Are we unmoved and apathetic?
Along with several hundred other practitioners, I read interesting and challenging articles here. What I can't understand is why there is so little reaction, so few comments. I know for sure that most of us have strong opinions (especially over a glass of something!) so why are we so quiet on HR Zone? Are people […]
Death of the lunch break spells health and safety issues
A new poll reveals that the traditional lunch hour is dead, with 73 per cent of office workers skipping lunch on a regular basis and 71 per cent saying they are simply too busy to take a break.The poll, carried out by Peninsula BusinessWise, surveyed 764 office-based employees from a variety of industries across the […]
Lack of skills a barrier to HR profession
Pan-European research has revealed that the skills and competencies of people in HR are a key barrier to effective transformation of the function.Results from a survey conducted by Mercer reveal that although HR is strong in its traditional function skills and associated behaviours, there is a growing set of skills that are seen as required […]
Legislation update: Restrictive covenants
Georgina Folkes, specialist employment solicitor from Withy King Solicitors, considers the tricky area of post employment restrictive covenants aimed at protecting the former employer’s business, in light of a recent decision of the Court of Appeal to uphold the enforceability of a 12 month restrictive covenant in a senior insurance broker’s contract of employment. Employers […]
HRD and HR Zone: L&D highlights
In preparation for the CIPD’s HRD show from 17-19 April, Sarah Fletcher highlights five key events for all your learning and development needs. 1. Tackling workplace war in a hostage situationIf managing office conflict sometimes feels like hostage negotiation, this masterclass from George Kohlrieser should help you to avoid any casualties of workplace war. Psychologist, […]
Could the dispute resolution regulations be abolished?
It looks like the controversial dispute resolution regulations are heading for the chop less than three years after they were introduced, as the government launches a consultation into their future.The consultation coincides with the publication of the Gibbons Report which makes 17 recommendations, including abolishing the regulations.Michael Gibbons said: “In conducting this review I was […]
Women face the glass cliff
You’ve heard of the glass ceiling – well, new research from the University of Exeter reveals that women are increasingly facing the glass cliff.The research, which was commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, reveals that many organisations will only appoint a woman into a very senior post in times of crisis or […]
Fangs for the benefit
Research has revealed that an increasing number of organisations are offering dental insurance as an employee benefit.According to the latest annual Reward Management Survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), dental insurance is now the third most popular employee benefit and the number of organisations offering it will increase by 57 per […]
When a stranger calls: should you be worried about interim management? By Rob Lewis
Interim managers were once an office exotic, now they’re becoming part of the furniture. But who is this stranger in your boardroom: a corporate commando come to save the day, or a charismatic disaster zone? Either way, they’re probably going to ruffle plenty of feathers, including yours: that’s their job. So what are the implications […]
Can the ICE regulations be warmed up? By Louise Birkett
As the anniversary of the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) regulations approaches in April, Louise Birkett examines why this law is so problematic and how employers should deal with it. April sees the second anniversary of the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) regulations. It’s also the month in which they are extended to […]
HR Tip: Making notes in disciplinary hearings
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 disciplinary interview I find it difficult to listen and write at the same time. We are a small organisation and the only people I could bring in to take notes […]
Change management: Making it work. By Lucie Benson
Dealing with organisational change is now a regular part of the HR remit, which means that HR professionals need to be equipped with practical skills and capabilities to manage change and reorganisation effectively. Lucie Benson looks at what can be done to ensure the change management process is a successful one. There are many factors […]
Workers give up on retirement funds
Despite fears of a looming pension crisis, a quarter of workers are still not saving anything for their retirement.According to research, 85% of employees think the government will fail to provide an adequate income when they become pensioners but almost one third said they could not afford to save for their retirement, while one in […]
Employers struggle to find skilled staff
Employers are finding it hard to find staff with the right skills, with shortages most prevalent in sales, admin, engineering and manual trades.A survey of over 1800 employers by Manpower revealed that despite a slight improvement in being able to fill job roles, managers and executives are finding it harder than last year to find […]
Workers with HIV still facing discrimination
Ignorance, fear and prejudice over HIV are still common in the workplace, according to the National Aids Trust, affecting the recruitment process and leaving firms vulnerable to anti-discrimination laws.While most employers do not want to discriminate against HIV-positive candidates, the trust says they may not know the best ways to address concerns about recruiting people […]
Poor literacy spells disaster for job hunters
Gum chewing, flirting and dress code are policed more actively than poor spelling and grammar, despite employers saying they are frustrated by mistakes on CVs and application forms.Over half of the managers surveyed by the Department for Education and Skills complained about job candidates making errors such as mixing up ‘their’, ‘there’ and ‘they’re’ on […]
Leaders lacking HR support
Over half of UK business leaders are worried about their ability to do their job but few would look to HR for support.Research by Richard Events shows that many senior staff have the desire and talent to perform well but believe they still need help to improve their skills, especially when it comes to forming […]
Spelling disaster. By Sarah Fletcher
Most employers claim they're frustrated by the many errors littering CVs, so why do almost half admit they treat issues such as chewing gum, flirting and even dress code more seriously than spelling and grammar? The Department for Education and Skills says employers aren't doing enough to tackle the problem; so if companies refuse to […]
Professional development: Should the employee decide? By Lucie Benson
Encouraging employees to take an active role in their own development is certainly a positive thing to do, but do employees know best about what is most appropriate for their own training needs? Should it be up to them to take control and decide on their own development plan or is it part of the […]
Cartoon: Smokers protest
By Matt FSee other work by the artist here
