is now more important to workers than achieving a high salary, according to new research. According a survey conducted by a travel company, the recession has made employees rethink their priorities and most now would choose time at home with their families over direct monetary benefits. […]
Home grown leaders preferred, say UK employees
When hiring your next CEO or director, bear this in mind: research has revealed that ‘growing your own’ creates better perceived, more highly regarded leaders than hiring externally. A majority of UK employees have more respect for leaders who have worked their way up through an organisation. Two thirds of the employees surveyed considered ‘home-grown’ […]
Are your employees at risk?
The pitfalls of not understanding business insurance were laid open by research from the British Chamber of Commerce and AXA in a survey which revealed many businesses were cutting back their cover and leaving themselves and employees vulnerable. During 2009, 36,200 businesses are predicted to fail, but having appropriate insurance can help protect a business […]
Caption competition 6 October 2009
Thank you for all your funny entries: the winner is 'Adhna' with: "Finger of blame: David despaired – no matter how much he wriggled the finger of blame always seemed to be pointing at him." Congratulations Adhna, you have won this months' prize, outlined below. Kevin will be in touch with you to talk through […]
Ask the expert: Can we dictate when he takes leave?
This week an apprentice cannot be trusted. Can they be forced to take their annual leave when the boss is away? Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise. The question My friend employs an apprentice, who, when recently working on a job on his own, managed to cause a lot of damage, lost […]
Coping with cancer at work
The HR department of a large employer will see more new cancer diagnoses in a year than a GP. To address this, Macmillan has launched a pilot scheme with Nationwide and Ford to provide information and evidence on current practices and issues within the workplace. Dealing with cancer is hard not only for the person […]
Start from scratch: Teambuilding
HR may be handed the task of ‘building teams’ but how best to go about it? John Pope outlines his no-nonsense guide. Within any sector of business, good teams are essential to business function and success. We have teams so that people get better results by working together rather than separately. Members stay together […]
Paternity leave – the good, the bad and the ugly
New government draft regulations promise more flexibility for parents when it comes to caring for a newborn, but is the pressure to perform at work preventing paternity leave – and your organisation – being a success? When it comes to paternity rights there seem to have been three schools of thought: the employers who recognise […]
FAQ: Long-term sickness absence
Dealing with long-term sickness can be daunting. We present everything you wanted to know about dealing with long-term sickness absence but were afraid to ask, from legal expert Rayner Jones. Coping with staff sickness absence can be a major headache for employers. Dismissal is always a last resort. But, sometimes, it is the only option […]
Let’s hear it for HR’s unsung heroes
Currently, when is it comes to the vanguard of HR comment, you could be forgiven for thinking: ‘same old, same old’, says Denis Barnard. The same names appear in the ‘most influential’ polls who were there a decade ago. Writers who once were fire-breathers, academics (who presumably eschewed putting their great ideas into practice) and […]
SEO magic: Make your vacancy stand out
Nigel Muir, managing director of search engine marketing specialist DBD Media, has provided five top tips for recruitment search success to get your position noticed. 1. Take the time to understand and evaluate whether pay-per-click advertising or search engine optimisation (SEO) is right for you. High-ranking SEO results are often more trusted by users, but […]
Recession continues: Don’t forget your workforce
Many were expecting news of a small, but not insignificant, recovery of the recession when the lastest quarterly results were released. When, in fact, the economy was found to have contracted by a futher 0.4% it was a surprise to many who had predicted ‘green shoots’, and not without evidence. According to the recent 2009 […]
HR Tip: Using solicitor in Employment Tribunal
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: We have been summoned to appear in the Employment Tribunal to defend a claim of unfair dismissal. Do you advise that we engage a solicitor or handle the case ourselves by sending […]
Size acceptance – hard to stomach?
The recent demonstration by the Size Acceptance Movement has raised some thought-provoking issues. Unlawful or not, there is no doubt that size-ism and look-ism go on in workplaces, but what can realistically be done? James Williams offers a legal perspective. The Size Acceptance Movement held a demonstration in front of the Mayor of London’s office […]
Is the war for talent now flooded with recruits?
From a talent drought to a potential talent flood – but how to sort the great from the good? Lisa Proctor, Director of Changeworknow, explains how online and 'might as well' applications have swelled the talent pool's banks fit to burst – and how to handle it well. What a difference a year makes. Only one […]
Redundancy: sink or swim
Heidi Blakey finds that when undertaking redundancy, determining the correct selection pool is a key issue in avoiding legal challenges. Dismissal on grounds of redundancy has arguably become simpler to justify in view of the economic downturn. Not only is it easier in these recessionary times to demonstrate that a redundancy is genuine, but […]
When opposites frustrate – don’t give up!
Diversity can bring huge benefits to an organisation, but are you getting the most from it? Matthew Hill gives advice and guidance on managing diverse teams. When the pressure is on within a team, the cracks will begin to show. This is often evidenced by escalating displays of emotion and tension. Sometimes a negative spiral […]
