Engagement top priority to aid retention, says survey
Two-thirds of HR directors prioritize employee engagement to improve retention as businesses emerge from recession. Research shows engaged employees perform better, are more innovative, and more likely to stay with their employer, with meaningful involvement and open communication being key drivers.
Jobs, skills, growth? Not likely this year, say Unions
Union research shows pay freezes accelerated in 2010, with one-third of wage deals frozen and union negotiators pessimistic about settlements. Despite inflation rising 2.4 percent, employers facing weak order books and pension deficits prioritized job preservation over pay increases.
Public sector job cuts crossroads on road to recovery
The UK jobs market is recovering with increased permanent placements and vacancies, but public sector redundancies are expected to impact hiring over the next 12 to 18 months, according to recruitment experts.
Survey highlights top challenges for HR
A 2010 survey of UK HR professionals reveals employee engagement, succession planning, and talent retention as top priorities, though rising staff turnover and workplace stress threaten to consume HR departments’ time managing grievances and disaffected workers.
Happy 100th Birthday, Jobcentre
The UK’s Jobcentre network celebrates its 100th anniversary this month, recognized as one of Europe’s most sophisticated public employment services. Created in 1909 to address unemployment and labor market inefficiencies, it pioneered integrating job placement with benefit administration, an approach now widely adopted across Europe.
2010: The year of interesting jobs?
Engaging employees with interesting, challenging work is crucial for productivity and retention, especially during uncertain times. Survey data shows over 90% of engaged employees find their work stimulating, compared to just 39% of disengaged staff. HR teams can leverage this insight to improve morale and reduce turnover by presenting new responsibilities and development opportunities as career growth chances.
Group call for government support on equal pay research
An employers’ group has called for government support to help organisations collect and publish pay data to address the gender pay gap. The request follows recommendations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission ahead of potential mandatory pay reporting requirements by 2013.
Good HR is E.ons away
Energy supplier E.On announced plans to cut 800 jobs, including 600 from its Rayleigh call centre closure, but staff learned about it from a newspaper before receiving official notification from the company, sparking backlash over poor communication and HR practices.
Employers adopt ‘sophisticated’ methods to cope with recession
Employers are adopting more sophisticated approaches to recession management, prioritizing employee communication, skills development, and performance management over pay increases, according to a survey of 550 senior HR managers across 17 countries.
Snow business: 14% not in work, costing economy £0.5bn per day
Severe winter weather has driven UK employee absences to record levels, with nearly 14% of the workforce absent on January 7, 2010, costing the economy an estimated £0.5 billion per day, according to FirstCare data.
Talented graduates seek work in call centres
Call centres are attracting higher-calibre candidates post-recession, with 25% of contact centre agents now holding graduate degrees and 14% possessing postgraduate qualifications. The industry is seeing improved recruitment ease and staff retention, as more candidates view customer service roles as legitimate career paths rather than temporary positions.
Lessons from France Telecom – handling restructures
HR plays a vital role in managing workplace restructures by fostering open communication and supportive culture, as the France Telecom crisis demonstrated. When organizations fail to engage employees during major changes, disconnection and mental health crises can result. Effective restructuring requires clarity of purpose, alignment on shared goals, and leadership that prioritizes employee wellbeing alongside business objectives.
PwC: Bonus culture clash is contagious
Public criticism of bonus culture is spreading beyond banking to FTSE-listed companies across all sectors, according to PwC analysis. Shareholder opposition to remuneration reports increased dramatically from 3% to 20% of FTSE-100 companies in 2009, with most controversial cases outside financial services. Stricter governance requirements and risk considerations in executive pay are now affecting companies across industries.
2010 – year of the better workforce?
As recession eases, HR faces challenges beyond layoffs: addressing a shortage of work-ready young people entering the workforce. HR professionals can quantify costs, articulate human impacts, and implement workplace solutions like partnerships with colleges for employee development and training.
BA strike ruled illegal
A UK high court ruled a planned Unite strike by British Airways cabin crew illegal after the union balloted workers already in voluntary redundancy. The decision halts disruption over Christmas, though future strikes remain possible once Unite holds a compliant ballot.
Pre-budget report: have salary sacrifice canteens had their chips?
The government plans to remove tax exemptions for salary sacrifice workplace canteens from April 2011, closing a loophole where employees take pay cuts to fund meals tax-free. The move signals potential wider anti-avoidance measures targeting other flexible benefits schemes.
Pre budget bonus? Not this year, Darling
Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report offered limited giveaways due to high public borrowing and economic gloom, instead introducing a controversial banker bonus tax and pension contribution changes that experts warn could hurt the UK’s competitiveness and employee retention.
Managing people in 2009
The 2009 recession challenged HR professionals to manage workforce reductions while maintaining employee engagement and motivation. Key strategies included retaining top talent, debunking motivation myths, and finding innovative ways to engage employees during economic uncertainty.
Are MPs opening the floodgates for unfair dismissal claims?
New MPs rules banning family members from the payroll could trigger unfair dismissal claims if proper legal procedures aren’t followed, warns a compliance expert. The proposals lack clarity on dismissal processes, creating potential employment law risks for MPs and raising broader HR implications across UK businesses.
Walk the talk with wellbeing
Most UK businesses recognize employee wellbeing’s importance but lack dedicated budgets and struggle to prove ROI to senior management. Research shows workplace wellness initiatives deliver significant returns by reducing presenteeism costs and improving productivity, yet only 15% of organizations follow a measured strategy.
