News in Brief: DTI confirms illegality of rolled up holiday pay
The UK Department of Trade and Industry has confirmed that rolled up holiday pay is illegal, requiring employers to renegotiate contracts and provide payment for statutory annual leave when employees actually take time off, following a European Court of Justice ruling.
HR Tip: Sex discrimination
Employers must not discourage job applicants based on gender, even if they would be the only man or woman in a workplace. Any hiring decision should be the candidate’s choice alone, and existing employees must be educated about preventing sexist behavior or comments, which constitutes illegal sex discrimination.
How Did I Get Here? Sue Schoormans, Managing Director, Complete People Management Ltd…continued
Sue Schoormans, Managing Director of Complete People Management, discusses the evolving role of HR professionals, from administrative functions to strategic business partners. She explores the challenges of redundancy decisions, board representation barriers, and the importance of seizing opportunities despite risks.
How Did I Get Here? Sue Schoormans, Managing Director, Complete People Management Ltd
Sue Schoormans, Managing Director of Complete People Management Ltd, discusses her HR consultancy role and argues that enforcing female-focused policies may be essential for elevating HR to board-level positions in organizations.
Bad behaviour in the workplace: nature or nurture?
Workplace problem behavior often stems from poor fit between employee values and company culture rather than inherent personality flaws. Sophisticated psychometric assessments during recruitment can identify alignment between candidates and organizational values, helping companies like ASDA and AirMiles avoid hiring or creating difficult employees.
Colborn’s Corner: Is that a strike I see?
Local authority workers’ strike over pensions was the largest work stoppage since 1926, raising questions about modern industrial relations. Poor employee communication and consultation often trigger strikes, while changing employment conditions and individual representation have made major stoppages increasingly rare today.
What’s the answer? Pay during probation … continued
Employers must pay employees their agreed wages during probation unless the contract explicitly allows deductions for lateness. Without specific contractual terms permitting otherwise, withholding pay is not legally permitted, regardless of performance issues.
What’s the answer? Pay during probation
Employers must pay employees for hours worked during probation, even if performance is poor or training time was used. Failure to pay constitutes unlawful wage deduction and breach of contract, regardless of the employee’s conduct or probationary status.
Opinion: HR’s role in change management … continued
HR plays a critical role in organizational change management by participating in initial planning, visibly supporting the change vision, and providing reassurance to employees and management during stressful transitions. HR must also serve as a neutral sounding board for change agents and handle contractual adjustments as new processes are implemented.
Opinion: HR’s role in change management
Human Resources plays a critical role in managing organizational change by establishing trust between employer and employee, reducing resistance through relationship management, and guiding interventions through key stages of implementation.
Member’s Tip: Time off for child related issues
Employers can establish clear policies for child-related absences by requiring employees to make up time, take unpaid leave, or reschedule appointments outside work hours. Setting firm boundaries while remaining supportive—and avoiding untrained counseling—helps manage expectations and prevent excessive absences from disrupting business operations.
Sickness absence: Too late for excuses
Organizations dismissing employee absences as excuses overlook a critical issue: workplace stress and poor management create the conditions driving sickness and lateness. By taking responsibility for work environment quality and treating employees with dignity, companies can reduce costly absenteeism and improve competitiveness.
How Did I Get Here? Des Woods, Global Head of Learning and OD, Linklaters … continued
Des Woods, Global Head of Learning and OD at Linklaters, discusses the challenges of designing global training programs across multiple cultures and technologies. He emphasizes understanding organizational business needs and clients as key to effective training delivery.
How Did I Get Here? Des Woods, Global Head of Learning and OD, Linklaters
Des Woods, Global Head of Learning and Organization Development at Linklaters, explains how the global law firm establishes training priorities and evaluates learning initiatives across its partnership structure. He discusses balancing responsive, day-to-day training with strategic development aligned to market opportunities.
HR Zone Members Newswire #145 – How An HR Officer Dealt With Drugs At Work
Managing drug abuse in the workplace is a complex HR challenge. This issue explores how one HR officer handled an employee whose drug use was affecting their work performance, drawing on real case studies from HR professionals facing similar situations.
Opinion: Training strategy must change … continued
Training departments must shift from being course suppliers to proactive business partners who balance skills training with behavioral development. Effective training strategies should align with HR initiatives, justify different learning interventions through impact and risk analysis, and address compliance needs while managing limited budgets.
Opinion: Training strategy must change
Organizations must shift their training strategy from a demand-driven approach to a proactive partnership model that addresses legislative changes and behavioral transformation, particularly for line managers. This requires closer alignment with HR strategy and recognition that managers often lack awareness of development needs related to compliance and evolving workplace expectations.
HR Tip: Dismissal settlements
A dismissal settlement requires legal protection to prevent future claims. Employers can use a compromise agreement drafted by an independent lawyer or certified official, or hold back part of the settlement for four months post-employment as a safeguard against legal action.
How to: Make it to the top of the HR tree … continued
Networking and interpersonal skills are essential for HR professionals seeking career advancement. Developing strong emotional intelligence and understanding colleague motivations helps HR leaders raise their professional profile and effectively advocate for their function within the organization.
How to: Make it to the top of the HR tree
Advance your HR career by mastering commercial awareness, culture assessment, and strategic business communication. Top HR professionals combine patience and listening skills with deep knowledge of organizational dynamics and market trends to become trusted business partners.
