Opinion: Is training really the answer?
Training alone cannot solve all workforce performance issues. Organizations should focus on hiring candidates with essential skills already in place, rather than relying solely on training courses to address fundamental capability gaps.
Bosses expect to pay out for pensions
UK employers are preparing for mandatory pension contributions, with most expecting to contribute an average of 5% of payroll. A survey of 430 firms shows flexible benefits schemes have doubled to 10%, though fixed benefits remain the dominant option at over 60%.
Editor’s Comment: Living to work or working to live?
Britain faces a £57 billion annual pension shortfall due to longer lifespans and declining birth rates. Lifelong learning offers a potential solution by enabling older workers to continue contributing to the economy beyond traditional retirement age, while challenging age-related myths about learning capacity.
The Couch?! cooks in hells kitchen
The Couch?! team invites you to share your worst dinner party disasters, from forgotten ovens to hilarious cooking mishaps. Inspired by Hell’s Kitchen, they’ve compiled the top ten cooking shockers and want to hear your own stories of culinary chaos.
Study offers innovation lessons for leaders
A new report shows that leaders play the most critical role in driving innovation. The study reveals that successful innovators must understand different types of innovation require distinct leadership approaches, and organizations must develop leaders tailored to their innovation stage.
Legal Briefing: Employment Legislation – April 2005
Key employment legislation took effect in April 2005, including expanded protections for workers on industrial action, new rights for jury service, and improved minimum wage enforcement under the Employment Relations Act 2004. The Gender Recognition Act 2004 also provided legal recognition for transsexuals and strengthened discrimination protections for all employees undergoing gender reassignment.
HR Outsourcing – the issues
HR outsourcing can offer cost savings and access to specialized expertise, but requires careful planning to ensure the provider’s processes align with your business needs. Key considerations include defining exactly what to outsource, understanding escalation procedures for complex issues, and evaluating whether standardized approaches fit your company culture.
Employment Tribunals – Winning the Case
Learn what’s involved in winning employment tribunal cases, from understanding appeal grounds and compensation caps to recent high-profile discrimination and equal pay settlements that are reshaping employer practices.
Vox Pop: Does increased legislation justify the existence of the HR function?
HR professionals and business leaders debate whether employment legislation alone justifies the HR function. While compliance is important, experts argue that true HR value comes from attracting talent, boosting employee engagement, and driving organizational performance beyond legal requirements.
Market watch: The outsourcing game
HR outsourcing is evolving beyond single payroll services toward multi-process models, with the global HRO market projected to reach $33 billion by 2008. This shift enables companies to implement modern E-HR systems and transform HR departments into strategic business partners rather than administrative support functions.
Impact: Six months on from the dispute, grievance and dismissal procedures
Six months after statutory dismissal, disciplinary, and grievance procedures took effect in October 2004, Employment Tribunal claims have not decreased as intended. Early evidence suggests the formality of new procedures may actually encourage claims, as employees cite procedural errors for automatic unfair dismissal findings.
Opinion: Should HR consider the ‘Offshoring’ option?
HR leaders considering offshoring should weigh significant cost savings—labor in India and Eastern Europe costs up to five times less than the USA and UK—against challenges like job losses, service quality concerns, and stakeholder resistance. Success requires careful planning across seven key areas including stakeholder management and realistic expectation-setting.
How ‘friendly’ are family policies?
UK family-friendly policies introduced in April 2003 expanded maternity leave to 52 weeks, created paid paternity and adoption leave, and granted workers the right to request flexible working. Despite widespread awareness and demand for these rights, managers have resisted implementation due to cost concerns, with about 30% of small firms denying staff flexible working despite legal requirements.
I&C ‘how-to-comply’ guidance from Dr Stephen Hardy
Dr Stephen Hardy provides HR compliance guidance for the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004, outlining employer obligations to establish information and consultation structures. The regulations apply to businesses meeting employee thresholds (currently 50+ employees) and require formal procedures for negotiating ICE agreements or applying standard consultation provisions.
Identity crisis – contractors or employees?
Employment tribunals can find contractors to be employees based on factors including contract existence, mutual obligation, control, and personal service—regardless of how businesses initially classify the working relationship.
Stone speaks: Building female networks
Female workplace networks accelerate career advancement and drive cultural change by facilitating knowledge-sharing, skill development, and opportunity creation. Effective networks require clear objectives, senior leadership support, diverse ownership, and high-impact initiatives aligned with company values to ensure sustainable growth and business value.
Insight: Challenges for a super coach
Graham Alexander explores the unique challenges of executive coaching at the highest levels, where super coaches work exclusively with CEOs who need trusted confidants, strong personalities to match their own, and demonstrated business acumen to navigate complex organizational and personal pressures.
Return-to-work mothers ‘need more support’
Mothers returning to work after maternity leave face significant challenges including anxiety, guilt, and low confidence, according to a helpline company. Experts recommend employers implement phased returns, keep absent workers informed, and avoid overwhelming them with accumulated work to ease the transition back to the workplace.
And the winner of the ‘Beauty DIY disasters’ prize draw is …
Emma Crowe won HRZone’s Beauty DIY disasters prize draw and claimed a luxury manicure at The Spa in London. The contest invited members to share their most hilarious beauty mishaps, from hair dye disasters to eyebrow waxing gone wrong.
Member wire #96 – Secrets of HR success
Discover what it takes to succeed in HR through member insights on leadership, networking, workplace ethics, and employment law trends in this HR Zone members newswire roundup.
