Unions send message of support to police on day of protest
Thousands of police officers protested in London over pay while the Trades Union Congress backed their demands, criticizing the government’s refusal to backdate a 2.5 percent pay award, which reduces the effective increase to 1.9 percent for the year.
HR must take retention ‘seriously’, warn experts
A new survey reveals 75% of organizations lack retention strategy or budget, despite 93% implementing initiatives and 47% struggling with staff turnover. HR experts warn that retention must be prioritized equally with recruitment, as replacing an employee costs £7,750-£11,000.
Finders keepers: Retention for the year ahead
January sees peak employee turnover as post-holiday malaise sets in. Strong leadership, clear communication, and recognition initiatives can boost engagement and retention during this critical period for workforce stability.
Thinking differently about motivation
Reversal theory offers a fresh framework for understanding employee motivation by recognizing that what motivates people constantly shifts between eight emotional states. By viewing motivation differently, managers can create more engaged workforces and address complex people issues more effectively.
Pay in lieu of notice: How to protect yourself
Learn how pay in lieu of notice (PILON) works and why employers need express contractual clauses to avoid breach of contract claims. Without proper PILON provisions, employees may claim compensation for lost bonuses and benefits during notice periods.
The end of certainty?
Workplace certainty has declined since the end of “jobs for life,” but evidence suggests job stability remains relatively stable. The real issue may be worker perception rather than reality, with UK employees among the world’s most pessimistic about job security. Employers can help staff embrace uncertainty by reframing change as opportunity and moving employees into new roles.
New survey flags faltering public sector morale
A new Roffey Park survey reveals declining morale in the public sector, with only 6% of public sector organizations reporting high employee morale compared to 33% in the not-for-profit sector. The research attributes the decline to failure to address underperformance, rising office politics, and low confidence in leadership.
Ask the expert: Potential sex discrimination
A pregnant employee dismissed for unauthorized absence claims sex discrimination after her employer provided inaccurate information to HR, omitting her pregnancy status and misrepresenting her absence duration and disciplinary history. Employment law experts advise on reinstatement and investigating the manager’s conduct.
Fashion police snub ‘bad for bottom’ uniform
Female police officers are demanding better-fitting uniforms, complaining that regulation trousers with high waistbands are unflattering and impractical for their work. Officers have also raised concerns about uncomfortable stab vests and inadequate weather protection in current uniform designs.
Laptop lock-up for civil servants
UK civil servants are now banned from taking unencrypted laptops containing personal data outside government offices, following multiple security breaches involving stolen Ministry of Defence computers with sensitive information on thousands of people.
‘Who you know, not what you know’ is key to career success
Professional relationships and impression management skills matter more to career advancement than job competence alone, according to a leadership psychology expert. Dr Patrick Tissington argues that cultivating strong relationships with key decision-makers, particularly senior leadership, can significantly influence a manager’s success and progression.
Encourage over 50s into enterprise, ministers told
Experts urge the UK government to encourage over 50s unemployment into self-employment and entrepreneurship. Charities argue that 800,000 inactive people aged 50 and above want to work, and most new businesses are started by entrepreneurs in their 40s and 50s, yet current enterprise initiatives primarily target young people.
Northgate HR leads the way with first ever ‘green’ payslip
Northgate HR becomes the first UK payroll provider to offer recycled payslips and P60s, reducing carbon emissions by 1.32 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of paper compared to virgin paper printing.
HR clashes with IT over social networking
HR and IT departments clash over social networking sites, which distract UK workers for at least 30 minutes daily, costing businesses £6.5 billion annually in lost productivity. While IT wants to ban these sites, HR sees potential benefits, creating internal conflict over management strategy.
New laws trigger HR warning
Employers face significant legal changes ahead in 2008, including new rules on equal pay, age discrimination, corporate manslaughter, and information sharing with employees, according to employment law specialists at Eversheds.
Union-led learning trumpeted as “magic bullet”
Union-employer cooperation drives workplace learning success, according to the TUC’s unionlearn program. Union learning representatives help employers build more skilled workforces while enabling workers to develop their capabilities through further education partnerships.
Police pay fails to serve the right purpose
A leading think tank has called for radical police pay reform, arguing the current system rewards length of service rather than performance and skills, failing to incentivize specialist expertise development or improve policing outcomes.
The Learning Technologies Conference: An overview
The Learning Technologies Conference explores the ‘what,’ ‘how,’ and ‘why’ of workplace L&D, moving beyond technology hype to focus on how learning drives organizational effectiveness. Key themes include learning 2.0, social networking, mobile learning, and gaming’s real-world applications in improving workforce performance.
Learning Technologies 2008: What to expect
Learning Technologies 2008 brings together Europe’s largest organizational learning and performance improvement event at London Olympia on January 30-31. The two-day exhibition and conference features over 120 exhibitors, 42 free seminars, and 40 industry experts discussing workforce performance through learning and development.
Jay Cross to give keynote at Learning Technologies 2008
Jay Cross, founder of Internet Time Group, will deliver the keynote at Learning Technologies 2008, exploring how organizations can modernize employee learning through new collaboration technologies and individual empowerment to thrive in global economies.
