Beyond stress: Why employers must try harder
With many British companies facing financial meltdown, mental health at work might not seem like a high priority, but there are some simple and inexpensive steps that employers can take to address this growing problem, says Williams Johnson. There is a strong correlation between economic downturn, and substance abuse, depression and even suicide, say mental […]
Organisational charts at the click of a mouse
If you think a picture's worth a thousand words, then Microsoft Office Visio is definitely the tool for you. Trevor Eddolls presents an introductory tutorial. Like Excel spreadsheets or Word, Microsoft Visio has become the defacto tool for creating organisational diagrams. If you haven't encountered the program before, or struggle to master its complexities, […]
HR tip: Selection for redundancy
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: "What is the fairest method of selecting employees for redundancy?" HR tip: By assessing each employee affected in some objective way against the needs of the business. I suggest that you identify […]
Why a mixed fleet will make your CEO smile
The company car scheme, though often overlooked, is a highly emotive part of any benefits package – it is also hugely costly and complex in nature. Peter Eldon recommends implementing a mixed fleet strategy when budgets are being slashed. The cost alone of running a car scheme ought to mean that when the CEO issues […]
Is temporary labour the answer during a recession?
By utilising temporary workers, organisations can maximise their labour spend whilst keeping outgoings low. Alison Harter examines how businesses can make the most of a more flexible and cost-effective workforce. As with most things in business, temporary labour is not a one-size-fits-all. Temporary labour can be more or less effective depending on the organisation, the […]
A week in HR: Has business gone back to the dark ages?
This week, Verity Gough reports on how sexual discrimination appears to have reared its ugly head again, the latest unemployment figures, how old-fashioned management styles are driving staff to resign, and how the recession is forcing companies to be more ‘creative’. So much for a modern attitude to women – if the shock report commissioned […]
Caption competition: And the winner is….
This month’s competition was in honour of Mother’s Day on Sunday 22 March. There really were some funny entries this month – it would seem that our beloved Royal family brings out the comedian in some of you! But there could only be one winner, and that was Rob Falconer. His caption was: Her Majesty […]
Trouble brewing: The new Acas Code and mediation
The new Acas Code will, from April 2009, probably mean that mediation is adopted more widely, so Duncan Bain examines the role HR plays in this and how it will be developed with the new code. It has always been thought possible that mediation in the workplace might be used to resolve a personality clash […]
Managing change in difficult times
The recession means that organisations can’t get away from the fact that there will be changes. Yet many are badly planned and implemented, so it is not surprising that staff do not embrace it. John Pope offers his advice on how to successfully manage change in the current climate. There will be changesThere are going […]
Ask the expert: Gross misconduct for bullying
A bullied employee has resigned and informed management as to the reasons for the resignation. Can the employer then dismiss the bully on the grounds of gross misconduct? Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise. The question:If one staff is constantly bullying another one and the bullied staff resigns suddenly, but advises the management about this […]
Development times – appraisal times
I have a fledgling thought about the merits of separating the annual performance appraisal process from any personal development work that comes out of a competency based feedback process – such as 360 degree feedback.The thoughts come from the different mindset that I have seen in people when they are being assessed – particularly with […]
Additional paternity leave: Sleepless nights for businesses?
If Lord Mandelson is overruled and the government’s proposed additional paternity leave and pay legislation does eventually come into force, what will it mean for businesses? Christiana Tollast spoke to the experts and found this is a subject of much-heated debate. The lawIn 2007, the government drew up a consultation document on its proposed additional […]
HR tip: Workplace affairs
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: "Can we stop people having affairs at work? We think that one of our supervisors is having an affair with a married woman." HR tip: Generally speaking you should not moralise but […]
Corporate manslaughter: One year on
The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Act almost a year ago has meant that organisations have had to change their duty of care requirements in order to protect an employee’s health, safety and wellbeing. Matthew Judge examines the implications faced by HR professionals over the last 12 months. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Acts […]
Employee assessment: Uncovering the corporate knowledge gap
Mary Clarke considers why regular assessments can help HR professionals make informed and accurate decisions about employees in a redundancy situation. In these tough economic times, managers in companies across the UK are examining how to make the best use of their employees and increase productivity and competitiveness. In many cases, they are making decisions […]
Colborn’s Corner: 65 and out!
The recent judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), that the default retirement age of 65 breaches the European Directive on equal treatment, may have signalled the end for the Heyday challenge. So this week Quentin Colborn asks, is it reasonable to expect people to retire at 65? What focussed the ECJ in making […]
Releasing change in today’s complex workforce
Many change projects fail but is this because organisations are still focusing on driving change and not releasing it? Clare Roberts and Kate Spencer explore the importance of inspiring, enabling and encouraging change in people and their behaviours. Have you ever considered why, despite a well-structured change approach with a clear vision, defined deliverables and […]
Ask the expert: Grievance and disciplinary meeting
An employee, who is on sick leave, has been through a grievance meeting but now it seems a disciplinary meeting is needed for the same employee. Esther Smith and Martin Brewer advise on whether the grievance should be fully concluded beforehand. The question: An employee has gone through a grievance meeting (GM) with his line […]
Is it bye bye bonuses?
Are we witnessing the demise of bonuses? Will the government’s intervention to prevent the payment of ‘exorbitant’ bonuses result in financial institutions and businesses revisiting their remuneration packages? Pam Loch considers the pros and cons of the bonus conundrum. Today’s world involves the business secretary, Lord Mandelson, urging self-restraint on executives’ bonuses and the government […]
HR blogosphere bulletin
Jon Ingham trawls the net to provide his round-up of the great and the good of the HR blogs out there right now. Welcome to the first of what will be a regular, twice-monthly series of updates on HR issues recently discussed within the social media, i.e., on blogs, podcasts, microblogs (Twitter) etc.The idea is […]
