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 […]
HR managers move to fill the strategy void
A recent survey of 1180 HR professionals, by the CIPD, shows that the HR function is changing. Over 72% of HR professionls questioned believe that their influence with senior members of staff has increased. HR professionals are however still viewing their role as more operational than strategic. The focus seems to be shifting towards becoming […]
Employers urged to take bullying seriously or risk jail
Employers failing to review how they protect staff from bullying and harassment could now risk jail terms, warns law firm Irwin Mitchell. The news follows a landmark ruling in which a managing director was sentenced to 18 months for racially aggravated harassment, despite not taking part in illegal acts himself.Damien Gaunt, Managing Director of Bruce […]
Students to be trained for a year in industry
A partnership between Year in Industry and the Chartered Management Institute has been announced this week. The partnership aims to provide students with a qualification directly relevant to the workplace.The partnership follows research by the Institute, which discovered that 49 per cent of HR Managers think graduates are increasingly less well prepared for the workplace. […]
It’s Sven 1 Fergie 0 in the management stakes
The calming Swedish influence of Sven-Goran Eriksson is winning over UK managers and staff. That’s the message from over 250 HR professionals and 2000 staff surveyed by Reed at the CIPD’s annual conference, taking place in Harrogate, this week.Managers are turning to a ‘consensual’ style of leadership preferred by England football coach Eriksson as opposed […]
Hidden crisis undermines black education and careers
Young black people are underachieving academically because they are being let down by the education system according to Eden Charles, who heads the Sankofa Learning Centre in London for children not involved in mainstream education.The challenge is to make education more relevant in order to have a positive impact on the lives of an alienated […]
Subscribe to Employee Benefits Zone today
TaxZone, part of HR Zone’s sister site Accounting Web, is currently offering you the opportunity to buy fifty tax saving tips for employers and employees for just 99 pounds plus VAT (that’s under 2 pounds per tip!) as part of a subscription to Ray Chidell’s popular Employee Benefits guide series. Developing the right benefits for […]
public sector management training
Dr David Towler from Cambridge Online Learning Ltd shares his views on public sector management training. In the past, the public sector has tended to give management training a much lower priority than in the commercial world and they are not alone in this as the same can be said for many of the other […]
Opinion piece: The Information and Consultation Directive
The Information and Consultation Directive should be fully implemented within the UK by 2008. Michelle Guina from Rebus HR believes that where implemented appropriately and effectively, it can only serve to strengthen existing arrangements and enhance employee relations. Employers in the UK currently adopt various methods of communicating with employees and legislation requires employers to […]
HR Tip – Time off work for funerals
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: How much time should we allow employees to have off work to attend funerals? Should they be paid? Some of our managers are considerably more generous than others and it is causing […]
How Did I Get Here? Roger Pattison, Roger Pattison & Associates
Roger Pattison, HR – Training & Management Development Consultant for Roger Pattison & Associates, shares his experiences of working in HR to date. What’s your current job role? HR – Training & Management Development Consultant for the last 7 years.What did you do before this job? HR Manager for a TECDescribe your route into HR?Ten […]
Redundancy: HRZone asked HR Manager Ayshea Christian her advice
HRZone asked Ayshea Christian, Human Resources Manager at Lovewell Blake her advice… How will it look on my CV – should I be honest? From an HR Manager’s point of view, honesty is always the best mantra, especially as one of the most likely questions is to ask a candidate why they left somewhere. I […]
