Appraisals: Send them to Room 101
Organizations struggle with appraisals because they try to accomplish too much in one process—performance review, objective setting, pay decisions, and development planning combined. By separating these functions and empowering employees to gather their own feedback from stakeholders, organizations can create more effective and less burdensome performance management systems.
Employment law not the only route
Professor Paul Edwards argues the government should focus on enforcing existing employment laws and encouraging voluntary compliance rather than introducing new legislation. He contends that current laws remain underutilized because employers often comply minimally or ignore them, suggesting a middle-ground approach emphasizing fair workplace practices and good employer behavior.
Government considers raising school leaving age
The government is considering raising the school leaving age to 18, which would be the first increase since 1972. The move aims to reduce youth unemployment by requiring young people to stay in school, training, or apprenticeships until 18, though it requires increased education system capacity and improved employer support.
Government announces increase in holiday entitlement
The UK government is increasing statutory holiday entitlement from 20 days to 28 days annually under new Working Time Regulations, to be implemented in two stages starting October 2007. The change aims to align UK workers’ leave with European standards and particularly benefits women, part-time, and low-paid workers.
Consultation on support for workers’ reps launched
The government has launched a consultation on workplace support for workers’ representatives, following a review finding inconsistent statutory protections across 15 pieces of legislation. The consultation aims to standardize facility time, training access, and guidance for union and non-union representatives.
Ask the expert: Grievance or not?
An employee who resigned after covering a sick colleague’s duties is now claiming constructive dismissal based on bullying and harassment. Employment law experts explain whether the company must investigate this post-employment grievance and what procedures apply.
HR tip: Retirement – Interim arrangements
When retiring employees before April 2007, employers must provide statutory notice based on length of service (one week per year, maximum twelve weeks) or their contract terms, whichever is higher, rather than the new six to twelve-month requirement for future retirements.
Is the government moving towards positive discrimination?
The UK government is examining whether adopting contract compliance policies—successfully used in the US and Canada to promote workplace diversity—could help tackle low ethnic minority unemployment rates in Britain. A University of Bristol report commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions recommends using public procurement processes to encourage employers to improve diversity practices without mechanistic quotas.
Executive Development – Who’s the Boss? By Dan Martin
Executive development programs are essential for improving senior leadership skills, but organizations must decide who should manage them: executives themselves or the L&D department. This article explores the responsibility balance between empowering leaders and ensuring training aligns with organizational needs.
Would I lie to you?
Research shows that up to a third of workplace communications involve distortion of truth, with 15% involving outright lying. Face-to-face interactions are more likely to yield honest responses than phone or email, though strong workplace relationships can improve truthfulness in remote communication.
Permanent staff placements reach three year high
Permanent staff placements hit a 33-month high in December, driven by strong employer demand and a shortage of skilled candidates, according to the latest Report on Jobs. Salary inflation for permanent staff reached a 71-month high as competition for talent intensified.
High court demands CPS review of corporate manslaughter decision
A high court judge has ordered the Crown Prosecution Service to reconsider its decision not to prosecute for corporate manslaughter following the death of 17-year-old Daniel Dennis, who died after falling through an unfenced skylight at a B&Q store in Wales. The ruling marks only the second time courts have intervened in a workplace fatality case, with the judge finding the CPS failed to properly consider the seriousness of safety failures and an inquest verdict of unlawful killing.
Engaged? Probably not. By Matt Henkes
Employee engagement in British workplaces is at crisis level, with only three in ten workers engaged and nearly half actively seeking new jobs. Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development reveals that poor communication, lack of feedback, and insufficient recognition are driving widespread disengagement that damages productivity.
Pension schemes or healthcare? You must be mad
Healthcare benefits offer better immediate employee protection than pension schemes, according to experts who argue that transferable pensions encourage employee departure. Group income protection insurance should be prioritized to safeguard workers’ salaries during prolonged disability instead of relying on state benefits.
“The needy and the greedy”: Why diversity plans should be scrapped
HR consultant Denis W. Barnard argues that racial and gender diversity initiatives in organisations prioritise demographic representation over merit, selecting “the needy and the greedy” rather than the best employees. He contends that diversity mandates have become performative, driven by political agendas and media pressure rather than legitimate business needs.
Vision at work – a health and safety reminder
Employers must provide eyesight tests for employees who use display screen equipment for an hour or more daily, as required by health and safety regulations. With 90% of screen users reporting visual fatigue, vision care is essential for workplace safety and legal compliance.
Government clamps down on minimum wage avoidance
Employers who fail to pay the minimum wage now face tougher penalties, including £200 fines per employee and up to £5,000 in criminal prosecution. The government has strengthened enforcement to ensure workers receive legally owed wages and create fair competition among businesses.
HR must break down the trust barrier
HR must address a significant trust deficit in workplaces, with research showing one in three UK employees dissatisfied with management and 43 percent unhappy with their manager relationships. Breaking down communication barriers and improving transparency between managers and staff are essential to boost performance and retention in 2007.
Transsexual loses discrimination case
A transsexual employee’s discrimination claim against Hitachi Data Systems has been dismissed by a British employment tribunal. Jessica Bussert alleged she was demoted to secretarial work after undergoing facial feminization surgery, but the tribunal ruled she resigned voluntarily and found no discriminatory conduct by the company.
Messy desk? Have £7 million. By Sarah Fletcher
The UK government spent £7 million on a workplace organization program called Lean to teach civil servants desk management, but experts are divided on whether tidy workspaces truly boost productivity or represent wasteful spending on basic cleanliness training.
