Consolidation looms over HR software industry. By John Stokdyk
The HR software industry is experiencing significant consolidation in 2007, with major acquisitions including Sage’s £17 million purchase of Snowdrop and IRIS’s merger with Computer Software Group. Experts suggest this trend will continue as larger players consolidate regional markets and fill gaps in their product portfolios.
HR Awards
HR awards spark debate about their true value—whether they drive excellence and recognize achievement or serve primarily as marketing ventures. This article explores different perspectives on entering HR awards and their impact on organizational practice.
HR Tip: Confidential information on employees over the phone
Protect employee privacy by never confirming employment details over the phone, as this violates the Data Protection Act. Direct callers to submit written requests or leave contact information for the employee to reach out if they choose.
EAPs: The deeper you dive
Employee Assistance Programmes offer more value when employers invest in deeper engagement beyond basic telephone support. While many EAPs appear similar on the surface, comprehensive services include 24/7 counselling, face-to-face sessions, critical incident support, and active promotion to truly benefit employees and reduce workplace stress-related claims.
Juggling not struggling
UK employers are missing significant business benefits by failing to embrace flexible working, despite legal rights expanding and widespread technology availability. Over half of working parents don’t know their flexible working rights, while many women face rigid hour requirements and limited work-from-home options, impacting productivity and stress-related costs.
Watch what you say – Or your boss will. By Louise Druce
Employees face serious consequences for misusing work internet and email, from dismissal to legal action. High-profile cases show that personal browsing, inappropriate emails, and online gambling during work hours can result in termination, while productivity losses and workplace monitoring continue to increase.
A guide to the smoking ban
From July 1, 2007, England implemented a smoking ban in all enclosed public places including pubs, bars, restaurants, offices, and factories. Employers must display no-smoking signs and establish smoking policies, with fines up to £2,500 for violations, though outdoor smoking remains permitted.
Make the most of temps’ skills
Employers should better integrate temporary workers to leverage their skills and experience, according to Investors in People. With 1.2 million temps working in UK businesses weekly, many lack clarity on expectations and organizational goals, representing a missed opportunity for employers who view them solely as short-term solutions.
Mental health problems on the increase
A CIPD study of 30,000 absence records reveals mental health problems are the second leading cause of workplace sickness, with stress, depression, and anxiety accounting for over half of all mental health absences. Employees take an average of 21-30 days off per mental health-related absence spell, prompting calls for better early intervention and occupational health support.
Take control of your e-learning
Learn how to implement effective e-learning strategies that bridge the gap between costly, boring content and undeliverable high-end simulations. Discover how games-based learning and basic simulations can bring training to life by mirroring real work environments and identifying critical knowledge gaps.
Jobsharing: Double the trouble or twice as nice? By Rob Lewis
Jobsharing remains rare in UK workplaces but is rising, offering benefits like improved employee engagement and retention while presenting management and cost challenges. Employers must ensure fair training access and equal treatment to avoid discrimination issues.
Trust your intuition
Intuition is a crucial but often overlooked skill in people management and HR decision-making. Research shows that successful HR professionals and leaders use intuition to meet business goals, particularly in uncertain situations with limited data. Like police officers and firefighters, managers can be trained to recognize and act on their intuitive insights under pressure.
Climate change creates specialist job boom
Climate change jobs have surged 130 percent in the past year, with specialist positions like climate change managers now commonplace in major corporations. Average salaries in the sector have jumped from £19,000 in 2005 to £45,000 today, reflecting strong demand for carbon auditing and sustainability expertise.
They went off to sunny Spain
Portfolio Payroll’s boss rewarded all 15 employees with a £50,000 luxury weekend in Barcelona after the company was recognized as one of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses. The trip, complete with spending money, served as both a thank-you and team-building exercise to boost workplace morale and productivity.
Holidaymakers take work worries with them
Most UK workers struggle to disconnect from job stress during holidays, with 86% taking work worries with them and 67% fearing for their positions while away. A new survey reveals widespread over-working culture prevents employees from properly relaxing.
Changing face of skills at work
Over the past 20 years, jobs requiring no qualifications have fallen from 38% to 28%, while computer skills have become essential for nearly half of all jobs. However, the pace of change has slowed significantly in the past five years, according to a UK skills survey covering 1986-2006.
Pin money belief undervalues women’s work
Despite 30+ years of equal pay legislation, outdated stereotypes about women working for “pin money” persist, contributing to gender pay gaps through occupational segregation, discrimination, and unequal family responsibilities. Research shows women remain systematically undervalued in the workplace, earning less than equally qualified men even before accounting for career interruptions.
HR Tip: The right to privacy for sick employees
Employers can visit sick employees at home to show care and maintain contact, but must respect privacy rights by giving advance notice and scheduling visits at reasonable times rather than making unexpected late-night calls.
Holding back on age
Most small businesses lack formal procedures allowing employees to work past age 65, despite age discrimination legislation introduced last October. Only 25 percent of small firms have implemented the required ‘right to request’ rules, citing red tape and rising costs as barriers.
Maternity legislation: How has your company coped? By Lucie Benson
Recent maternity legislation changes have expanded leave entitlements to 12 months and introduced Keeping in Touch days, offering greater flexibility for employers and employees. While businesses are still adjusting to the new requirements, companies like BT that already exceeded statutory standards found the transition relatively straightforward.
