Could the recession be tarnishing your employer brand?
During a recession, organisations must ensure their employer brand reflects genuine values rather than empty promises, as redundancies can significantly damage reputation through departing employees who become brand ambassadors for better or worse.
Ten top tips on rewarding in a recession
During a recession, employers can maintain employee engagement by carefully timing benefits changes, consulting workers on their preferences, and establishing clear supplier agreements. Strategic communication and alignment with business objectives help organizations retain talent while managing costs effectively.
How to beat the recession by empowering your line managers
During economic downturns, organizations must cut costs while maintaining productivity and employee motivation. Empowering line managers to take greater responsibility for people management is critical, as research shows strong correlation between effective line management and organizational performance and profitability.
HR in a recession: A change of focus
During economic downturns, HR professionals must shift focus from employee development to performance management and organizational efficiency. This means identifying underperforming staff, strengthening management practices, and advising leadership on necessary changes while preparing the business for eventual recovery.
Credit crunch leads to increase in county court judgments
County court judgments against UK companies have surged 500% in two years, reflecting widespread financial stress and rising insolvencies as the credit crisis worsens. Late payments and bad debts signal corporate distress, with certain sectors like retail and property experiencing fivefold increases in court cases.
Has Blair really been so bad?
Tony Blair’s tenure as Prime Minister receives mixed reviews a decade later. This article examines the actual impact of his policies on HR practices and the workplace, separating public perception from documented outcomes.
News in Brief: Britain’s most dangerous jobs revealed
Nurses, health workers, teachers, transport workers, and shop workers face the highest risk of violence at work, with 655,000 incidents reported annually in Britain. Nearly 40% of nurses experience abuse from patients, while traffic wardens face a one-in-three chance of physical assault, revealing a disturbing culture of workplace violence.
News in Brief: Half of workers are constantly tired
A new HR roundup reveals worker fatigue, workplace flexibility trends, and age discrimination concerns. Key topics include National Working from Home Day, Swedish age discrimination warnings for UK employers, skills shortages driving lawyer wages higher, and union engagement gaps in training initiatives.
News in Brief: Sack underperformers, says Microsoft CEO
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has urged British companies to follow his firm’s example and sack underperforming employees annually, claiming organizations should consistently remove staff not showing full potential. Trade union leaders criticized the approach for creating a culture of fear and demoralizing workers.
News in Brief: Mid-market firms push people issues aside
Mid-market firm leaders claim to prioritize people investment but fail to act on it, according to PwC research. The survey found 58% identify learning and development as key to performance, yet 49% believe managers neglect training, and two-thirds lack succession plans for senior roles.
News in Brief: Employment law triggered
New employment legislation takes effect April 6, including TUPE regulations and mandatory pension scheme consultation requirements for larger employers. The government’s Pensions Commission releases final proposals for UK pension reform, including linking pensions to earnings and raising the state pension age to 68.
News in Brief: Motor-mouths lose out at interview
Employers are increasingly turned off by overly talkative job candidates, according to new research. This week’s HR news roundup also covers the government’s further education White Paper emphasizing employer-focused skills training, industrial unrest at the Learning and Skills Council over planned job cuts, and findings on workplace web misuse.
What’s the answer? Confidentiality – Controlling the office gossip
Employers concerned about office gossip and confidentiality breaches should focus on disciplinary action rather than new agreements. Legal experts recommend reminding employees of existing confidentiality clauses and warning that further violations could result in written warnings or termination, following proper procedures.
Colborn’s Corner: Budgeting for success?
Gordon Brown’s recent budget reveals lessons for HR teams managing employee benefits. Tax-dependent benefits strategies risk vulnerability when tax regimes change, making it crucial to evaluate whether benefits provide genuine value beyond tax relief, while annual benefit reviews can help organizations identify which offerings truly support workforce priorities.
News in Brief: The Week in HR – HR globe-trotters do it for career success
UK immigration plans to favor highly skilled workers while tightening rules for the unskilled, pensions reform debate intensifies with industry proposals to reduce management charges, and HSBC faces misconduct claims. This week in HR also explores why some professionals pursue international career opportunities.
Responsible business practice improves bottom line
Research shows employees believe responsible business practices drive innovation and improve financial performance. A new study reveals that 45% of employees find their organization fails to implement the corporate values promoted during recruitment, while most workers expect fair treatment, quality products, and leadership that reflects stated organizational values.
Childcare costs becoming prohibitive
Childcare costs in the UK have become prohibitive, with full-time nursery places for children under two averaging £120 weekly (over £6,200 annually), and significantly higher in London and the southeast. A national survey found severe shortages in provision, leaving many working families unable to afford quality care and trapping parents in low-income cycles.
Government sets out voluntary code for pension fund investment
The Government has issued a voluntary code of investment principles for pension funds, based on recommendations from the Myners review. The principles encourage funds to set clear investment objectives, ensure decision-makers are properly skilled, and agree transparent mandates with fund managers. The Government will also legislate on trustee standards and shareholder engagement duties.
Unions and business leaders agree thousands of jobs are at risk
Unions and business leaders agree thousands of manufacturing jobs are at risk as Britain’s manufacturing sector officially enters recession, though they differ sharply on the scale—unions claim 250,000 jobs threatened compared to the CBI’s estimate of 29,000 by summer’s end.
EOC: Britain Stuck in a Rut
The UK remains stuck tackling persistent sex discrimination across employment, education, and social institutions, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission’s annual report. Despite 25 years of legislation, outdated assumptions about gender roles continue affecting people’s lives, from parents seeking flexible work to women facing hiring barriers.
