Beyond the crossroads: How to avoid a recession culture
When the economy improves, top talent will leave if they feel they were treated badly during the recession. Bettina Pickering and Amy Finn stress that all measures taken during the downturn are done with the long-term consequences in mind. In the face of the recession, it is unsurprising that a number of companies […]
How to select the right employee for the job
With scores of applicants chasing fewer roles, UK plc needs better candidate screening, says Steve O’Dell. In an economic downturn, recruitment processes need to be especially effective at selecting the right employees. Not only is there increased pressure on each new recruit to deliver, but in the midst of a deep recession, redundancies […]
Recruitment: Overcoming budget cuts
The recession has meant that recruitment and selection processes have to be more slick than ever. Sophie Pritchard advises how to get more bang for your assessment buck. Talks of the worst recession since the Second World War have left the economy drained and deflated. It’s forced a large number of organisations to review recruitment […]
Finding people that fit the organisation
It has never been more important to ensure you recruit the right person for the job. Ed Grimshaw explains how to find the ‘best fit’ when recruiting talent. One of the most difficult challenges facing a manager recruiting staff is finding people that fit the organisation and fit in with the other people in […]
‘Hands on’ HR is key to successful future recruiting
Keith Potts predicts what recruitment will look like in 2019, and suggests that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to recruitment will become ineffective. The A&R man who passed over the Beatles. The nine publishers who turned down JK Rowling and Harry Potter. Sheffield United deciding that £200,000 was too much to sign a 17-year-old […]
Undercover Boss: Paying lip service to the skills gap
In the final episode of Channel 4’s Undercover Boss, Steven Martin, CEO of construction giant Clugston goes incognito to find out how his employees really feel about their jobs – and the firm. Penny de Valk shares her views. "Every boss needs to do something like this. Thing is I’m not convinced they want to […]
Five things we learned at The Talent Management Conference
The Dorchester played host to The Economist Talent Management Conference on Friday, where attendees heard debate and analysis about one of the leading issues for HR departments during the recession. Neil Davey outlines some of the key points covered by the speakers. 1. The ‘war on talent’ has changed Ten years ago, McKinsey outlined what it described […]
Changing your HRIS software? Read this first
Choosing the wrong HRIS software can be one of the most time-consuming and costly mistakes you ever make. Denis Barnard reveals the questions you need to ask to guarantee the perfect system. Whether due to company expansion, new management or simply time for a change, before long every HR department will be looking […]
HR tip: Challenging doctor’s fit note
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: An employee has returned to work following a period of sickness absence, with a doctor’s certificate saying that he is now fit for work. However we have our doubts. Can we challenge […]
Opinion: Cost-effective recruitment strategies
In a new regular series, Lisette Howlett provides expert thought and opinion on recruitment and retention in today’s business landscape. This month, she looks at how HR departments can implement cost-effective recruitment methods. I have always believed that cost-effective, high-quality recruitment and retention requires a good strategy (vision plus plan of action) and combination of […]
Childcare vouchers: Parents and employers need a break
Businesses were recently advised to withdraw from the government’s childcare vouchers scheme, as a result of an equal opportunities European ruling last year. Pam Loch and Wendy Hayes explain where this leaves employers now. Since the birth of the childcare voucher scheme in 2005, around 20% of employers have set up arrangements for their employees enabling them to sacrifice […]
Recruitment in a downturn: Planning for the future
Employers must spend time now examining how best to attract talent to nurture the business and invest in the future. Raj Tulsiani explains how organisations can get it right. A disturbingly large number of organisations have reacted to uncertain economic times by downsizing with an axe rather than a scalpel. To a certain extent, that […]
Abercrombie & Fitch accused of ‘lookism’
US clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch is being taken to an employment tribunal after a sales assistant claimed that she was made to work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop’s image. Riam Dean, a 22-year-old law student, is suing for disability discrimination and seeking up to £20,000 in damages […]
Caption competition: And the winner is…
This month’s caption competition featured someone who is no stranger to the headlines – Lord Mandelson, pictured here earlier this year. We decided to crown HR manager John Gillic as the winner this time, and he has chosen a bottle of Chilean red (Vina Carmen Pinot Noir) as his prize. John’s winning caption was: "If I can just swallow […]
Online recruitment: Returning more for less
During these difficult times, your recruitment budget has to give even more ROI, so how can online recruitment methods help to deliver this? Technology correspondent Jon Wilcox reports. Let’s not pull any punches – the UK jobs market has been decimated in recent months. Vacancies for permanent roles have diminished; the manufacturing sector has crumbled; and […]
People and their screensavers
New research suggests that looking at certain screensavers can spare professionals the ill effects of workplace stress and make them more productive. The study found that people who had scenic scenes on their computers were able to reduce their stress levels by up to 30%. However, there are fundamental flaws in the notion that having […]
Ask the expert: Sending home without pay
An employer has a clause which states that staff who are late for a shift, resulting in cover being brought in, will be sent home and not paid. Matthew Whelan and Esther Smith advise whether this is legal. The question We are currently reviewing our disciplinary rules and we have a clause which states that […]
Legislation update: Climate change and philosophical beliefs
Richard White discusses a recent case in which the employment tribunal held that an employee’s belief in climate change could be considered a religious belief, rather than an opinion. In the recent case of Nicholson v Grainger PLC and others, the employment tribunal held that Mr Nicholson’s belief in climate change could […]
Summer holidays: A source of stress?
Many employees have to work significantly harder before leaving for, and returning from, their summer holiday. Melodie Gilbert outlines the measures employers can take to limit this stress. It’s that time of year when employees’ minds begin to turn to sun-drenched beaches and time out from their everyday jobs. We all look forward to a break […]
Undercover boss: It’s worth investing in your people
In a new two-part series on Channel 4, Undercover Boss features a senior executive who goes undercover in their own company to find out what is happening at the coalface and what employees really think about the business. Penny de Valk shares her thoughts on last night’s episode. Channel 4’s new series Undercover Boss, […]
