“We can all do something about stress”
70% of the UK population believe themselves to be suffering from stress, according to the results of a survey by KitKat Kubes undertaken last month.Organised for the sixth year running by the International Stress Management AssociationUK (ISMAUK), the theme for today’s National Stress Awareness Day™ is “We can all do something about stress”. See HR […]
Stress in the workplace
5 November is National Stress Awareness Day, so we’ve provided you with a round-up of HR Zone’s recent stress related features, news items and community questions. Any Answers postings Stress – how does your company manage it?I would really appreciate it if any members out there could come back to me with any success stories, […]
Government publishes Task Force report on human capital
The Accounting for People Task Force has now published their conclusions and recommendations in a report to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt.The report is the result of a five-month consultation on how organisations should go about reporting on their “human capital”, including activities such as training, recruitment, staff turnover and […]
Effective employee communication linked to greater shareholder returns
Employers looking to increase shareholder returns and reduce employee turnover might want to look at how well they are communicating with workers, says a new Watson Wyatt study.It found that companies with the most effective employee communication programs provided a 26% total return to shareholders (TRS) from 1998 to 2002 compared to a -15% TRS […]
Which careers are set to significantly change?
Longevity consultants and nano-technologists are set to become as familiar as shop keepers and accountants, as new technology and changing lifestyles conspire to transform the UK job market, new research claims.City & Guilds, the vocational awarding body, has forecast which careers are set to emerge, thrive or significantly change over the next decade. While postal […]
Employers support voluntary human capital management reporting
While 87% of managing directors and HR directors agree that companies should report externally on their human capital management (HCM), 71% are strongly against the Government introducing legislation or regulation requiring companies to report on defined people management issues, claims new research. This research, conducted in 200 UK companies, by The Penna Board Partnership, comes […]
DTI Partnership Fund announces latest winners
Projects aimed at improving working conditions in charities, hospitals, offices and factories are to share £2.5m from the DTI Partnership Fund.Announcing the latest round of winners, Gerry Sutcliffe, Employment Relations Minister, said: “Good employers know that only by valuing people can you boost productivity and encourage innovation. Working together makes good business sense and is […]
New ACAS guidance on holiday pay
ACAS has issued a revised guide: Holidays and Holiday Pay It provides guidance on issues, such as: how a part-time worker’s holiday is calculated the right to paid leave on public holidays rights of agency/casual workers leave accrual dealing with requests for extended leave. ACAS has also revised its handbook: Discipline and Grievances at Work […]
“Emotional audits” help managers deal with “toxic emotions”
The need for emotional audits is greater now than ever given the increasing reports of stress in the workplace and the need to pinpoint what these reports really mean, argues Dr Rob Briner, Reader in Organisational Psychology, Birkbeck College, University of London. Briner believes that regular emotional audits may help managers deal with “toxic emotions” […]
How Did I Get Here? Keith Luxon , Laurel Pub Company
Keith Luxon, HR Policy and Reward Director for the Laurel Pub Company, shares his experiences of working in HR to date. What’s your current job role?I am HR Policy and Reward Director for the Laurel Pub Company. We employ around 10,000 people in 600+ pub retail outlets nationwide. The role covers all aspects of ER […]
National Stress Awareness Day
Wednesday 5 November is National Stress Awareness Day™. Organised for the sixth year running by International Stress Management Association UK, (ISMAUK) and the theme for this year is “We can all do something about stress”. Free workshops to help organisations To help businesses deal with stress, ISMAUK is organising free local workshops around the UK […]
Case study: Diversity, communication and business impact at BT
BT has been encouraging diversity for over 20 years. This feature explores some of the initiatives that BT has implemented. “Our big button telephone – that was designed for people with arthritis, but it’s now one of our most popular models”. Dave Wilson, Head of People Networks at BT, uses this as a very practical […]
HR Tip – New disciplinary and dismissal procedures
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: When the new statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedures come into force, will our existing disciplinary procedure become redundant? A: The new procedures, which are expected to come into force early next year, are […]
New Equality Commission to fight discrimination
A new Equality Commission to fight discrimination and challenge inequality was announced today by Patricia Hewitt and Lord Falconer.Under the plans, the work of existing equality commissions will come together to give greater support and more joined-up advice to individuals, businesses and communities to crackdown on discrimination, and promote equality and diversity. For the first […]
Bosses act to end ageism at work
Despite legislation being three years away, UK employers are beginning to take ageism in the workplace seriously, a recent survey has found. Results from ‘This Age in the Workplace’, carried out by Cranfield School of Management on behalf of Age Positive, the DWP’s campaign to promote age diversity in employment, show that employers are already […]
Firms risking fines over firework fiasco
Remember, remember, the 5th of November? It could be a date some companies want to forget if they fail to follow legal guidelines for their fireworks display.Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, any company holding a non-domestic fireworks display, from a local pub to large hotel, or a corporate event, has a […]
Women have not lost right to breastfeed at work
Women have not ‘lost the right to breastfeed at work’ as has been reported in the media this week, warns the Equal Opportunities Commission. Under health and safety legislation employers are required to provide pregnant and breastfeeding women with a place to rest. The Health and Safety Executive also recommends that employers provide women who […]
Concerns over requesting flexible working are unfounded, claims survey
The flexible working regulations introduced in April 2003 have proved to be user-friendly for organisations in both the private and public sectors, according to research by CIPD and international law firm Lovells, based on responses from 500 organisations.‘A Parent’s Right to Ask’ reveals that almost two in three employers who have received statutory requests have […]
Complacency towards work safety increases risk for employers
More than a third of British workers say their safety at work is compromised by insufficient office safety equipment, raising risk issues for employers, according to research by Accenture HR Services. The survey of nearly 500 full-time and part-time UK office workers also found that more than one in three workers said they would take […]
How Did I Get Here? Jeremy Thorn , QED Consulting
Jeremy Thorn shares his experiences of working in HR to date, which includes coaching several international Olympic fencers. What's your current job role?Founding Chairman and Director of QED Consulting since 1993, a multi-functional management / organisational / strategic development practice operating throughout the UK and selectively overseas, with offices in Yorkshire and London. Key tasks […]
