DTI issues new guidance on flexibility regulations
The DTI has updated its guidance on flexible working requests to include carers of adults, who will have the right to request a change in working patterns from 6 April 2007.Although anyone can request flexible working, only certain groups have a legal right to have their request considered. The guidance contains reminders of who is […]
HR in 2007: What does the future hold? By Sarah Fletcher
Sarah Fletcher asked members of HR Zone what they predict to be the biggest changes affecting HR in 2007. No crystal balls required. Shared service centres – Lemmings heading for the cliffs?RoseMarie Loft, HR director, SMBC:“I do wonder if the rush towards shared service centres is a bit like a batch of lemmings heading for […]
Why ‘Generation Y’ is all a lie. By Sarah Fletcher
‘Generation Y’, graduates and employees born in the 1980s, have a lot to answer for. Aside from crimes against fashion, these staff are reportedly selfish, demanding and disloyal to their employer. But, argues Sarah Fletcher, this assessment misses an important and fundamental point – it’s the employer’s fault. Branded as self-seeking and disloyal for apparently […]
Pay rises beat inflation
Government figures reveal that average earnings, excluding bonuses, rose by 3.8 per cent in the year to October 2006 – while the consumer prices measure of inflation increased by 2.4 per cent.The rise was fuelled by strong growth in the private sector during the month, which the Office for National Statistics attributes to overtime.Pay growth […]
Frustrating promotion processes leave employees quitting to get ahead
Secrecy and poor communication surrounding the promotion process could be the reason why 60 per cent of employees feel they have to switch organisation to progress in their career.Research by Investors in People (IiP) found that 53 per cent of employees questioned said their organisation’s approach to promotion remains a mystery and 77 per cent […]
More women occupy professional roles
A new report from the Work Foundation reveals a growth in the number of managerial, professional and semi-professional jobs over the past decade – and in the number of women occupying these roles.The report Efficiency and labour market polarisation finds that far from there having been a boom in low-paying, low-skilled service sector work since […]
Ask the expert: Unrecorded resignation
An employee resigns verbally but refuses to put it into writing until he has secured another job. What can HR do about it? Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, and Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, explain. The question:I have a member of staff whose review came in a month […]
Personal pensions accounts: white paper published
The government has published its white paper on personal accounts, the pension saving solution mooted in the general white paper on pension reform.Under the proposals up to 10 million people will automatically be enrolled into personal accounts, with a guaranteed employer contribution of at least three percent. The government estimates that the millions of people […]
HR challenge 2007: Recruitment and retention
A survey of senior HR managers reveals that recruitment and retention are seen as the biggest challenge for 2007.The research by Taleo shows that 37 per cent of respondents see employee retention as the biggest challenge, while the top concern of 29 per cent is hiring the best talent.The findings reflect a recent report in […]
Breaking up fights: Doing it better. By Dan Martin
Following the launch of a government review of the UK's employment dispute resolution procedures, HR Zone business editor Dan Martin asks experts what needs to be done to improve the process. The rules More workplace disputes should be resolved internally within organisations, the government claimed in October 2004 as it unveiled a range of measures […]
Plan it, don’t pan it
“The end of the year’s here, which means HR planning time again. Time for the same old problems to rear their ugly heads, HR having to change their plans at the last minute to react to business changes, drop last year’s priorities because they’re now out of date, build a new training programme from scratch, […]
‘Intelligent dressing’ for the party season?
‘The party season is almost on us and the question is, is your office party a social event or a career opportunity? And do you think about your visual impact?’ Consultant Mike Morrison explains the art of ‘intelligent dressing’. Some of us plan what we are going to wear for impact in the workplace – […]
Colborn’s corner: Keeping fit
Whilst employers clearly have to abide by the law, how far should they go in protecting the wellbeing of their employees? Quentin asks whether it’s really the company’s responsibility. Leaving aside what needs to be done for the sake of legislation, how much should employers care for the health of their employees? One view is […]
HR tip: Resignations and references
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: "A poorly performing employee has offered to resign if we give him a good reference. Would it be safe to do this?" A: This would be dangerous. If you provide a reference you […]
Jobless figures show fall in number of claimants
The government has received an early Christmas present with the number of unemployed falling by 7,000 over the quarter, the largest fall since January 2005.Minister for employment and welfare reform Jim Murphy said: “Employment is up, unemployment down and the numbers on each of the main benefits – jobseeker’s allowance, incapacity benefit and lone parent […]
Workplace injury leads to £3.5 million sex addiction claim
A £3.5 million claim against his employers has been filed by a newly-wed who says his marriage was ruined because an injury to his head at work caused his sex drive to spiral out of control.The Times reports that Stephen Tame, 29, from East Bergholt, Suffolk, fell from a gantry in January 2002 while working […]
Work-life balance: lots of talk but little action
Public sector bosses are talking the talk when it comes to work-life balance but not displaying much action, according to a report from the Work Foundation.In fact, the report, which was commissioned by Unison, says that in some cases managers are deliberately blocking people from flexible working or are granting requests only to selected favourites.Overall, […]
EU to aim for greater mobility for workers
2006 was the European Year of Workers’ Mobility – with more than 2,000 events staged across member states. And as a result, the EU has announced it is to launch an action plan next year to tackle the issues that prevent people working in other countries.Traditionally, the barriers to a mobility culture have been identified […]
Missions, values and policies – A waste of time?
Are mission statements and company policies just meaningless statements with no relation to the organisation’s real values? Training consultant Nik Kellingley asks this question posed by consultant Mike Morrison in the HR Zone Any Answers forum. I think that if a company defines their values with their employees in mind, allows them the time to […]
CBI calls for public sector reward reform
With public sector pay now accounting for more than a quarter of government expenditure, the CBI is calling for major reforms to pay and reward systems.In a new report the employers’ organisation calls for smarter use of pay and reward to incentivise and motivate staff to achieve a ‘meaningful’ change in performance and quality of […]
