From sick to fit: Can we create a ‘well note’ culture?
With ill health costing the country £100 billion a year, the government has proposed the current sick note is replaced with ‘fit notes’ in an attempt to get people back to work as soon as possible. Lucie Benson finds out whether this plan will help solve the absence problem. Last month, the national director for […]
How to reduce information overload
With emails, reports and phone calls to deal with on a daily basis for many employees, Gail Franks outlines the communicator's role in reducing information overload. With so many office staff today spending hours on a daily basis sifting through emails, letters, reports and fielding numerous phone calls, it is hardly surprising that many […]
Female talent: Do we need different strategies?
How do we help manage female talent through the pipeline to executive level? Michelle Brailsford and Mary Ann Rettig-Zucchi discuss what strategies need to be implemented. 'The Pipeline to the Top', a study published in the Academy of Management Perspectives, found an acute shortage of female talent in the leadership pipeline of FORTUNE 1000 […]
HR tip: Return after redundancy – unbroken service?
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 made a man redundant three months ago but have since re-employed him. Has he broken his service?" HR tip:Yes. His unbroken service now counts from the date you re-employed him. View all […]
Colborn’s Corner: Safe and secure?
Apart from the credit crunch, one topic that increasingly seems to crop up on business pages is that of data security. We are all concerned about customer data being lost but, as HR staff, how do we view the loss of employee-related data, asks Quentin Colborn. The first question I would ask is whether this […]
COA buys HR software satisfaction award winner ASR
COA Solutions has added the 2007 Software Satisfaction Award winner ASR to its expanding HR and payroll software portfolio, which also includes OpenPeople (formerly Grampian), Goldenhill and Strata. John Stokdyk reports.Like most previous COA acquisitions, ASR will operate as a separate business unit and will continue to operate from its existing headquarters in Harpenden. The […]
HR not satisfied with quality of its leadership
A survey that aimed to discover the most important qualities for HR leaders to display has found that 42% of HR professionals believe the quality of leadership in HR is poor or satisfactory.The survey, conducted by HR with Guts and Orion Partners, also found that over 40% of HR heads think that ‘taking a stand […]
TUC welcomes staff voice
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has given its official welcome to the new information and consultation rights.The new laws went live on 6 April 2008 and are designed to give staff a voice at work. The regulations apply to companies employing over 50 staff. According to the rules, these organisations now need to have systems […]
Half of employers would sign up to the skills pledge
Nearly half of employers report that they are considering or would consider signing up to the skills pledge or the Train to Gain initiative, a survey has revealed.The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) annual learning and development survey also revealed, however, that 53% say their learning and development work has not been influenced […]
Men exposed as CV liars
One in 10 men lie on their CVs, according to latest research.BackgroundChecking.com quizzed almost 1,500 respondents and found that whilst 12% of men admitted to lying about their job title on their CV, just 7% of women did the same.Likewise, more males were willing to exaggerate their educational qualifications, with 14% of men questioned admitting […]
Employee recognition: Keeping them sweet
The issue of staff retention has never been hotter. So how can companies ensure their employees stay motivated – and stay put? Verity Gough reports. Encouraging employees to go that extra mile is no mean feat. Increasingly, companies are turning to incentive schemes in a bid to make staff feel valued and appreciated but does […]
Let’s dehumanise management
Management consultant John Pope comments on the present trend to dehumanise the management of people within organisations and warns against the lack of human contact at work. We all know that managers can make mistakes in selecting, managing and promoting staff. We know that HR has to bail them out of trouble for their behaviour […]
Demand for consultation on all regulations
Over 600 people have signed a petition calling for the government to consult with businesses before introducing new regulations.The campaign, by HRZone.co.uk and sister website BusinessZone.co.uk, was originally started to force the government to delay Sunday’s introduction of new sexual harassment rules after it was revealed they were laid down with no Parliamentary debate and […]
Is ignorance bliss? Keeping quiet over company plans
On 6 April, the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) Regulations were extended to apply to all employers with 50 or more staff. But should employees really be told about plans to reorganise the company, or is ignorance bliss? Sarah Fletcher reports. The ICE Regulations, which were introduced in April 2005 and originally only applied […]
Fall from grace sees elearning on the slide
Elearning is now offered by over half of learning and development managers, yet just 7% mention it when asked to list the top three most effective training practices.According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) annual learning and development survey, elearning is on average available to 60% of employees, but taken up by […]
Transsexual trucker scoops sex discrimination victory
Vikki-Marie Gaynor, formerly known as Mike, suffered abuse from colleagues after she turned up for a shift wearing make-up and jewellery.In February 2007, Gaynor told bosses at haulage firm Exel, part of DHL, of her intentions to start living as a woman and have a full sex change operation on the NHS. It was after […]
Ask the expert: Pension payments whilst on maternity leave
Does the increase in maternity leave entitlement mean an increase in pension contributions too? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:As a company, we currently cease any company pension contributions after a woman has been on maternity leave for six months. Now that the maternity […]
‘Cliff edge’ retirement sends out shock waves
Workers who stop work one day and fall into retirement the next are finding it increasingly difficult to adjust.New research by Ipsos MORI shows a mixed bag of emotions for those waking up on day one of retirement, with under a third saying they felt relaxed and under a quarter feeling free. Sadly, one in […]
Corporate killing law could be tougher, says TUC
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) says it would have liked to have seen tougher penalties imposed for the new corporate manslaughter laws which came into force on 6 April 2008, with company directors made personally liable for safety breaches.Companies, regardless of size, are now at risk of prosecution and conviction if a fatality is found […]
Mass absence from work on 15 May
Millions plan to stay away from work for a day on Thursday 15 May 2008, in what is thought to be the largest mass absence from work for a generation.Organised by Work Wise UK, a not-for-profit initiative, and led by BT and Transport for London, with the approval of organisations including TUC, CBI and British […]