Colborn’s Corner: Attendance bonuses – a double whammy?
A recent survey by Mercer HR Consulting reports that one quarter of European employers now offer incentives to encourage staff to take fewer sick days. Does this represent an increasing trend in the UK? What view do HR professionals take of such moves? Buy a new car today and a fairly standard benefit will be […]
Employers to sponsor immigrant workers
The UK is to have an Australian-style points systems for migration – and employers will be required to sponsor migrant employees.Immigration minister Liam Byrne announced the proposals while on a fact-finding visit to Australia. They will be phased in from the start of 2008.The new system will allow migrants to come to the UK under […]
Public sector employment levels due to fall
Employment levels in the public sector are expected to fall over the next six months, compared to continued rises in the private sector.The latest findings from the Recruitment Confidence Index (RCI), produced by Cranfield School of Management, reveal that 89 per cent of public sector organisations expect their employment levels to either fall or remain […]
Acas updates guidance
Acas has updated its guidance on smoking at work and redundancy payments.
Spread a little happiness as the hours fly by
Although almost five million Brits admit to a touch of ergophobia (fear of work), the good news is that bosses think the situation is worse than it is – scoring their workers’ happiness lower than workers rate it themselves.The finding comes from City & Guilds latest Happiness Index, the annual survey which tracks the satisfaction […]
Sharp drop in UK strike rates
An international comparison of labour disputes reveals that the UK experienced a sharp drop in number of working days lost due to strikes.The figures, published in the Economic & Labour Market Review by the Office for National Statistics, are for 2005 and reveal that the UK lost six working days per 1,000 employees to strikes […]
Ask the expert: maternity leave
If an employee returns from maternity leave to find the worker replacing her is now sharing her job, what are the legal implications? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills & Reeve, give their advice. The question:My sister works for a well known DIY retailer as […]
Emotional Intelligence ten years on
“A decade of research has demonstrated time and time again that EI is a key component of leadership and management, and the higher you climb in the organisation the more important it becomes,” argues Mark Slaski, an organisational psychologist who lectures in occupational psychology and is an independent consultant and chief psychologist with ConsultingTools. So […]
Should you provide maternity coaching? By Lucie Benson
With the recent changes in maternity leave legislation, coupled with the fact that many new working mothers complain of feeling disconnected from the workplace when they return from leave, there is a growing trend for organisations to offer ‘maternity coaching’ to their female employees. Lucie Benson looks into whether this form of coaching is the […]
Union sets first age test
The first case connected with the age discrimination regulations has been settled by the reinstatement of sacked workers.Unison brought the case after 67-year-old Ann Southcott was sacked from Treliske Hospital on September 30 – the day before the regulations came into force.The clerical worker was told she would receive 11 weeks’ pay rather than the […]
The carrot and sick approach
Employers across Europe are offering incentives to persuade their employees to take fewer sick days.Research from Mercer Human Resource Consulting reveals that 27 per cent of employers are offering carrots such as vouchers and bonuses but some employers – particularly those in the UK – are concerned that the incentives might encourage ‘presenteeism’ among the […]
Employee engagement: Making it work. By Paul Avis
Employee engagement is the current buzzword in the HR world. Paul Avis, Marketing Director of Employ-Mend Ltd, explores what this means in real terms and provides some insights and clear recommendations as to how best employers can get the most from their people. What is Employee Engagement?Any employee who simply turns up for work and […]
Ability or disability: What do you see in a job candidate? By Louise Druce
Nick Goss is a disability employment consultant who has worked with some of the world's largest organisations to implement a best practice approach to disability confidence. A wheelchair user himself, Louise Druce talks to him about some of the challenges companies face trying to get it right. It’s all very well giving employers advice about […]
HR Tip: Custom and practice on employees leaving early
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: "I recently took over a new department in our large organisation, which is in a building outside and a little way from the main site. The employees' contracts of employment are almost […]
Mind the perception gap
What is it that potential employees look for in an employer? According to research by Croner, there is a big gap between what employers believe makes their organisation an attractive place to work and the reality of candidates’ considerations.As a result of this perception gap, says Croner, organisations risk failing to recruit top talent .For […]
Who’s the boss? By Louise Druce
We all want a boss we can look up to but many managers are so bogged down in their day-to-day routine they are failing to exhibit inspirational leadership qualities or haven’t developed the right skills to deliver them. Rather than risk losing the respect of their team, they need to lift their heads above the […]
Discrimination an increasingly burning issue
Dealing with discrimination and equal opportunities is becoming an increasingly burning issue for employers. That’s according to the second Burning Issues barometer published by the manufacturers’ organisation EEF.Discrimination and equal opportunities now rank fourth in the table – up from tenth in the first six months of 2006 – with EEF receiving more than twice […]
The cost of sick leave
Sick leave costs the economy 175 million working days – £13.4 billion a year – and employers believe that 12 per cent of absences are faked, according to research by the CBI and AXA.The research revealed that the average worker takes seven days a year off sick and long-term absence of 20 days or more […]
New law expected in 2007. By Charles Price
Barrister Charles Price details the new legislation expected in 2007. Smokers forced into the open As the law stands there is no specific provision requiring or preventing employers from banning or allowing smoking at work. This changes in England on 1 July 2007 when smokers will find that virtually all substantially enclosed public places and […]
Gender Equality Duty now in force
It’s been described as the biggest change to sex discrimination law for 30 years – and it came into force last Friday.The Gender Equality Duty places the onus on public authorities to promote sex equality and end sex discrimination – and effective plans to achieve this must be in place by the end of this […]
