Talent Spot: Community blogger, Ron Thomas
Ron Thomas, a principal at New York-based HR consultancy StrategyFocusedHR and favourite HRzone blogger, always knew that business was his calling, even if he didn’t know in exactly which branch he’d end up. “I knew I was going to major in business in college,” he says. “I was always intrigued by people who came to […]
Scheme unveiled to cut unemployment among ex-prisoners
In a bid to tackle high unemployment levels among people with criminal records, former prisoners will now have to join the coalition government’s Work Programme immediately on their release or lose benefits. At the moment, ex-offenders are not forced to join the scheme until they have been out of jail and claiming JobSeeker’s Allowance for […]
HSBC guarantees parents part-time working options
HSBC has become the first UK corporate to guarantee all new parents returning from maternity or paternity leave a part-time working option in a bid to help them improve their work-life balance. The move comes as a charity called on the coalition government to reverse proposed changes to the Working Tax Credit, which it said […]
Best Practice: Diamond Jubilee holiday guidance from Acas
Acas has issued guidance about how to deal with the holiday issues raised by the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations as a result of growing numbers of calls to its employer helpline. The occasion will be marked by a four-day long weekend for some workers due to the creation of an extra bank holiday on Tuesday […]
Video Interview: Winning Impression’s Katrina Collier on social recruitment
Mike Taylor, director of www.web-based-recruitment.com, talks to social media recruitment expert, Katrina Collier, founder and director of Winning Impression, about the number one mistake that organisations make when trying to hire using the channel and how not to fall into the trap. She also offers hints and tips to help employers stand out from the […]
Spiralling childcare costs risk driving parents out of work – report
Above inflation rises in the cost of UK nursery places at the same time as wages continue to remain stagnant risk forcing parents to give up their jobs because they can no longer afford to pay for childcare. This is the key finding of a study conducted by national childcare charity, Daycare Trust, and sponsored […]
Anywhere Working Week: Helping employees switch off in an ‘always on’ world
Workplace change has never been as rapid as it is today. Globalisation and exponential increases in the use of technology have generated a 24/7 culture, where staff are often expected to work anytime and anywhere. Yet, as anyone working in HR knows, this ‘always-on’ situation is a double-edged sword. Employees today are generally […]
New employers liable for prior unfair dismissal claims under TUPE
Under TUPE legislation, liability for unfair dismissal claims automatically passes to any new employer, making businesses that have sacked staff in anticipation of a transfer less attractive to potential buyers, the Court of Appeal has ruled. The Court confirmed that it did not matter whether the new employer was known, had been identified or even […]
Unpaid overtime saves employers £29.2bn each year
One in five workers regularly work unpaid overtime saving employers a huge £29.2 billion per year, with older workers and long-servers by far the most likely to offer their services for free. According to an analysis of official government figures undertaken by the TUC to mark ‘Work Your Proper Hours Day’, some 5.3 million people […]
Blog: Will your staff be called up during the Olympics?
You may have heard the news that Reservists will be used for security purposes during the Olympic Games such as in this BBC article. While the use of Reserve Forces has been common place by other countries during the last few Games, it may come as a surprise to some employers who may not have […]
Talking Point: Why HR directors should manage, not mother
When it comes to evaluating staff behaviour and performance, what kind of manager are you? And more to the point, is your managerial style – and that of your colleagues – damaging the business? Some employers apply strict policies to keep employees on a tight rein. Others take a more laid-back approach, letting conduct […]
Talking Point: Is the fit note fit-for-purpose?
The fit note was introduced in April 2010 and replaced the ‘all or nothing’ classification of the traditional sick note, under which people were either ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’ for work. Based on the premise that you don’t need to be totally ‘fit’ to do some kinds of activities, establishing a third option of ‘may be […]
HRD Insight: Enterprise-Rent-A-Car’s Donna Miller on graduate recruitment
Enterprise-Rent-A-Car puts a huge focus on graduate recruitment schemes, with the aim of encouraging fresh thinking and bringing new ideas into the company. The firm, which was set up in 1957, has a culture of promoting from within. It recognises that providing employees with clear opportunities for advancement motivates them and encourages them to […]
Ask the Expert: What is the notice period for a perm gone freelance?
The question One of our members of staff was employed by our organisation in a permanent capacity on a fixed-term basis. He had a two-month notice period. At the end of the contract, the employee was kept on but asked to act as a freelancer, which meant coming off payroll and billing us on […]
National Apprenticeship Week: ‘Schemes cut hiring costs’
Four out of five employers that currently provide apprenticeship schemes claim that they will play a bigger role in their recruitment policy in future as they help to cut hiring costs. A survey undertaken among 349 people responsible for apprenticeship recruitment at their company by Populus Research revealed that three quarters believed providing apprenticeship places […]
Fee hikes for skilled migrant worker visas a “bitter blow”, says CBI
The CBI has condemned the coalition government’s decision to double the visa fees that employers have to pay in order to hire working migrants as a “bitter blow” to UK business. The Home Office announced yesterday that, while fee increases for the majority of visas had been kept at about 2%, those for skilled workers […]
HMRC to charge PAYE dodgers from April
HM Revenue & Customs will require employers to pay a security from April if it believes that there is serious risk they will fail to pay the requisite PAYE tax deductions or National Insurance Contributions on behalf of employees. The powers are an extension of an initiative that has already been successfully used to ensure the […]
P45s will not get a pink slip
The traditional P45 form that summarises the amount of tax paid at the end of an employment contract will not be scrapped after a change of heart at HM Revenue & Customs. The form had been due to be replaced by a ‘leaver statement’ as part of the move to the Real Time Information system […]
National Apprenticeship Week: How to get started
As we enter another year of economic uncertainty, recruiting fresh faces may not be at the top of the corporate agenda for all companies in 2012. Organisations ranging from large firms through to small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly being asked to balance up diminishing budgets with a need to boost productivity and continue providing […]
Minister for disabled: Unemployment result of unwillingness to work
Unemployment in the UK is down to people’s unwillingness to work because there is “no shortage of jobs”, the minister for disabled people has said. Maria Miller, who works for the Department for Work and Pensions, said on BBC Radio 5’s ‘Pienaar’s Politics’ programme yesterday that the current employment situation was the result of a […]
