Ask the expert: Persistent absence
What can an employer do about an employee who has not turned up for work on numerous occasions? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:An employee has not turned up for work at least 10 times, perhaps more. Is there a disciplinary procedure that should […]
Absence continues to climb in public sector
Public sector employees have an average nine days off sick – a figure that is 55% higher than employees within the private sector.This is according to a recent report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which also revealed that one in 10 employers believe that the absence is not genuine and often used to […]
Business software not Facebook is top time-waster
Poorly designed software is the new time-wasting culprit.This is according to a new survey of more than 1,000 business IT users, carried out on behalf of IFS, a global enterprise applications company. They claim that as many as 94% of business IT users are wasting precious time on aspects of poorly designed software. Only one […]
Commute slog saps five years over working career
Workers spend an average five years getting to and from work, over the course of their working life.It’s a statistic that has triggered alarm bells for Work Wise UK, the smarter working organisation that is working in conjunction with the Automobile Association (AA) in a new campaign to cut the commute.According to its findings, the […]
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 […]
