Employers and employees should both pay into pensions – poll
A Prudential UK poll reveals strong public support for mandatory pension contributions from both employers and employees, with 62% backing salary deductions for workers and 75% supporting employer payments. The survey found that 22% of respondents believe employees should contribute 9-10% of salary to company pension schemes.
Record numbers in work
The UK has reached a record 28.4 million people in employment, with unemployment benefit claimants at their lowest level in over 25 years. The labour market added 169,000 jobs in the past year, though wage growth has slowed to 1.9% annually.
Minimum wage to rise, just!
The UK minimum wage will increase by 10 pence per hour in October, rising to £4.20, benefiting approximately 1.5 million low-paid workers, around 70 percent of whom are women. The youth rate will increase to £3.60.
Profits down but confidence increasing
Company profits reached their lowest level since December 1998 despite a significant surge in business confidence in Q1 2002, according to the Institute of Directors survey. While forward indicators improved notably, including strong export orders, cost pressures continued to outpace price increases, squeezing profit margins across businesses.
HR Zone Any Answers Digest #5 – Incentives, appraisal best practice, team building
HR Zone Any Answers Digest #5 covers employee incentives for suggestions, appraisal scheme best practices, and team building strategies for remote workers. This weekly digest features questions and answers on key HR topics to help organizations improve productivity and management practices.
Guarded optimism on job prospects
Over 85% of UK firms plan to recruit in Q2 2002, according to Reed’s latest survey, marking a rise in hiring confidence. About a third of organizations aim to grow their workforce, while half seek to retain current staff levels, with only 9% planning to downsize.
Black and Asian workers underpaid
Black and Asian male workers earn on average £97 per week less than white counterparts, with Pakistani and Bangladeshi men facing the largest pay gap at £150 weekly. The TUC is calling for mandatory race relations policies in private and voluntary sectors.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: a leadership fable – review
Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” uses a leadership fable to explore common team challenges: lack of trust, fear of conflict, unwillingness to commit, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. While the story lacks compelling plot depth, the accompanying model provides practical steps for building more cohesive, effective teams.
Productivity improvements rely on basic efficiency increases
British firms have untapped productivity reserves of up to 30 percent, according to research by Proudfoot Consulting. The consultancy identifies five key areas—planning, management systems, processes, training, and communication—where minimal investment can unlock substantial efficiency gains and drive economic growth.
UK hours and wages fare badly by European standards
UK workers earn lower hourly wages than their German and French counterparts while working longer hours and taking fewer holidays. Despite higher disposable incomes, Brits face steeper taxes and higher living costs, leaving them with less spending power than European neighbours.
Beyond work-family balance – review
This book moves beyond traditional work-life balance to explore work-personal life integration through research projects examining gender equity, organizational culture, and workplace practices. It addresses how embedded gender assumptions create barriers to success and proposes organizational changes to achieve genuine equality.
Workplace disaffection threatens productivity
Plummeting employee job satisfaction threatens Britain’s productivity despite technological investment and innovation, according to the Work Foundation. Satisfaction metrics across pay, job security, and work conditions have roughly halved since 1992, yet productivity remains stagnant while competitors outpace UK workers by 30%.
Small businesses fear implications of employment bill
A survey by the ACCA found that 66% of small businesses fear the Employment Bill will increase red tape burdens, particularly the removal of exemptions for firms with fewer than 20 employees from formal disciplinary procedures.
Keeping well at work – review
This TUC guide provides a comprehensive, accessible overview of workplace health and safety for office workers, covering legislation, common hazards, and prevention strategies through real-life case studies. Recommended for employees, managers, and HR professionals seeking practical workplace safety guidance.
Race discrimination blocks careers
Two-thirds of British women believe race limits career choice and progression, according to a survey by She Magazine and the Commission for Racial Equality. The findings reveal significant concerns about equal opportunity in the workplace and integration of ethnic minorities in society.
Employees reluctant to disclose experience of mental health problems at work
Only one in three people with mental health problems feel confident disclosing their condition on job applications, according to Mental Health Foundation research. However, employees who do disclose often report positive support from employers and colleagues, suggesting workplace attitudes are improving.
Stepstone database up for sale
BDO Stoy Hayward is selling Stepstone’s 170,000-strong CV database, including customer details and email addresses, following the online recruiter’s collapse. The sale has raised data protection concerns, though the firm obtained legal advice and customer terms permitted data transfers.
Train chaos could lead to worker exodus from capital
Rail disruptions are driving London workers to consider leaving the capital, with a survey revealing that 31% of regular public transport users have contemplated relocating. Recent industrial action cost businesses an estimated £38.5 million in lost productivity as commuters faced significant travel stress.
Equality directive ‘threatens jobs’ for gays, lesbians and single parents
UK equality legislation aimed at preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation, religion, and other grounds could contain loopholes allowing religious organizations to dismiss gay, lesbian, and single-parent employees if their lifestyle conflicts with the employer’s ethos.
Survey finds 40 per cent would fail to notify DTI of redundancies
A survey of FTSE-500 companies finds that 40 percent of respondents are unaware that employers must notify the DTI when planning redundancies affecting more than 20 staff, despite this being a legal requirement.
