Multinationals continue with ‘local’ pay approach
Most multinationals still use local or regional pay approaches rather than global strategies, according to Mercer research of 168 companies. While 84% have global compensation strategies for executives, far fewer extend this to managers (53%) and professionals (30%), with European companies particularly reluctant to standardize pay below senior levels.
The great gender debate
Women comprise half the workforce yet remain underrepresented in top organizational positions. Research shows one in four FTSE100 boards have no female directors. HR departments can drive meaningful change by helping organizations understand their demographics and implement targeted diversity initiatives from leadership down.
How to deal with recruitment consultants
Learn how to work effectively with recruitment consultants by understanding what truly motivates them and building trusted relationships. The best recruiters are industry experts with valuable market intelligence, and treating them as strategic partners rather than vendors can help you access top talent for difficult-to-fill roles.
Developing effective leaders: An exercise in chasing rainbows?
Effective leadership development requires balancing rational and emotional growth while addressing organizational systems and culture. Rather than relying solely on programs or processes, successful development must challenge both the head and heart while remaining connected to business needs and workplace realities.
Ask the expert: Set dates of annual and maternity leave
Experts clarify whether employers can reclaim unused annual leave that falls during an employee’s maternity leave period. Taking such action could constitute indirect pregnancy discrimination if the employee couldn’t comply with set leave dates due to maternity leave timing.
TUC calls for redundancy pay hike
The Trades Union Congress is calling for the government to increase the weekly cap on statutory redundancy pay from £330 to £500, arguing the limit hasn’t kept pace with inflation since its introduction in 1965 and currently affects over half of UK workers.
Inspired leadership sees charity scoop best small firm award
Christians Against Poverty, a UK debt counselling charity, has won the Sunday Times award for best small company to work for, scoring 98% in staff leadership confidence and topping 34 of 66 employee survey questions.
Brits start saving for retirement aged 28
British workers start saving for retirement at age 28 on average, five years earlier than the global average. An AXA study found 73% of UK workers have begun retirement preparations, with company pension schemes and life events being primary motivators.
Outsourcing payroll: The benefits
Outsourcing payroll frees up HR resources to focus on strategic priorities like employee engagement and skills development. Organizations can benefit from cost savings, reduced compliance burden, and online access to integrated HR and payroll systems from anywhere.
The trend towards HR and payroll software integration
HR and payroll software integration streamlines data management, improves operational efficiency, and reduces errors like inaccurate employee payments. By centralizing information and enabling teams to work together effectively, integration eliminates duplicate data entry and supports more strategic decision-making in both departments.
Separating the wood from the trees
HR and payroll departments are leading green business initiatives, with nearly one-third of UK companies moving payroll processes online this year. Switching to digital payslips and self-service HR systems significantly reduces paper waste and carbon footprint, while recycled paper alternatives save additional CO2 emissions.
Employers risk jail over illegal workers
Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, employers must verify workers’ legal status or face fines up to £10,000 per employee or imprisonment. A survey reveals 34% of small businesses lack any verification process, exposing themselves to significant legal and criminal penalties.
Legislation needed to close gender pay gap
London’s Mayor calls for new equality legislation to address the gender pay gap, warning that women in the capital earn nearly 25% less than men. The report highlights persistent workplace inequality and the need for mandatory pay audits and stronger enforcement to close the disparity.
The salvation army: Our companies need you
The UK government is promoting apprenticeships as a solution to the widening skills gap, hoping to increase participation from one in 15 to one in five people within a decade. While employer surveys show on-the-job training is highly effective, apprenticeships face hurdles including red tape, image concerns, and questions about qualification value.
How competency frameworks have lost the plot
Competency frameworks have become too narrowly focused on personal behaviors while overlooking technical expertise and experience, and have gained excessive power in HR processes like recruitment and selection, often at the expense of evaluating candidates’ actual knowledge and qualifications.
Legislation update: Unfair dismissal compensation for sick employees
Recent tribunal guidance clarifies how to calculate unfair dismissal compensation when an employer’s conduct causes illness that reduces an employee’s earning capacity. The case of GAB Robins UK Limited v Gillian Triggs examined whether compensation should include losses from reduced income-earning ability caused by the employer’s bullying and excessive workload.
HR tip: Companion at informal warning
Employees are not legally entitled to a companion at informal warning meetings, but HR best practice recommends allowing one if the employee may struggle with the interview due to nervousness or language barriers, ensuring the warning is more effective.
Online job search outstrips other methods
Online job searches have increased by 50% since 2006 and are now the most effective method for finding employment, according to recruitment experts. Job search engines allow candidates to review thousands of positions in seconds and filter results to match their specific criteria, offering clear advantages over traditional methods.
Moonlighting magician sacked from insurance giant
An insurance worker was fired after being spotted performing magic shows while on sick leave for stress. Legal and General dismissed the employee, who had been absent for six months, after an HR officer recognized him performing at a christening event. An employment tribunal ruled the company acted fairly in terminating him.
IVF ruling signals way forward for employers
A European Court of Justice ruling clarifies that women undergoing IVF treatment are protected under equal treatment laws, even before pregnancy occurs. UK employers must adopt supportive policies to avoid sex discrimination claims and ensure appropriate workplace accommodations for employees pursuing fertility treatment.
