Retention – the big issue of 2010

All the signs point to retention being one of the key issues for HR – while under threat of redundancy, employees hung on to their jobs. An upturn may mean a brain drain – what can HR do? David Leyshon, Managing Director of CBSbutler, shares his view.  A recent survey undertaken by specialist technical and […]

Succession planning: The bigger picture

Asking the big questions about sucession planning, where it fits in to the organisation and who should be included with Chris Berry.  Which individuals in your organisation really need to have a succession plan developed for them? Is it just board-level executives, or perhaps each member of the senior management team? Or are there other […]

Employee development: The role of the line manager

Examining the importance of the employee-line manager relationship in employee development with experts from the Insititute of Employment Studies. Any research that is done focusing on people within organisations almost invariably concludes that the employee-line manager relationship is crucial. Two pieces of research carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies , for example, came […]

Employers adopt ‘sophisticated’ methods to cope with recession

Employers need to adopt a more sophisticated approach to staff retention and development if they are to weather the current financial storm effectively, according to a new survey. A recent poll conducted among 550 senior HR managers in 17 countries by HR consultancy The Scala Group and the ACE Network found that only 25 percent […]

HR tip: Company car during notice

Learn HR is a leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications, and is experienced in advising on common HR and payroll problems. A wide selection of tips and guidance can be seen below. HRzone.co.uk recommends that any tips are taken as a starting point for guidance only. This week , […]

Are you moral enough to lead a culture of accountability?

Effective human resources leadership can only be built upon a culture of accountability, says Chris Seabourne, Partner with CTPartners. For any company – regardless of its industry, location, or business model – its employee base represents one of its most valuable assets and one that is absolutely key to achieving performance, growth and profitability objectives. […]

What HR can learn from sales to optimise recruitment

Over the last 10 years there have been a lot of changes in the way recruitment has been carried out by HR departments. But now, according to Mitch Sullivan, more radical change is needed by HR to get the best results from their recruitment campaigns. In most companies there is little or no interaction between […]

The new world of outplacement

Richard Alberg, CEO of mynewjob.me, explains how he’s experienced the world of recruitment and outplacement changing. Outplacement is changing. What was once predominantly a service designed for a relatively small number of senior executives is now a mass market offering. The problem is that although the name has remained the same the available budget has […]

Lessons from France Telecom – handling restructures

Performance culture expert Nigel Watson of Q4 Solutions explores why the role HR can play in restructuring is so vital, ensuring staff are mentally prepared and are working within a supportive culture in order to avoid problems like those seen at France Telecom.  The recession has forced many businesses to review how they operate and […]

Making a Legacy: how HR can create something deeper and more lasting

If you think retention and engagement, particularly of the younger members of your team will be issues for you in 2010, Ian McDermott has an idea for you.  Each year millions of pounds from HR and training budgets is poured into people in the hope of improving business performance. From off-site team building and training […]

Beyond belief? Faith and work – the legal considerations

No matter what your employees believe, they need to be dealt with correctly – or you will face the legal consequences, explain lawyers Natasha Koshnitsky and Rob McCreath.  Picture the scene: the interview has gone well and the candidate has come across as well-qualified and suitable for the senior and highly sensitive vacancy. In the […]

Be aware of mental health in 2010, says Acas

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair, considers the impact the recession has had on business and employees and what HR should focus on next year to avoid legal implications.  2009 has been a challenging year for businesses and employees. For many managers, this is the first time that they have encountered such challenging economic conditions. As a […]

HR tip: Change of conditions

These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: If we change one of someone’s terms and conditions of employment, do we have to confirm it in writing or is the fact that he starts to work under the new term […]

HR tip: Christmas overtime rates?

These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: What rates of overtime are payable for working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day? Reply: Unless you are subject to some form of collective agreement that determines these matters, the matter is […]

Unscrupulous employers take advantage of work experience ‘slaves’ to the tune of £214m

The desperation to gain work experience to become more employable in the midst of the worst youth unemployment since 1993 has led to many employers illegally taking advantage of students and young people. A study of nearly 2000 students has found that 16% have worked unpaid hours for an employer in the last year in […]

Views on HR news: CIPD special

Jon Ingham trawls the net to provide his round-up of the great and the good of HR thought and opinion, so you don’t have to. This month, he reviews the use of social media at the CIPD Conference.      For the last eight months, I’ve been providing an irregular HR blogosphere bulletin to HR […]

10 new leader let downs

The so-called ‘new brooms’ in an organisation might bring new blood and enthusiasm, but they don’t always get it right. Sarah Lewis investigates common pitfalls – and how to avoid them.  The pressure on new leaders or senior appointments to make an impact, and quickly, is tremendous. The organisation has spent time and money attracting, […]

Yes we can – Barack Obama’s leadership lessons

Paul Brindle discusses the effect self belief and confidence can have on leadership – and what lessons HR leaders can learn from Barack Obama.  The unipolar world of Bush was not something that could, or would, last forever. An autocratic stance and unilateral attitude when the Asian star was in the ascendant was perhaps unwise: […]

HR tip: Bad attitude at work?

These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: One of our employees has a poor attitude to work. He makes mistakes and is frequently critical of management, especially in meetings. He has done nothing seriously wrong, so what can we […]

The fine line between managers and HR

Where is the line drawn between direct line managers and HR – and where can a balance between the two functions be found? Jo Radford investigates. A common issue for HR functions is how to ‘up-skill’ line managers to perform their role as people managers.  In most cases, this translates into skills programmes focused on […]