Brussels pushes for improved pan-European labour mobility
The European Commission has adopted measures to remove barriers to pan-European labour mobility by 2005, including achieving Europe-wide recognition of job skills and simplifying access to employment information. The strategy involves tackling obstacles in social security and pensions while establishing a task force to address skills gaps, particularly in IT and communications sectors.
Advice please
A 42-year-old horticulture professional with a BSc and nine years of industry experience seeks guidance on becoming a training instructor, teacher, or consultant in their field.
Younger workers are at greater risk from RSI
Young workers face significantly higher risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) than older colleagues, with 78% experiencing repetitive tasks compared to 65% across all ages, according to new TUC figures. Experts warn that failure to address workplace RSI risks could have serious economic consequences and leave millions of young workers in permanent pain.
Making Pay Work For Women
The Equal Opportunities Commission has published an action plan to close the UK’s gender pay gap, calling for mandatory employer pay reviews and legal changes to prevent discrimination against women. The recommendations target employers, unions, and government to address unequal pay that costs women significantly over their careers.
CIPD: Legislation is not the way to equal pay
The CIPD argues that raising employer awareness, rather than legislation, is the most effective way to close the gender pay gap. Research shows employee pressure and unions drive change better than legal action, with low organizational awareness cited as a key barrier to progress.
CBI: Equal Pay taskforce has it wrong
The CBI criticizes the Equal Pay Taskforce’s proposal for mandatory pay audits, arguing the measure would impose excessive administrative burden while having minimal impact on closing the gender pay gap. The organization contends the gap stems primarily from women working in lower-paid sectors and having less continuous work experience, suggesting solutions like improved childcare and flexible working arrangements would be more effective.
Recruitment assessment process
Sue Nunan seeks a copy of Edgar Anstey’s 1970s research paper on recruitment process elements, originally published by the Civil Service Selection Board. Despite contacting the CIPD, the document remains elusive.
New employment resources now available online
HR Zone and TrainingZONE have expanded their online resources through a partnership with OneClickHR.com, offering employers comprehensive guides, downloadable forms, employment legislation updates, and payroll services to simplify HR management.
How much notice must “middle management” give
This post explores typical notice period requirements for middle management positions like HR Managers, Admin Managers, and Training Managers across various companies, helping employers and employees understand standard resignation timelines.
computer simulation – high level sales
A Global Account Manager seeks a computer simulation to help staff understand multi-national company operations. The ideal tool would allow users to run a virtual company and experience real-world business challenges.
What is the definition of a training day
A training day is a work day dedicated to employee development activities, but its definition varies by organization. Key considerations include whether to count partial days, online training, conferences, and mandatory vs. voluntary sessions in your measurement approach.
Forget qualifications! Looks get the job!
A UK study reveals that companies increasingly prioritize appearance over qualifications when hiring, particularly in the service sector. This trend toward “aesthetic labour” raises discrimination concerns, though researchers argue training initiatives addressing appearance standards could improve employability and social mobility.
Changing Contracts
Groundwork Black Country seeks to add mandatory training and work placement clauses to contracts for Intermediate Labour Market participants to support transition to sustainable employment. The organization questions the legal feasibility of including such requirements in new employment contracts.
Absence – Disciplinary vs Capability
Employers should use capability procedures rather than discipline for frequent, unrelated absences caused by genuine illness or personal problems, as tribunals have criticized disciplinary action when employees cannot control their attendance. Capability procedures assess whether employees can meet attendance expectations, offering a more appropriate framework than discipline for managing persistent absence issues.
Should I invest in Myers Briggs training – or something else?
Explore whether Myers Briggs training is worth the investment for mentoring and personal development work, or discover alternative personality and goal-setting tools that may be more cost-effective and equally valuable.
Investors in People – without the hassle
People Insight offers a streamlined assessment service for the Investors in People Standard, surveying employee views at reduced cost while benchmarking your organization against others using their platform.
How to take the hassle out of evaluations, appraisals, benchmarking, feedback – go online
Streamline your evaluation and feedback process with online tools that automate collection, distribution, and analysis. TrainingZone and HR Zone are partnering with GetFeedback.net to offer 360 appraisals, course evaluations, customer surveys, and benchmarking tools launching in March.
Government Race Relations Consultation
The Home Secretary launches a consultation on implementing the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which outlaws race discrimination in public functions and requires public bodies to actively promote race equality. The new legislation takes effect April 2, 2001, and seeks input on specific duties for police, health services, and other public authorities to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunity.
Minister welcomes latest New Deal figures
The New Deal employment programme has helped 274,230 young people into jobs, with 209,240 achieving sustained employment lasting over 13 weeks. Employment Minister Tessa Jowell highlighted the initiative’s role in reaching the lowest unemployment rate in 25 years.
£120m private investment in education since 1997
Business has invested over £120m in UK education since 1997 through specialist schools, education action zones, and City Academies. These partnerships provide practical benefits including work experience, curriculum support, and volunteer involvement while helping address skills gaps in the workforce.
