HR awards presented to top UK employers
Top UK employers have had their achievements recognised at the DWF Employer Awards 2008.The HR awards ceremony, which took place at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester this week, honour best practice in HR and are open to all employers throughout the UK. The entrants are judged by a panel consisting of representatives from the sponsors […]
Embrace benefits of flexible working extension
Businesses have been advised to embrace the benefits that come with the extended flexible working legislation, but must ensure comprehensive policies and procedures are in place now.It is anticipated that the extension to the right to request flexible working to parents of children aged up to 16 will come into force in April 2009. Although […]
Work-life balance: A little flexibility goes a long way
Work Wise Week 2008 is being launched today, Thursday 15 May, with ‘National Work from Home Day’. Annie Hayes finds out whether the work-life balance dream can be a reality. Flexible working todayTeleconferencing in the garden, brainstorming in the bath, report writing from under the duvet – it’s the stuff of dreams and something that […]
Right to request flexible working extended to older children
The government has accepted the recommendations made by Imelda Walsh, HR director of Sainsbury’s, to extend the right to request flexible working for parents of children aged up to 16.The extension will mean that a further 4.5 million working parents in the UK will be eligible to make requests to work flexibly following publication of […]
National Staff Dismissal Register: A step too far?
The launch of the National Staff Dismissal Register at the end of this month has caused quite a stir in the business world. Kerry Waters and Emma Roe explain the legal implications of the initiative. A National Staff Dismissal Register for retail employers is expected to go live shortly. The register is a commercial initiative […]
Beating sudden departures
New research shows that businesses are dangerously exposed to sudden departures by their senior team. Paul Barron explains why so many companies, when faced with this threat, are turning to interim management. In Executives Online’s ‘Business Exposure Report’, 38% of the 102 major companies studied said their business had been left vulnerable in the past […]
Millions quit the commute as National Work from Home Day begins
An estimated 5 million workers across the UK will realise the benefits of working from home today, Thursday 15 May.The aim of ‘National Work from Home Day’ is to allow people the opportunity to demonstrate that working from home can reduce stress and boost productivity.Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, the not-for-profit organisation […]
HR tip: New recruit fails to arrive
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 recruited a man and waited for him to serve his notice with his current employer. However he has failed to turn up to work. What can we do?" HR tip:Contact him and […]
How to engage your managers
Training for middle and senior management roles is often ad hoc and many new managers struggle to ‘unlearn’ their old habits and roles. Andrew Clayson explains how training intervention at this point can deliver significant benefits. Right now, many businesses may be considering reacting to the current economic environment by cutting training, despite the significant […]
Fines for organisations that breach data protection
A Parliamentary ambush has handed new powers to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) allowing the privacy watchdog to impose fines on organisations that “deliberately or recklessly” violate the Data Protection Act. The new powers were created by an opposition amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, which received Royal Assent on 9 May. Following […]
Demand for jobs at four-year low
Demand for new candidates is at a four-year low but hiring expectations remain steady.This is according to the latest quarterly CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook (LMO) survey of UK employers, which finds hiring expectations little changed between the winter and spring quarters, following the marked softening in employer sentiment that occurred between the autumn and winter. […]
Staff motivation: Am I bovvered?
You want staff to put in more than simply the 9-5 in their job roles but how can you work out what makes them tick? Louise Druce finds out. We all have our off days at work but if your staff are constantly downcast and de-motivated, not only are they more likely to leave, research […]
The future of flexible working
To mark the start of Work Wise Week 2008 this Thursday, which highlights smarter working practices for all, Sandra Beale gazes into her crystal ball to find out what the future of flexible working will look like. In recent years, many companies have realised the benefits of introducing flexible working, which can include working from […]
Source Tracking
Where did you hear about us?How did you find out about this job?What prompted your application?Probably most important after asking the candidate’s name, is asking the media source question.Why? Well, without this you have no idea as to which advertising method worked or not. Given that the biggest spend in the recruitment process is either […]
Go compare – recruitment websites up for scrutiny
The UK’s first comparison site for the recruitment industry has been launched.Adding to the sites that already compare the best deals in financial, car, property, utilities and travel products, is a new independent website launched this month, www.peoplecompare.co.uk.According to the site, for the first time ever employers across the UK can compare the best means […]
Bosses admire workers’ commitment to learning
Employers are increasingly impressed with employees that take time out to study.This is according to new research by the Chartered Management Institute, which shows that employers are attracted to staff who show commitment to their own professional development, because of the knock-on effect this has on business. The data, which comes from a series of […]
Top performers pay 5% less
New research reveals that the best performing companies pay 5% less in wages than the average.This is according to global management consultancy the Hay Group, that studied over 1,467 senior executives and directors in 358 global companies for the 2008 Fortune’s Most Admired Companies (MAC) list. The Hay Group study finds that firms on the […]
Changing employee behaviour: The key to successful change
One of the most challenging aspects of any change programme is the way in which the people aspects are addressed. Clare Roberts and Dr Jamie Ward outline some key considerations and steps for creating lasting behavioural change. Understand what drives behaviours When seeking to create behavioural change we need to recognise the influence of the […]
Ask the expert: Must we provide a reference?
Does an employer have to give a reference about an employee who was suspended from work during an investigation and has since resigned? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:Our employee was suspended during investigation, and was about to be disciplined when she resigned. The […]
Five million expected to work from home
Up to 5 million workers are expected to work from home on Thursday 15 May 2008 to mark National Work from Home Day.Across the UK, nearly 3.5 million people now work from home – 12.2% or one-in-eight of the population – an increase of 600,000 since 1997. The highest proportion of home workers is in […]
