Ask the expert: Enforcement of holiday cancellation
Can an employer force employees to work over a holiday period such as Easter, if there are good business reasons to do so? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:We may have a need to work over the Easter break. We are going to offer […]
HR scared top talent will take flight
Retaining key staff is the number one concern for HR managers.This is according to Taleo, a talent management solutions provider that quizzed 200 senior HR managers about their biggest challenges in 2008. Topping the poll is retention with 30 per cent citing it as their number one concern, closely followed by hiring talent (23 per […]
Interview success pinned on stress management
The most popular interview question is how job seekers’ handle stressful situations, experts have revealed.According to A&DC, suppliers of online competency-based interviewing tool CBI-Smart, the question that comes up most frequently at interview is: “Can you please describe a situation when you have had to cope with a particularly high workload for a significant period […]
Coaching flagged as a business essential
Business now sees coaching as an essential part of training and talent management programmes – with real commercial benefits.Recent research undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the International Coaching Federation found that the approximate annual worldwide revenue produced by coaching was $1.5 billion.Speaking on the eve of International Coaching week, which starts today, Helen Caton of coaching […]
Speakers galore at HRD conference and exhibition
The 2008 HRD conference and exhibition will take place between 15-17 April , at ExCeL, London, alongside the 12th World HR Congress on 14 April.The event will combine a thorough look at some of the key issues in learning and development, leadership, organisational development and talent management, with a focus on the international challenges facing […]
Businesses set to age gracefully with ‘older’ hire recruitment drive
More employees aged 50 and over will be hired in 2008, a new survey has found.The European survey by the Adecco Institute – a think tank on the future of work – highlighted that this follows a changing demographic where, in less than 10 years, people over 40 will be in the majority across Europe […]
Prison threat to bosses over illegal workers
Businesses employing workers who are not legally allowed to work in the UK face huge fines or even a jail sentence, experts have warned.Changes coming into force on 29 February mean employers face civil penalties of £10,000 for each illegal worker they employ, while the introduction of a new criminal offence means a prison sentence […]
Sickies ‘soar’ on first Monday in February
Bosses are bracing themselves for skeleton staff today, Monday 4 February 2008, as national sick day begins.HR Zone recently reported on a tip off that today would see absence rise. ‘National Sickie Day’ was established in 2006 after a survey of 4,000 workers found the first Monday in February was the worst day in the […]
24 million workers guilty of employee theft
A staggering 82 per cent of employees have taken property from work or exaggerated expense claims.This is according to a new study by insurer Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA), which shows that 24 million workers are guilty of removing and keeping company laptops, whilst as many as one in seven exaggerate expense and overtime claims. Worryingly, […]
UK amongst countries with ‘shortest’ notice periods
Employees in the US, Mexico, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore and the UK have the shortest statutory notice period between resigning and leaving their place of work.This is according to data released by Mercer, the consulting outfit. The data, from Mercer’s Global HR Factbook, outlines the minimum legal requirements for notice periods for employees across 43 […]
Licence checks for all drivers may save bosses from the dock
Time is running out for slack bosses with new corporate manslaughter laws on the horizon, warns LicenceCheck, a driving licence verification provider.The new laws take effect in April this year. According to the regulations, in the event of a fatal incident involving an employee driving on company business, an employer may be required to provide […]
Do you check for illegal workers?
New laws tackling illegal migrant workers come into force on 29 February, which mean employers face higher penalties for taking on illegal workers. Under the regulations, firms face fines of up to £10,000 per staff member and a two-year prison sentence for knowingly employing illegal workers. Ahead of the new rules, we’re interested to know […]
Have breakfast with your staff to increase motivation
Breakfast meetings may be popular with executives but sitting down with your employees over a bowl cereal can also be a great way to boost staff motivation, a successful entrepreneur has claimed.Jennie Johnson, founder of childcare firm Kids Allowed, revealed that she meets with six of her employees every month, which means by the end […]
Employee referencing guide launched
A guide to employee referencing, which aims to helps businesses reduce costs and risk of legal action, has been launched this week.The Good Referencing Guide, by HR tecnology firm refero – and published in association with legal experts Field Seymour Parkes – informs all types of organisations on how to manage references efficiently and effectively […]
HR’s role in getting NHS healthy is under spotlight
There is no “one best way” of implementing good people management policies in the NHS, a new report has claimed.Improving health through HR management is based on research undertaken by Manchester Business School and funded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) and the Department of Health.According to […]
Training needs analysis: A ‘spray’ and ‘pray’ exercise?
Gaps, wide holes, dark chasms – the dark side of training needs analysis (TNA) is the skills gaps that are subsequently uncovered; but does TNA really work and how important is it? Annie Hayes reports. What is it?An internet search of ‘training needs analysis’ results in a mishmash of answers and it’s easy to see […]
“I wanna be strategic…”
In his new monthly column, Andrew Mayo offers his thoughts on HR business partnership, and how HR professionals must stop spending all their time trying to be ‘strategic’. Like most people in HR, I am a great admirer of Dave Ulrich. He has given HR a new sense of confidence, set out clear ways of […]
Legislation update: Age discrimination – lessons to learn
Richard White, specialist employment solicitor at Withy King, considers some recent cases on age discrimination. It has been nearly 18 months since the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which render unlawful any discrimination against employees on the grounds of their age. As with most new legislation, it takes a while for people […]
The seven myths about childcare vouchers
Andy Philpott presents some common misconceptions about childcare vouchers, which may prevent employers from providing this service, and provides the real facts in relation to each one. It’s now 18 years since the introduction of childcare vouchers in the UK. Since 2005, the vouchers have been tax and NI-exempt up to £55 per week, enabling […]
Language skills sees bosses lose out on business
A quarter of organisations in the UK have lost out on business because their staff cannot speak a foreign language.This is according to research by publisher ‘Teach Yourself Business Languages’ series. In good news for candidates who can speak more than one language, 28 per cent of employers said they would be willing to pay […]
