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.
Colborn’s Corner: The 2005 Election – What does it mean for HR?
Quentin Colborn, an independent HR consultant kick starts his new series – ‘Colborn’s Corner’ with a pundit’s view on what a 2005 General Election might mean for the HR function. Nobody knows for certain, but May 5 is being touted as the expected date for the next General Election. Should this concern HR professionals? Do […]
Review: An HR Guide to workplace Fraud
An HR Guide to workplace Fraud provides managers with practical strategies to detect and prevent workplace deception across diverse areas. The review-heavy format of charts, tables, and case studies makes it useful for quick reference, though the index could be more comprehensive.
HR languish in diversity ‘darkness’
Only 38% of HR professionals have received training on employment equality regulations covering sexual orientation and religion or belief, despite laws being introduced 14 months prior. Training gaps are more pronounced in the private sector, and awareness of upcoming age discrimination regulations remains critically low at just 19%.
Bosses must help smokers quit
Less than half of UK companies offer smoking cessation support to employees, despite smoking costing workplaces at least £340 million annually in lost productivity. Employers should implement clear workplace smoking policies and provide cessation assistance to help staff quit and boost workplace morale.
Skills body vows to plug management deficit
The Sector Skills Development Agency has identified a significant shortage of top management skills, with demand expected to rise sharply across most sectors in coming years. The agency vows to address this deficit through employer-led Sector Skills Councils that will ensure managers have the necessary skills to meet future business needs.
Case Study: Coaching at Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark developed a strategic leadership program centered on coaching and talent development, establishing six key capabilities for managers. This case study examines why organizations struggle to adopt coaching approaches despite its proven benefits for employee engagement and long-term growth.
Crisis case studies – how would you cope?
Most UK businesses fail to act on known risks: while 86% identify threats, only 10% implement contingency plans. A Chartered Management Institute report reveals that organizations lack adequate disaster preparedness, with untested continuity plans offering false security.
Equality in danger under pro-family policies
A Fawcett Society report warns that despite Labour’s pro-family workplace policies, women’s financial equality is worsening. Women earn significantly less than men and remain concentrated in low-paid caring and service sectors, while still handling most unpaid household work.
Opinion: Women in Business – the importance of equality
Women remain significantly underrepresented in senior business positions despite workplace equality efforts. Evidence shows companies with diverse leadership demonstrate better governance, yet the glass ceiling persists with fewer than four percent of directors being women.
Police training under spotlight
Twelve police officers face discipline following a BBC documentary exposing racism at a police training college. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has recommended reviewing recruitment and training methods to identify unsuitable personality traits and improve race and diversity training across police services.
Payroll Tip: Benefits – Tax and NICs implications
Understanding employment benefits requires careful consideration of tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). Different methods of providing the same benefit create varying tax and NICs liabilities, with some approaches best avoided. Employers must correctly report benefits on P11D or P9D forms and pay appropriate Class 1A NICs.
Member wire #89 – HR to staff ratios
HR to staff ratios don’t follow a simple formula. Instead of relying on standardized ratios, HR professionals should focus on demonstrating the value they contribute to their organization.
Review: Financial Accounting and Reporting
This review examines the eighth edition of Financial Accounting and Reporting by Barry Elliott and Jamie Elliott, a leading accounting textbook. While technically sound and comprehensive at nearly 1,000 pages, the book was already superseded by the ninth edition upon publication, making it less valuable for current study despite covering corporate governance updates and international accounting standards progress through May 2003.
The Couch!? asks, do you need an extreme makeover?
The Couch?! examines common HR stereotypes—from obsessive record-keeping to conservative fashion choices—and asks whether these outdated characterizations still ring true for today’s HR professionals or if a new generation has moved beyond them.
The wonders of website marketing
Effective website marketing requires integrating your web strategy into overall business strategy. Using SWOT analysis and client research, businesses should optimize site speed, content, navigation, and keywords while avoiding outdated information and unnecessary registration barriers.
How Did I Get Here? Victoria Hayden, Talent and Resourcing Consultant Selfridges & Co
Victoria Hayden, Talent & Resourcing Consultant at Selfridges & Co, shares how she transitioned from retail management to HR. Her role involves designing competency frameworks, assessment centres, and job descriptions, including coordinating recruitment for 500 sales staff across store openings.
