Seize the moment: Embrace change and strengthen HR
Dan Ferrandino discusses why the current tough trading conditions present an ideal opportunity to embrace change and reinforce the business relevance of the HR function. 2009 will go down as a year of unprecedented change – from a new political agenda in the US to the global economic crisis. As Barack Obama said: "The world […]
Ask the expert: TUPE and offers of employment
Adam Partington and Esther Smith advise on whether a GP is protected under TUPE after the GP moved to another practice, which had then been transferred to a new employer. The question My question regards Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) protection for a GP. This GP has recently been made an offer of […]
SuccessFactors unveils new business execution software
SaaS-based HR vendor unveils BizX software suite, part of a strategy to help customers attain excellence in execution. Jon Wilcox reports. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor SuccessFactors has unveiled a new strategy to help improve business execution, described by the company as "the biggest problem in business today". The Business Execution Software (BizX) strategy is made up […]
Your printer and you
Take part in our simple survey, and let us know what you think of your printer. As regular HRzone.co.uk members will have recently read, the paperless office remains the Holy Grail for companies. Physical documents are still with us, and so are the devices that produce them. With that in mind, Sift Media, the publisher […]
Mandatory retirement: The case against
The default retirement age is simply not needed, says Chris Ball, who shares his thoughts on why scrapping mandatory retirement can be extremely beneficial to organisations. The case for or against mandatory retirement is not just an HR issue. It involves the individual worker and the national and international economy as […]
How to celebrate success when there isn’t any
It’s always easy to celebrate the good times, but what happens when the results aren’t so great? Claire Logan outlines some of the options available to reward and recognise in challenging times. It has been accepted wisdom for many years that the culture of an organisation can affect its performance. Throughout the late 80s […]
HR tip: Children at work on weekends
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: Some of our employees come in on Saturdays to catch up with their work and I have noticed that some of them bring their children with them. I have taken up this […]
Success in a recession: Is talent really that important?
Research shows that it is determination and knowing what to do with the talent you have which really count. So Blaire Palmer asks, should we be placing ‘talent’ further down the list of priorities? Most of us are in the business of developing talent. And yet, how much do we really know about what talent […]
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 […]
