Payroll Tip: Employee contributions to accommodation
Employee contributions toward employer-provided living accommodation can reduce the reportable value of that accommodation, but only for calculating the additional charge when accommodation costs exceed £75,000. The reduction method depends on whether the employer owned the property for more than six years before the employee occupied it.
CSR and beyond: The pope, the EU and the Election
The election of Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger) highlights a growing divide between the Catholic Church’s conservative stance on human rights and gender equality and the business community’s increasingly progressive anti-discrimination policies. Major corporations now support legislation protecting sexual orientation rights, contrasting sharply with the church’s traditional position.
Hot-desking is a turn off for workers
Hot-desking, where employees don’t have assigned desks, is damaging worker morale and productivity, according to recruitment experts. While businesses adopt the practice to reduce office costs, staff report feeling isolated and undervalued without stable workspaces and consistent team connections.
How to: Network successfully
Master networking skills by becoming visible, building genuine relationships, and maintaining a positive attitude. Learn how to increase your market reach, develop meaningful connections, and advance your career through strategic networking opportunities and effective communication techniques.
Key skills qualifications rise
Key Skills qualifications rose 23% last year with nearly 332,000 certificates awarded, primarily to 16 to 18-year-olds. Since their introduction four years ago, over 940,000 qualifications have been awarded across communication, IT, and numeracy.
Tempers fly as BA loses part-time working case
British Airways lost a tribunal case after refusing First Officer Jessica Starmer’s request to work part-time while caring for her young daughter. The airline claimed safety concerns and required 2,000 flying hours before allowing reduced hours, but Starmer had 1,100 hours when rejected. BA plans to appeal the tribunal’s decision.
Bosses police e-mail activity
UK businesses are increasingly restricting employee access to personal email accounts like Yahoo and Hotmail, with nearly two-thirds of organisations implementing controls. A survey reveals 46% have completely banned personal email access, while others allow it only during breaks, citing security risks and lost productivity.
Board members need more vetting
Organizations should strengthen their Board recruitment and vetting processes to ensure directors possess the ability to challenge, technical expertise, and cultural alignment. Proper induction, training, and performance management are essential for Board effectiveness and preventing domination by individual personalities.
Win a luxury manicure – competition closes today
Enter to win a luxury manicure at The Spa in London by sharing your beauty DIY disaster story. The competition closes today at 6pm—submit your entry with your name and email address for a chance to win.
Editor’s Comment: Can workplaces survive without leaders?
Exploring whether workplaces require traditional leaders, this article examines how leadership exists throughout nature and considers if organizations can thrive without a hierarchical leader at the top, or whether success depends on cooperation and distributed decision-making.
Flexible working tops pay in ‘wants’ list
Flexible working has become the second most important workplace priority for British employees after pay, with 70% wanting flexible hours. A survey of 1,000 workers found that 46% find their workplace stressful, while those able to work from home report significantly higher job satisfaction.
Information and Consultation – Jaw, Jaw not War, War
New Information and Consultation Regulations requiring companies with 150+ employees to consult workers on workplace matters came into force in March 2005. Implementation is staggered by workforce size, with employers able to negotiate agreements with employees or face default consultation provisions.
Skills shortages bite as jobs pick up
As the UK job market rebounds, employers face widening skills shortages, particularly in sales and IT roles. The latest Recruitment Confidence Index shows 48% of companies plan to hire more staff over the next six months, but half struggle to fill sales positions and 45% report difficulty attracting IT talent.
Businesses struggle to kick the smoking habit
UK businesses struggle to implement workplace smoking bans despite passive smoking causing 300 deaths annually and costing employers over £340 million yearly in productivity losses. While employers have legal obligations to protect non-smokers under workplace health regulations, fewer than half offer support for staff to quit smoking.
HR Zone Briefing #242 – Traits for HR success …
Explore the essential traits and management skills that define success in HR leadership, from workplace stress identification to family-friendly policies and e-recruitment best practices.
Colborn’s Corner: Is there a place for ethics in HR?
Explore whether HR professionals should act as organizational conscience when business pressures conflict with ethical responsibilities. This article examines HR’s role in protecting employees during closures, handling recruitment missteps, and challenging misconduct despite reputational concerns.
HR prepares to party
UK companies are investing an estimated £2.5 million annually on corporate events and parties, with HR and PR departments increasingly dedicating resources to staff celebrations. The trend reflects growing recognition that corporate gatherings boost employee morale and serve as meaningful ways to show appreciation.
Working time opt-out is scrapped
The European Parliament’s Employment Committee voted to eliminate the working time opt-out, meaning employers will no longer be able to ask staff to work more than 48 hours weekly by 2010. The CBI opposed the decision, arguing it failed to take a balanced approach and warning of negative impacts on UK businesses.
Verifile: CV Verification and Background Screening Service
Verifile is the UK’s leading CV verification and background screening service that verifies educational, career, and personal information while checking criminal and credit histories. The affordable service delivers results within five working days, helping businesses reduce recruitment fraud, lower turnover costs, and ensure employment compliance.
Top tips for developing leadership skills
Develop essential leadership skills through improved communication, team involvement in change management, building self-confidence, and maintaining broad perspectives. These strategies help leaders enhance productivity and staff morale while navigating organizational change effectively.
