People planning triggers biggest headache
People strategy is the hardest part of business planning, according to a Barclays survey. Skills shortages pose significant threats, with companies prioritizing recruitment and talent development over expansion or additional cash flow.
Face-time – not Facebook – scores business
Face-to-face meetings win business more effectively than any other method, according to Vodafone UK research showing 57% of business professionals secure deals through in-person meetings compared to 34% via email. The study reveals that personal interaction builds essential trust that digital communication cannot replicate.
Boss idols applauded
A new survey reveals 80 percent of workers admire their bosses, with 76 percent rating them as great leaders and 62 percent viewing them as role models worth emulating. However, over half cited a major weakness: blaming others for their own mistakes.
Log on to Facebook and log off from work
Over 1,700 employees have faced dismissal or discipline for social media use at work in three years, as employers increasingly crack down on Facebook, MySpace, and other sites. Lost productivity from social networking is estimated at £130 million daily in the UK.
Older workers face pay squeeze
Older workers aged 50 and above earn significantly less than prime-age colleagues, with men aged 50-59 earning 6.9% less weekly than those in their 40s, according to new employment data. The pay gap widens further for workers aged 60+, raising concerns about age discrimination in UK workplaces.
‘Hair’ today, gone tomorrow: Salon sued for religious discrimination
A 19-year-old Muslim woman is suing a London hair salon for religious discrimination after being rejected for a job because she wore a headscarf. The salon owner claimed staff needed to display their hairstyles, but the applicant argues wearing a headscarf is central to her religion and wouldn’t affect job performance.
The final curtain-call: Paying for performance
Performance-related pay (PRP) schemes are intended to motivate employees through bonuses and incentives, but experts question their effectiveness. While PRP works for roles with measurable outcomes like sales, problems arise when incentives drive unintended behaviors—such as prioritizing call volume over quality—or when performance is difficult to assess fairly across different job levels.
BT axes 5,000 managers in reshuffle
BT is eliminating 5,000 management positions as part of a major restructuring program, shifting focus toward hiring engineers and front-line staff. The company expects the overhaul to cost £450 million but generate returns within two to three years.
City & Guilds DG gets top skills job
City & Guilds director-general Chris Humphries has been appointed to lead the new UK Commission for Employment and Skills, tasked with building a skilled workforce and increasing employment across the country.
Political activists to get union boot
The Trades Union Congress has welcomed new legal proposals allowing unions to expel members for belonging to certain political parties. The change follows a European Court of Human Rights ruling that upheld a train drivers union’s right to exclude a member affiliated with the British National Party.
Gender pay gap narrowest since records began
The gender pay gap between men and women has narrowed to its lowest recorded level at 12.6 percent, though business groups warn progress remains slow. Women earn £10.46 per hour compared to men’s £11.96, with regional variations ranging from 2.8 percent in Northern Ireland to 15.9 percent in the South East.
My boss is (still) bad
Workplace hierarchies naturally produce bad bosses due to systemic imbalances of power. Rather than blaming individuals, systems thinking suggests subordinates should vote on their managers through performance appraisals, counterbalancing authority and creating healthier organizations.
How to win the war for talent
Discover how modern e-recruitment technology and streamlined processes help HR departments attract top talent cost-effectively and reduce hiring time. By moving beyond traditional methods to online job boards and applicant tracking systems, organizations can build strong talent pipelines and gain competitive advantage.
Using motivational interviewing for absent workers
Motivational interviewing, an evidence-based technique originally used in addiction treatment, can effectively help absent workers return to work by exploring their ambivalence and building intrinsic motivation. The approach uses empathy and client-centered dialogue to overcome resistance and address the confidence and engagement issues that arise during extended workplace absence.
New guide to retail qualifications launched
Skillsmart Retail has launched a comprehensive guide mapping retail qualifications to job roles across the UK’s four nations. The guide helps employers, learning providers, and job seekers understand available qualifications and their career pathways, including the new Diploma in Retail.
HR tip: Recording disciplinary proceedings
Employers cannot prevent employees from recording disciplinary meetings openly, though secret recordings of private management discussions are inadmissible in tribunal. Allowing recordings ensures procedural compliance and may be introduced as evidence.
Employees urged to take action on bullying
Dignity at Work is urging employees to speak up against workplace bullying before it escalates, emphasizing that silence enables harmful behavior. The organization advises quietly reporting incidents to senior management rather than staying silent, as bullying costs employers billions annually and affects one in four workers.
Many employers considered ‘unfair’
A new UK survey reveals that one in three workers believe their employers are unfair, with over 40% unconvinced about fair treatment regarding pay, training, and work-life balance. Professional services ranked lowest on the Fairness Index, while state education topped the rankings.
Government pushes flexible working extension
The government plans to extend the right to request flexible working to parents with older children and other groups, aiming to improve work-life balance. Currently, only parents with children under six, those with disabled children under 18, and adult carers have this right.
Don’t blame it on the moonlight
Many UK employees secretly take on second jobs to supplement income or pursue interests, with over a third holding additional employment. While moonlighting can breach contracts and signal motivation issues, experts suggest addressing root causes through better engagement and pay rather than strict enforcement.
