HR Tip: Role of companion
In disciplinary hearings, a companion supports the employee by ensuring their rights are protected, addressing the meeting, conferring privately, and asking questions—but cannot answer on their behalf unless formally authorized as a representative.
Life Coach at Large: All work and no play?
Nearly half of British managers feel too exhausted to do anything but work and sleep, revealing how long hours culture affects workplace wellbeing. This article explores warning signs of poor work/life balance for individuals and organizations, and why achieving balance benefits productivity and retention.
Q&A: HR Zone talks to Gate Gourmet’s former HR Director
Andy Cook, former HR Director at Gate Gourmet, reveals insights from the airline caterer’s high-profile labor dispute, discussing the disconnect between union leadership and members, media misrepresentation, and lessons that shaped his current HR consulting business.
Book review: Tom Peters Essentials: Leadership, Aspire, Liberate, Achieve
Tom Peters’ leadership guide emphasizes inspiration, liberation, and creativity in modern workplaces. While the “Top 10 To Dos” summaries provide practical value and 50 leadership examples offer useful insights, the oversimplified content and guide-like design limit its depth and rereadability.
News in Brief: The Week in HR – HR gives stress the cold-shoulder
Stress remains a low priority on HR agendas despite costing employers £3.7 billion annually and causing over 13 million sick days per year. Just 32% of businesses offer employee assistance programs, according to a healthcare survey highlighting the gap between stress’s impact and organizational response.
The Couch?! Is afflicted by meetingitis
Research shows managers spend excessive time in meetings that are growing longer and more frequent, leaving employees tired and stressed. The article explores humorous ways workers mentally escape during tedious meetings while trapped at the conference table.
Pensions A-Day dawns
As of April 6, 2005, new pension regulations require employers to notify the Pensions Regulator of specified employer-related events, even those unrelated to the pension scheme itself. These events range from financial difficulties and insolvency risks to changes in key personnel and covenant breaches. HR practitioners and company leadership must coordinate notification duties to ensure compliance and avoid regulatory penalties.
Colborn’s Corner: What’s the point of HR?
HR departments often struggle to demonstrate their value by acting as gatekeepers rather than strategic partners, says Quentin Colborn. When managers dismiss HR’s purpose, it may reflect the function’s failure to communicate how it adds real business value beyond enforcing processes and procedures.
What’s the answer? E-bullying
An employee receives a threatening email from their manager demanding they justify their role or face potential redundancy. Learn how employment law experts advise handling this situation while protecting both the employee and the business.
HR Briefing Issue 283 – Employee grievances
HR Briefing Issue 283 covers employee grievances, work/life balance initiatives from leading HR Directors, contractual changes guidance, and internal communications strategies. The issue includes case studies and expert insights on key HR management topics.
How to: Understand what your people really think
Discover how employee surveys, line manager feedback, and company councils reveal what your people truly think. Learn the ABC method to differentiate between feedback on management approaches, suggestions, and employees’ core concerns—and how to act on what you discover.
Book review: Managing Innovation
Managing Innovation is an audio guide by Tim Thorne, Group Head of Innovation at the Royal Bank of Scotland, featuring interviews with industry leaders like Richard Reed and Sergio Zyman. It explains practical principles for turning ideas into profitable products through a structured innovation process covering ideation, development, evaluation, and launch.
Reviewer profile: Rob Sheffield
Rob Sheffield is an experienced team management consultant with over 17 years in leadership roles across educational publishing, aerospace, and direct marketing. He founded his own training and coaching consultancy in 1999 and specializes in helping leaders develop team talent and emotional intelligence.
Case Study: BUPA boosts employee relations with IIP
BUPA achieved the Investors in People Standard to establish clarity following major acquisitions and integrate business processes. The healthcare employer implemented the framework to create shared goals, improve communication, and link staff development directly to business performance through initiatives like their Personal Best Programme.
Reviewer profile: Desiree Cox
Désirée Cox is a management development consultant and founder of Praeceptor Consulting, an ILM approved training centre. With eighteen years of IT industry experience, she provides consultancy, training, and facilitation for professionals and managers across international organizations.
Tax Feature: Preparing for PAYE online filing 2006
Employers with more than 49 staff must now file PAYE online, with stricter accuracy requirements and enhanced anti-avoidance rules for incentive payments. HMRC has provided guidance to help employers prepare for the 2006 year-end filing process.
HR Radar: How do you foster an improved work/life balance?
HR professionals share practical strategies to improve work/life balance, including flexible working arrangements, volunteer programs, extended holiday options, and wellness initiatives. Three HR directors explain how their organizations foster employee wellbeing while maintaining high performance.
HR Tip: Contractual Changes
When overtime arrangements change, you don’t need to issue new contracts. Instead, provide each employee with written notice of the contractual changes within one month of implementation.
How Did I Get Here, HR Director, Swizzels-Matlow
Nici Matlow, HR Director at Swizzels-Matlow, discusses how the confectionery company combines strategic people management with a family-oriented culture. She explains her role overseeing recruitment, training, and wages while emphasizing the importance of hands-on HR practices that understand both organizational and employee needs.
What happened next? Should a grievance be lodged? By Sarah Fletcher
A bullying manager’s harsh public criticism of an employee’s coursework and appearance escalated workplace tension, prompting consideration of a formal grievance. After seeking advice, the employee attempted direct conversation, received an inadequate apology, and ultimately decided to seek employment elsewhere due to damaged trust.
