Workers waste 40 minutes every day ‘social not-working’
Employees fritter away more than 40 minutes each day in non-work related activities including gossiping, emailing and texting friends, according to new research.This equates to more than 14 hours every month or around an average five and a half days of the working year.According to AXA, the research authors, it’s not just socialising that is […]
HR must help to design new diplomas
Learning and development and HR professionals need to play an active role in the development of new diplomas, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has said.According to the CIPD, employers are “crying out” for work based diplomas, such as the proposed qualification in engineering – but will only embrace them if they’ve been […]
Crisis point: Dealing with compassionate leave
No firm wants to be seen as one which does not support its staff in times of crisis. On the other hand, long-term staff absences can be crippling. If one of your team loses a loved one, how should you handle it? Matt Henkes investigates. People under extreme stress can be highly volatile and unpredictable, […]
Is HR failing call centre workforces?
In the 90s, call centres were being described as 20th century workhouses. Ten years on, and the latest research shows that British call centres still have an average churn rate of 25 per cent. Rob Lewis considers whether HR is doing enough to rid the world of these dark satanic mills. As recently as 2005, […]
HR tip: Modest pay increase
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:"An employee, along with several others, received only a modest pay increase this year because his section performed badly. He complained at the time but was given a clear and full explanation. Now, […]
Disability qualification launched
The first qualification in disability awareness has been launched to help employers comply with disability legislation.The level 1 ‘Award in Disability Awareness’, from awarding body Education Development International (EDI), was created due to requests from many organisations who were anxious to ensure they fully complied with current legislation.Until this point, no occupational standards for disability […]
Intuition as a business tool
HR consultant Jan Hills discusses how HR business partners are now in the perfect position to develop and use their intuition when making complex and strategic decisions. Many people may feel that intuition has little or no place in business, that decisions should be made on cold hard fact rather than on trusting your gut. […]
Getting the most out of recruitment technology
Nicholas Thomson, solutions development director at Ceridian, presents his top 10 tips for getting the most out of your recruitment technology. Recruitment is the lifeblood of any organisation, providing either raw or established talent that will ultimately be responsible for driving business performance. An effective recruitment strategy is therefore firstly about implementing an attraction policy, […]
CIPD calls on employers to manage ‘external’ parties
Managing suppliers and consultants can boost business performance, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).The professional body says external partners have valuable knowledge which is strategic to the organisation and often essential to the delivery of products and services.The new case-study based report from the CIPD investigates ways of managing these third […]
Blue ‘skills’ card proposal for immigrants
The European Commission has presented a proposal designed to address legal immigration issues in the EU.It is suggested that a ‘blue card’ be given to skilled workers with a restriction on mobility within the EU.UK Green and immigration spokesperson Jean Lambert, criticising the limitations imposed on the movement of labour, said:“This blue card is supposed […]
BT launches cancer campaign for staff
Telecoms giant BT has launched a campaign to help its employees protect themselves from cancer by making changes to their lifestyle.The firm’s Work Fit: Cancer and You campaign, which will run for six weeks and include worldwide roadshows, articles and interactive displays, aims to help its 104,000 current employees from across the globe, as well […]
Agency workers/contractors v employees
In our call centre, IT and some other areas, we bring in agency workers or contractors before offering a permanent role or use contractors. In some instances individuals have elected to stay as agency temps or contractors. I am currently reviewing how we treat our agency workers/ contractors with regards to such matters as appraisals, […]
Moving on up
Promotion is an exciting time but also a daunting one as everyone adjusts to the new role. Louise Druce finds out how HR can manage the transition smoothly and tackle any green-eyed monsters lurking in the team left behind. Promotion comes with a mixed bag of feelings. There is excitement and enthusiasm, a keenness to […]
How healthy is your workplace?
Simon Jones, acting CEO of Investors in People (UK), looks at the issue of wellbeing in the workplace and questions what a ‘healthy working environment’ really means and whether it is the employer’s or employee’s responsibility. In workplaces across the country, the question of how to manage and develop employees more effectively is a serious […]
Guide promises to handhold bosses through the Companies Act
A new guide designed to help company directors comply with the Companies Act has been launched.The Companies Act 2006: Directors Duties Guidance promises to help directors in a new obligation to consider their business’ impact on people and the environment. The Act, which has been described as the “biggest shake up of company law for […]
Acas aid averts 16,000 employment tribunals
Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, has claimed to have saved businesses £120 million in 2006 as 16,000 cases were prevented from ending up in costly employment tribunals.The independent research from the Institute for Employment Studies shows that almost a quarter (23 per cent) of employees had been considering making an employment tribunal claim […]
Public sector chief scoops £2.7m pension payout
Sir Richard Mottram, a top public sector chief, will take home the most generous public sector pension ever awarded, amounting to £2.7m.Reported by The Telegraph, Mottram, who currently oversees the country’s intelligence and national security policy, will receive a tax-free lump sum of £335,000 and an annual pension of more than £110,000. Annual payouts will […]
Ask the expert: Redundancy and re-employment
What are the implications of re-employing former employees who had previously been made redundant? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:My company has recently undergone TUPE re-organisation and redundancy (they had good economical reasons to do this). This was a massive […]
Capability and misconduct: Clearing up the confusion
Employers who confuse capability and misconduct policies do so at their own risk, warns barrister Charles Price. Mike has been repeatedly swearing at members of staff and is called in for a head-to-head with his employer. The employer gives him a telling off and sets targets for improvement as per the capability process. This approach […]
Disability diversity: The real equal opportunities challenge
Disability is an area far more contentious and complex than race, age and gender when dealing with diversity. Paul Avis, corporate development manager at Ceridian’s LifeWork’s division, explores why disability is often the hardest area of equal opportunities and can be overlooked by employers. While it is easy to imagine the uproar if an employer […]
