Ask the expert: Mysterious absences and dismissal
When an employee is frequently absent without proper documentation and fails to communicate with their employer, small companies should follow formal disciplinary procedures before dismissal. This protects against potential disability-related claims while addressing attendance and notification failures.
What a difference a word makes
A one-word removal from UK employment equality regulations takes effect today, potentially broadening protections to include political beliefs. The Equality Act 2006 removed the word “similar” from protections for philosophical beliefs, expanding coverage beyond religion-like beliefs to any philosophical belief, though uncertainty remains about whether political activities qualify.
Existing employees lose promotion stakes
Research reveals that 81% of managers prioritize external recruitment over promoting existing employees, despite 77% of workers feeling qualified for advancement. Promoting from within is more cost-effective and requires less training than hiring externally.
Bank holiday blues for part-timers
Employers can legally refuse days off in lieu to part-time staff for bank holidays they wouldn’t normally work, according to a Court of Session ruling. The decision clarifies that employers aren’t required to treat part-timers the same as full-timers regarding public holidays if the staff member doesn’t work on that day.
Working from home or taking it easy?
Many managers distrust remote work, with nearly a quarter believing “working from home” means taking it easy. However, employees report they’d be more productive working remotely, and flexible work arrangements increasingly attract top talent while reducing business overhead and environmental impact.
Colleagues less sympathetic to sick leave than bosses
Research shows employers are more sympathetic to sick leave than colleagues, with 91% of bosses accepting colds and flu compared to 81% of employees. Yet one in three workers still exaggerate illnesses to justify time off, suggesting companies need clearer, better-communicated sickness policies.
Can you beat the spouse-killing candidate?
Recruitment managers surveyed by CareerBuilder.co.uk revealed the most unusual CV blunders they’ve encountered, ranging from candidates explaining work gaps with shocking confessions to including irrelevant personal details like shoe sizes and swimwear photos. While creativity is appreciated, experts stress the importance of balancing it with professionalism.
£90k payout for care worker injured by falling client
A care worker received a £90,000 payout after being injured when a client fell on her during a shift. The case highlights how inadequate risk assessments and infrequent manual handling training left staff vulnerable to workplace injuries.
NICE guidance for quitting cig breaks
NICE guidance recommends employers support smoking cessation by allowing paid time off for stop-smoking clinics, ahead of England’s July 1 smoke-free workplace law. The guidance aims to reduce workplace smoking and the estimated £5 billion annual cost to industry from lost productivity and absenteeism.
HR Tip: Deductions from final wages for company clothes
Employers can only deduct company clothing costs from final wages if the employee provides written permission beforehand. Without authorization, the deduction becomes unlawful, and employers must repay the money if challenged in court.
Is there still a need for traditional CVs? By Lucie Benson
Traditional CVs face credibility challenges as research shows 39% of people would lie on their applications if undetected. Employers can combat CV fraud through thorough reference checks, competency-based interviews, and structured recruitment processes rather than relying solely on CVs for hiring decisions.
The final frontier? Web 2.0 and HR. By Rob Lewis
Web 2.0 platforms like YouTube, MySpace, and Flickr are reshaping how people work and collaborate online. Rob Lewis explores whether this shift toward community-based internet technology can benefit HR departments and give employees greater flexibility in how they work.
Before leadership: Creativity and risk taking
Creativity and risk-taking are foundational prerequisites for effective leadership. Before leaders can develop key competencies like visioning, value-congruence, and empowerment, they must first cultivate their ability to generate innovative ideas and take calculated risks to bring them to reality.
New flexibility laws ‘unnecessary’
A British Chambers of Commerce survey found 89% of UK businesses already offer flexible working, suggesting new flexibility laws are unnecessary. The majority report improvements in employee relations, retention, and productivity, though most lack formal work-life balance policies.
Time to practise your smarter working techniques
Work Wise Week (May 16-22) encourages employers and staff to trial smarter working practices like flexible hours, remote work, and staggered schedules. These practices aim to reduce commute stress, boost productivity, and lower environmental impact while challenging traditional nine-to-five office culture.
Unions benefit business says TUC
The TUC is launching a campaign targeting non-unionised UK companies to demonstrate that unions benefit businesses. Using government data, the TUC argues that unionised firms tend to be safer, better trained, and more productive than their non-union counterparts.
Culture the key to preventing company fraud
Strong company culture emphasizing ethics and integrity at management level is the most effective fraud prevention strategy, according to KPMG Forensic’s study of 360 actual cases. The typical fraudster is a trusted male executive in finance or senior management who commits multiple offenses over years, with weak internal controls enabling most fraud.
Get an edge through green benefits
Green benefits are becoming a key recruitment tool, with 69% of employees valuing employer environmental responsibility. Younger workers are particularly swayed—32% of those aged 16-24 would switch jobs for greener benefits, while sustainable energy incentives and public transport discounts rank as most popular offerings.
It’s good to be an HR director in the UK
UK HR directors earn competitive salaries, ranking second only to the US in base pay according to a Mercer survey. However, when bonuses and incentives are included, they fall to fourth place behind the US, Brazil, and Germany, earning less than finance and marketing directors.
Ask the expert: Can I be forced to change jobs?
When a job becomes redundant, employers must offer suitable alternative employment if available. An employee can refuse redeployment if the refusal is reasonable—such as genuine health concerns—and may qualify for redundancy pay. Document your health reasons and discuss them with your employer promptly.
