TUC furious at pensions ‘smash and grab’ call
The TUC has reacted angrily to a suggestion that employers should be able to cut benefits built up by employees in pension funds, describing the proposal as a ‘smash and grab raid’.TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “This call for employers to be able to make smash and grab raids on their staff’s pension benefits […]
New disability discrimination code on the way
A new disability discrimination code which includes the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act that come into force on December 4 this year has been laid before parliament.Once it has parliamentary approval, the Disability Rights Commission aims to publish and issue the new code this summer. It will replace the existing code.The provisions that come […]
Workplace stress driving men to drink
Overworked and stressed men are turning to drink to cope with workplace pressures, according to a survey of more than 2,000 men.The survey, by the makers of Wellman vitamins, also found that 22% were depressed and 17% had turned to the doctor for help. One in five admitted to having aggressive outbursts, 15% experienced a […]
Tax on benefits – do we care?
Does HMRC’s attack on benefits in kind mean that for many employers they are more trouble than they are worth? Dan Martin, business writer on AccountingWEB, reports. HMRC’s quest to raise additional tax from drivers who have switched to using their own car for business purposes is viewed by critics as just another employee benefit […]
Tips: Combating stress at work
Amanda Pearce-Burton, Managing Director of Formation Training and Development, offers some stress-busting tips. It is the cause of six million days of sick leave a year and can cost employers up to £370m per year and we are not talking about unauthorised duvet days. Stress has not only been linked with serious illnesses such as […]
Survey reveals women more likely to be off sick
Women are more likely to be off sick than men, the Office of National Statistics’ Labour Force survey for winter 2005 reveals.Of the people surveyed, 3.1% of the women employees and 2.4% of the men had been away from work sick for at least one day in the previous week. There was no difference in […]
Email snooping could break privacy laws
Nearly 40% of UK firms employ people to read or analyse the employees outbound emails, according to new research by messaging security software specialist Proofpoint.Companies estimate that nearly 1 in 5 outgoing emails (18.1%) contains content that poses a legal, financial or regulatory risk. More than 70% of companies have disciplined employees for flouting email […]
Younger workers give thumbs up to flexible working
As the graduate recruitment season reaches its peak, a survey reveals that more than three quarters of young people say it is important for businesses to offer them flexible working options.The research, conducted by YouGov for BT Business, indicates that flexible working policies are a valued employee benefit across the age spectrum, but with above […]
Porn downloads on the increase
Britain has become the fastest growing market for internet porn in the world – with women as well as men visiting the adult-only sites, according to a recent survey.The problem for companies is that an increasing number of downloads are taking place in the office.But employment lawyers are warning that companies must take steps to […]
Change fails to win hearts and minds
New research shows that nearly two thirds of employees either refuse to commit to change in their organisations or feel unable to do so – even after the change has taken place.Management consultancy Changefirst surveyed more than 600 change leaders and project managers in global organisations about employee commitment to changes such as mergers, cultural […]
Dress codes – all tied up?
A male civil servant who wore Hawaiian shirts with clashing ties – one patterned with condoms – has lost his claim for sexual harassment and unfair dismissal. Raymond Akers, who worked for JobCentre Plus in Weymouth, said that a requirement for men to wear a collar and tie in the office was discriminatory and unnecessary, […]
Age discrimination – are you prepared?
Stuart Chamberlain, employment law expert and author from Consult GEE, comments on research conducted by the Department of Work and Pensions, and sets out the steps employers should take to avoid discrimination claims. Recent research undertaken for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) shows how far many employers have to go in order to […]
HR leads the way into self-service software
“Self-service” business software has gone through the classic Hype Cycle, as described by US IT analyst Gartner.The concept of employees, line managers and other stakeholders taking direct control of data entry and validation of their own records first caught on among corporate early adopters around the turn of the 21st century. For very large organisations, […]
HR Zone Briefing #299 – Employee benefits, what’s the point?
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What’s the answer? Pregnancy during a fixed term contract
Genevieve Touzin gets legal guidance this week from Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve, and Sarah Bird, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson, on pregnancy rights for those on fixed-term contracts. The question:I have just recruited a new member of staff on a fixed term contract of three months. […]
Colborn’s Corner: Equality in HR?
The confirmation that 70% of CIPD members are female raises interesting questions about equality within HR. This week Quentin takes a sideways look at equality within the profession and asks if we do indeed practice what we preach. As I approach this topic I have to confess to a degree of bias after all I […]
HR Software Show – Exclusive preview
The CIPD’s annual HR Software Show takes place at London Olympia on 21-22 June. If the time has come for you to consider automating your processes or upgrading your current systems, the event draws together more than 50 suppliers ranging from fully integrated, web-based application suites to specialist tools for recruitment, time & attendance and […]
Training bonus
Organisations that employ under 50 people can now apply for the wage compensation programme of the Learning and Skills Council’s Train to Gain scheme.The Treasury has set aside £76 million over the next two years to fund the programme which will enable employers to reclaim the wages (minus deductions such as National Insurance) for employees […]
Survey reveals daytime drinking problem
A new survey reveals that one in six UK employees admits to being under the influence of alcohol while at work during the past six months and suggests that HR managers implement anti-alcohol policies.The survey, commissioned by commercial insurers Royal & Sun Alliance, sought to establish the effect in the workplace of last year’s introduction […]
Company of the week: Nationwide
Nationwide’s strapline is ‘Proud to be different’ and when it comes to benefits it certainly has lived up to its promise; offering flexibility and choice on top of the standard package. Annie Hayes spoke to Paul Bissell, Senior Reward Manager at Nationwide and the CIPD’s Vice President of Reward. *Benefits stats*Benefits offered: pensions healthcare holiday […]
