Any Answers: Pay disputes over length of service
Could an employee file for age discrimination if an organisation pays a lower salary than someone who has worked for the company for a longer period? Peter Duckitt shares his views. It might be that you have a mix of ages all being treated the same (for example, some younger, long serving employees being paid […]
6,000 women missing says EOC
More than 30 years after the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is hunting the missing 6,000 women it says should be in senior positions across the public and private sector.Its annual report Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain? reveals that women make up just 10 per cent of directors of FTSE […]
CV text damages job prospects
‘Pour grammer, speling and using txt’ on CVs is damaging job prospects for thousands of people, according to research carried out by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).The nationwide survey of recruitment professionals found that 47 per cent said that half the CVs they received contained grammatical errors with the worst offenders in the 21-25 […]
Unpaid overtime costs Britons £23 billion a year
Analysis of official government figures by the TUC reveals that those Britons who do are working an average of seven hours and six minutes a week in unpaid overtime – down by 18 minutes a week on the 2005 figure.And if those hours were paid at the average hourly rate, then they would be taking […]
Colborn’s corner – Shall we dance?
You may have recently read with interest the press coverage of an innovative approach to recruitment at B&Q. Apparently within some locations applicants were given the opportunity to sing and dance as part of a process to make them feel more relaxed as they prepared for interview. Quentin looks at recruitment and its impact on […]
Resolving to make a difference in 2007
New years typically bring new challenges with them, but the HR world has outstanding issues to deal with. Making some new year’s resolutions might help, says Jan Hills of HR With Guts. So Christmas 2006 is over, and the usual sluggish start to a new year is underway. Some of us will have made personal […]
Pension scheme deficits drop by a third
The pension scheme deficits of FTSE 350 companies dropped by 29 per cent in 2006 according to research by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.Projections for 2006 year-end accounts indicate that deficits fell from £86 billion in 2005 to £61 billion last year.But longer-term trend analysis reveals the drop is partly a reversal of the upswing in […]
Workplace diversity good for business
Research from Jobcentre Plus reveals that having a diverse workforce can help boost sales and attract recruits.According to the survey 56 per cent of customers would be more likely to use a business they knew to have a diverse workforce while 79 per cent of the 2,000 respondents think it is important for organisations to […]
Fit cats see workplace benefits
If you put on a few extra pounds over the festive period then here’s another reason to start working out – a survey reveals that 79 per cent of British bosses believe there is prejudice against people who are seriously overweight.And 70 per cent believe that overweight people are seen as lacking self-discipline and control.The […]
Business continuity and the importance of people. By Dan Martin
When it comes to planning for incidents which may interrupt company operations, most firms have technology issues covered. But what many ignore is the impact on staff and what the role of individual employees should be when disaster strikes. Dan Martin examines how and why HR departments should ensure people are placed at the heart […]
HR Tip: Job descriptions
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR and payroll tips in 2006. A market leader in the provision of HR and Payroll training and nationally recognised professional qualifications, HRD & Payroll Solutions are highly experienced in teaching about common HR and payroll problems. A wide selection of tips, […]
Rules for employing Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants
The accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union means another set of rules for employers to get to grips with.Unlike nationals from other EU member states, Romanians and Bulgarians face working restrictions in low-skilled jobs.The restrictions do not apply to skilled workers who, if they have the right qualifications and experience, will be […]
Employers urged to give financial lessons
As the post-festive spending hangovers hit home, employers are being urged to give staff lessons in financial management.In a new report the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) argues that employees who are worried about their finances are less likely to concentrate at work – so providing lessons in financial management pays everyone.The report, […]
Business travel: Keeping costs down. By Dan Martin
Dan Martin asks experts how firms can effectively manage their business travel activities and keep costs down. The world is a much smaller place than it used to be. Low cost travel and internet booking means it is much easier and cheaper for business people to jet around the world to meet clients and customers. […]
Any answers: Making competency based interviews work
Consultant John Shenton explains how to make competency-based interviews work for your organisation and why they are useful. Competence based interviews are now very popular. As with all "test" based interviews, you need something to measure against. To be able to carry out a competence based interview, you need to create competence models for […]
Public sector disability guidelines likely to breach law
Following a year-long study, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has revealed that guidelines used to determine whether people can train and practise as teachers, nurses and social workers are likely to breach anti-discrimination laws.The legal review found significant variations in the criteria used for entry in the three professions in Scotland, England and Wales.In the […]
Flexible working and discrimination: landmark legal ruling ahead
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled that the question of whether refusing flexible working to the parent of a disabled child is discriminatory should go to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).Under current regulations, parents of disabled children have the right to request flexible working until the child is 18. In the case in question […]
Bang on the head earns sex addict £3.1 million
A bang on the head at work has led to a £3.1 million payout for a man who said the injury turned him into a sex addict.Stephen Tame fell from a gantry at work and although he made a good neurological recovery, his behavioural problems continued.According to The Times Mr Tame’s barrister Bill Braithwaite QC […]
HR Zone Christmas Card
Merry Christmas from all the HR Zone team!
Heads or veils? Tread carefully. By Matt Henkes
This year saw the issue of religious dress at work thrust unceremoniously into the limelight for all to discuss. The subject constitutes a potato of truly thermonuclear proportions, with the easily offended seemingly poised on all sides, their outrage cannons carefully loaded. With only a few souls brave enough to venture into the fray, some […]
