Views on HR news: HR blogging comes of age
Jon Ingham trawls the net to provide his round-up of the great and the good of HR thought and opinion found on the web, so you don’t have to. This week, he reviews the increased use of social media tools discussed at SHRM’s 2009 annual conference. Web 2.0 and social networking tools are being […]
Seven deadly wins in employee motivation
Lucie Mitchell speaks to seven HR experts to find out their top tips on ensuring your employees are engaged, productive and motivated in the current economic climate. Retention of your key talent is vital in a recession, which means that HR professionals need to ensure that those employees who have survived redundancy remain engaged, […]
Why some survivors don’t survive
The survivors of a redundancy programme need to be nurtured and treated with respect within an open and honest environment, otherwise they will think with their feet and work elsewhere, says Andrew Leigh. In a much earlier incarnation, I once worked for an up-and-coming advertising company which made use of my services […]
Legislation update: Reasonable adjustments and disability discrimination
A recent case highlighted that a dismissal can be rendered an act of disability discrimination if an employer fails to make reasonable adjustments. Richard White considers this case further. The facts In the recent case of Fareham College Corporation v Walters, the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that a dismissal can be an act of […]
HR nominees revealed for Software Satisfaction Awards
Jon Wilcox looks at the contenders for this year’s Software Satisfaction Awards; will Octopus get its tentacles around another award? The nominations for the Sift Media Software Satisfaction Awards 2009 have been unveiled, revealing the HR software solutions looking to pick up a coveted award at this year’s ceremony. Taking place at the Royal Courts of […]
Hold a coffee morning to engage employees
The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, a fundraising event organised by Macmillan Cancer Support, is being seen as an excellent tool for team building and boosting staff morale. As one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK, Macmillan is encouraging employers to hold a coffee morning in the workplace on Friday 25 September 2009, to […]
Project management: What a steal!
Matchett’s senior consultant Amanda Brown has taken a novel look at the process of project management and how it relates to George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s Oceans Eleven. Initially, I thought that it was just a good film, she writes, now I realise that it is a case for the well organised project, following the […]
MacLeod Review: What the experts said
Some worthy recommendations came out of the MacLeod Review this week, so HRzone.co.uk has gathered opinion from a range of HR experts to find out what they think of the review and what business should be doing to ensure employee engagement remains at the top of the agenda. The MacLeod Review of employee engagement, launched on Thursday, has […]
Driving employee engagement higher
How does an organisation increase employee engagement? Jack Wiley identifies four ‘pillars’ of engagement which need to be addressed, and outlines the significant role played by managers. Research has shown that employee engagement is linked to improved productivity and commitment, higher levels of employee retention and reduced absenteeism, not to mention enhancements […]
Even thin cats need calories: Making the recession work
The recession is an excellent opportunity to look at the performance of your staff and cut the metaphorical fat by losing those who are not performing to their full potential, says Anton Franckeiss. What does a recession give you? For company owner, director, manager or employee alike, it will undoubtedly bring stress and anxiety, but – at […]
Employee engagement is key to future business success, finds MacLeod Review
The MacLeod Review of employee engagement, launched today, has recommended that employers must fully involve their staff in the future of the business if they are to innovate and secure new opportunities. The review also highlighted the need for more government support and more cooperation by UK organisations to ensure the employer-employee relationship is central […]
HR tip: Unanswered job offer
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 weeks ago, we wrote to a man offering him a job but he has so far not replied. We suspect that he is trying to wring a better deal […]
Employee engagement and motivation: What not to do
Tim Holden examines the approaches businesses should definitely not be taking if they want their employees to remain motivated, loyal and engaged throughout the recession and beyond. Keeping levels of employee engagement at a satisfactory level is one of the biggest challenges employers face in the UK at present. Pay cuts, pay freezes, […]
Success in a recession: Be inventive
Those who predicted our current economic slump were able to develop imaginative strategies to avoid the worst, whilst the rest of us were left on the back foot. Blaire Palmer explains what HR professionals can do to promote a more creative culture. HR budgets are under pressure (they always are, of […]
Keeping your survivors engaged
Despite firms wanting to retain their key talent, up to 10% of the workforce can leave a company after keeping their jobs through the redundancy programme. Chris Philips explains how best to engage – and keep – talent. Recent weeks have seen optimistic predictions that the worst of the recession is over and that the […]
Default retirement age review to take place in 2010
A review of the default retirement age is to be brought forward by a year, the government has announced. The review had been expected to take place in 2011, but will now take place next year in response to changing demographic and economic circumstances, ministers said. Denise Keating, chief executive of leading age campaigners […]
Should HR outsourcing be a part of your recovery strategy?
Will HR outsourcing and shared-service techniques prove their worth over the next 12 months? Tim Palmer says there is a sourcing opportunity for almost every organisation in today’s economy, but only if an effective approach is taken. Throughout 2009 HR leaders have found that their organisations are searching for ways to lower costs. Previously unthinkable […]
Ask the expert: Dismissed on capability grounds
An employee, who was signed off work due to stress and depression, was dismissed on capability grounds after 10 years’ employment. Martin Brewer and Esther Smith advise if this was fair. The question: I have been working for a company for just under 10 years and just before Christmas, I went off work […]
BERR and DIUS merger: Implications for employers
Just two years after it was created, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was scrapped last month in favour of the new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Pam Loch and Wendy Hayes discuss whether employers are right to be sceptical. Last month, in yet another revamp by the government, the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) […]
Colborn’s Corner: Pay and benefits – will they ever be the same again?
This month Quentin Colborn addresses the issue of the employee relations legacy that is being built for the future. In the news this week, we read of BA staff apparently rejecting a deal that would have resulted in pay cuts as part of the plan to get BA onto a firmer financial footing. They are […]
