HR shared service centres on the rise
HR shared service centres are experiencing growth, with 84% of organizations using them planning to expand their scope. While SSCs free HR from administrative tasks to focus on strategy, this shift has created an ‘us-versus-them’ culture that hinders efficiency and cost savings.
HR says line needs to be ‘better equipped’
An HR survey reveals that 81% of HR managers believe better-equipped line managers are key to improving HR effectiveness. The findings show that enhanced manager training could boost employee productivity, reduce employment disputes, and help HR teams focus on strategic work rather than administrative tasks.
Ask the expert: Handling a demotion
Experts advise on the legal risks of demoting an underperforming employee, recommending restructuring her role rather than formal demotion to avoid constructive dismissal claims. Proper procedures, consultation, and salary considerations are essential.
Love at work – it’s a corporate affair
Acas employment relations experts offer four essential rules for managing workplace romance successfully. Key advice includes keeping personal and professional lives separate, respecting confidentiality, ensuring fairness in management decisions, and handling breakups professionally to maintain workplace harmony.
IT women feel let down by HR
Women in IT report that HR departments provide less support than line managers and colleagues, with only 39% rating HR as good or excellent compared to 57% for direct bosses. A Microsoft and womenintechnology.co.uk survey found that women feel HR focuses insufficiently on female worker issues like childcare and skill refreshment.
Big guns get qualifications green light
Network Rail, Flybe and McDonald’s have been approved to award nationally-accredited qualifications to employees under a new scheme. The move aims to recognize in-house training programs and bridge the gap between company training and national qualifications.
Employers help IT professionals meet globalisation challenge
E-skills UK has launched a Masters-level development programme to help IT professionals advance rapidly into specialized roles like project management and business analysis. The initiative bridges the gap created by disappearing entry-level IT positions due to offshoring, uniting major employers and universities to provide accelerated training with minimal time away from work.
Digital skills shortage blights sector growth
A digital skills shortage is hampering sector growth, with 97% of employers struggling to recruit qualified staff and 76% facing retention challenges. Over half of businesses report the shortage has already impeded their growth, prompting calls for industry-wide training initiatives and career development programs.
£6 minimum wage ‘too much’, warns expert
A payroll specialist warns that raising the minimum wage to £6 an hour would be too steep for businesses, suggesting £5.72 as a more manageable increase instead. The TUC has called for the hike and lowering the age threshold for adult wages from 22 to 18.
Office ‘speak’ exposed
Modern office culture has spawned a confusing new vocabulary, from “blamestorming” (debating missed deadlines) to “boss-spasming” (appearing busy when management arrives). While jargon can help teams bond, experts recommend prioritizing clear communication over trendy workplace phrases.
TUC campaigns for an end to ‘cheap’ apprentice labour
The Trades Union Congress is calling for higher apprentice wages to address a quality crisis, with some apprentices earning as little as £1.54 per hour. The TUC proposes increasing the minimum apprentice pay from £80 to £110 weekly to reduce dropout rates and address gender pay gaps.
Weekend hangover gives rise to Monday drag
Nearly a quarter of UK businesses report problems with hungover staff on Mondays, costing the economy £2.8 billion annually. Beyond reduced productivity, hangovers pose serious health and safety risks in the workplace, with managers advised to address issues informally before considering disciplinary action.
M&S laptop containing staff details is stolen
An unencrypted M&S laptop containing personal details of 26,000 employees was stolen from a contractor’s home. The Information Commissioner’s Office found the company in breach of data protection laws and ordered M&S to encrypt all laptop hard drives by April.
Partners over 65 can be forced to retire
An industrial tribunal has ruled that business partners over 65 can be forced to retire, finding the practice justified to facilitate succession planning and partnership opportunities. The decision is being appealed and may not apply universally to all firms.
HR professionals are unhappy at work
HR professionals report the highest workplace unhappiness at 29 percent, according to Badenoch & Clark’s latest Happiness at Work index. The recruitment consultancy surveyed over 1,000 UK office workers across 11 sectors, finding IT workers second most unhappy at 25 percent, while retail and catering staff reported the lowest unhappiness rates at 10 percent.
Once a bully always a bully? Dealing with the perpetrators
Workplaces are increasingly recognizing the need to help bullies change their behavior, not just support victims. Many perpetrators are unaware their actions constitute bullying, and organizational cultures that encourage consultation and dialogue are less likely to tolerate such behavior than those with authoritarian management styles.
Bully priest sacked: Anger management training for clergy
A Church of England tribunal has ruled to sack Rev Thomas Ambrose for bullying and intimidation at his Trumpington parish. The vicar sent hate emails and made personal attacks on opponents, causing multiple resignations among volunteers and church wardens. The ruling comes as the church introduces new conflict management training for clergy across multiple denominations.
Annual pay rise is ditched by majority
Nearly half of UK businesses have abandoned the traditional annual pay rise, instead allocating budgets to managers to distribute based on individual performance and market rates. The shift reflects changing reward strategies, though many employers struggle to communicate pay decisions effectively to staff.
Five ways to get ahead in 2008
Discover five career strategies to advance in 2008, from negotiating with your boss to building your industry profile. Learn how to stand out in a competitive job market and secure the promotion or pay rise you deserve.
When the grievance procedure is part of the problem
A recent employment tribunal case highlights how strict adherence to grievance procedures can backfire. When a union employee’s health suffered after her manager insisted she follow standard grievance steps despite her concerns about him, the tribunal found constructive dismissal occurred, raising important questions about balancing procedural compliance with employee welfare.
