Northgate HR leads the way with first ever ‘green’ payslip
HR solutions provider Northgate HR has announced it is to become the first UK provider of recycled payslips and P60s.The move comes in a bid to cut carbon emissions from fossil fuels.“Not everyone can access the internet, so for large companies providing online payslips isn’t enough,” said Wendy Logan, technical operations manager for outsourcing services […]
HR clashes with IT over social networking
Social networking sites, including Facebook, are distracting workers for at least 30 minutes a day, costing UK Plc close to £6.5 billion annually in lost productivity.This is according to a new poll of 776 workers, by information security consultancy, Global Secure Systems and Infosecurity Europe 2008.Use of these sites is sparking a rift between HR, […]
New laws trigger HR warning
An international law firm is advising employers to be mindful of forthcoming legal developments expected to shake up current HR practices.Eversheds’ employment specialists have identified eight of the most significant employment law issues for 2008:1. Equal payOne of the main issues, particularly for public sector employers in local authorities and the NHS, will be equal […]
Union-led learning trumpeted as “magic bullet”
The key to workplace learning is cooperation between the employer and the union, according to the TUC’s unionlearn. Liz Smith, unionlearn director, is due to set out her beliefs in a meeting at the College of North East London (CONeL) with the secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills, John Denham MP. Smith said: […]
Police pay fails to serve the right purpose
Police pay should be radically overhauled to reflect performance and skills rather than length of service, a leading think tank has said.The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) report, to be published next month, comes as police officers prepare to march this week in a row over the latest pay deal.The report shows that the […]
The Learning Technologies Conference: An overview
It’s easy to be distracted by the bells and whistles of learning technology, hence the Learning Technologies Conference is focusing on the ‘what’, the ‘how’ and the ‘why’, says its chairman Donald H Taylor. The Learning Technologies Conference sees several themes converge that have been running in the learning and development (L&D) profession for some […]
Learning Technologies 2008: What to expect
A detailed preview of Europe’s largest organisational learning and performance improvement technology exhibition and conference. Learning Technologies, Europe’s largest organisational learning and performance improvement technology event, will take place on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 January 2008 at London Olympia. The two-day exhibition and conference, now in its ninth year, has established itself as a […]
Jay Cross to give keynote at Learning Technologies 2008
Jay Cross, world-renowned commentator on learning and technology and founder of Internet Time Group, will open the Learning Technologies 2008 conference.He is expected to present a view of what lies ahead for organisational learning professionals, and his keynote will look at how successful organisations are re-thinking how employees learn. He will also discuss how organisations […]
Lessons for L&D
Is the learning and development (L&D) profession stagnating? Kathy Morris, head of leadership and development at Hays, believes a lack of strategic business thinking means L&D doesn’t command the respect it could. She speaks to Matt Henkes ahead of her address this month to the Learning Technologies conference. Every year the learning and development (L&D) […]
Through the portal into interactive learning
HR Zone’s technology editor John Stokdyk embarks on a voyage of discovery into the interactive possibilities of the latest digital tools. The world of training can play with the preconceptions for anyone more used to frontline operations. Someone anticipating a quieter, less frenetic environment of worthy textbooks, classroom sessions and role-playing exercises is in for […]
Workers shun home working
Employees are shying away from remote working due to fears of missed promotion opportunities and a lack of social interaction, new research has revealed.A survey of 40 companies employing 50-500 staff, by Durler Consulting, has shown that employees also list envy of others and health and safety concerns as reasons for avoiding home working opportunities. […]
Sooner rather than later: Curing long-term absence
Shattering the debilitating impact long-term absence can have on business and its purse strings is a real challenge, and one that employers continue to struggle with. Annie Hayes asks the experts to share their secrets. What is long-term absence? Ben Willmott, employee relations adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) says that […]
Talent management: Why are there still concerns?
Jan Hills explores the reasons companies still lack the talent they need and questions if the main reason is because HR has been focussing on the wrong area. Just about everyone you come across in the HR profession is involved in some kind of talent management project. This has always been a topic that has […]
Protecting your employees’ data
Latest estimates from the Home Office put the cost of identity fraud to the UK economy at £1.7 billion. Joanna Downes advises how employers can protect personal data about their staff, and outlines the risks involved if they get it wrong. The digital eraWhen two CDs containing 25 million child benefit details went missing in […]
Court u-turn in harassment claim
A recent Court of Appeal ruling has been hailed as a controversial yet sensible decision by leading employment lawyers, and is expected to restrict the growing number of harassment claims brought against employers. Stuart Jones explains. The decision in the recent case of Conn v Sunderland City Council is expected to dramatically limit compensation claims […]
Educate line managers to avoid employee lawsuits
The amount of employment tribunals could be reduced if organisations spent more time educating line managers.That is according to recruiters Crone Corkill and law firm Boyes Turner, after jointly running a ‘mock tribunal’, attended by over 100 HR professionals. The tribunal dealt with a case claiming unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, age discrimination and disability discrimination […]
Council staff to vent workplace complaints on hotline
Surrey County Council has set up an anonymous telephone service to allow staff to report workplace issues such as bullying, as part of its ‘investing in staff’ strategy. The hotline allows staff to raise problems if they are not confident in taking bullying or harassment complaints to their manager. The hotline can be used by […]
HR tip: Pre-employment medicals
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 give all new employees a medical before confirming their employment, but have heard that this is unsafe. Is there a problem?" HR tip:This suggests that, were employees found to be unfit, they […]
Teachers scoop fair-pay deal but unions still unhappy
Teachers are set to receive a pay rise that takes them above the 2 per cent limit imposed by Gordon Brown for public sector workers.Salaries will start at £25,000 for those working in inner London and £24,000 for those outside.Ed Balls, children, schools and families secretary made the announcement yesterday, saying he accepts the three-year […]
Sports Council for Wales Steps up the Pace with HR Software Upgrade
The Sports Council for Wales, the organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and recreation in Wales, has upgraded its software from HR systems supplier, Snowdrop.The Sports Council for Wales will be upgrading its Spring (recruitment); Evergreen (personnel records management); Fountain (training administration) and U-Access (online access for line managers and employees) modules to Snowdrop […]
