News in Brief: The week in HR – Why say ‘pay’ on Wednesday
The UK labour market shows mixed signals this week with rising employment but increasing redundancy plans. The CIPD warns that while job figures appear strong, growing unemployment claims and falling vacancies suggest underlying weakness, with one in five employers planning winter redundancies.
The Couch?! Writes its festive wish list
The Couch?! shares a humorous holiday wish list for employees, revealing that 85% of workers want more meaningful gifts than ordinary wine. The list includes flexible duvet days, better meeting locations, and pay raises without extra work—reflecting what staff really want from their employers this season.
Colborn’s Corner – Who can you trust these days?
Graham Price’s £10 million Halifax fraud conviction raises important questions about workplace trust and vetting procedures. This article examines what HR can learn about assessing trustworthiness through references, internal reporting systems, and behavioral monitoring.
What’s the answer? Constructive dismissal?
Constructive dismissal may be a valid claim if an employer changes existing employees’ duties without consultation after recruiting externally for a similar role, especially without genuine employee consent or proper job documentation and salary consistency.
Review: The Seven C’s of Coaching
This practical guide presents the Seven C’s framework for collaborative coaching, covering every stage from initial client meeting through implementation and closure. Ideal for professional coaches and managers seeking to develop their coaching skills, the book uses real-world case studies, tools, and structured questions to help practitioners master each phase of effective coaching.
Case Study: Bringing harmony to the workplace
Nelsonbach, a natural medicine company, redesigned its UK headquarters by combining modern space planning with feng shui principles to create a calming, open workplace that boosts employee well-being and productivity while reflecting the company’s holistic values.
HR Zone Competition: Win an executive stress remedy
HR Zone is offering ten members the chance to win a bottle of Executive Stress remedy from Tortue Rouge’s Elixirs of Life range, plus 25% discount on all products. Stress costs the UK economy billions annually and is predicted to become the second leading health threat globally within 15 years.
Pensions 2006 – are you ready?
Only 12% of firms are ready for the new UK pension regime coming April 2006, known as A Day. Current pension members should review their position with an expert before the changes commence, particularly those with significant savings who may be affected by the new £1.5 million lifetime limit.
HR Tip: Recovering relocation expenses
You cannot deduct relocation expenses from an employee’s final salary without written permission. Protect future investments by clearly stating repayment terms in offer letters and employment contracts, specifying timeframes and conditions for expense recovery.
How to: Find great staff and … keep them
Recruit strategically by identifying what makes your organization unique, then retain staff through thoughtful onboarding, mentorship, and clear career development opportunities. A six-point plan reduces turnover and maximizes return on investment in your people.
The HR Business Partner: Panacea or impossible role?
Many large organizations have implemented the Ulrich HR model with shared services, but HR Business Partners often struggle to deliver the promised value-add partnership to the business. Implementation challenges include line managers avoiding people management responsibilities and unclear business outcomes driving the transformation.
How Did I Get Here? Ted Johnson, HR Director, NYK Logistics
Ted Johnson, newly appointed HR Director at NYK Logistics following a merger of two companies, outlines his vision for transforming HR from a reactive, employee relations function into a strategic partner focused on talent development, performance management, and business growth.
Extracts of a Life Coach: An intuitive answer to an age old debate
A life coach explores whether age is necessary for effective coaching, concluding that intuition and fresh perspectives matter more than experience. The coaching community’s generosity and collaborative spirit contrasts sharply with competitive corporate culture, emphasizing mutual support over rivalry.
Hard(y) Law Talk: Party protocol – take note or yule be sorry!
Employers must enforce harassment policies and monitor workplace conduct carefully to comply with updated sex discrimination regulations, particularly during high-risk events like Christmas parties, or face significant damages.
Editor’s Comment: Pack it up, pack it in, let me begin …
Theorists are challenging the “think outside the box” mentality, arguing businesses should refocus on core products and fundamental operations. Leading experts contend that mastering basics—accountability, collaboration, and open communication—builds confidence and drives sustainable success better than chasing the next big thing.
News in Brief: The week in HR – Mind the pay gap
The gender pay gap remains largely unchanged 30 years after the Equal Pay Act, with women earning 17.2% less than men full-time and 39.5% less than men when working part-time. This week’s HR news also covers workplace bullying affecting two million workers and a transsexual employee’s discrimination case victory.
The Couch?! Presents not the usual suspects
The Couch?! team skips mainstream role models like Richard Branson to celebrate unconventional teachers instead, from David Brent’s questionable management style to Sir Humphrey Appleby’s political cunning. They invite readers to share their own fictional and real-world role models in the comments.
What’s the answer? When does retirement officially start?
When an employee reaches 65, their retirement start date depends on employment contracts, company handbooks, and established workplace practices. If no formal policy exists, employers and employees can mutually agree on the final working day, whether that’s the actual birthday or the day before.
Is the UK suffering from an under-management epidemic?
UK organisations may be suffering from an under-management epidemic, with cost-cutting measures removing management layers and impacting productivity and staff morale. Poor manager-employee relationships, lack of management training, and excessive manager workload are key factors contributing to underperformance and low retention rates.
Review: Outdoor management development
This critical introduction to outdoor management development explores experiential learning theory, program design, and effective practices in using outdoor activities for professional development. Reviewer Mike Taylor praises author Willem G Krouwel for delivering substantial insights in a concise, well-written format that challenges superficial approaches to the subject.
