Bad weather fails to dampen bosses resolve
Most employers don’t view bad weather as grounds for paid leave, but experts recommend adopting adverse weather policies to avoid conflict. Alternative solutions include allowing home-working, annual leave options, or paid leave as a goodwill gesture to boost employee morale.
Opinion: Behavioural contracting – an organisational must
Effective business coaching requires clear behavioral contracting between the coach, organization, and client to ensure measurable outcomes and organizational value. A transparent contract prevents misalignment, reduces disappointment, and helps all parties understand what coaching will actually deliver.
Member wire #87 – Reward – the cash-cow
Explore reward management career opportunities and earnings potential for HR specialists. This HR Zone newswire examines reward as a valuable field within human resources, alongside coverage of data protection compliance, employment law updates, and key HR industry developments.
Payroll Tip: Payments for private medical insurance
When employers pay private medical insurance premiums annually, the full premium cost must be reported on form P11D for each employee, even if they leave partway through the year. The cash equivalent reported is based on the cost incurred to provide the benefit during the tax year, regardless of when payment was made.
NHS look to Africa to plug skills gap
The NHS is recruiting thousands of doctors and nurses from Ghana and other African countries to fill staffing shortages, costing poor nations an estimated £35 million in lost training investment while the UK saves £65 million. A new report calls for government compensation to countries depleted of healthcare professionals.
NIACE highlights learning challenge of ageing population
NIACE warns that education systems must adapt to support older learners, as two-thirds of new jobs over the next decade will need to be filled by older workers, women, and immigrants. The policy paper argues current skills strategies fail to address the learning needs of Britain’s ageing population.
How Did I Get Here? Martin Schmalenbach
Martin Schmalenbach switched from engineering to RAF training, then pursued organizational development after questioning why experienced leaders fail. He now works to ensure people’s efforts create valued differences in organizations, combining research across diverse fields with knowledge sharing and speaking engagements.
It’s official: public sector get more holiday
Public sector workers receive three to four more days of annual leave than private sector employees on average, according to analyst research. Unionized workplaces also offer significantly more holiday entitlement, with workers averaging 26.1 days compared to 22.7 days in non-unionized settings.
Ramsey under pressure at HRD 2005
Gordon Ramsey will share insights on performing under pressure at the CIPD HRD 2005 Conference, alongside keynote speakers including Olympic athlete Kelly Holmes and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens. The event features over 40 seminars and 300 exhibitors focused on learning and development trends.
TUC push long hours ‘bossagram’
The Trades Union Congress is launching ‘Work Your Proper Hours’ day on February 25, encouraging workers to send their bosses a reminder about excessive overtime. The campaign highlights that employees effectively work unpaid until late February to compensate for accumulated extra hours throughout the year.
FSB: Government has let employers down
The Federation of Small Businesses has criticized the Government for failing to provide a timeline for ending employers’ responsibility for administering working tax credits and statutory maternity pay. The FSB argues these administrative burdens disproportionately affect small firms without dedicated payroll departments and that benefits should be paid directly by the state.
Managing adversity by Hans Blix
Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix shares insights on managing adversity and handling unrealistic expectations at the Human Resources Forum. Learn how to navigate impossible situations from an expert who balanced competing demands during high-stakes international negotiations.
Women pull up a pew as Synod paves way to equality
The Church of England moved closer to ordaining women bishops, with the General Synod approving initial steps this week. Women have served as priests since 1994, but face continued barriers to becoming bishops. Legislative procedures are expected to begin in July, potentially leading to the first female bishop consecrations by 2010.
HR ‘job for life’ … is no longer
The traditional HR career is disappearing, with 79% of HR professionals planning to leave the field and 57% expecting to work freelance or contract roles. Despite this exodus, most believe HR’s importance will grow and prioritize work-life balance over salary.
Editor’s Comment: Reward – the cash-cow
The booming demand for reward specialists has made compensation expertise a lucrative career path. Senior reward practitioners earn a median base salary of £50,050, significantly above the £38,000 typical for senior general HR managers, with earnings varying by sector and organization size.
Revenue payroll testing upsets software suppliers
BASDA raises concerns about the Inland Revenue’s Payroll Standard testing and accreditation process as software suppliers prepare for mandatory online PAYE filing. Beginning April 6, companies with over 250 employees must file returns online, creating increased demand for approved payroll software solutions.
Public sector stage ‘pensions’ protest
Thousands of public sector workers are protesting government plans to raise retirement ages from 60 to 65 and increase early retirement age from 50 to 55. The TUC claims there has been insufficient consultation and argues the changes amount to a pay cut for workers in physically demanding occupations.
Tight-lipped Brits keep salary details private
British workers are significantly more reluctant to discuss salaries with colleagues than their European counterparts, with 42% refusing to share earnings details. The survey found the French most open about wages, while Germans share similar privacy preferences to the UK.
New pension rule may make firms look insolvent
New UK accounting standard FRS 17 requires businesses to include pension scheme deficits on balance sheets from January 2005, potentially making solvent companies appear insolvent and triggering breaches of borrowing covenants and dividend restrictions.
How to: Keep workers’ health records in line with Data Protection
Employers must comply with Data Protection Act requirements when holding workers’ health records, including obtaining explicit employee consent, storing data separately, and ensuring staff training. The Employment Practices Data Protection Code sets standards for managing sensitive health information while balancing employer needs and employee privacy rights.
