HR agenda critical to UK economic success
HR’s role in the effort to keep the UK economy afloat during the recession should not be under estimated, was the key message from the Acas and CIPD ‘Resilience Through Recession’ conference held today in London. Keynote speakers, including Lord Young, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Business, Innovation and Skills; Ed Sweeney, chair […]
HR tip: Unfair versus wrongful dismissal
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: What, if any, is the difference between unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal? Answer: They reflect the why and how of dismissal respectively. Dismissal is unfair if it is for reasons other […]
Leaders urged to take their five-a-day in people management
Acas and the CIPD have teamed up to publish a ‘five-a-day’ manual in a bid to encourage business leaders to take a stand against poor people management – a significant factor in the UK’s productivity gap. The joint guidance covers management fundamentals developed from CIPD and Acas research and offers practical experience of management development grouped […]
Paternity leave plans put on hold
Proposals to let parents share a year of leave to help raise a child have been put on hold by business secretary Lord Mandelson, due to the economic crisis. Despite backing by Equality Minister Harriet Harman, the plans to extend paid maternity leave to 12 months and allow fathers to share up to six months […]
HR tip: Termination arrangement for struggling employee
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "One of our long-serving employees is struggling to cope with work. We had no intention of dismissing him but he has said that he would like to leave and would do so […]
HR tip: Reporting sexual harassment
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "I have been told that a couple of women in my section are being sexually harassed but are reluctant to report the matter to me, a male, as I will not take […]
Case study: Handling large-scale redundancies
Countless organisations have had to make job cuts in the last few months, making HR’s job a particularly tough one. Nick Golding talks to Buckinghamshire County Council to find out how they are handling their large-scale redundancy process. Back in January this year, the 14,000-strong workforce at Buckinghamshire County Council was confronted with the news […]
Ask the expert: Dismissal process with less than one year’s service
An employee, with just five month’s service, is not performing well and the employer wants to dismiss him. Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise on the correct process to follow. The question: If a member of staff has less than one year’s service (only five months in fact), can we dismiss him without following a […]
HR tip: Proof of drunkenness
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "One of our supervisors sent a man home for turning up to work drunk. However when we held a disciplinary meeting, the man insisted that he was not drunk and that we […]
HR tip: Workplace affairs
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "Can we stop people having affairs at work? We think that one of our supervisors is having an affair with a married woman." HR tip: Generally speaking you should not moralise but […]
HR tip: Pin-ups in the machine shop
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "The lads in our packing department have some quite racy pin-ups on the walls. A female member of staff, who works in another department and never needs to go into packing, nevertheless […]
The Christmas party: You simply can’t please everyone
Here's a tongue-in-cheek look at the problems an HR director experienced whilst trying to accommodate the needs of the organisation's diverse workforce when planning the office Christmas party. You've got to feel sorry for her… FROM: Pauline, Human Resources DirectorTO: All EmployeesDATE: 21st October 2008RE: Christmas Party I'm happy to inform you that the company […]
Dear Santa: HR’s Christmas wish list
With gloomy economic predictions and the prospect of job losses for many in 2009, HRZone.co.uk spreads some Christmas cheer and asks the experts what's on their HR wish list. Verity Gough reports. What would you like to see change next year, to make your working life easier? "I would like to see candidates being treated […]
The employee engagement dilemma
In today's rapidly changing economic climate, many employers are facing an acute dilemma – how do they make the necessary people changes to improve performance and profitability, whilst maintaining employee motivation and engagement? Ben Thornton has some answers. There is a wealth of evidence linking business performance and employee behaviour. A recent […]
HR tip: Gross misconduct v misconduct
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "When does misconduct become gross misconduct?" HR tip: Gross misconduct is any action that strikes at the heart of the employment relationship and makes its continuation impracticable. You should give examples in […]
HR tip: Misuse of redundancy because a person isn’t good at her job
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "We want to let a person go who is not very good at her job, so propose to make her redundant. Any problems with this?" HR tip: Yes indeed. You may make […]
HR tip: Obtaining redundancy form from Government discreetly
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "We will shortly be announcing some redundancies and understand that we will have to submit an official form to a government department. We wish to get this form in advance and in […]
HR tip: Sexual harassment claim from ex-employee
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "A woman who recently left our employment has now written to complain that, during her time with us, her boss sexually harassed her. As she has left, do we need to do […]
HR tip: Time off for redundant employees
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question:"We have made some employees redundant and they are now demanding that we let them have time off to seek other work. How do we and they stand?" HR tip:Employees who have two […]
HR tip: Mobile phone use at work
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question:"Are we entitled to restrict the use of personal mobile phones at work?" HR tip:Indeed you are. If used for private calls during work hours, the employee is being paid for being unproductive […]