Public sector stage ‘pensions’ protest
Thousands of public sector workers are due to take part in a day of protests over pensions today.In 2002 the Government published its Pensions Green Paper which sought to raise retirement ages in the public sector from 60 to 65, and to increase the age at which people could take early retirement from 50 to […]
Tight-lipped Brits keep salary details private
Workers in the UK are the most reticent of all Europeans when it comes to divulging salary details. Stepstone recruitment firm claim that 42% of British workers would never discuss their earnings with colleagues. A mere 17% feel comfortable doing so.Attitudes in Germany are similar to those in the UK, with 43% preferring to keep […]
New pension rule may make firms look insolvent
UK businesses must take action now to avoid potentially dire consequences of accounting standard FRS 17, a firm of accountants has warned. Accountancy firm PKF warned that FRS17 ‘Retirement benefits’ obliges UK businesses within its scope to account for any surplus or deficit in a defined benefit pension scheme. “Until now,” PKF said, “these have […]
How to: Keep workers’ health records in line with Data Protection
Paul Avis from Employ-Mend discusses what is needed to comply with Part four of the Data Protection Act (1998); a particularly contentious aspect of workers’ health records. In December 2004 Part four of the Employment Practices Data Protection Code (Information about Workers’ Health) was launched to complete the clarification of employers’ obligations under Data Protection […]
Labour market at full capacity
Employment levels have reached their highest level since comparable records began in 1971.According to official labour market figures out today, the employment rate for people of working age was 74.9% for the three months ending in December 2004, an increase from 74.7% from the previous quarter. The last time the rate was higher was for […]
Businesses back staff development
More bosses are giving their support to staff development, according to a survey by employment law firm, Peninsula and financial recruitment specialists, Portfolio Payroll.Their survey of 856 employers revealed that: 79% offer their employees the opportunity to gain further qualifications compared to 64% in 2004 84% of these companies allow their employees time away from […]
Workers across the pond trust leaders more
Feelings towards senior management improve the closer to the Atlantic sentiment is tested.In Watson Wyatt’s ‘WorkUK’ and ‘WorkUSA’ surveys, it is revealed that while 51% of US workers have trust and confidence in the job being done by their organisations leaders a mere 31% of UK workers feel the same.Andrew Cocks, European head of employee […]
Case Study: Barclays scoop top rewards with HR shared service centre
Pre-millennium Barclays was formed by clusters of business units each with its own head office; when new CEO Matt Barrett announced tough financial targets in line with his value-based management philosophy, the decentralised and fragmented HR function was an obvious candidate for review. The challenge:Barclays Bank is one of the UK’s largest retail financial services […]
Olympic bid troubled by skills deficit
A survey by People 1st, the Sector Skills Council representing the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector suggests that 60% of industry believe more skilled workers are needed if the UK is to host the 2012 Olympic games.Many businesses back the bid; 73% of those surveyed believe it would boost tourism and 53% say it […]
Skill shortages hamper recruitment efforts
The voice of UK Plc, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has released figures which show a 50% rise in the number of bosses reporting difficulties recruiting staff with the right skills.According to the BCC, two surveys taken ten years apart reveal the extent of the skills shortage. Sentiment measured last year showed that 43% […]
Property slowdown catapults worker ‘sickies’
The number of workers taking ‘sickies’ to assist with the selling of their homes is on the rise.These are the findings of property company, National Homebuyers. According to their research 35% admitted to taking at least three days sick leave while trying to find a buyer.The trend has been fuelled by slowing property prices as […]
HR Tip: Different jobs, different contracts?
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: We took on a part-time worker some time ago. He was so good that two other departments have given him work, but each of a different nature. Our problem is, does he […]
Member wire #86 – Love wars could land bosses in the dock
================================================================ HR Zone Members Newswire Issue 86 15 February 2005 http://www.hrzone.co.uk ================================================================ SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** SITE HIGHLIGHTS **** 1. HDIGH? Sally Gregory, National Car Rental 2. Editor’s Comment: Finding love in the concrete jungle 3. The Couch?! Goes looking for instant love 4. Love wars could land bosses in the dock 5. […]
NHS equal pay battle close to £300m pay out
Unison has brokered an equal pay deal that looks likely to pay out £300m to 1,500 female NHS health workers in back pay.The women who worked for North Cumbria Acute NHS Trust have been fighting their equal pay case for eight years.The claims were lodged in August 1997 for 14 different jobs, using five different […]
Opinion: Bosses to blame for soaring absence
Gerry Baxter of management consultancy Baxter Neumann argues that organisations are as much to blame for sky-high absence as work shy employees. New efforts to tackle workplace absence has received much press over the last year particularly for organisations that have adopted new ways of managing the issue from staff incentives that woo workers back […]
Review: Implementing virtual teams
Title: Implementing Virtual TeamsAuthors: Abigail Edwards and John R. WilsonPublisher: Gower Publishing LimitedISBN: 0 566 08468 6Price: £53.95Reviewer: Kathryn KellyEmployer’s Organisation for local Government and recruitmentBeware of first impressionsMy first thoughts about a book on implementing virtual teams were that the medium was at odds with the subject matter. This was re-enforced by the computer-generated […]
Part-timers miss out on training and pay
Part-time workers are 40% less likely to receive in-working training than their full-time counterparts.These are the findings from an Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) investigation: Part-time is no crime – so why the penalty?.According to the EOC more than half the UK’s part-time workers are in jobs that they feel fail to capitalise on their qualifications, […]
The Couch?! Goes looking for instant love
Take 15 desperate women and 15 desperate men, put them in a bar with some scorecards and what have you got? Speed-dating! The prospect of being in a room with 29 other desperados might make your skin crawl with shame and embarrassment, or you might fancy the challenge of being able to schmooze your way […]
Veggie practice adopts non-carnivore recruitment policy
In a novel attempt to differentiate itself in the marketplace, Chingford-based accountancy firm Jackson & Jackson has become the first practice to earn the official approval of the Vegetarian Society. The firm, which is entirely vegetarian, applied and received the accreditation which allows it to display the Vegetarian Society’s “seedling” symbol on its promotional material. […]
Love wars could land bosses in the dock
Employment and HR adviser, Croner are urging bosses to sign romantically-engaged workers up to a ‘love contract’.Far worse than the obvious awkwardness experienced when a relationship breaks down between two colleagues is the threat of sexual harassment warns Croner.Richard Smith, HR expert at the firm said: “You can’t legislate against love, but companies should consider […]
