Skills boost promise for NHS
NHS organisations across the East Midlands have pledged to support staff development through a new Joint Investment Framework, offering mentoring and access to training including literacy, numeracy, and higher-level qualifications to help employees progress in their careers.
NICE calls for workers to get physical
NICE has published new guidance urging employers to encourage physical activity among workers, citing that physical inactivity costs England £8.2 billion annually. The guidance recommends employers develop activity plans, promote walking and cycling to work, and support movement during the working day to improve employee health and reduce costs.
Bosses prepare for summer of discontent
An employment expert warns that summer 2008 will bring rising workplace discontent due to hot weather, financial pressures, job insecurity, and the absence of major UK sporting events to provide relief from office stress.
In-house HR role lures half of recruiters
Over half of recruiters surveyed would transition to an in-house HR role, revealing significant dissatisfaction with agency work. A Perriam & Everett survey of 1,200 recruiters found that more than a third felt misled about their roles, while a third lacked adequate training and nearly half needed better business development support.
The talent crunch
Despite recession fears, the UK job market remains robust with 45,000 new positions posted weekly and seven in 10 employees confident in their employment prospects. HR professionals can maintain competitive recruitment and retention strategies by investing in direct resourcing, offering flexible working arrangements, and providing clear career development plans.
Spotlight: Karen Gregory, HR & training director, Magnet
Karen Gregory, HR and training director at Magnet Kitchens, has built a 40-year career in personnel and HR across major retailers including M&S, BHS, and Sainsbury’s. She joined Magnet after consulting for them, drawn by the company’s growth and the enthusiasm of its team members.
People are our most important assets – really?!
Andrew Mayo challenges the widespread belief that “people are our most important assets,” questioning whether all employees truly create value. He argues that while organizations claim to prioritize people, financial cultures treat them primarily as costs, and not all roles generate value—some maintain operations while others may actually subtract value as liabilities.
Workplace wellness: Healthy staff, healthy business
Workplace wellness programmes boost employee morale, productivity, and retention while reducing costly absenteeism. Effective sustainable wellness strategies go beyond physical health to address employees’ emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and social wellbeing, delivering significant financial returns for organisations.
Pin stripes fade as business suit is hung up
Over half of UK employers now allow smart casual dress daily, with traditional suits required only for business meetings. The shift reflects changing workplace culture, though flip-flops, visible tattoos, and facial piercings remain largely unacceptable to most offices.
Ask the expert: Employee AWOL
When an employee is absent without leave and hasn’t made contact, employers can take disciplinary action including dismissal, particularly if they’re already on a final written warning. The employer should attempt contact via last known address and hold a disciplinary hearing regardless of attendance, paying only sick pay for self-certified days without a medical certificate.
Bosses turn down two-thirds of home-working requests
More than two-thirds of employers reject or rarely accept employee requests to work from home, despite evidence showing home workers are equally or more productive. The CIPD and KPMG survey reveals inflexible policies may harm UK competitiveness, particularly as recruitment remains difficult.
Take control of business through training, managers urged
Managers in England face significant skills gaps that impact business performance, according to the Learning and Skills Council. Training programs show proven results, with 43% of participants receiving pay rises and 30% earning promotions.
Mediation: The ‘win-win’ of dispute resolution?
Mediation is gaining popularity as a cost-effective alternative to employment tribunals, which average £20,000 per claim and consume significant management time. Unlike court proceedings, mediation uses a neutral third party to facilitate dialogue, enabling disputants to retain control and reach mutually acceptable solutions while preserving workplace relationships.
Cost-effective ways of motivating your workforce
Discover how to boost employee motivation without breaking the budget. By moving beyond costly salary increases and traditional carrot-and-stick tactics, organizations can leverage recognition, praise, and personalized approaches to drive discretionary effort and improve performance during uncertain economic times.
KISS — Easy Rules for Online Applications
Simplify your online job application process to improve candidate experience and quality of applicants. Key practices include avoiding unnecessary registration, not requesting irrelevant data, optimizing form length, and capturing information at the right time to comply with data protection regulations.
Career management: A strategic tool
Career management is a strategic tool that helps HR managers attract and retain employees across all career stages. As workforces age and fewer young workers enter the job market, companies must differentiate themselves through effective career development programs to compete for talent.
The virtual world of recruiting
Virtual world technology is increasingly used as a recruitment platform by major employers like IBM, RBS, and KPMG to interact with candidates in immersive, three-dimensional environments. Unlike traditional careers fairs, virtual recruitment allows senior managers to network with potential employees globally while providing a record of candidate interactions.
HR tip: Calculating pay-in-lieu of notice
Pay-in-lieu of notice is a sum agreed between employer and departing employee when the employee isn’t given their full notice period. There’s no set formula, but most employers pay an amount equivalent to gross pay for the notice period, though tax implications should be verified.
Major recruitment companies have merged
Randstad and Vedior have merged to form the world’s second largest recruitment and HR services organization, effective May 16. The new group will employ 34,000 people globally with combined annual revenues of €17.6 billion and operate 200 UK locations under the Randstad brand.
Is your vendor in the running for the 2008 Software Satisfaction Awards?
Over 20 training and HR software companies are competing in the 2008 Business Software Satisfaction Awards, voted by software buyers and users. Entries close Friday, May 23, with results published in a downloadable Buyer’s Guide.
