EU legislation planned to boost the standing of temps
The EU is planning legislation to grant temporary workers the same rights as permanent employees, including pensions, pay, and benefits. The UK, which relies heavily on agency workers, faces pressure to align with these proposals, though business groups argue the changes would reduce labor market flexibility.
Tips on good time management
Effective time management isn’t about following rigid rules. Expert tips challenge common myths—from maintaining a perfectly tidy desk to leaving at 5:30pm—and offer practical strategies like batching emails and setting clear objectives with colleagues.
Reward packages prove less than satisfying
A CIPD survey of nearly 5 million employees reveals that reward packages prioritize business objectives over employee satisfaction. Only 3.8% of organizations focus on work-life balance, while current systems prove largely ineffective at motivating staff, with 37% reporting no motivational impact.
Childcare costs becoming prohibitive
Childcare costs in the UK have become prohibitive, with full-time nursery places for children under two averaging £120 weekly (over £6,200 annually), and significantly higher in London and the southeast. A national survey found severe shortages in provision, leaving many working families unable to afford quality care and trapping parents in low-income cycles.
Employees get access to more records
Employees now have significantly expanded rights to access records held by their employers under a new code of practice from the Information Commissioner’s Office. For a £10 fee, workers can request to view sickness, disciplinary, training, appraisal, and email records, with only narrow exceptions allowed.
Early retirement isn’t the future
Early retirement trends of the 1980s and 1990s are unlikely to continue, according to research showing that recent pension scheme changes and rising life expectancy will make early retirement harder for most people.
Further Education Policy
This company seeks to establish a further education policy requiring staff to reimburse course fees if they leave during studies or within 12 months of completion. The organization currently covers 50% of professional qualification costs upfront and reimburses the remainder upon passing, and is looking for sample policies and suggestions from other companies.
Manufacturing firms cut training in the face of falling profits
Manufacturing firms across most UK regions are cutting investment in training and machinery as falling orders and weak business confidence squeeze profit margins. The CBI survey shows orders have declined over the past four months, with firms expecting further drops, raising concerns about long-term productivity and innovation.
Online recruitment and psychometric testing becoming common
Online recruitment and psychometric testing are becoming increasingly common in graduate hiring. A new report reveals that online applications have surged to 54% of companies (up from 12% in 2000), while psychometric testing is now used by 27% of employers. Selection procedures are becoming more complex, with group exercises and presentations now standard parts of the interview process across engineering, IT, finance, and law sectors.
Jobseekers go for ethical companies
Most graduates prioritize ethical business practices when choosing employers, with 79% unwilling to work for companies with poor ethics records. Despite student debt, over half would accept lower-paying jobs at ethical companies, relying primarily on personal networks rather than media coverage to assess corporate responsibility.
Pressure grows to end long hours culture
A new TUC report reveals that 4 million UK workers exceed the 48-hour European working week limit, with managers and professionals working the longest hours. The trade and industry secretary is expected to commit to ending the UK’s opt-out from European working time regulations, though business groups warn this could damage competitiveness.
Will you get the day off work for the Jubilee on June 4th?
Whether you get paid time off for the Queen’s Jubilee on June 4th depends on your employer’s decision. While the government encouraged businesses to pay workers for the bank holiday, it ultimately falls to individual employers to decide if they’ll grant paid leave.
Board members not in touch with HR
A CIPD study finds board members lack awareness of how effective people management drives business results, often misunderstanding HR’s strategic value and focusing narrowly on selection and performance rather than comprehensive talent strategies.
Employee self-service systems – Softworld preview
Mary Sue Rogers from PricewaterhouseCoopers will present on employee self-service systems (B2E) at Softworld, discussing how these platforms transform employee involvement, reduce administrative costs, and expand HR capabilities. She’ll share real examples of successful implementations and how companies can gain significant ROI through streamlined processes like variable overtime management and e-recruitment.
Lack of trust in the workplace holds back productivity
A survey of 400 managers reveals that lack of trust in the workplace is a major barrier to productivity, leading to poor management styles, conflict, and resistance to change. Employees increasingly prioritize job security over performance and work-life balance over organizational loyalty.
Women still underpaid and under-represented in management
Women managers in Britain earn 24% less than male managers and remain significantly under-represented in senior roles, according to new Equal Opportunities Commission research. Despite comprising 30% of all managers, women dominate only in traditionally female-dominated sectors like education and health services.
Softworld Preview – seminars
Softworld features breakfast briefings and masterclasses on HR and payroll software selection, implementation, and best practices. Expert speakers from KPMG, PwC, and other firms cover topics including system negotiation, legislative changes, employee self-service, and real-world case studies across two days.
HR legislation and software – masterclass preview
Explore recent HR legislative changes affecting UK employers, including new company car taxation rules, holiday entitlements, parental leave extensions, and electronic tax filing requirements. Adrian Hobbs provides guidance on these implications in an upcoming masterclass seminar.
B2E: the next frontier for HR – Softworld feature
B2E (Business-to-Employee) represents the next evolution in HR technology beyond basic e-HR systems. While e-HR focuses on administrative transactions, B2E concentrates on performance by providing employees with integrated tools, information, and services to work more effectively through a single portal.
What’s wrong with the HR/Personnel profession? – Opinion
The HR profession faces deeper issues beyond perceived inefficiency, with critics arguing the field is too focused on its own status and agenda rather than supporting frontline management. HR specialists should prioritize serving their business colleagues’ actual needs instead of pursuing internal agendas and professional recognition.
