Blog: The golden thread – aligning HR and business strategy

I once worked with an organisation that had introduced a Value Chain methodology. So far so good.  But they had made the critical error of trying to pigeonhole HR into one of the ‘links’ in the chain, instead of realising that HR is a support function that, by definition, underpins everything that the company does. […]

Making Christmas incentives magic

For many employers knowing what to offer staff as a Christmas incentive can be tricky.  Common benefits that are well-received include Christmas hampers, bottles of champagne, wine or chocolates.   The popularity of hampers is certainly on the rise, particularly if they cater to a wide range of tastes. But rewards will inevitably have variable […]

Blog: Why there should be an end to end-of-year bonuses

Recognise This! – Bonuses are too often confused with compensation. In my reader just yesterday, I had several articles pop up on bonus compensation plans for the end of the year.   At first, I was hopeful. Have organisations finally figured out that lump-sum end-of-year cash bonuses fail on multiple levels and so are turning […]

News Analysis: ‘Glimmers of hope’ for jobs market as incomes set to drop

While there are “glimmers of hope” that the jobs market may revive somewhat over the next year, real household incomes are in contrast expected to fall by 7.4% over the next 36 months. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s JobsOutlook report for November, which is based on a survey of 600 employers, revealed that, although employers […]

Appeal Court ruling on equal pay claims could open floodgates

A landmark Court of Appeal decision could now pave the way for a raft of equal pay claims by both private and public sector workers seeking to pursue compensation. Three appeal judges ruled yesterday that claims made by 174 former female employees of Birmingham City Council could be heard in the High Court as well […]

Round-up of Chancellor’s key Autumn Statement pronouncements

Public sector pay rises are to be capped at 1% for two years, the Chancellor announced today in his Autumn Statement. The cap will follow straight on from a two-year-long pay freeze for public sector workers and is only likely to inflame anger over the Coalition Government’s proposed changes to pensions. Among other things, the […]

Extra holiday or training offer acceptable alternative to pay rise, says study

For those employers that cannot afford to give workers a pay rise this year, an extra day’s holiday or a bit of further training might be a possible alternative.   According to an online poll among 2,002 adults undertaken by ICM Research on behalf of the People 1st Training Company, which operates in the hospitality, […]

“Stratospheric” executive pay rises are ‘damaging British business’

“Stratospheric” pay increases that have seen the salaries of top executives at a number of FTSE companies soar by more than 4,000% over the last 30 years are undermining productivity and “damaging” trust in British business. According to a report published by the High Pay Commission following a year-long inquiry, such high growth rates compare […]

Blog: Using the London Olympics as a motivational tool

With less than a year to go before London hosts the largest sporting event in the world, businesses in the UK are now starting to consider ways in which to increase staff motivation during the 2012 Olympics. The recent release of an article from the Telegraph titled ‘Sickies to soar during Games’ not only reiterated […]

Blog: Rewards and recognition – tips for motivating staff on a small budget

Money is tight in today’s economy, but you shouldn’t be draining the bank account to get peak performance even when it’s plentiful. As I’ve written recently, pay-for-performance schemes can be demoralizing and demotivating and are likely to have unexpected consequences. Still, employees are not machines. They’re human beings and need to be motivated. However, some […]

Top exec incomes leap 50% while staff struggle with earnings squeeze

Although renumeration for top executives at large public companies jumped 50% in the last year to £2.7 million, pay deals for the rest of the workforce languished at about half current inflation rates of 5.2%. A report by Incomes Data Services indicated that the huge leap in earnings for directors of FTSE 100 companies meant […]

Blog: How to take the pay issue off the table

Recognise This! – Recognition and rewards cannot replace compensation – it’s an entirely different “currency.” Fellow blogger and Compensation Café founder Ann Bares recently ran a survey looking into what level of pay (or pay increase) would be needed to “take the issue of pay off the table.”   This is a highly complex but […]

Pay awards to increase only marginally in 2012

Private sector pay awards will increase only marginally in 2012 when compared to this year, with the most common influences on settlements likely to be company performance and simply the ability to finance them. Research on the intentions of 286 firms employing a total of 800,000 workers revealed that the median award for the year […]

Employers forced to cut pay rises to fund pensions, warns head of NEST

Employers will need to cut pay rises from next year in order to fund plans to automatically enrol the entire workforce in a workplace pension scheme, the head of NEST has warned. Tim Jones, chief executive of the Government’s new pension offering, the National Employment Savings Trust, told the Telegraph that the proposed changes would […]

Blog: Is regulation really to blame for hiring caution?

I have looked with surprise at the debate around changing the unfair dismissal qualification period from one year to two.  Is the unfair dismissal qualifying period really what drives small businesses away from employing people? Fear of employment law (which is used by many to sell employment law insurance) does not seem to tie in with […]

Biggest drop in household income for 35 years will see child poverty leap, says study

A 7% drop in average real incomes over the next three years combined with the Coalition Government’s decision to peg welfare payments to consumer rather than retail price inflation will result in absolute and relative child poverty jumping by 23% and 24% respectively within a decade. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Government’s […]

Blog: Agency worker regulations and how legitimately to avoid them

As an HR type, I’ve used agency temps plenty of times. The main attraction of agency workers is the flexibility for employers, particularly in the current economic climate.   They form a key part of the ‘flexible workforce’ which means that employers don’t have to commit to employing anyone, just in case the business goes […]

Pay rises on the cards in 2012 for a third of UK firms

One third of organisations in the UK plan to up staff pay next year, according to a study by Incomes Data Services (IDS).  More than half of employers are making the same settlement as last year and only 13%are planning a lower settlement, the survey suggested.   The cost of living will play a key […]

Case Study: Speedy Services has ‘Big Ideas’ for boosting staff engagement

A ‘Big Ideas’ initiative combined with a complementary scheme to reward innovation has resulted in staff engagement and productivity leaping at Speedy Services. The Merseyside-based company, which provides equipment and support services to the construction, manufacturing, industrial, rail and other related industries, introduced its ‘Big Ideas’ programme towards the end of 2008.   The move […]

Blog: It’s not just about the money

Retaining your best workers during an economic downturn can make the difference between success and failure for any company. When pay is squeezed and standards of living seem threatened, people naturally focus more on salary and benefits and less on job satisfaction.   In a recent survey by the Institute of Administrative Management, more than […]