Race to outsource puts companies at risk
Outsourcing HR and payroll has increasingly become the cost-cutting option of choice on the board room agenda but outsourcing activities can put the long-term health of a company at risk if not managed correctly, warn SAKS Consulting. They say that companies often overlook the importance of assessing the suitability of strategic outsourcing options. “Successfully managing […]
Extension of Working Time Directive
From tomorrow (1 August), the EU Working Time Directive will be extended to those sectors previously excluded from working time measures. The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2003 extend protection to cover non-mobile workers in road, sea, inland waterways and lake transport, workers in the railway and offshore sectors, and workers in aviation transport. Junior doctors […]
Getting the best value out of employee benefits
Providing benefits can be costly and a challenge for employers to administer. Often the payback is less than satisfying, as employees typically underestimate the value of their benefits, and see them as peripheral to their reward package. So, it makes good business sense for companies to periodically review their benefits strategy and how it’s delivered, […]
Shift to performance-linked share plans
The UK’s largest companies are moving away from the use of share options as the sole form of share based pay for executive directors, according to research by consultants Watson Wyatt. Only 28% of new executive share plans put to shareholders for approval by FTSE-350 companies have been option plans, compared with 46% in the […]
Stress is leading cause of long-term absence
Stress is still the most common cause of long-term sickness absence among non-manual workers, according to the latest CIPD survey on absence which found that almost 60% of public sector organisations cite stress as the leading cause of long-term sickness absence – more than double the number of the private sector. The survey of 1300 […]
ACAS guidance on equality regulations
Acas has drafted good practice guidance to help employers deal with the new employment equality legislation. Two sets of regulations are coming into force in December: the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 and the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 which outlaw discrimination in employment and vocational training on the grounds of sexual […]
Work-life balance – the challenge for line managers and HR
The role of line managers and HR is particularly crucial when developing and sustaining a work-life balance culture. In this feature, Claire McCartney, Researcher at Roffey Park, offers guidance on effective work-life balance practices and highlights examples of different initiatives that have been implemented in organisations.The issue of work-life balance, rarely discussed as an organisational […]
Managers express caution about homeworking
Managers and professionals are more likely to work from home yet management attitudes can prevent other employees from being able to adopt the same flexible working option, according to new research. Responses from 54 HR departments across the private and public sectors, revealed that while one third of employers allow office-based employees to work from […]
Firms rethink pension arrangements
Fewer than half of the UK’s largest companies retain final salary schemes that are open to new members, compared with nearly two-thirds a year ago, according to new research.A study of the latest FTSE 350 annual reports, by Mercer Human Resource Consulting found that many companies now offer a combination of both final salary and […]
Community feature: Introducing…
In this popular feature, we take a closer look at the working lives of some of HR Zone’s 18,000 membership. This week, Sandra Walsh, of consultancy HR Delivers, shares some of her experiences of working in HR. What’s your current job role? I have established and work in my own HR Consultancy.What did you do […]
Employers face greater risks of race claims
New regulations which give wider rights to employees in race discrimination cases have now come into effect.The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 implement the EC Race Directive 2000/43. The main changes are that they introduce a new definition of indirect race discrimination, a statutory definition of racial harassment and change the onus of […]
Equal pay changes come into force
Firms are liable for larger compensation payouts to employees following changes to the Equal Pay Act which came into force on Saturday, 19 July. Previously, companies in breach of the Equal Pay Act were liable to pay up to two years’ back-pay as compensation to the employee. However, the changes brought in under the Equal […]
Managers “sell” excess holiday
Increasing work commitments mean that 40% of managers do not take up their full holiday allowance, according to research conducted by the Chartered Management Institute.The survey of 1300 managers found that one in ten even “sell” excess holiday time as part of flexible benefits packages.A seperate survey by youatwork, the employee benefits specialist, found that […]
Online recruitment – dealing with HR technology ‘blockers’
Thinking about recruiting online? Then find out how to make sure your project doesn’t get derailed.Online recruitment isn’t new. But what is new is the increasing number of organisations starting to take it seriously. Despite the benefits of any such project, however, it is likely to come up against resistance or even blocking from some […]
Workplace dispute resolution rules published
Plans for a radical overhaul of dispute resolution procedures have been published.From October 2004, employers and employees will be required to follow a minimum three-stage process to ensure that disputes are discussed at work. The process will require: the problem to be set out in writing with full details provided to the other party both […]
Graduate starting salaries top £20,000
Average starting salaries for graduates have broken the £20,000 barrier as competition for jobs intensifies, say findings by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).However, the AGR’s Graduate Recruitment Survey, conducted last month amongst many of the UK’s largest graduate recruiters in both public and private sectors, found that employers have cut their vacancies by 3.4% […]
Outsourcing Training
Has anyone first hand experience of working with a company (companies) proficient in handling the outsourcing of training (mainly soft and managerial skills), together with its administration, for a company of around 1000 staff spread across a small number locations around the UK. Recommendations only please!T.j. Ray
Responsible business practice improves bottom line
Employees see a clear connection between responsible business practice and positive impact on the bottom line, according to new research sponsored by BUPA and carried out by Business in the Community in partnership with the CIPD and the Future Work Institute. The key messages from the report, ‘Responsibility: driving innovation, inspiring employees’ were: Employees […]
Community feature: Introducing…
In a regular feature, we’re taking a closer look at the working lives of some of HR Zone’s 17,000 membership. This week, Carole Leslie, Director at IT Learning Ltd, gives us an insight into her professional career to date. What’s your current job role? Organisational development for Learning IT. As Learning IT is an employee […]
Age discrimination – a job for life?
Rachel Heenan, of law firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs, summarises the Government’s proposals to combat age discrimination and offers practical guidance on what steps employers should take to prepare for the new legislation.On 2 July 2003, the Government issued its long awaited consultation paper setting out its proposals to combat age discrimination in the workplace. Consultation will […]
