Government pension plans could lead to ‘crisis’
The government’s proposals to solve the pensions time bomb could lead to a ‘pensions crisis’ according to new research by Deloitte, co-sponsored by Scottish Widows.According to the research, the key problem is the National Pensions Savings Scheme’s personal account – not only is it expected that many people will opt out but in addition it […]
Firms fail staff returning from international assignments
Organisations that send staff on international assignments are failing to benefit through failure to invest in repatriation and professional development, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Cranfield School of Management.‘Measuring the Value of International Assignments’ is based on tracking 3,450 expatriates over an average of three years. It finds that an average of 15 […]
Get by with a little HELP from Royal Mail
If its employees need a ‘HELPing’ hand then Royal Mail is poised to deliver after launching a new employee assistance scheme.HELP is a free, confidential service covering Health and emotional wellbeing, Employment advice, Legal services and Practical assistance – and it’s available round-the-clock for employees and their immediate family.Topics it covers range from money problems, […]
Preparations for smoking ban a hot topic
Nearly half of employers plan to change their smoking policies to comply with new legislation coming into force in summer 2007.The survey of 173 organisations found that 45 per cent expect to have to alter their current approach when a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces takes effect in England and Wales next year. […]
DTI announces legal ‘carer’ definition
From 6 April carers will have the right to request flexible working under the Work and Families Act.The DTI has now announced the definition of carer under the act which, it estimates, covers around 80 per cent of actual carers.Under the act a carer is: an employee who is or expects to be caring for […]
Placements make good compatibility tests
Forget compatibility tests on internet dating sites –work placements could ensure compatibility between employer and employee, according to City & Guilds.One in five employees in the UK have left or are considering leaving a job because they want a change in career. A new report from City & Guilds ‘Mutually Compatible – Effective Work Placements’ […]
Ask the expert: Double disciplinary
Can two unrelated incidents be covered in one disciplinary hearing or does each complaint require a separate procedure? Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, and Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, explain. The question:“An employee is currently on suspension following a racist remark being repeated [to other members of staff]. […]
New employees more likely to quit
According to a new survey from the US, twice as many employees with less than two years’ service voluntarily leave an organisation compared to those with longer service.The findings, from Sirota Survey Intelligence’s study of worker attrition rates which covered 47,000 employees, indicate that of all staff who leave in any given year, almost 60 […]
Bullying on the increase says TUC
Bullying is steadily increasing in UK workplaces according to figures released by the TUC to coincide with this week’s ban bullying at work day.Fifteen per cent of the union safety reps questioned in the latest TUC bi-annual survey of union safety reps said bullying was a major problem in their workplace. Two years ago, 12 […]
EU fails to agree working time opt-out – again
For the fifth time, EU member states have failed to agree amended provisions for the opt-out from the Working Time Directive – but this time it leaves 23 countries facing court action.The UK’s opt-out of a maximum 48-hour working week has been a source of discontent among other member states for years and after talks […]
10% fall in female directors
Despite making up 46 per cent of the UK workforce the number of female directors in FTSE companies has fallen by 10 per cent over the past year.The 2006 Female FTSE report from Cranfield School of Management reveals that only 53 companies in the FTSE 100 have women on their executive committees, 30 have all-male […]
Dismissal Q&A
Dismissing an employee is never an easy task and it is vital that employers ensure they take the necessary steps to stay on the right side of the law. Paula Matheson, Senior Employment Law Advisor of Empire HR, provides advice to employers on how to deal with this potentially sticky situation. Q: I […]
Chasing sickness: Getting the return to work interview right
As businesses try to combat the damaging effects of rising rates of employee absenteeism, return to work interviews are taking a prominent place in the process. Training consultant Nik Kellingley explains how to make this work for your organisation. Does the rising tide of absenteeism threaten to wash away the humble British business? Probably not, […]
Case study: Training management at CORGI. By John Stokdyk
This HR Zone case study sets out to throw some light on how training management software can help organisations gain better control of their training and development spend by maintaining accurate, up-to-date records of employee qualifications and courses attended. The subject for this report will be the gas appliance fitters’ inspectorate, CORGI, where automated training […]
HR Tip: Disability
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 number of our employees feel that the Disability Discrimination Act discriminates against healthy people because it requires their employer to give preferential treatment to disabled people. We are inclined to agree. […]
Working women: Is positive discrimination the future? By Sarah Fletcher
Encouraging businesses to focus upon retaining and developing female talent may sound controversial, but is there a strong argument for this approach? Sarah Fletcher asked members of HR Zone whether women are the future for talent management. Debates on workplace sexism usually consider the reduced career opportunities and discrimination faced by female employees in a […]
Any Answers: Compassionate leave
Iain Young suggests best practice in creating a policy covering compassionate leave.View the original post We had the following in our handbook and policies:“When family emergencies arise – for example, your child gets hurt at school – please inform your manager that you need some time off and try to give an idea of when […]
Dispute resolution regulations under the microscope
Two years after their introduction and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is already considering revising the dispute resolution regulations because they are considered too complex.The government’s intentions were confirmed to national law firm Shoosmiths after a report was leaked to the press about informal talks between the DTI, unions and employers’ groups. It […]
Spare us the jargon!
It’s official – according to Investors in People (IiP) 54 per cent of UK employees say that management jargon such as ‘think outside the box’ and ‘low hanging fruit’ is a problem in their workplace.According to the poll – conducted by YouGov to mark the 15th anniversary of IiP – employees have a low opinion […]
November news in brief
To go to a story click on the link below: Acas launches free online learning tool Acas launches free online learning toolIn just under seven years only a fifth of the workforce will be white, able-bodied, male and under 45 – that's why Acas has launched its first, free, online learning tool. The e-learning […]
