The benefits of a default retirement age
A default retirement age provides employers with flexibility while managing pension and benefits costs, though critics argue removing it could help workers build larger pension pots and avoid retiring into poverty.
HR and learning: Should we be one big, happy family?
HR and learning professionals should work more closely together as a unified people management strategy. When disconnected from organizational goals—as seen at Royal Bank of Scotland—learning initiatives fail to create lasting impact on company culture and talent development.
What is your boss really thinking?
Discover what your boss really thinks about common workplace behaviors like arriving exactly on time, staying silent in meetings, showing up late with excuses, and socializing with coworkers. Learn how to make a positive impression through engagement and initiative.
Huge gender pay gap in City
Women in the UK financial sector earn significantly less performance-related pay than men, receiving an average of £2,875 in bonuses compared to £14,554 for men, according to an Equality and Human Rights Commission inquiry of 50 major companies.
HR tip: Stopping swearing
Address employee swearing through conversation first, explaining how offensive language affects colleagues. If persuasion fails, implement disciplinary action up to dismissal, as age is not a valid excuse for this workplace conduct issue.
Colborn’s Corner: The end of civil service redundancy cheques?
The UK government plans to cap civil service redundancy payments at two years’ salary, down from the current uncapped scheme. Public sector unions are considering legal challenges to these proposals, which could leave some employees tens of thousands of pounds worse off than under existing compensation rules.
Diversity at B&Q: The people business
B&Q has built a reputation for diverse hiring practices, including employing older workers and partnering with disability groups across the UK. The home improvement retailer integrates diversity into all business activities, from apprenticeships to store staffing, believing a workforce that reflects local communities delivers better customer service and access to talent pools.
Engaging all the generations in our workforce
Today’s workforce spans four generations with distinct values and motivations. Understanding the differences between Matures, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials is essential for managers to engage all employees effectively and maximize their potential.
HR solutions for small and dispersed populations
Organizations with small, dispersed workforces globally face unique HR challenges when justifying technology investment. This article explores emerging software and outsourcing solutions designed specifically for companies with multiple small offices across different regions, examining how they can improve the financial business case for HR transformation while delivering strategic benefits.
Create a diverse workforce for business success
A diverse workforce drives business success by improving decision-making, boosting employee engagement, and increasing innovation. Research shows reducing gender job segregation could add £23 billion to the UK economy while cutting litigation risks and staff turnover.
Is your HR department ready for the economic upturn?
As economic indicators suggest the UK recession is ending, HR departments must prepare for recovery. Now is the ideal time to streamline operations, review hiring practices, and implement best practices before demand for talent increases significantly.
Ask the expert: Employee’s wife harassing female staff
When an employee’s spouse harasses coworkers through phone calls and texts, HR can address the issue by speaking with the employee and asking him to take reasonable steps to prevent the harassment. Legal experts advise supporting affected employees while exploring solutions like changing contact methods or involving authorities if necessary.
How to encourage employee creativity and innovation
Foster employee creativity by creating a supportive environment that values ideas and provides dedicated time for innovation. Practical strategies include communicating that creativity is rewarded, setting realistic workloads, and incorporating structured creative processes into your business operations.
The paperless office: To fear or not to fear?
The paperless office has been a long-promised goal for over 40 years, yet paper remains entrenched in modern workplaces. Despite advances in technology and cloud computing, companies struggle to fully eliminate paper due to cost, convenience, and implementation challenges, though strategic digitization efforts can yield significant savings.
A summer of strikes?
HR professionals can help prevent strikes by maintaining strong relationships with employees and unions, resolving issues early through transparent communication, and understanding the legal distinction between official and unofficial industrial action under UK employment law.
Getting your outsourcing contract back on track
Research reveals key drivers of outsourcing dissatisfaction among UK businesses, highlighting issues like poor scope definition, weak account management, and inadequate communication. Organizations can improve outsourcing relationships by thoroughly scoping requirements, maintaining open vendor communication, and establishing clear service standards from the outset.
Video webcast: James Caan on turning your company into an ideas factory
Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan shares strategies for fostering workplace innovation and encouraging open communication across all employee levels in this live video webcast, exploring how HR can support idea development.
HR tip: Types of holiday – statutory, bank and public holidays
Statutory holidays refer to the minimum 5.6 weeks annual leave entitlement (four weeks plus public and bank holidays), while bank holidays and public holidays are specific designated days. Understanding these distinctions helps ensure employment contracts correctly reflect employee holiday rights.
Information overload: Mind mapping software
Mind mapping software helps individuals and organizations combat information overload by organizing unstructured information into accessible, linked categories. This tool enables teams to work smarter, manage projects efficiently, and improve collaboration in today’s high-pressure workplace environment.
Opinion: Let’s undermine HR
When senior management announces major decisions like facility closures through media channels before informing affected employees, it undermines HR policies and damages staff morale, potentially contradicting the organization’s stated commitment to valuing people as their most important assets.
