How healthy is your workplace?
Assess your workplace health culture: does your organization understand its role in employee wellbeing? Learn what healthy working environments really mean and how they drive productivity and job satisfaction.
Guide promises to handhold bosses through the Companies Act
A new guidance document helps company directors comply with the updated Companies Act 2006, which requires large UK businesses to disclose their environmental and social impact in annual reports. The guide addresses directors’ new duties to consider their company’s effect on people and the environment.
Acas aid averts 16,000 employment tribunals
Acas prevented 16,000 employment tribunal cases in 2006 through its helpline and advisory services, saving businesses an estimated £120 million. Independent research shows that nearly a third of employees considering claims decided against pursuing them after receiving Acas information and guidance.
Public sector chief scoops £2.7m pension payout
Sir Richard Mottram, a top UK public sector official overseeing intelligence and national security, will receive a £2.7m pension package, including a £335,000 tax-free lump sum and annual payments exceeding £110,000. The generous payout has sparked criticism over rising public sector pension costs, which burden taxpayers billions annually.
Ask the expert: Redundancy and re-employment
Companies can re-employ workers previously made redundant, but risk creating continuous service if the new role is offered before the old contract ends. Legal experts advise ensuring a clear break between employments and note there’s no obligation to re-offer positions to those who declined earlier alternatives.
Capability and misconduct: Clearing up the confusion
Employers who confuse capability and misconduct policies risk legal liability, including unfair dismissal claims. Misconduct requires formal disciplinary procedures with evidence and employee input, while capability involves performance improvement targets. Applying the wrong policy exposes employers to tribunal sanctions and compensation.
Disability diversity: The real equal opportunities challenge
Disability presents a more complex equal opportunities challenge than race, age, or gender for employers. Many organizations use ill health early retirement pensions to manage out disabled employees, despite best value targets for disability-diverse workforces, creating legal risks under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Skills shake-up for tourism and leisure
People 1st, the skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, is overhauling qualifications after consulting 5,000 employers. The sector found employers confused by qualification numbers and wanting shorter, more relevant courses tailored to industry needs.
Tax and NI allowances set for 2008/09
The UK Treasury has released the 2008/09 tax and National Insurance allowances, including a personal allowance increase to £5,435 and a £10,000 rise in pension contribution allowances. However, some employees and self-employed individuals will face higher NI contributions, with potential annual costs reaching £520 and £416 respectively.
Yule be sorry: Christmas temps fuel tribunal fears
Retailers hiring temporary staff for Christmas must ensure they receive equal treatment to permanent employees or risk employment tribunal claims. Temporary workers are legally entitled to paid holidays, minimum wage, rest breaks, and other standard employment protections, regardless of their fixed-term status.
HR sets the pace at Softworld event
HR software generated unexpected excitement at the Softworld event in Birmingham, with HR and payroll exhibitors attracting significantly more visitor traffic than rival finance and project management vendors. Rising interest reflects growing recognition among financial directors and companies of human capital management’s strategic importance and direct impact on business costs.
Entrepreneurs ‘left all alone’ with staff rules
Most small business owners navigate employment law alone, with 78% handling staff paperwork without help, according to FSB research. A third don’t know where to find government guidance, and nearly a third avoid hiring new staff due to complex regulations.
Brown’s jobs pledge at odds with EU law
Prime Minister Brown’s pledge to create 500,000 jobs for British workers faces legal challenges from EU employment law, which requires equal treatment for workers from all member states and could classify the scheme as indirect discrimination.
Inefficiency costs bosses £80bn
UK companies waste approximately 18% of working time through inefficient labour management, costing the economy £80 billion annually. Inadequate workforce supervision, poor management planning, and weak communication account for three-quarters of this lost productivity.
Misconduct cases soar as prison officers break codes of conduct
More than 1,300 prison officers in England and Wales faced misconduct charges between 2000 and 2006, with offenses ranging from assault and sexual harassment to theft and drug use on duty. Several prisons, including Birmingham and Manchester, saw dozens of staff sacked or disciplined during this period.
L&D pay and job satisfaction on the up
L&D professionals are earning higher salaries than ever before, with managers now averaging £45,000—up significantly from £37,739 last year. According to a CIPD survey, skills shortages are driving employers to recognize learning and development’s strategic importance, resulting in higher pay and improved job satisfaction among L&D specialists.
BBC to cut thousands of jobs
The BBC announced plans to cut around 1,800 jobs as part of a £2 billion cost-saving initiative, with the majority of redundancies affecting news and factual production staff. The six-year restructuring plan, prompted by reduced government funding, aims to create a more focused organization while closing an estimated 2,500 positions and creating 700 new roles.
Employer branding: PR for HR. By Matt Henkes
Employer branding has emerged as a strategic tool for HR to attract talent and improve retention, but success requires genuine company commitment and cross-departmental collaboration. Building an effective employer brand is a multi-year project that demands measurable goals, internal and external research, and authentic messaging that resonates with target candidates.
Interview: Dave Duffield, founder of PeopleSoft
Dave Duffield, founder of PeopleSoft and CEO of SaaS start-up Workday, discusses building corporate culture around core values of people, integrity and employee happiness. He emphasizes that successful companies must hire leaders who share the same “corporate DNA” to maintain values as the organization scales.
Managing maternity six months on
Six months after the Work and Families Act 2006 came into force, a survey reveals many organizations lack basic maternity data. Over a quarter don’t track return-to-work rates, and most don’t record whether women return after subsequent children—a critical factor for retention strategies.
