Job hunters target interesting work
Employers who offer interesting work, regular recognition and rewards, and opportunities for quick advancement are the most popular targets for job seekers.But programmes such as corporate citizenship and diversity are not valued as much, according to a survey by Accenture.The purpose of the survey, which questionned more than 4,100 job seekers in 21 countries in […]
New family friendly employment legislation proposed
Parents could be given legal rights to work part-time and choose their employment hours under new proposals being considered by the government.The new rights would also include giving parents paid time off work if a child is ill and compulsory pay audits at work to force companies to reveal if they are paying women less […]
Sick of absence? Causes and solutions. By Annie Hayes
Absence rates continue to average at around eight days and at a cost of around 598 pounds per employee per year so what can be done to encourage workers back to work and is discipline the only way to cap soaring sickness levels? Annie Hayes, HR Zone Editor reports. Rising absence? According to the Chartered […]
Opinion: The benefits backlash
Lynne Currer, product manager, Childcare Vouchers at Accor Services considers the growing resentment towards family-specific benefits and advises employers on how to manage the backlash. The cost of a typical full-time nursery place in England has increased by more than 27 per cent over the past five years. This outstrips inflation by nearly 20 per […]
Briefing: Taking the hassle out of harassment
How can employers prevent discrimination and bullying in the workplace and what systems should they have in place? Do enough employers make use of employee assistance programmes, by providing an independent and confidential counselling service for example? Rachel Dineley, a partner, heading the Discrimination Unit, and Paula Jefferson a partner specialising in Injury Risk at […]
Maternity briefing: The Work and Families Act 2006
The number of applications to Employment Tribunals for unfair dismissal due to pregnancy related reasons in 2003-2004 was 1,170 and in 2004-2005 it was 1,345. Partly in response to this increasing trend the Government has announced a raft of legislative changes, which in many people’s eyes will further complicate maternity rights. The changes:A number of […]
New age policy ‘ASDA’ be good
With less than five weeks to go before the new age discrimination legislation comes into force, ASDA has announced it no longer requires job applicants at any of its 308 stores to provide their date of birth.What that means in terms of the regulations is that ASDA has gone much further than required. Under the […]
Bank holiday drought sees productivity nosedive
A survey by YouGov on behalf of Croner has revealed that 50 per cent of workers blame the bank holiday drought between September and Christmas for feeling unproductive at work.But although a significant 39 per cent voted for an extra bank holiday to recharge their batteries, the majority would rather take control over their own […]
Carpet factory pays the price for lack of consultation
Bosses at a carpet factory who failed to consult with workers before making them redundant have been ordered by a tribunal to pay out £160,000.The BBC reports that the 38 workers at Ayrshire-based First Textile Flooring Ltd returned from holiday to be told the company had ceased trading. All were members of the Scottish Carpet […]
Any Answers: Swearing in the workplace
Managing the inappropriate use of language is an issue which we often receive questions about in our Any Answers forum; responding to another query on the subject Sandra Beale, HR Consultant addresses the range of options from zero-tolerance to laissez-faire management. According to research carried out by the Aziz Corporation, conducted earlier this year, 36% […]
HR Tip: ‘Forced’ resignations
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: “Rather than dismiss unsuitable employees we ask them to resign. This preserves their dignity. Are we at any risk?” A: You certainly are. A court would construe a resignation made under pressure as […]
Disability discrimination: Are employers guilty? By Sarah Fletcher
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 aimed to prevent employers from acting unfairly towards staff with a disability, but does it work and has it created operational problems for business? Sarah Fletcher asked HR Zone members how to incorporate a disability into the workforce and whether discrimination is still a significant issue. The DDA should prevent […]
Pay awards steady despite rising inflation
Pay settlements in the three months to July remained at a steady average of three per cent, despite inflation reaching a two and a half-year high, according to Industrial Relations Services (IRS).In addition, two-thirds of pay deals were lower than those received in 2005, only eight per cent were higher than the previous settlement.IRS researchers […]
Dads want working hours to be their flexible friends
Many current work-life balance policies don’t suit dads, who would rather have workplace flexibility, according to new research.In fact, being a father has little effect on men’s working patterns, although they do cut back their working hours for a short time after a new child is born, according to Economic and Social Research Council funded […]
GCSE pass rates hit 98.1 per cent
The overall pass rate for GCSEs has reached 98.1 per cent – and the percentage gaining A* to C grades has also risen, from 61.2 per cent to 62.4 per cent.In addition, the number of students gaining A*-C grades in English has risen by 0.7 per cent to 61.6 per cent and in maths by […]
What’s the answer? Rising temperatures
Susan Bicknell gets legal guidance this week from Sarah Bird, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Guy Guinan, a Partner with the employment team of Halliwells LLP on managing workers in the soaring heat. The question:What are the rules on higher temperatures in the workplace and less fair treatment of workshop staff than office […]
Long-term incentives fail executives and shareholders
Long-term incentives are failing to meet the needs of both executives and shareholders according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).The report, Executive Compensation Review of the Year 2006, compares how different types of long-term incentive plans align executive pay with returns delivered to shareholders.Tom Gosling, executive compensation partner at PwC, said: “The wealth of new rules […]
‘Get serious’ about professional qualifications
The benefits of professionally accredited qualifications are being highlighted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), which has launched a ‘Get Serious’ campaign to tackle the issue.CIM hopes the campaign will raise awareness of continuing professional development (CPD) among practitioners.Ray Jones, head of communications at CIM, said: “CPD is becoming an increasingly essential need for […]
Off the record: Will I be liable for discrimination and harassment in the workplace?
When it comes to harassment and discrimination in the workplace the UK courts are sending out a very clear message of zero-tolerance. Recent decisions from both the Court of Appeal and House of Lords have placed greater responsibility on both employers and individual managers to combat these types of acts and to secure a friendly […]
HR & payroll systems – state of the art in 2006. By John Stokdyk
Compared to last year, 2006 has been relatively quiet in the world of HR & payroll systems, where many suppliers are struggling to generate double-digit growth.The painful experiences of those who had to or chose to go online in the first wave of PAYE filing by internet will still remember the chaos and frustration of […]
