Leadership: Visionary, popular or sledgehammer?
Leadership styles vary widely, with visionary leaders driving change, popular leaders building team trust through communication, and sledgehammer leaders challenging existing practices. Each approach has strengths and weaknesses depending on organizational context and phase of change implementation.
CSR and beyond: What’s all the fuss about?
Corporate social responsibility encompasses fair treatment of all stakeholders—employees, customers, suppliers, and communities—rather than superficial charitable projects. Real CSR involves working ethically to sustain long-term profits, though confusion remains about its definition and implementation as companies increasingly recognize responsible business behavior.
Member wire #90 – It pays to see Red
HR Zone’s March 2005 newswire highlights Comic Relief fundraising efforts, HR leadership insights, and practical advice on car allowances and employment rights. The publication features editor commentary on volunteerism and upcoming HR conferences and training events.
HR Tip: Excessive home-to-work travel
Employers cannot dismiss an employee solely for relocating far from work unless proximity was a contractual requirement. However, disciplinary action is justified if the long commute causes documented performance issues, late arrivals, or mistakes, provided similar standards apply to all employees.
Refugee and asylum seeker talent ignored
Highly qualified refugees and asylum seekers represent an untapped resource for Britain’s workforce. The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics reports that retraining refugee professionals costs significantly less than training new workers, yet many skilled applications remain unfunded due to limited resources.
HR fail to cope with life’s ‘milestones’
HR professionals experience significantly higher rates of depression and medication use than the national average, according to research revealing that one in three people struggle with major life milestones like miscarriage, bereavement, and illness, impacting workplace productivity and well-being.
£300m equal pay award, biggest ever
North Cumbria NHS Trust agreed to pay £300 million in back pay to around 1,500 women workers, marking the largest equal pay settlement on record. The women, including nurses, catering assistants, and cleaners, fought for eight years after their August 1997 claims, receiving between £35,000 and £200,000 each for six years of back-dated pay.
Public sector re-focuses training efforts
Public sector organisations are shifting training focus towards motivational and behavioural programmes, according to training provider Video Arts. The shift follows the Gershon efficiency review and Lyons relocation review, as organisations address declining morale and productivity amid uncertainty about the future.
Holiday hangover accepted
Nearly half of employers allow staff to carry over unused holiday into the next year, with five days being the most common allowance, according to research by IRS Employment Review. The study reveals varied approaches to holiday pay calculation and sabbatical policies among UK organizations.
HR leadership elite series: what does HR leadership offer you?
HR leadership is transforming the field, eliminating traditional departments in favor of specialized “people performance teams” that blend HR expertise with data analysis, systems thinking, and organizational design. Professionals who focus on demonstrating business value and developing organizational trust will command higher salaries and face greater challenges in a restructured, more strategic HR function.
Anti-bullying policies fail UK plc
Despite 83% of UK employers having anti-bullying policies, workplace bullying remains widespread, costing businesses significant management time and productivity losses. The CIPD recommends dignity-at-work policies and manager training to address the problem more effectively.
VAT on fuel ruling angers UK Government
The European Court of Justice has ruled that UK businesses can no longer reclaim VAT on fuel using mileage rates, overturning years of established practice. The decision could cost companies an estimated £250m annually and has prompted an angry response from the UK government, though ministers acknowledge they must comply with the ruling.
Prentis triumphs at ballot box
Dave Prentis has been re-elected as general secretary of UNISON, Britain’s largest union, winning 75% of the vote. Prentis, who has led the union since 2001, pledged to continue campaigning on behalf of members’ pensions and public service worker issues.
Scrap NIC increase, says business group
The Forum of Private Business, representing 25,000 small to medium-sized firms, is calling for the government to reverse a one percent national insurance contribution increase implemented in April 2003, citing it as a barrier to SME growth and job creation.
Editor’s Comment: The Vox Pop of Volunteerism
The Year of the Volunteer (YV05) aims to encourage community participation, but questions arise about its feasibility for working parents and busy professionals. This editor’s comment examines whether volunteerism is a realistic expectation in modern capitalist society, particularly for those juggling work, family, and financial pressures.
Staff recognise training and performance link
A CIPD survey found that 94% of workers who received training believe it improved their job performance, though 21% still lack adequate training opportunities. The research highlights that line managers play a critical role in training decisions, and that training access remains unequal across different employee groups.
Women ‘better leaders’
A new study by leadership consultants suggests women possess key leadership characteristics—such as complexity understanding, relationship building, and vision—more strongly than men, yet remain underrepresented in senior business positions due to visibility and communication differences in male-dominated environments.
Women shatter ‘union’ glass ceiling
Women have nearly closed the gender gap in trade union membership, with female membership growing from 312,000 in 1997 to 3.475 million today, according to new Labour Force Survey data presented at the TUC Women’s Conference.
Lessons to be learned from UKeU failure
The UK’s failed e-University (UKeU) collapsed due to excessive focus on technology over market research, attracting only 900 of its 5,600 targeted students at a cost of £50m. An inquiry found the scheme lacked customer analysis, private sector partnerships, and ministerial accountability.
DWP staff man the phones for Comic Relief
DWP staff volunteers across 14 call centres nationwide will answer phones for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day on March 11, with 1,400 volunteers helping raise donations during the seven-hour phone-in. Celebrity guests including the Cheeky Girls and X-Factor’s Verity will join workers to take calls.
