Targeting costs in the online job hunt
The internet is one of the first places you look when trying to find a new job, but Louise Druce examines how HR can make sure its online presence is not only attractive but cost-effective. Most companies allow online jobseekers the option to apply for roles through their website but when it comes to […]
Taking care of your company’s future
Lars Dalgaard shares best practice for succession planning in your organisation. More successful businesses are embracing succession planning to deepen their employee bench strength and ensure top talent at every level of the company. Once viewed as a boardroom activity among executives to fill top leadership positions, succession planning has evolved into a powerful tool […]
L&D: A bunch of trainers or developing the future workforce?
Paul Lambert examines some of the key factors shaping the workforce, the implications for how a workforce learns and how learning and development (L&D) can address these issues. The contextWith the turn of the 21st century, there have been fundamental changes in the nature of work and the ways in which people are working. We […]
Ask the expert: Consent for medical reports
Is there any situation where consent for medical reports is not required? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:I have come across some conflicting advice regarding consents for medical reports. One source informs me that consents are required where there is a patient relationship, for […]
Faltering motivation levels hits third of workers
Nearly one in three employees is de-motivated in their current role, with 43% going as far as to say they plan to leave in the next year because things have got so bad.These are the findings from people management standard setters, Investors in People UK. According to the research, the top three de-motivating factors for […]
Salary freezes as economy slows
More than 30% of organisations are freezing or considering freezing base salaries as a direct result of recent economic conditions.These are the findings of global management consultancy Hay Group, which, even more alarmingly, reported that 15% of organisations globally claimed they were freezing salaries for all employees. The study, which spanned 1,003 companies in 80 […]
Pregnancy gives candidates the wrong start
A whopping 76% of bosses say they would not take on a new recruit if they knew they were going to fall pregnant within six months of starting.The findings, by the Employment Law Advisory Services (ELAS), also reveal that more than 50% of bosses take into account the chances of a new member of staff […]
Salary fails to engage managers
Managers are motivated by challenging and interesting work rather than earning power, according to a new report.The 2008 edition of the Management Index: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century also shows that whilst 70% of managers describe a positive leadership environment within their organisations, around half believe the motivational approach fails to engage them […]
Look after your employees and they will look after you
How can organisations utilise the employee benefits they provide to help reduce sickness absence? Colin Micklewright discusses the options. In recent years, there are very few issues that have developed with such enormous impact upon both top and bottom line performance as the spiralling trend of sickness absence. Employers are well aware of the effect […]
Playing to strengths? The brighter side of performance management
Smiley faces, can-do attitudes, happy bunnies – can positive psychology raise performance and give everyone a ‘great day’? Annie Hayes reports. The ‘what’ and ‘why’A mad professor wearing a white lab coat with a cheeky grin – the imagery is just too tempting. But beyond the starch and perky exterior is there any substance to […]
HR tip: Does raising standards require new contract?
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 supervisor who left after six months' service. We now discover that the standards of both behaviour and productivity dropped during the period he ran his section. We need to bring […]
Web conferencing: A helping hand
Stephane Guiblin provides some top tips on web conferencing adoption for HR professionals. HR teams are focused on creating positive working environments filled with motivated and productive staff. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult in today’s disparate and complex business environment where HR professionals simply do not have enough time, resources or budget to meet […]
HR in the real world
Anyone who’s ever been responsible for hiring and developing people or managing teams can tell you that HR can be a real challenge. Alyson Pellowe discusses what the rest of the business needs to know about HR. If business worked in reality the way it works in an ideal world, then HR policies and processes […]
Skills Q&A: Ensuring a competitive edge
Glenn Robinson outlines the advantages of a better-skilled workforce to bring about a more motivated and productive workforce, as well as benefits to the bottom line. The question:I run a specialised food manufacturing business in the north of England. We have a strong and competent workforce with over 100 dedicated employees. We’ve always had a […]
‘Deadly’ cultures are destroying organisations
Organisations are ‘destroying’ themselves by appointing the wrong leaders and creating a culture which actively discourages engagement.This is what Professor Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe, chief executive of the Real World Group, told delegates at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) annual HRD conference in London this week. Alimo-Metcalfe, who was involved in a three-year research […]
Coaching a ‘challenge’ for organisations
Knowing how to best implement coaching within organisations is a challenge for learning and development professionals, according to new research.This is despite the fact that 71% of UK employers currently use coaching within their organisation, found the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Developing Coaching Capability in Organisations report.The research also showed that many […]
Job figures defy gloom
Official figures show employment levels rising, fewer redundancies and a fall in the jobless count, yet experts warn of tough times ahead.Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a rise in employment of 152,000 over the quarter reaching 29.51 million. The highest figure since comparable records began in 1971.The jobless count has also […]
Tax blow for low-paid workers triggers union call for help
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling on the government to introduce new measures to help millions of low paid workers that it says, have lost out through the abolition of the 10p tax rate.TUC general secretary Brendan Barber made the call in a speech to the north west TUC annual conference in Liverpool. The […]
Supermarket giant launches degree
Tesco is launching a foundation degree in retail management.The foundation degree – awarded by the University of the Arts, London and Manchester Metropolitan University – is delivered through a combination of workshops, work-based learning and online tutorials. The first Tesco students to start the degree began their studies in September 2007 at both universities. “The […]
Can equal treatment be temporary?
As the battle rages on over legislation for the equal treatment of temporary and agency staff, Matt Henkes has a look at the issue and what it could mean for employees. The progress of Labour MP Andrew Miller’s private members bill for the equal treatment of agency and temporary workers has reignited a long running […]
