Ask the Expert: What is the right terminology for family-friendly policies?
The question I am redrafting some family-friendly policies and naturally wrote "you" on the presumption that the main reader would be the person who wants to take maternity leave (although a manager might also like to read the document, just to understand their part in the process). Researching other policies, however, I noticed that […]
In a Nutshell: Five ways to make the most of your older workers
The UK’s working population is aging but attitudes towards older workers – despite legislation – are taking a long time to catch up with the change. Therefore, Dianne Bown-Wilson, who set up consultancy, in my prime, to help address just such issues, shares her top tips to help employers get the most out of their […]
Talent Spot: Caroline Waters, BT’s director of people and policy
Because Caroline Waters has only been at BT for 33 years, she classes herself as a bit of a newcomer in an organisation where two people are celebrating 50 years of service and 3,500 have clocked up 40 or more. Today, as director of people and policy, Waters has a long list of responsibilities outside […]
How to accommodate disabled workers in a post-Remploy world
It isn’t often that workplace disability rights make national headlines. But following recent news that 27 Remploy factories – including five dedicated to employing disabled people – will be shut, that has certainly been the case. Disability activists and employment specialists have been publicly rethinking what equal access to work means and how society […]
Book Review: Diversity in the workplace – Multi-disciplinary and international perspectives
Today workplace diversity is a huge and multi-faceted topic that all organisations must address at a variety of levels across all areas of their operations. But, as this book proves, just because a subject is huge doesn’t mean to say that it has to be impenetrable. Editor Stefan Groschl gets things off to a […]
Talent Spot: Community blogger, Dianne Bown-Wilson
People are living longer, the overall population is aging and people are going to be working for longer. Everyone knows these facts and yet employers and workers alike are struggling to deal with them. But Dianne Bown-Wilson set up a consultancy, in my prime, to address these very issues, providing advice, strategic guidance and […]
News: Employers to be paid £2,000 to hire young disabled people
Employers will be paid more than £2,000 to take on severely disabled young people following the government’s decision to close two thirds of Remploy factories, leading to UK-wide industrial action today. Under a three-year government scheme entitled ‘Work Choice’, financial incentives of up to £2,275 for each employee working 30 or more hours per week […]
Blog: Babies in the office – Will it work?
The BBC series ‘Babies in the Office’ has been an interesting insight into the prospect of parents bringing their babies and toddlers right into their workspace. As an experiment the program is brilliant, but for me the long term potential of this concept seems limited. I suppose that they chose a call centre […]
Blog: Seven reasons to employ a pregnant CEO
Last week’s announcement that Marissa Mayer had been appointed CEO at Yahoo! while pregnant should send a message to the Lord Sugar brigade; business leaders who believe that you shouldn’t employ women of a certain age in case they get pregnant. We’ve been thinking about the benefits that employing a senior woman while she is […]
News: Number of women on FTSE 100 boards leaps by a third
The number of women with a seat on the board of FTSE 100 companies has leapt by a third over the last year following the introduction of voluntary targets, according to the government. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills revealed that females now hold 16.7% of all board positions in such organisations, up from […]
Blog: Three ideas for retaining young talent when career paths are scarce
Recognise This! – Boomers are about to surpass Gen Y in the workplace. Steve Boese (another go-to blogger of mine for anything relevant and important in the moment in HR) recently pointed out this alarming statistic: For the first time since these things started being tracked (1950), we are on the cusp of the number […]
Blog: Seven reasons why the FA should try John Terry
Despite the acquittal of Chelsea and England defender, John Terry, for racism by Westminster Magistrates’ Court, there are seven reasons why the Football Association must try him for his comments against Queens Park Rangers player, Anton Ferdinand: 1. What the magistrate actually said to Terry John Terry was acquitted of the criminal charges because […]
Ask the Expert: Can a pregnant worker sue for unfair dismissal after 4 month’s employment?
The question An employee has been sacked who is four-and-a-half months pregnant. She had no formal warnings and there were no sanctions on her record. She was also out of her probationary period, which ended three-and-a-half weeks earlier. Her manager was informed of her pregnancy only five days before she was dismissed. No legitimate […]
Blog: Why ‘The town that never retired’ should be compulsory viewing for HR pros
Viewing BBC1’s two-part programme, ‘The town that never retired’, should be made compulsory for all employers and HR professionals. Shown last week as part of the BBC’s current series on ageing, 'When I’m 65', it brought into the spotlight many of the issues and stereotypes surrounding older and younger people in today’s workforce. Episode […]
News: Equal pay TV experiment branded “risky” by legal expert
A Channel 4 television programme that challenged the employees of a plumbing company to share how much they earn with each other has been slammed by a legal expert. During the show entitled ‘Show Me Your Money’ which was screened on Wednesday, staff at Pimlico Plumbers swapped salary information in an attempt to create a […]
News: PM pledges legal changes to allow crosses at work
Even if two British Christians lose a landmark European Court case to allow them to wear symbols of their faith at work, David Cameron plans to change UK legislation to let them do so. His stance came to light yesterday during exchanges at Prime Minister’s Question Time, when he was asked about the case of […]
Blog: The Olympics – A matter of trust?
Whether you agree with London Mayor Boris Johnson‘s comments about ‘skiving’ home-workers or not, his outspoken views last week have once again raised the bigger issue of trust. As we move closer to the Olympics, I believe we will see more evidence of companies that do – and companies that don’t – trust their staff. The Olympics is […]
News: TUC to replace Barber with first female director general
The TUC has appointed its first female leader, Frances O’Grady, to take over as general secretary when incumbent Brendan Barber steps down at the end of this year. Although little known outside the trade union movement, O’Grady, who joined the TUC in the mid-1990s, is well-regarded and is expected by some to shake it up, […]
Podcast: LOCOG’s CEO Paul Deighton talks diversity and inclusion
Natalie Cooper, the editor of our partner, online jobs board Changeboard, conducts an exclusive interview with Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They talk about the challenges to be faced when trying to ensure that diversity and inclusion are embedded in organisational culture and how such […]
News: Disabled Remploy workers to strike over 2,800 proposed job cuts
Disabled workers are to stage two 24-hour strikes in protest at plans to close 36 of the 54 Remploy factories that employ them, leading to 2,800 job losses. Members of the GMB and Unite unions will walk out on Thursday 19 and 26 July to express their “disgust” at the coalition government’s proposals to axe […]