Up in smoke: One week until ‘quit’ day
We continue to follow Becky Midgley in her quest to stop smoking through an eight-week programme set up by her employer. This week, with less people turning up to the session, she felt more confident in opening up about her cigarette habit. With over half of the group ‘in meetings’, I found this week’s session […]
So you want staff who are engaged?
Staff engagement is, of course, a major contributor to the success of any business, which is why the recent Sunday Times ‘Best Companies’ list is so well regarded. Yet, asks John Pope, what do we really mean by ‘best’ company and are we in danger of employees becoming too engaged? The recent Sunday Times Best […]
Ask the expert: Reduced working hours and pay
Due to the current climate, an employer would like to reduce working hours to three days per week. Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise on the legal implications to be aware of in terms of a reduction in pay. The question:If we want to reduce employees’ working hours so they only work three days per […]
Food Buyer in Good Health after Cutting Staff Absence and Improving Payroll with COA Solutions HCM System
The Health Store, the UK’s largest, independent and co-operatively owned buying group supplying independent health and wholefood retailers, has reduced staff absence levels from 7% to 2% by implementing a Human Capital Management (HCM) system from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com). This HCM system, which has integrated HR, payroll, absence recording and time and attendance functionality, has […]
Case study: Health and wellbeing at First ScotRail
The health and wellbeing programme at First ScotRail demonstrates commitment to staff and recognises the relationship between staff wellbeing and customer service levels. Becky Midgley talks to its occupational health advisor to find out more about the company's wellbeing initiatives. First ScotRail is the largest regional train operating […]
How does your organisation impact on work-related health?
Maria Karanika-Murray and George Michaelides discuss how organisational culture and policies affect the quality of working life and the work-related health and wellbeing of your workforce. What determines work-related health?Research and theory has typically placed emphasis on the individual and their job. We have good knowledge about how the quality of working life impacts on […]
HR tip: Refusal to supply references
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 found a superb candidate for a vacancy we have. We always ask for two references, including one from the previous employer, but this lady refuses to supply them. When asked […]
Up in smoke: An employee’s attempt to quit the cigarettes
As part of our health and wellbeing theme in April, Becky Midgley will be keeping us up-to-date with her efforts to stop smoking through an eight-week programme set up by her employer. This week, she attends her first session and isn’t too impressed. Several weeks ago our HR manager sent a group email to everyone […]
Ask the expert: Off sick or working from home?
An employee has called in sick, yet is still working from home and his line manager is discussing work via email. Esther Smith and Martin Brewer advise on the employer’s duty of care in this instance. The question: Last week a member of staff called in sick, then sent an email telling us he was […]
Wellbeing at work gets personal
When it comes to corporate wellbeing programmes, a discount at the local gym or a regular chair massage might be what springs to mind, but all that is changing. Jeff Archer explains. The 21st century face of wellness is a smarter one and recent months have seen a shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a […]
Restructure for success, not just for recession
Stuart Lindenfield explains why now is the ideal time for organisations to adopt a more efficient business structure and optimise their employee deployment philosophy. A lean, efficient business structure and an approach that continually seeks to make best use of employees’ talents will give an organisation a much better chance of surviving this recession. The […]
HR blogosphere bulletin: 10 of the best
Jon Ingham highlights 10 of his favourite posts from the HR blogs that he’s read this week so that he can bring a few more great blogs and bloggers to your attention. 1. Asperger syndrome and employmentI’ve posted previously on the need to think differently about autism, and I thought this post from James Richards […]
A week in HR: Employment law changes and cost-cutting
Lucie Mitchell reports on the employment legislation regulations that come into force this week, the extent of cost-cutting going on in UK businesses, and the worrying statistics that reveal that chronic disease will pose a serious threat to UK businesses in the next 20 years. The main news this week is the new raft of […]
What the experts said: Flexible working and the new Acas Code
Today, 6 April, sees two major employment law amendments come into force – the extension to the right to request flexible working and the new Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. The changes have got many experts talking and this is what they said. Extension to the right to request flexible working […]
Employee wellbeing: Is it at the top of your agenda?
In an economic downturn, ensuring the health and wellbeing of your staff is more important than ever; yet in a bid to cut costs, some organisations may choose to axe some initiatives. Lucie Mitchell discovers that this is the last thing you should be doing. We are not experiencing good times at the moment. The […]
HR blunder of the month: Walking CV lands job
These days, we’ve been hearing a lot of stories about crazy stunts job seekers are pulling to find employment. Well, here’s one that actually worked. Five months ago, Manchester-based Jason Fruen lost his job as a mechanical maintenance engineer. After sending his CV to companies and having no luck, he adopted a different strategy – […]
HR tip: Informal warnings
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: "The draft Code of Practice on discipline at work, in force from April, does not mention informal warnings. Does this mean that we will no longer need to give them?" HR tip: […]
The cycle of grief: The key to handling redundancy
Gareth Chick discusses the ‘cycle of grief’ that all employees go through when redundancy is taking place – both those who are leaving and those left behind – and says that when HR professionals understand this, it could help them to cope better in redundancy situations. Making staff redundant is probably the hardest element of […]
Age awareness when making redundancies
Age discrimination has been unlawful since 2006. Uncertainty has remained, however, with many employment tribunal claims stayed as a result of the Heyday challenge. Andrew Bayjou explains what employers can do to minimise the risk of age-related claims when making redundancies. Recessionary timesFaced with the current economic climate, some employees are uncertain about their future […]
A week in HR: Working parents’ rights and ‘Nap at Work’ week
From a change in immigration law, to salary cuts, snoozing at work and a review of working parents’ rights, Verity Gough reports on a busy week in HR. April kicks off with the implementation of a number of amendments to the existing employment laws. Firstly, the government is set to introduce the extension of the […]
