E-mail and internet abuse top the misconduct charts
In the last year, the number of disciplinary cases for internet and e-mail abuse outstripped those for dishonesty, violence and health & safety breaches put together, according to a new survey.The study, conducted by legal experts KLegal and Personnel Today magazine, reveals that, of the 212 firms questioned, there had been 358 cases for e-mail […]
Bullying tops employee gripes
Harassment or bullying in the workplace has gone to the top of the list of complaints raised by employees, according to research by IRS Employment Review. Previously, pay and grading issues (2001) and the introduction of new working practices (1997) have been employees’ most common complaints, while bullying and harassment complaints were less common.Main findings– […]
Commutes to work top six hours a day
London workers are spending longer and longer on their way to and from work in a bid to escape rising house prices or in a quest for a better quality of life, according to the Financial Times.In a feature published today, the paper cites several examples of city commuters who are travelling from their homes […]
Young managers anxious about pension provision
According to research by the Chartered Management Institute, adverse publicity has left 63 per cent of young managers questioning their pension provision, and whilst they dream of an early retirement, 41 per cent are far from confident that their provision will provide adequate financial support for their future. 34 per cent of survey respondents do […]
New employee advice website launched
The TUC has launched Worksmart, a new advice website for non-union workers. It offers guidance on rights and health at work, a jargon buster and a union finder. The latter identifies any unions recognised by a particular employer. The rest could be useful if you need to point anyone toward a simple introduction to H&S […]
Does wealth mean success?
According to a report by Lloyds TSB Private Banking, one in three wealthy people in the UK have sacrificed marriage, personal relationships and time with family in the pursuit of money. Although the rich generally feel happy, successful and content with their wealth, thre are other costs. As well as sacrificing personal relationships, 12 per […]
Employees spend to improve image at work
According to research by reed.co.uk, two-thirds of employees think that image is getting more important to their careers, and they are spending accordingly. People already spend nearly a fifth of their own salary on looking good at work, according to the survey, and a far higher proportion of their take-home pay. Someone on the UK […]
What would you change about HR? A member’s opinion
We asked you what you would like to consign to the dustbin of HR. What makes training and HR management most difficult? What would you most like to change about the way HR is seen? Tanya French of Computacenter gives us her views here. Mail us your comments, opinions, rants and prayers, and we’ll share […]
Employees strive for better work / life balance
According to a survey carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Work-Life Balance Campaign and Management Today, many British employees would rather work more sensible hours than win the lottery. One in five workers want a better work life balance and that there has been a steep rise in the number of […]
Interview success depends on etiquette
Research by Fish4Jobs suggests that simple attention to appearance and etiquette often proves crucial. One in four (26%) job applicants fail at interviews because of their appearance on the day, but most interview clangers can be avoided. One in five (19%) HR managers say they will lose interest in a candidate if they have sloppy […]
It’s National Slacker Day!
Had enough, feel your creativity draining away before the working week ends? Well put your feet up, and sleep the dream! It’s National Slacker Day. A word from the organisers:“The UK currently endures the longest working hours in Europe and one of the shortest average life expectancies. Everyday, otherwise creative and intelligent people are driven […]
Employees missing out on holidays
According to a report by the TUC, over 850,000 workers are losing out on holidays due to a loophole in the working time directive, while another 400,000 are being cheated out of their entitlement by rogue employers breaking Britain’s law on paid holiday.TUC General Secretary, John Monks, said: “There is no good reason why UK […]
What would you change about HR? A member’s opinion
Last week we asked what you would like to consign to the dustbin of HR. What makes training and HR management most difficult? What would you most like to change about the way HR is seen? Jeremy Thorn, Chairman of QED Consulting, gives us his view here. Mail us your comments, opinions, rants and prayers, […]
Call for improvement in childcare provision
The Regional Development Agencies are currently revising their economic strategies, and teh TUC is urging them to pay greater attention to access to childcare. RDAs already support productivity projects on workforce development, investment and R&D via direct and match funding. The TUC points out that in many instances, RDAs act as a regional hub of […]
Double pay now standard for bank holidays
According to Watson Wyatt’s 2002 Employee Reward and Benefits Report, over 80% of people working overtime this Bank Holiday Monday will be earning twice their usual hourly rate. Only 15% of employers now offer less, typically 1.5 times basic.1.5 times the hourly rate is the typical overtime pay on Monday to Saturdays, although one in […]
HR Zone Any Answers #14 – Changing job descriptions, bonus schemes, aptitude tests, confidentiality and misconduct…
================================================================= HR ZONE Any Answers Digest – Issue 14 Tuesday 20 August 2002 http://www.hrzone.co.uk/anyanswers/ ================================================================= ********** THIS WEEK’S TOPICS ***** THIS WEEK’S TOPICS ********** Wealth creation bonuses… changes in job description… bonus schemes… confidentiality and misconduct… aptitude tests… payments for overnight stays… ********** THIS WEEK’S TOPICS ***** THIS WEEK’S TOPICS ********** Editorial ——— This is […]
Sandwiches still dominate lunch choices
Those two pieces of bread and filling still come out on top when it comes to keeping the UK workforce going, according to this latest survey.The research was carried out by Taylor Nelson Sofres for the British Sandwich Association (BSA) – who you’d think would have more than a vested interest in the results – […]
Excessive sick leave and how to deal with it
The average small business lost 31 days last year to dubious sickness claims by staff members, according to a survey of more than 1,000 SMEs, published by the Forum of Private Business (FPB). According to the report, sick leave – legitimate or otherwise – had a “serious impact” on 27% of smaller companies in 2001. […]
Violence is barely suppressed at work
A survey by Pertemps has identified a simmering fury beneath the surface of many offices.Main Findings – 53 per cent of office staff had nearly resorted to violence at work, with loud-mouthed colleagues. Principal causes of anger include shouting across the office and talking over other people in meetings.– IT problems, such as malfunctioning computers, […]
Bullying at work is no longer tolerated
Research published by The Work Foundation suggests that the UK workplace is increasingly becoming a zero tolerance zone for bullies.“Employee Codes of Conduct” found that eight out of 10 responding organisations now have a code of conduct on bullying and harassment. And these seem to be taken seriously – with a third of respondents saying […]
