HRZone.co.uk exclusive: European Commission to tackle gender pay gap
A European-wide campaign to close the gender pay gap was launched this week by the European Commission. Verity Gough went to Brussels to find out what this means for HR professionals in the UK.The buzz around the latest Commission campaign is certainly impressive, and for those who have championed equality and diversity in the workplace, […]
Putting the business into business partner
To become true business partners, HR practitioners have to ‘change the rules’. Gordon Barker outlines how HR can better engage people during change and drive sustainable performance. The economic downturn has created new priorities for HR, with the core emphasis on recruitment needing to be replaced by a greater focus on organisational performance, according to […]
Building a compelling case for change
Experience shows us that HR programmes often don’t make it past the first investment hurdle, especially in times of uncertainty. It is therefore critical, says Janet Curtis, that HR not only gets the numbers right, but develops the business case in a way that gains buy-in to the proposed changes. It’s too easy to assume […]
Diversity is not a single issue
Diversity in the workplace is an area where employers can bring about big cultural shifts and lead the way in creating a more equal society, says Beth Vaughan. In an increasingly regulated world of employment and with an increasingly diverse workforce in the UK, it is crucial individuals are not simply segmented into single equality […]
Ask the expert: Working if signed off by medical expert
An employee, who has been signed off work by a medical expert, would still like to come into work and do reduced hours. Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise on the consequences of this. The question:We have an employee who has had a minor operation and has been signed off work by medical experts for […]
Overcoming age bias in recruitment
In the current economic climate, both older and younger individuals face even greater difficulties than usual in obtaining or changing jobs. Dianne Bown-Wilson comments on how improvements to the recruitment process might help cut down on age discrimination. Age discrimination in employee recruitment continues to be rife despite legislation which should by now have resulted […]
HR on a budget: Reward in a cold climate
Yes it’s bleak out there, but if ever there was a time for businesses to show their staff just how much they care, then this is it. Christiana Tollast reports on why recognition and reward could be the key to getting companies through to the other side of this economic cold spell. Slashing budgets for […]
How to be more resilient at work
Resilience is a much sought-after quality during these times of economic turbulence, says Jessica Pryce-Jones, who examines the positive impact resilience can have on workplace performance and employee morale. When budget cuts, redundancies and an obsession with the bottom line are leading to unprecedented levels of workplace anxiety, people who stay committed, focused and resilient […]
Success in a recession: Don’t forget your manners
Over the next few months, we will be featuring a series by Blaire Palmer, who examines HR’s role in managing the human factor during a recession. In the first instalment, she looks at how good manners deteriorate under pressure, why they are so important, and what HR can do to maintain high standards of behaviour. […]
HR tip: A problem of discrimination?
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: "I have just joined a company to head up manufacturing. One section of the operation involves a group of people working in a hot, noisy, smelly and generally highly unpleasant department, cut […]
Asking too much of the annual appraisal
I’ve been doing some research for a white paper we are writing on Best Practice in Performance Appraisals. I came across an article written for a 2004 conference on performance appraisals.The authors suggest that performance appraisals are often asked to fulfill the following goals * feedback * coaching * goal setting * skill development * […]
Legislation update: Imposing religious views on others at work
In recent weeks there has been more than one story in the news regarding employees who express their religious views whilst at work. Richard White examines a recent case, in which an employee was dismissed for imposing his religious views on service users whilst carrying out his duties. Chondol v Liverpool City […]
HR turnaround interims: In hot demand but short supply
Turnaround interims are in demand at the moment as companies struggle through the downturn, says Raj Tulsiani, who examines the increased need for flexible interim solutions and additional management muscle to turn around failing organisations. Recent figures show that just over 4,000 businesses in England and Wales went into insolvency in July, […]
A week in HR: It’s not all bad news
Christiana Tollast reports on plans to scrap new laws that would increase business costs; London’s plans to ‘up skill’ workers in readiness for emergence out of the downturn; and how the apprenticeship is proving to be one answer to the UK business skills shortage. As reported in The Times this week, there are plans to […]
Combating employee disengagement during difficult times
Engaging employees is even more important during a downturn. Bettina Pickering and Amy Finn discuss how HR can enlist the leaders in the organisation to ensure communication channels remain open. In difficult economic times the news an organisation has to communicate to its employees is often negative – “profits are down”; “orders have not met […]
Ask the expert: Confidentiality in bullying grievance
An HR department has received two grievances of bullying, which almost battle against each other. But should the identity of the complainants be kept confidential when investigating each claim? Esther Smith and James Kidd advise. The question:We have two, almost counter, grievances:A team leader is complaining about the manager’s favouritism towards other colleagues.A team member […]
Optimising your talent management strategy in a recession
In today’s turbulent times, talent management strategies should be scrutinised more carefully to ensure they are effective and deliver return on investment. Francis Marshall argues the need for a more pragmatic and diagnostics-based approach to talent management. As HR navigates its way through the recession, I believe the effective and strategic management of talent will […]
Talent liberation: A strategy to survive and thrive
Clive Wilson explains how bosses can get the most from their staff through ‘talent liberation’ – a vital part of the talent management strategy. “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created them.” Albert EinsteinTough timesOur world is facing a severe economic downturn, making life in organisations […]
Survive the downturn through effective knowledge management
With redundancies on the cards for many in the current climate, organisations must ensure its most important asset – knowledge – does not leave the business when the employees do. Jean Ferre looks at how enterprise search tools can help. Many organisations are currently in a state of flux and face the possibility of redundancies. […]
Microsoft payroll mistake – staff can keep overpayments
US software giant Microsoft has dropped its attempt to reclaim excess severance payments it mistakenly gave to 25 redundant employees. John Stokdyk reports.Last month, for the first time in its history, Microsoft announced it would be making job cuts – 1,400 immediately and 3,600 to follow in the next 18 months. The situation became more […]
