Simon Cowell is ‘boss’ idol
Pop guru and X Factor judge Simon Cowell best known for his caustic wit and cruel appraisals of would-be pop stars has been voted in as the perfect boss.One in two Brits rated him the ideal manager in a poll undertaken by Trust Medical.Former Glasgow Rangers player and chef Gordon Ramsey came a close second, […]
IT managers ‘lack soft skills’
Most UK IT managers feel unequipped to manage their teams effectively, according to a recent poll conducted by Parity.The research, found that 56% of IT managers felt under-equipped for their role, while 67% of their staff recognised this skills gap among their bosses. Almost half of the staff surveyed said that their managers lacked vital […]
Pregnancy discrimination is rife
Around 30,000 working women are sacked, made redundant or leave their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination.These are the shock findings released today by the Equal Opportunities Commission.Under current laws discrimination on the basis of pregnancy is unlawful, but EOC figures show that of the 441,000 women who are pregnant at work each year almost half […]
‘Massive increase in Court Fees to prevent access to justice?’
James Taylor of Bevans Solicitors discusses access to justice. Job satisfaction for Solicitors lies in many areas, but for me, providing access to a civilised system of dispute resolution is high on the list. When I hear tales of the Italian mafia or read of the lawlessness in places like Iraq, I realise what an […]
HRZone members shake off ‘outsourcing’ threat
Far from fearing the threat of outsourcing, over half (57%) of respondents in our month long poll believe that it presents the HR function with the opportunity to focus on other areas of work.Just 19% felt that it was a threat. While a nervous 16% said it could become a danger if the trend increases.HRZone […]
Feature: Getting the most out of appraisals
Graham Yemm, founding partner of Solutions 4 Training looks at the appraisal procedure and what can be done to make the experience more worthwhile for everyone involved. Does your organisation have one of those annual ‘occasions’ that few look forward to: the annual appraisal or performance review? How do you look forward to it? I […]
HR Tip: Re-employment of dismissed workers
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: An employee whom we dismissed is claiming unfair dismissal and asking the court for his job back. Can the court do this? A: If the Employment Tribunal finds that you unfairly dismissed […]
Skills shortages yet to put pressure on pay
Skills shortages are having little impact on wages, according to a snapshot survey of pay rises.Website Monster.co.uk asked over 2,000 British employees when they last received a pay increase and found that 74% had not received a pay rise in the previous year, while 39% had not seen their salary increase in two years. Another […]
The Church of England gets ‘calling’ for HR
For the first time in its 475-year history the Church of England is looking to create an HR department.The Review of Clergy Terms of Service will be debated at General Synod in London on Tuesday 15th February and if passed will give new rights to 11,500 clergy.Eighteen posts will be hired to head up the […]
Boosting the bottom line with childcare policies
Interview – Mark Reardon, CEO Corporate Childcare Solutions Group Improving the deal for parents was the central focus of the recent Pre-Budget Report, in this feature Mark Reardon looks at how working parents can get rich pickings from existing benefits including childcare vouchers.Childcare policiesThe Chief Executive wants to cut costs, employees hanker after increased spending […]
Legal focus: Case law round-up
Alison Wallace, head of employment practice at Steptoe & Johnson presents a quarterly round-up of employment law case rulings including an occurrence whereby a prison officer who had to recover the bodies of prisoners who had committed suicide suffered a stress-related illness for which his employer was held liable. Sex discriminationBrumfitt v Ministry of DefenceMiss […]
Proctor & Gamble axe 6,000 jobs in Gillette merger
The P&G engagement with razor giant Gillette will see as many as 6,000 jobs slashed.The face of brands including Pampers, Crest, Tide and Head and Shoulders hopes to ramp up sales in developing markets like China and Eastern Europe following the merger with Gillette.The price paid for this new union, however, is a reduction in […]
Unions face extinction
This is the warning from The Work Foundation’s British Unions: Resurgence or Perdition by David Metcalf, Professor of Industrial Relations and Deputy Director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics.According to Metcalf employers and Government are also playing a part in their downfall by refusing to ‘contemplate a real partnership […]
Fashion quandary hits UK plc as ‘suit’ bows out
The decline of the business suit has left staff unsure about standards of dress.Research conducted by IRS Employment Review claims that bosses are clamping down on what ‘not’ to wear as dress standards become more casual.According to IRS, more than two-thirds (67%) of dress code policies now have the force of the employment contract behind […]
How Aesop’s fable can help explain the UK savings gap
Everyone knows Aesop’s fable of the ant and the grasshopper: the ant worked hard all summer to provide for the winter ahead; the grasshopper did not and paid the price. A paper by PricewaterhouseCoopers partner John Hawksworth suggests that this fable, combined with insights from recent developments in behavioural economics, can help to explain why […]
Editor’s Comment: ‘Fat’ attacks UK plc
By Annie Hayes, HRZone EditorThe obesity epidemic is putting the brakes on UK productivity as many more workers fall foul to fat-related illnesses; Editor’s Comment examines the issues. At this time of year we are inundated with diet plans all promising to help us shed those extra Christmas pounds while reality TV shows like ‘Fat […]
Softworld HR & Payroll – Exhibitor list
The Softworld HR and payroll show is back this Spring. The two-day event will be held on 2-3 March 2005 at London’s Grand Hall, Olympia.See Softworld for further details including event highlights.Below is a list of the HR and payroll providers exhibiting at the HR & Payroll Softworld event. Next to each is the stand […]
Softworld HR & Payroll preview – Educational programme
Softworld HR & Payroll will be taking place on 2-3 March 2005 Grand Hall, Olympia. As sponsors of the event, HR Zone will be publishing a range of updates and news from the event before, during and after it takes place. Take a look at the breakfast briefings and masterclasses available at Softworld HR & […]
Pay deals break 3% barrier
For 22 months pay deals across the UK have remained unchanged at 3% but for the first time pay analysts IRS report that of 24 wage deals the median settlement is 3.4%.A range of between 2.25% to 5% has been revealed.The number of pay deals worth just 3% or less has also fallen in further […]
Diversity training a ‘must’ say CIPD
Line managers need training on the business benefits of diversity, according to a new report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The report, Driving Diversity Progress, states that organisations who do not take diversity seriously could face difficulties attracting the best candidates to fill vacancies, and risk damaging efforts to achieve their […]
