Falls all round for health and safety figures
Official health and safety figures reveal there were large drops in prosecutions and enforcement action in the year 2005/6.But although the number of prosecutions dropped by 23 per cent and the number of enforcement actions dropped by 25 per cent, the Health and Safety Commission figures reveal the number of fatal injuries fell by 5 […]
Corporate manslaughter: check your insurance lawyers advise
As the corporate manslaughter bill makes its way through its committee stages, lawyers are warning companies to check their liability insurance.Insurance law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) says that once it becomes law the bill will have implications for employers’ liability and public liability insurance.Although the Home Office’s expectations of a rise from one to […]
How far will workplace monitoring go?
Most of the headlines surrounding last week’s launch of a public debate on the surveillance society concentrated on CCTV cameras.But the report launched by the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas also included the implications for the workplace.The authors of the report – ‘A Surveillance Society’ – point out that workplace monitoring of telephone calls, email and […]
Acas launches free online learning tool
In 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 tool, on sexual orientation and gender reassignment, aims to provide a practical learning tool to assess an organisation’s position and how any issues […]
Employees’ responsibilities: DTI guide launched
The Department of Trade and Industry has published a new guide giving the rights and responsibilities of employees.It’s designed for both employers and employees. More information and a copy can be found at: Employees’ guide
Quality of life beats salary for four in ten
Nearly 40 per cent of working Brits would be happy to swap a lower salary for less stress and more leisure, according to new research.The survey, by the Prudential, also found that three-fifths of the population would consider downshifting – moving to a house in a cheaper area or moving abroad to increase the quality […]
Graduate salary drops behind employee average
The average starting salary for graduates now stands at £21,000, an increase of 2.4 per cent over the year – compared to an overall rise of 3 per cent across all employee groups.The research by IRS Employment Review also reveals that four out of ten employers targeting recent graduates have experienced recruitment problems this year.This […]
Workplace bullies getting away with it
Bullies in UK offices are using a range of subtle tactics and behaviour to intimidate colleagues at work, according to research by the Chartered Management Institute.The survey also suggests that their ability to torment is enhanced by increased levels of organisational change and ineffective action by employers.Findings from the research, which are being released to […]
Ask the expert: Is asking for date of birth classed as age discrimination?
Can an employer ask candidates for their date of birth under the new age legislation? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, give the legal outlook. The question:“We employ several hundred temporary staff during the summer months. Due to the nature of our industry […]
The value of secondments. By Dan Martin
Adopting a secondments programme can help employees gain new skills and opportunities, while it can also improve a firms’ reputation for supporting the local community. HR Zone business editor Dan Martin investigates the benefits of secondments for businesses and what pitfalls HR should bear in mind when setting up a programme. What are secondments?Secondments come […]
Colborn’s Corner – What did you say?
Following his last column in which Quentin looked at the way we might use legislation to make ourselves seem more important, Quentin asks whether we complicate things too much for managers and employees. As I sit to write this article I’m reflecting on a fascinating evening I have just spent with a friend and her […]
Graduate development programmes: Making it work
In the final part of our graduate recruitment series, consultant Mike Morrison reveals how to make graduate management development programmes work for your organisation. Running a development programme for graduate recruits requires a number of decisions – so what works best?In-house, external or accredited? This is the perennial question asked by learning and development managers […]
Trivial benefits. By Philip Fisher
As a result of a recent change of policy, the ability to give benefits tax-free has now become reality. Philip Fisher, Chantrey Vellacott DFK, reports. Unfortunately, it only relates to benefits that can be regarded as “trivial”. Even so, for large organisations, the chance to give a couple of bottles of wine to each employee […]
HR tip: Submitting grievances
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: "We insist that any employee who wishes to submit a formal grievance does so on our official form. Are we alright to do this?" A: No. An employee may submit a grievance in […]
Workplace stress less of a worry than issues on the home front
Domestic difficulties are more stressful than work pressures for 68 per cent of the UK’s workers according to a new poll. But that still doesn’t mean workplace stress can be ignored.The research, by YouGov for consultants Croner, asked 2,770 employees to rank stress triggers in both their work and personal lives.Top of the list was […]
HR matters make up employers’ top ten burning issues
Employment law and the complexity of HR matters make up the top ten burning issues for employers, according to the manufacturers’ organisation EEF.EEF offers employment advice and support to its membership of more than 6,000 manufacturing companies and for the first time it has analysed the calls to its helpline.This nationwide analysis revealed more than […]
Employers urged to let staff commute smart
Work Wise UK has designated today (1 November) ‘commute smart day’ – and is urging employers to abandon the 9-5 rush in favour of flexible working times, staggered journeys and part home working.Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, which is behind commute smart day, said: “UK workers spend on average 47 working days […]
CVs rejected in under 60 seconds
It takes less than 60 seconds for a CV to be rejected, reports HR consultancy Chiumento.The main reason employers reject a CV is because of irrelevance to the role (27 per cent), 22 per cent cite inappropriate qualifications as a reason for rejection, while poor presentation is the third most common reason for CVs to […]
TUC: ‘stress biggest problem for UK workplaces’
Excessive workloads, job cuts and rapid change are the most common triggers for rising stress levels among employees, according to TUC research.Released ahead of International Stress Awareness Day, which takes place on 1 November, the figures show that 61 per cent of union safety reps found stress to be their most pressing concern at work.The […]
£1.84 billion investment in jobs and skills
England is to receive £1.84 billion of European Social Fund (ESF) money to invest in jobs and skills over the next seven years.The new ESF programme is designed to support employment and training projects to help extend employment opportunities and develop skills.Making the announcement, work and pensions minister James Plaskitt said there would be a […]
