Broadband v Benefit In Kind
We currently have a number of staff who are homebased and provided with laptops, printers and a broadband connection to enable them to carry out their work effectively. However, I believe that there are a number of tax implications regarding the use of laptops/internet if we are unable to prove that our staff only use […]
Don’t forget apprenticeships, urges LSC
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is urging individuals to consider the merits of apprenticeships in the wake of exam results.The learning body says that more than 130,000 businesses employ 250,000 apprentices in England alone and claim that enrolling in an apprenticeship scheme can build a bright future for school leavers.The LSC highlight several benefits […]
Inside outsourcing. By Matt Henkes
Choosing to outsource your HR function can be a risky business, involving a great deal of trust and a careful eye for the pitfalls. But it can also pay dividends in cost savings and productivity. So is it a blessing or a curse? And should you consider it at all? Matt Henkes finds out. High […]
Soldiering on: Why reservists are good for business. By Lucie Benson
If you employ a member of the reserved forces within your organisation, you may find they are very capable, disciplined and can bring significant benefits to the business. Lucie Benson talks to Tim Corry, campaign director at SaBRE, to find out how their military commitments could affect you and where you stand if they’re mobilised. […]
Happiness is technology
Technology is boosting levels of happiness amongst the 4.2 million small businesses in the UK.BT Business has made the claims in light of its survey which reveals that as many as one in two employees believe IT is making their job more varied than it was 10 years ago, with 41 per cent saying it […]
Is your organisation serious about employee wellbeing?
Consultant and HR Zone member Annie Lawler continues with her series on stress management, this time looking at why organisations should take time to understand the principles behind employee wellbeing policies, to ensure everyone benefits. During the course of my work in organisational and individual stress management, I’m finding those organisations who ‘get it’, those […]
Faster, better team decisions
Just how easy is it to help people in teams come to decisions which they all agree on? Anthony Landale highlights a new approach that moves teams toward consensus, fast. Why can’t people agree? It’s an old complaint but just how much time and energy is spent in your organisation getting people to pull in […]
Three Rs could land bosses in the dock
Testing applicants’ basic reading and writing skills could land employers in court.The warning follows a landmark case which ruled mild forms of dyslexia to be considered as a disability. In July, Chief Inspector David Paterson won his case against the Metropolitan Police for their failure to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate his disability – particularly […]
Ask the expert: Mandatory retirement
This week, Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Anna Youngs, solicitor at Mills & Reeve, advise on the correct procedures to follow when employers are considering terminating employment of an employee on the grounds of retirement. The question:One of our staff has had health issues for years and has been on restricted duties for […]
Quarter forced to sack their holiday
A quarter of workers are forced to cancel their holiday plans by bosses.This is according to latest research by the Dignity at Work Partnership, an anti-bullying project which found that 25 per cent have been put under sufficient pressure by senior colleagues to cancel their annual leave plans.In the battle of the sexes, men lose […]
Software Satisfaction Award 2007 nominees announced
The nominations for the UK’s most comprehensive user-driven awards scheme for business software have been revealed.Nearly 2,000 people cast their votes for the 2007 Software Satisfaction Awards, which cover products in 19 business software categories ranging from accounts and customer relationship management packages to payroll and learning management programs. The annual awards scheme is run […]
LSC plans £60m boost to technology
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) plans to invest around £60m in technology this year to improve the learner experience in post-16 education.The LSC says the investment will contribute to learning infrastructure, student equipment upgrades and expanding the numbers of mobile devices available for students.Jon Gamble, the LSC’s director for adults and lifelong learning, said: […]
Nearly 10 million out of work
One in four of the UK’s working population is currently out of work.The latest Labour Market figures, released yesterday by the Office of National Statistics (OFS), showed that 1.65 million people are unemployed, with a further 7.9 million classed as “economically inactive”.These shocking statistics eclipse the fact that the OFS figures also showed that employment […]
HR tip: Redundancy consultation
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: "In a redundancy situation should I consult with each individual, the whole group or representatives?" HR Tip: Collective consultation means that you must consult with everyone affected. Traditionally this is done through representatives but […]
How to get the staff you really, really want
Dr Tim Barnett of the Charles Fellowes Group offers five alternative steps to interviewing when recruiting for key positions. As someone involved in HR management, you will probably be familiar with the pressures of getting the right person in position for minimal costs in terms of both time and money.The financial implications of making the […]
No more chasing references
Does the thought of dealing with and chasing up employee references send your head into a spin? Henry Chuks, from HR solutions provider Refero, suggests using secure electronic referencing to facilitate the process. For busy HR managers and recruitment admin staff, one of the biggest headaches is undoubtedly dealing with employee references. It takes a […]
All mixed up: Have diversity issues lost face? By Louise Druce
The myriad laws surrounding discrimination can make employers nervous about diversity in the workplace, as even those with the best intentions can find themselves in hot water. Louise Druce looks at why the issue is no longer black and white. Mention diversity in the workplace and HR can probably rattle off their policies towards recruiting […]
Training scheme that increases company profitability
Developing staff without compromising a business’s productivity is an eternal challenge for HR professionals, but a scheme that serves the employer as much as the employee is steadily growing in popularity, as Ejaz Qureshi, head of regional business development at the University of Derby, explains. When Lord Leitch published his long-awaited review, Prosperity For All […]
Job seekers must keep ‘NetRep’ in tact
A quarter of HR decision makers have rejected applicants for jobs based on dubious personal information found online, according to recent research.The survey, conducted by YouGov for business social network Viadeo and which quizzed more than 2,000 consumers and over 600 employers, also found that one in five employers have searched for and found personal […]
First aid training must be increased
Around six million working days are lost each year due to work-related, reportable injuries, according to a report.The research, conducted by the Health and Safety Executive, also found that the average number of working days lost per injury has increased by 3 per cent in the last decade to 14.5 days, with the cost to […]
