A week in HR: News round-up and commentary
October 2008 brought new employment legislation including a National Minimum Wage increase and expanded protections for agency workers. The week also covered changes to maternity leave regulations, rising health benefit costs, and concerns about productivity slumps and workplace absence due to illness.
Legislation update: Age discrimination in job advert
A tribunal ruled that a job advert seeking candidates in their “first five years of career” constituted indirect age discrimination, even though age wasn’t explicitly mentioned. The council’s preference for junior staff at lower pay scales disadvantaged older, experienced applicants like the claimant, a 61-year-old teacher with 34 years’ experience.
Recruitment: Do looks matter?
A survey reveals 88% of UK employers have hired attractive candidates over more skilled applicants, undermining workplace talent and contributing to widening skills gaps that harm business productivity and industry competitiveness.
Ask the expert: Asking employees to reduce salary
When a company faces financial difficulties, asking senior staff to accept temporary salary reductions can be a legitimate alternative to redundancy, provided employees agree voluntarily without pressure. Employment experts advise putting any salary reduction agreement in writing and clarifying that non-agreement won’t affect employment status or redundancy calculations.
Focusing on the big idea
HR teams juggling numerous projects should prioritize strategic initiatives aligned with business goals rather than tackling many smaller tasks. Research shows HR leaders who advance to director level typically spearhead major change projects, making focused strategic work a powerful career move and business differentiator.
Getting strategic: Does talent management software work?
Talent management software can help HR departments measure and manage employee data more effectively, moving strategy beyond speculation to fact-based decisions. However, success depends on ensuring the software aligns with your organization’s business objectives and that proper processes are implemented to support it.
HR tip: Tired employee that makes mistakes
When an employee appears tired and makes frequent mistakes, address the issue directly in a meeting to understand the cause. If a medical condition is suspected, require medical attention and handle as a health matter; if personal activities are responsible, follow your disciplinary procedure.
Is a new breed of HR director emerging?
HR directors are taking on increasingly strategic and broader roles within organizations, combining technical expertise with business acumen and softer skills like communication and influence. This emerging breed of HR leader is expected to drive profit margins, boost retention, and engage employees while partnering closely with senior management.
Boost morale with end-of-year awards
Plan Christmas awards now to boost year-end morale and staff retention. With 12 weeks until Christmas, employers should research employee preferences and consider flexible reward options like vouchers or gift cards to motivate staff and set positive momentum for the New Year.
Ask the expert: Return from maternity leave
An employee returning from maternity leave and signed off sick for four weeks cannot be immediately dismissed without legal risk. Employers must treat the absence as sickness and follow fair procedures, or face potential unfair dismissal and discrimination claims with compensation up to £63,000 or more.
Change: The never-ending story
Organisations experience major change every three years, yet 40% fail to meet their objectives. Learn how HR leaders at the NSPCC successfully navigated organisational change and merger integration by establishing clear anchors, vision, and communication strategies.
Ethics in HR management: Is it all relative?
HR faces complex ethical challenges in international organizations where cultural norms and business practices differ significantly across locations. As moral standards vary globally, HR professionals must determine when to enforce universal ethical standards versus allowing locally appropriate solutions, particularly in areas like wages, working conditions, and supply chain practices.
A week in HR: News round-up and commentary
This week’s HR news includes significant job cuts across the UK’s financial sector, a national minimum wage increase to £5.73 per hour benefiting one million workers, and a lesbian soldier winning £400,000 in a tribunal case against the Ministry of Defence for sexual harassment.
Stress: Do you get it or give it?
Workplace stress often results from poor management practices rather than being inevitable. A management consultant examines whether stress is unavoidable and how attentive, caring leadership can prevent it from developing among conscientious employees.
Autumn Softworld 2008 – COA Solutions Launches Managed Services and Showcases Systems to Help Businesses Survive Economic Downtu
COA Solutions exhibits its accounting, HR, payroll, and business intelligence systems at Autumn Softworld 2008, while subsidiary ASR Computers launches managed services designed to help mid-market businesses navigate economic downturns through cost-effective solutions.
Motivating a workforce through EAPs and reward
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) offer an affordable way to motivate and retain staff during challenging economic times, providing 24-hour access to counselling, financial advice, and wellbeing support. With costs starting at £5-£10 per employee annually, EAPs deliver high perceived value while helping employees achieve work-life balance and reduce stress.
COA Solutions is Multiple Finalist in Business Software Satisfaction Awards
COA Solutions secured multiple finalist positions in the 2008 Business Software Satisfaction Awards across four categories, including its HCM suite, financial management system, payroll software, and HR analytics platform. The finalists were selected based on votes from nearly 6,000 end users, with winners to be announced in October 2008.
HR tip: Entitlements on gross misconduct
When dismissing an employee for gross misconduct, you must pay accrued entitlements including final pay, unused holiday, and bonuses up to dismissal. However, notice pay can be withheld as it’s extinguished by gross misconduct. Failing to pay these entitlements exposes you to legal risk.
Oracle OpenWorld Conference 2008
Oracle OpenWorld 2008 marked the company’s expansion into hardware with its new Database Machine announcement. Oracle highlighted dominance across database and middleware markets while positioning itself as the number two player in business applications, competing against SAP and Salesforce with wins in ERP, CRM, and human capital management.
Ethical Q&A: Office romance
Managing office romance requires balanced policies rather than strict bans. Employers should establish clear guidelines focusing on supervisor-subordinate relationships while avoiding overly restrictive “love contracts” that may breach employment law and drive behavior underground.
