Don’t you forget about change
Explore why people resist change and discover key strategies to overcome resistance in your organization. Learn how clear communication, individual consideration, and highlighting stability can help ensure your change initiatives succeed rather than fizzle out.
Ask the expert: Disciplinary action and illness disclosure
When an employee discloses a medical condition like Generalised Anxiety Disorder during disciplinary proceedings, employers must investigate whether it affects the allegations while recognizing potential Disability Discrimination Act protections. Expert legal advice suggests obtaining medical evidence before issuing sanctions and considering reasonable adjustments, though the condition typically doesn’t excuse misconduct like misuse of company resources.
Is employer brand an HR responsibility?
Employer brand success requires more than just HR responsibility. While organizations expect HR to develop an attractive employer brand, alignment with corporate brand and active employee engagement across all levels are essential for effectiveness.
Equal Opportunities
Explore perspectives on Harriet Harman’s proposed equality legislation that would allow employers to favor underrepresented candidates over equally qualified white applicants or men. The proposal raises debate about positive discrimination versus merit-based hiring practices.
Sick Britain costs £100 billion a year
Ill health costs Britain £100 billion annually—exceeding the entire NHS budget—according to the first comprehensive review of working-age population health. The report recommends replacing sick notes with electronic ‘fit notes’ and improving early access to work-related health support to prevent long-term sickness and benefit dependency.
Mums ‘start again’ after maternity leave
Returning from maternity leave often forces women to restart their careers at entry-level positions, despite their previous experience. Research shows companies struggle to support new mothers’ workplace reintegration, contributing to widening gender pay gaps.
Nine to five slog saps workers’ energy
UK workers operate at peak productivity for only five hours daily, with fatigue costing employees over 150 minutes per day, according to Boots research. A significant afternoon slump occurs around 2pm, lasting over an hour, highlighting how diet, lifestyle, and workplace stress impact energy levels.
The dawn of a new age
Age discrimination laws have made progress, but myths about older workers’ capabilities persist, creating barriers to employment. While retail has successfully hired older workers, other sectors lag behind, and employers often prefer younger candidates despite outdated assumptions about retirement-age workers’ commitment and value.
Give more and get more back
Most organizations have 80% of employees not performing at their potential. Leaders can unlock this discretionary effort by creating the right culture, establishing clear behavioral expectations, and providing consistent feedback and reinforcement through proven coaching models.
Adding value through interim management
Interim managers add significant value beyond simple coverage, bringing objectivity to sensitive situations, seniority that exceeds their assigned roles, and direct accountability for implementation. Understanding these five key dimensions helps organizations maximize their interim workforce’s impact on business outcomes.
Colborn’s Corner: A nanny state?
A financial advice review recommends employers offer workplace guidance to help vulnerable employees. Quentin Colborn questions whether employers should extend beyond their core employment relationship to provide personal financial training, citing litigation risks and unclear responsibility boundaries.
HR tip: Time off for funerals
While UK law doesn’t specify how much time off employees need for funerals, employers should establish clear guidelines. A recommended framework includes two days for close family funerals locally, longer for distant locations, and flexibility for exceptional grief or non-relative caregivers.
Extra funding for UK skills
The UK government announced an extra £60m in funding over three years to improve workforce skills through apprenticeships and adult retraining programs. The investment aims to give all UK adults access to skills development opportunities and help employers take on new apprentices through the expanded Train to Gain initiative.
Silver surfers smash stereotype
Older workers are challenging stereotypes by embracing modern technology and workplace methods. Over half of employees aged 50+ are confident with digital skills, with millions benefiting the economy through their continued participation in the workforce.
DWP calls two-day strike
DWP civil servants will strike on March 17-18, 2008, unless their pay offer improves. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union are protesting against a 2% pay cap on new three-year deals and job cuts affecting thousands of workers.
Seventy days of salary taken just to clear credit interest
UK employees work approximately 70 days annually just to pay interest on credit card and personal loan debt, not including principal repayment. Personal loan debt has surged to £9.8 billion with higher interest rates, costing Brits nearly £1.5 billion in annual interest payments alone.
Campaign highlights the dangers of accidents at work
The HSE’s ‘Shattered Lives’ campaign highlights the serious impact of workplace slips, trips and falls, which injure nearly 46,000 people annually in Great Britain and cost society £811 million yearly. The campaign targets high-risk industries including construction, building maintenance, and food manufacturing to encourage hazard reporting and injury prevention.
The party is over for bosses who fail to meet recession challenge
A new survey reveals over 70% of UK senior managers lack recession experience, with executives predicting panic-driven layoffs and inadequate communication strategies as an economic downturn looms.
Salary sacrifice: Too good to be true?
Salary sacrifice, also called salary exchange, allows employees to trade pre-tax salary for benefits like childcare vouchers, bicycles, or pension contributions. Both employers and employees save on tax and national insurance, making it a cost-effective benefit arrangement that’s increasingly popular across UK organizations.
Initiative launched to raise status of employer-led training
A new Employer Based Training Accreditation (EBTA) scheme has launched to improve workplace learning by aligning employer training with university standards. The initiative provides academic support and official recognition for in-house training, enabling employees to earn credits toward foundation degrees and other qualifications.
