Out of date policies putting businesses at risk
Too many companies are failing to revise internal procedures in order to comply with new equality and anti-bribery legislation, leaving them open to potential prosecution, lawyers have warned. According to a survey of more than 100 HR directors undertaken by law firm Pannone, just under two thirds of respondents still routinely use pre-employment health questionnaires […]
James Reed: The three Rs – recruitment, retention and relationships
James Reed is chairman of Reed specialist recruitment, who are celebrating 50 years of recruiting. Here he talks Charlie Duff through what has changed in the industry, from recruitment through to talent and retention. How did Reed start? Reed was set up by my father, Alec Reed and 2010 is a particularly special year […]
Government may plug BT pensions
Only days after BT averted strike action by reaching a £50 million deal on staff pay, its trustees are going to the High Court to seek a ruling on the extent to which the government should underwrite its £9 billion pension deficit. If the ruling goes in the telco’s favour and the government underwrites its […]
Leadership Matters: Affair between director and her direct report
This column answers your questions on leadership, talent management, performance improvement and the employee behavioural issues that can cause even the best leadership techniques to go awry. This time an affair between a director and a person reporting to them is making life awkward. The dilemma My manager (a director) has been having an affair […]
The management world is still turning
In days long ago we recruited people as managers because of their character, as shown by their attitude and achievements. It was at the end of WWII when there was much to be done; the view was that well proven leadership and a good strong character were the qualities most needed for responsible jobs. That […]
Emergency budget – what it means for HR and employers
This ‘emergency’ budget, delivered by Chancellor George Osborne (flanked by two Liberal Democrats to prove how well the coalition is working and how much cross-party support the financial plan has) could be significant for managers and HR, according to business leaders and the CIPD. John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel […]
Duck! Handling your human capital in a crisis
When a crisis hits, organisations instinctively prioritise their physical assets such as data and premises as they rally to continue ‘business as usual’. But when it comes to planning for the worst, making sure staff are looked after should be just as important, argues Graham Whitehouse, of HR and payroll provider Selima. With volcanic ash, […]
Social media still ‘misunderstood by management’
Even though social media can be useful as an internal tool to encourage staff to network and share information among themselves, management fears over loss of control, reputational damage and legal issues are holding back adoption. According to a ‘Social Media Survey’ undertaken among 2,600 internal communications professionals from 1,800 organisations by research and training […]
Follow the 3 Cs for the key to recruitment
Recruiting, hiring, talent attraction, talent acquisition…whatever words you use you can’t escape the fact that sourcing and hiring new people for your business is far harder to get right than it is wrong, with new research showing that a negative experience can damage your bottom line. Its long been said that you can tell a […]
Metrics are the key to effective business strategy
How are the best HR functions using metrics to inform and execute business strategy? Will HR ever add value to the business strategy through its development and execution of people strategy? If so, how will it prove it, and what are the benefits of being able to provide such proof? We at Orion Partners decided […]
Bad communication real culprit of high staff turnover
Although many employers are blaming the recession for increased levels of staff turnover, in reality as many as a third should look to their own poor communication and unsupportive company culture as the main culprits. Nigel Watson, managing director of performance management specialists Q4 Solutions, claimed that many businesses were simply "burying their heads in […]
SMEs could add £15bn by applying HR planning
SMEs could add £15bn to the economy by using HR planning to become more effective and profitable, according to a recent survey. A recent study has concluded HR planning is one of six key principles SMEs should adopt to tap into their competitiveness. A six-month study commissioned by Royal Mail compared growth rates among 500 […]
Controversial HR outsourcing leads to NHS resignation
The head of an NHS membership body has resigned after the organisation was criticised for its handling of a project to provide outsourced HR services to the health service. Steve Barnett, chief executive of the NHS Confederation since February last year and former NHS deputy director of HR, quit following a critical report of its […]
Exploring the engagement and retention relationship
With resignation on the increase it makes good business sense to focus on retaining the talent you already have. Recent research from Oxfordshire-based management consulting firm, The Focus Group finds that 60% of the 950 executives polled will be looking to jump ship on the economic upturn, thus creating a major void in 450 organisations. […]
Met’s HR system £10 million over budget
After being attacked by David Cameron in the leader’s debates during the general election, there’s more bad news for the Met as it is revealed their HR system is £10 million over budget. The Metropolitan Police Service’s new HR system is currently £10 million over budget and running six months late, according to a report […]
Ask the expert: Can we promote a worker above their supervisor?
Can we promote a worker above their supervisor? Martin Brewer and Esther Smith advise. The question: Can we promote a worker above their supervisor? We have a factory Manager who is responsible for all issues within the factory. He has not been undertaking his duties correctly and during his reviews has said […]
Train to reduce turnover
While finding ways to ensure an effective work-life balance is the most important factor in keeping hold of older IT workers, training is the key to younger employees’ hearts. These are the finding of new research commissioned by IT and management training provider Global Knowledge and high tech web site, TechRepublic. The study found that […]
Legal update: Discrimination and commission
Employment law briefing – practical, digestible takeaways to help you make sense of the confusing world of employment case law from Suzanne Horne of Morrison and Foerster. This month, discrimination and capping commission. Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Takeaway: Requirement of a degree not age discrimination The Court of Appeal has held that […]
Take the Alan Sugar leadership test
Alan Sugar has returned to our screens in the Junior Apprentice (Wednesdays, 9pm, BBC1), we present the Alan Sugar test – have you got what it takes to lead in your organisation? The thirst to find the next crop of leaders and entrepreneurs seems to show no signs of abating judging by […]
Is Simon Cowell your dream HR director?
A poll has revealed that Simon Cowell is the ideal HR director, while Lord Alan Sugar is the dream CEO. The results are part of a nationwide poll which questioned 1,386 members of the British public to find out which well-known names they would most like to see in roles that are typically found […]
