Job-seekers use employers’ time
Job seekers commonly search for new employment during work hours, with over 60% of those seeking alternative jobs doing so on company time. Peak application submissions occur in the morning and late afternoon, revealing that workers prefer using employer time rather than their own lunch breaks or personal hours.
High cost of office politics
Office politics costs workplaces over an hour of productivity daily, according to Reed research on temporary workers. Power struggles are the leading cause, with Wales experiencing the highest impact at 77 minutes per working day lost to office tensions.
Few companies accommodate working mothers
A survey of 5,000 British women reveals that over three-quarters suffer health damage from balancing work and family, yet most employers fail to offer support. More than half of companies provide no accommodations for working mothers, with only 5% offering childcare facilities.
Management still unrepresentative
UK corporate management remains significantly unrepresentative of ethnic minorities, with only 3.4% of senior managers from ethnic backgrounds and no black or minority ethnic chief executives in surveyed private sector firms, according to a new diversity report covering 2.75 million employees.
Employers unite against further employment legislation
British and Italian employers have united to oppose further EU employment legislation, arguing that existing directives provide adequate regulation for labor markets. The CBI and Confindustria presented a joint statement to the EU summit, calling for national governments to take control of labor market reform rather than accepting additional “heavy handed” Commission intervention.
Employers urged to support women taking public roles
Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt is urging employers to support women in applying for positions on UK public bodies, noting that only 6% of FTSE 100 directors are women. She argues that diverse representation in public services strengthens both policy-making and employee skills development.
Call for smoother transitions into retirement
Work and Pensions Secretary Andrew Smith calls for smoother retirement transitions, allowing people to gradually reduce work rather than face an abrupt exit. He advocates removing barriers that discourage extended working years and strengthening pension frameworks through employer-employee partnerships and simplified products.
HR Zone Any Answers Digest #10 – Training attendance, non-smokers, whistleblowing, hours…
HR Zone’s Any Answers Digest #10 addresses key workplace challenges including improving training attendance, hiring practices for non-smokers, whistleblowing procedures, part-time hours, and online performance management systems. Readers submitted questions about language testing requirements, learning incentive schemes, and strategies to boost employee participation in training programs.
UK workers lack security
UK workers rank among the lowest for job security in developed nations, according to a TUC report. The study attributes this insecurity to domestic factors like employment regulation rather than globalisation, revealing that UK workers face easier dismissal and lower protection than international counterparts.
Feeling in control is essential for working lives – research
Research shows that feeling in control of work and life is a key factor in overall wellbeing, more important than salary increases. Part-time workers report greater satisfaction with their jobs because they feel more control over their daily schedules.
Call for better national childcare strategy
Child care advocates call for a national strategy to address a critical shortage, with six of seven children under eight lacking access to services. British parents face Europe’s highest childcare costs at £6,200 annually, with minimal government and employer support.
Fathers are working harder
New data from the Equal Opportunities Commission shows fathers are working longer hours, with the average working week increasing from 45.1 hours in 1998 to 47.3 hours in 2001. The figures reveal two-thirds of fathers work more than 41 hours weekly, raising concerns about work-life balance.
Just say Thank You!
Employee recognition matters more than perks or fancy titles, according to new research. A simple “thank you” for good work motivates employees far more than job titles, flexible working, or corporate bonding events, with 68% of workers prioritizing genuine appreciation over other benefits.
Pensions: what is to be done?
Britain’s pension crisis requires urgent action as over half the workforce lacks occupational pension coverage. The TUC calls for compulsory employer contributions and mandatory scheme membership, warning that final salary schemes are disappearing due to accounting changes and ended contribution holidays.
Consultation on equality and parental leave
The Department of Trade and Industry has launched consultations on the DTI Race Equality Scheme and new regulations for maternity, parental, paternity, and adoption leave and pay. The maternity and parental leave consultation closes July 19, 2002, with new rights expected to take effect April 2003.
Fathers feel guilty for working late, but carry on doing it
A University of Hertfordshire study reveals that 86% of fathers working over 50 hours weekly struggle balancing work and family, yet feel insufficient guilt to change their behavior. Despite experiencing more work-life conflict than mothers, most continue long hours rather than reducing them.
Managers ‘fail to deal with stress’
A survey of over 850 workers found that only 40% of employees feel their managers adequately help them manage workplace stress, despite 59% rating their bosses’ general management skills positively. One in four full-time workers described their manager’s stress management as poor, contributing to stress being the leading cause of long-term work absence.
HR staff swamped by admin
HR staff spend approximately half their time on administrative tasks, with larger companies dedicating 40% or more to recruitment. The research reveals significant barriers to outsourcing HR functions, particularly among smaller companies concerned about losing face-to-face service and data security.
Bonus Payments
Large training providers are exploring bonus payment systems for staff. This post asks for examples of successful and unsuccessful bonus schemes from similar organizations to inform system selection and implementation.
Employees prepared to strike over pensions
Union representatives are prepared to strike if employers attempt to reduce pension contributions or alter occupational pension schemes, according to an Amicus report. The survey reveals widespread employee concern about the decline of final salary pensions and fears that future generations will face significantly lower retirement income.
