An incomplete revolution: is a gender equal workforce a realistic prospect?
In June earlier this year the Women’s Business Council (WBC), established by the Home Office to tackle barriers to female success at work, published a report making the business case for a gender equalisation of the workforce. The WBC argued that equalising the labour force participation rates of men and women could increase economic growth […]
Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP)?
Highly Sensitive People are not people who are shy. Or people who are introverted. Or people who lack social skills. High sensitivity is an evolved trait that can be found in 20% of the population, and in over 100 animals. So why haven’t we heard of it? We spoke to Elaine Aron, who pioneered the […]
Germany to have forced female boardroom quotas at public companies
The two parties most likely to form a German government at the next election have reached a compromise over quotas for women in the boardrooms of quoted German firms. The legislation, known as Frauenquote, will from 2016 require companies listed on the German stock exchange to have at least 30% women on their supervisory boards. […]
The Age of Individualism – meeting the 21st century’s big HR challenge
The world of work is evolving rapidly and the companies that understand the changes that this brings will be the winners of the future. The way organisations think about how employees are engaged with the aims of the organisation has changed radically in the last 50 years after remaining essentially static for the industrial age […]
The Art of Communication – supporting those nearing retirement age
If there is one thing in life we can all be sure of it is that we age – hopefully gracefully, but we cannot escape the inevitability of growing older. For one so widely recognised, this fact can often be surprisingly difficult to accept. Employees in particular can often struggle to come to terms with […]
HR officers are ‘beta-male chimpanzees’
The former head of HR at Dutch bank ABN Amro, Kilian Wawoe, posed a rhetorical question in a recent interview: “What can of animal is the HR officer?” His response: “I would say we are the beta-male chimpanzees: there to make others achieve their goals.” He also offers a thought-provoking definition of the glass ceiling: “It's […]
Businesses struggle to accommodate rise in older workers
Companies may be struggling to use older workers to their full potential, according to a new survey of 100 senior HR professionals. Close to two thirds (59%) of respondents to the Towers Watson research said they were not making progress in adapting working environments to the needs of older workers or taking advantage of their […]
From ‘ready now’ to ‘ready in a lifetime’ – the baby boomers are here to stay
Just when we thought the Baby Boomers were off to lower their handicaps, the fickle hand of legislation has again changed the rules. The Baby Boomers were going to retire. That would have reduced the payroll. And, those starting their careers (who now have lower pay expectations because of the recession) would at last have […]
It’s not (just) about the money, money, money…..!
In the words of Jessie J (well almost!) its not about the money when it comes to employee benefits, certainly not when we want to think about retaining Generation Y talent and beyond. An HBR article (How Gen Y & Boomers will reshape your agenda -2009) talks about a ‘rewards remix being both challenging and […]
Male bonuses double those given to women
Over the last 12 months, male managers earned average bonuses that were twice as big as those earned by their female counterparts. The average bonus came to £6,442 for men compared to £3,029 for women. Average salaries were also reported to be close to 25% larger for men (£38,169 compared to £3,029). Extending these figures […]
Are Millennials more likely to jump ship?
Millennials leave their employers more often, and in greater numbers, than older employees, according to new research. The poll of 233 HR professionals from a range of industries found that 30 percent of respondents said they’d lost 15 percent or more of their Generation Y workforce in the past year. The research was carried out […]
Is this the start of forced quotas for women in the boardroom?
New proposals by City regulators may force financial services firms to set quotas on the number of women in senior positions and publish diversity policies. The proposals are being considered by the Prudential Regulation Authority, which regulates large banks, building societies and insurers. The proposals form part of a PRA consultation looking at a specific […]
Maternity leave in the midst of the Royal baby boom
While the nation may be celebrating the arrival of Prince George of Cambridge and the recent news that Zara Philips is also expecting, it seems that this year’s Royal baby boom is more widespread given recent figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Baby Boom Britain Last year’s ONS figures show that Britain has […]
How the Millennial Generation is transforming the workplace for the better
This article was written by Prithvi Shergill, Chief Human Resources Officer at HCL Technologies. Post, Pin, Tweet, Webinar, Video Conference, Tele-presence, Social – these are some of the new business terms that we are increasingly seeing heard in our workplace. Gone is the static, paper-based, boardroom-centric world of work. In its place, a new social, collaborative […]
RAF grounded by finding of discrimination
This article was written Andrew Moore, Solicitor at law firm Hill Dickinson. A recent decision in the Birmingham Employment Tribunal has found that the Royal Air Force (RAF) unlawfully discriminated against a female nurse on the grounds of her sex. Summary of the case: Ms Williams joined the RAF in 1984, and enjoyed a successful […]
New ‘family friendly’ legislation: Live webchat with employment minister Jo Swinson
The government is currently consulting on proposals to allow new parents to share a year’s leave, and the extension of the right to request flexible working to all employees. On Thursday 2 May at 11.30am, employment relations minister Jo Swinson will join us and our sister site BusinessZone.co.uk for an exclusive live webchat to take […]
Employment minister Jo Swinson introduces an HRZone live web chat [VIDEO]
On Thursday 2 May, employment relations minister Jo Swinson will take live questions from HRZone.co.uk members on government proposals to allow new parents to share a year’s leave, and the extension of the right to request flexible working to all employees. In the video below, the minister explains more. To take part in the web […]
Are companies meeting the needs of an ageing workforce?
This feature was written by Kevin Young, General Manager, Skillsoft EMEA It is rare for a Government initiative to be of direct relevance to almost every business in the UK. However, with recent changes to the retirement age and pension payouts, businesses need to start thinking about how they will manage an ageing workforce. By […]
Ask the Expert: what is harassment and victimisation based on religious belief?
Question: “Can anyone tell me what’s happened to the f***ing Pope?” is shouted twice across a busy newspaper editorial office by an undoubtedly stressed editor trying to hurry a story up about the Pope, at the time of his 2010 visit to the UK. The story, in the vernacular of the paper, is referred to as […]
Gender politics: woman losing out in the UK, but on top in France
UK women’s grip on positions of power in politics and public life is slipping away dramatically, claims a report. Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain? by Counting Women In, a coalition of five organisations including the Fawcett Society and Hansard Society, found damning evidence of British women losing representation across politics, the judiciary, police, media […]