Euro 2004: Don’t give staff the red card
It’s no coincidence that the number of sickies has shot up due to Euro 2004 and the sunny weather and employers are understandably suspicious. However, “if an employer suspects an employee is skiving, they mustn’t jump the gun and take disciplinary action until they have investigated the problem and are certain the absence was not […]
Intranet self-service tops HR wish list
58% of HR professionals plan to invest in HR-related technology by December, claims new research.Intranet self-service systems are top of the technology wish list for HR departments, according to the survey by market research agency Vanson Bourne on behalf of Northgate Information Solutions.Of the 250 HR professionals surveyed who were not already using each specific […]
Sophistication of IT firms creates new HR role
Increasingly, Global 2000 companies are creating an internal role to facilitate responsiveness to HR needs within their IT organisations, according to META Group. The HR/IT Program Manager is gaining importance and is highlighted in META Group’s 2004 IT Staffing and Compensation Guide, which contains hundreds of titles and specific job descriptions throughout IT organisations. The […]
‘Sunny weather syndrome’ hits UK companies
Rising temperatures has meant that increasing numbers of UK workers are calling in sick, according to a survey by Active Health Partners. Its experts estimate that 23,000 working days were lost in absenteeism as the weather reached its highest temperatures last week and statistics show that a one-degree increase in temperature causes 2000 more people […]
Review: Mental Space
Title: Mental Space Authors: Tina Konstant and Norris TaylorPublisher: Pearson Education LtdISBN: 1-843-04016-6Price: £15.00This is a “dip-in” book that aims to give the reader an insight into how to use mental space to help you respond to the world. Some of the ideas will be familiar; others may be new to you as they were […]
HR Tip – Signing contracts of employment
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR tips. This week’s tip looks at signing contracts of employment. Q: How important is it for employees to sign their contracts of employment? Is a contract valid without a signature? A: If you offer someone a job, indicate the remuneration they […]
Increase in drink and drugs misuse
Pauline Pembry, Employment Services Manager for FirstAssist, offers some advice regarding workplace drug and alcohol misuse and highlights the relevant legislation. One in five managers believes alcohol misuse has increased in their organisation over the past few years, and 16% feel that drug abuse is on the increase, according to research.New Government regulations, following their […]
Mobile working
Michael Frisby of Cobweb Solutions explains how mobile working makes sound commercial sense and offers many benefits to businesses and employees alike. The world’s work patterns are changing, with more and more flexible working and an ever increasing need to spend more time with customers. This increased demand for mobile services has resulted in employees […]
New dispute resolution legislation
On 1 October 2004 new rules come into force with an important impact for HR professionals when dealing with disciplinary and dismissal matters and grievances. Eilidh Wiseman, Partner at Dundas & Wilson explains. Broadly, unless the employer follows the minimum disciplinary and dismissal procedure set out in the new legislation, any dismissal will be automatically […]
HR Tip – Return to work interviews
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR tips. This week’s tip looks at return to work interviews. Q: We give people coming back to work after an unplanned absence a return to work interview. These are having a good effect on our absenteeism levels. If, during the interview, […]
Employers set to ‘lose control’ over retirement
Employers may be increasingly moving to defined contribution (DC) pension schemes to meet their short-term objectives, but they could be storing up longer-term problems, warns Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow.The results of its annual survey of DC/AVC schemes show that only 3% of employers think that DC members have a good understanding of the funding levels […]
Review: Cool Search
Title: Cool SearchPrice: £16.99ISBN: 1841124303Author:Syrett, Michel, Lammiman, JeanPublisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd Capstone Publishing LimitedReviewer: Denis W Barnard It’s not enough for us to wear combats, baseball caps and use words like “chill” – you have to think young and behave young. A stratum of society has arrived that will set the agenda; raised with […]
Third of managers fail to discuss disputes before tribunal
Last year tribunals dealt with 98,000 claims based on work disputes but in more than a third of those cases the individual and the manager had not discussed the problem at all before approaching an employment tribunal.The DTI survey of 504 HR managers at small and medium-sized businesses, found that three-quarters of employers worry about […]
Employee communication ruined by ‘confusing’ portals
“Encouraging employees to use portals can increase the effectiveness of internal communications and help lower the associated costs,” said Michael Rudnick, national intranet and employee portal leader at Watson Wyatt. “Portals allow HR to focus more on strategic initiatives and less on routine administrative activities, such as fielding questions about benefits and completing forms,” said […]
Hands on approach to staff retention
Richard Bednall, Managing Director of In situ productions, suggests how firms might improve internal communications and win the loyalty of their staff in the face of today’s fast paced working environment. In surroundings which often leave little time for the niceties of staff welfare and for their feelings of well being, few companies can claim […]
Firms urged to prepare a game plan for Euro 2004
Employers must take action now to avoid a drain on productivity through unexpected staff absences during Euro 2004, warned Investors in People today. With the nation gearing up to go football crazy on the 12 June, a number of employers, particularly those with evening and shift workers, could find their staffing patterns threatened if employees […]
HR Tip – Recording disciplinary meetings
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR tips. This week's tip looks at recording disciplinary hearings. Q: How important is it to keep a record of a disciplinary hearing? I cannot listen, think and write at the same time! A: It is very important – and none of […]
Review: Understanding Body Language
Title: Understanding Body Language Editor: Jonathan Norman Publisher: Gower ISBN: 0-566-08431-7 Price: £175.00Understanding Body Language contains a collection of 20 body language training activities. They come in a loose leaf A4 binder, designed to allow you to flick through quickly, find the exercise you need and photocopy the sheets you require, leaving the binder safely […]
How are you monitoring your workforce?
Employers are struggling to get to grips with new areas of discrimination law and diversity monitoring, according to research launched today.The IRS survey of 75 HR departments found that religion/belief is monitored by less than one organisation in 10 and just 4% of employers monitor sexual orientation.Yet 77% of respondents monitor ethnicity, 73% monitor gender, […]
Absent staff – less of a headache?
CBI figures released this week show that workplace absence has increased for the first time in five years, yet a recent IRS survey suggests that absence management appears to be less of a priority for HR in the year ahead. See list of HR priorities for the next 12 months.Perhaps HR’s optimism reflects the fact […]
