A week in HR: Discrimination, data and Women’s Day
This week, Neil Davey reports on the mixed feelings surrounding the European Court of Justice's ruling on forced retirement, the rising number of unfair dismissal claims and a disturbing case of data misuse. Age discrimination was the top story last week. First of all it was revealed that the number of unfair […]
Friday feeling costs businesses £50m
Employees who slack off on a Friday afternoon are costing UK businesses more than £50 million a year. Top 10 Friday Feeling excuses 1. Business lunch was longer than expected2. I have a meeting on the way home3. Doctor's appointment4. I can work from home as my computer is down5. I am doing some […]
Colborn’s Corner: Up in smoke
Sunday sees the advent of the new rules relating to smoking within England. While I'm sure we all know the main provisions by now, what impact will they have on businesses across the UK as England comes into lines with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? How easy will the rules be to apply and will […]
November news in brief
To go to a story click on the link below: Acas launches free online learning tool Acas launches free online learning toolIn just under seven years only a fifth of the workforce will be white, able-bodied, male and under 45 – that's why Acas has launched its first, free, online learning tool. The e-learning […]
Women get bigger pay rises than men for tenth year running
Women have received larger pay rises than their male colleagues for the tenth year running and are more likely to get a bonus, but they are still more likely to resign than men. Research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and salary analysts Remuneration Economics shows the highest salary changes for five years; Women's salaries […]
HR Zone Members Newswire #134 Commute more, work less?
================================================================HR Zone Members Newswire Issue 13424 January 2005www.hrzone.co.uk================================================================ Editor's note=============Nik Kellingley advocates a just say no policy when it comes tologging travel time against hours of work. But what do youthink? Should managers make provisions for that long trekhome?http://www.hrzone.co.uk/item/149860 Elsewhere in this latest members' newswire we've got legalguidance from Browne Jacobson and Clarkslegal LLP on […]
Age Positive launch national awards to find Britain’s age crusaders
The search is on for employers and individuals who are challenging ageism in employment. Age Positive, the Department for Work and Pensions campaign aimed at stamping out age discrimination, is encouraging individuals and employers to enter the 2004 Age Positive Awards. The Awards, held across England, Scotland and Wales, will recognise and reward individuals and […]
HR grows but still lacks time for “strategic” activities
More HR departments have grown in size and influence over the past five years, according to new research published today. More than half of the 118 organisations in the IRS survey reported that the number of staff in their HR departments had increased over the past five years. This is due to increased workload (57%), […]
Northgate acquires Rebus HR
The acquisition of Rebus HR Group by Northgate Information Solutions has transformed the company into the market leader in the £700m UK HR and payroll market. Northgate will continue to support both companies existing product lines under the Northgate name. Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate Information Solutions, said: "Although this is a sizeable acquisition, […]
Employers support voluntary human capital management reporting
While 87% of managing directors and HR directors agree that companies should report externally on their human capital management (HCM), 71% are strongly against the Government introducing legislation or regulation requiring companies to report on defined people management issues, claims new research. This research, conducted in 200 UK companies, by The Penna Board Partnership, comes […]
Stop whingeing about red tape, says TUC
British business is stuck in a "low-road" rut, under-investing and competing only by driving down costs and prices, says the Trades Union Congress (TUC). In its response to Professor Michael Porter’s UK Competitiveness report, 'Shifting to the high road', commissioned by the DTI, the TUC agrees that UK business is building on sand by fighting […]
Extension of Working Time Directive
From tomorrow (1 August), the EU Working Time Directive will be extended to those sectors previously excluded from working time measures. The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2003 extend protection to cover non-mobile workers in road, sea, inland waterways and lake transport, workers in the railway and offshore sectors, and workers in aviation transport. Junior doctors […]
Responsible business practice improves bottom line
Employees see a clear connection between responsible business practice and positive impact on the bottom line, according to new research sponsored by BUPA and carried out by Business in the Community in partnership with the CIPD and the Future Work Institute. The key messages from the report, ‘Responsibility: driving innovation, inspiring employees’ were: Employees […]
Employers give low priority to Health and Safety
UK Businesses are woefully ill prepared for the new Corporate Killing laws due to come into force during this parliament, according to new research by training providers RRC. Despite the Government’s Revitalising Health and Safety initiative which aims to reduce the incidence of work related illness and accident by up to 30% by 2010, RRC […]
TUC helps migrant workers
Thousands of Portuguese migrant workers are being encouraged to come to the UK to fill vacancies in agriculture, cleaning and the hospitality industry, but language problems and a lack of understanding of UK employment law is giving unscrupulous employers a licence to exploit, the TUC warned today. The TUC is concerned that if the same […]
Government Responsibilities after the Reshuffle
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State The Rt Hon John Prescott MP Chancellor of the Exchequer The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons The […]
CBI rejects TUC claim over EU redundancy protection
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has rejected claims from the Trades Union Congress (TUC)that a proposed EU directive would improve consultation over redundancies. John Cridland, Deputy Director-General, said, "Companies need and want to consult staff over redundancies. What's more, they have to under British law or they face stiff penalties. "The proposed EU directive […]
TUC Campaign: They call it Red Tape
A new TUC campaign launched today (Monday 26) contrasts employer attacks on new rights for people at work as red tape, with the popular support they enjoy among voters. They call it red tape, but you call it a decent break is one of the TUC messages from the new poster and advert campaign highlighting […]
Europe needs a science and technical skills observatory
Europe’s prosperity is at risk if its supply of graduate science and technology skills does not meet market needs, according to the authoritative Institute for Employment Studies (IES). In-depth research across the EU for the European Commission, by IES, revealed selective shortages in particular skills such as IT, and under-utilisation of other, expensively developed skills […]
National Stress Awareness Day
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced the start of a publicity drive to raise employers' awareness of the need to tackle work-related stress. The announcement coincided with this year's National Stress Awareness Day, which is being run by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), in collaboration with partners the Mental Health Foundation, the […]
