Blog: How to build rapport during a job interview
Building rapport during a job interview. It’s not always the brightest and the best who get the job. Often it’s the person who interviews well. The bond you establish with an interviewer is a very important factor in doing well at interview. From their point of view, when they meet you they’re considering working […]
The HRZone Interview: Best Companies’ Wayne Clarke on engagement
Wayne Clarke is managing partner at workplace engagement specialists, Best Companies, the firm behind the prestigious Sunday Times ‘Best Companies to Work For’ annual listing of high-performing organisations. It has identified eight key factors that are critical to be an employer that staff rate highly. They comprise: How employees feel about their leaders How […]
News: Ex-Apple exec sues over alleged ‘job for life’ promise
A former employee is suing Apple for emotional distress after being dismissed last December, claiming that co-founder and chief executive Steve Jobs had promised him a job for life. Ousted executive producer Wayne Goodrich alleges that, during a one-to-one meeting in 2010, Jobs, who died last October after a five-year battle with cancer, had told […]
Blog: Learning to manage sickness absence more creatively
Newly published figures by the Health and Social Care Information Centre have revealed that NHS workers took an average of 15 days of sickness absence over the last year – an improvement on figures from three years ago. Sceptics have been quick to note that the level of sickness absence in the NHS is considerably […]
Ask the Expert: What do we do about a new hire who hasn’t told us about her disability?
The question We have recently offered a job to someone who gladly accepted it and the contract has now been issued and signed. But just before her start date, she indicated that she has a disability that has an effect both on her health and her ability to carry out the role. We […]
News: EU – Employers must assess staff well-being during redundancy
Employers may have to assess the psychological health of their staff if considering whether to make any of them redundant in future, according to draft European Union proposals. The proposed new directive, which the European Parliament is scheduled to vote on in November, would also mean that bosses had to evaluate the impact of job […]
Ask the Expert: What happens about holiday for staff on temporarily reduced working hours?
The question If your employees agree to do a four-day instead of the normal five-day week for a temporary period of four months, what happens in regard to their annual leave and bank holiday entitlement? Normally if someone works for four days, they would receive 4/5ths of the usual entitlement but as, in […]
News: UK workers put in £157.2bn of unpaid overtime each year
UK workers are now putting in around £157.2 billion per year in unpaid overtime every year, with two thirds experiencing soaring stress levels as a result. According to a survey conducted by hotel chain Travelodge, one in ten employees are now cramming in the equivalent of an entire week’s extra work on top of their […]
Book Review: How not to worry by Paul McGee
‘How not to worry – The remarkable truth of how a small change can help you stress less and enjoy life more’ – a long title, but a good one. A lot of people in my circle seem worried – about major issues such as the economy, their weight/health, job security, the spread of war […]
News: Sainbury’s evaluates value of “micro-exercise” in cutting sickness rates
Sainsbury’s is currently evaluating whether encouraging its staff to become more active by taking “micro-exercise” breaks can help cut levels of sickness absence. The supermarket chain introduced a six-month pilot project at its Coventry satellite office earlier this year, which saw 85 workers perform a series of three-minute stretches using Power Plate‘s vibration training machine […]
News: Unpaid back-to-work schemes declared lawful
Although back-to-work schemes that require jobseekers to undertake unpaid work experience have been ruled lawful, the government could still find itself open to millions of pounds in reimbursement claims from people stripped of their benefits. Cait Reilly, an unemployed graduate, lost her case in the High Court after accusing the government of supporting “forced labour” […]
Ask the Expert: What should I include in an absence management policy?
The question What do I need to include in our absence management policies and procedures and what do I need to be wary of? I am particularly interested in the Bradford Factor as I am looking into the possibility of introducing it as a way of triggering return-to-work meetings – can you provide any […]
News: Mother loses dead son’s disability discrimination case against Amazon
A mother has lost the disability discrimination case lodged against Amazon in a bid to fulfil the wish of her dying son, a former employee of the online retailer. David Peregrine, who was only 36, launched his suit against the shopping web site after being sent home without pay from its Swansea, South Wales-based distribution […]
How to accommodate disabled workers in a post-Remploy world
It isn’t often that workplace disability rights make national headlines. But following recent news that 27 Remploy factories – including five dedicated to employing disabled people – will be shut, that has certainly been the case. Disability activists and employment specialists have been publicly rethinking what equal access to work means and how society […]
Blog: More cost for employers – Sick workers and annual leave
Workers’ entitlement to holiday pay whilst off sick continues to prove problematic for businesses. In a decision just issued by the Court of Appeal, NHS Leeds v Janet Larner, the Court has confirmed that workers are entitled to annual leave which accrues while they are off sick, even where they have not made any request […]
TV Review: World’s maddest job interview
According to the mental health charity Mind, one in four people suffer from some form of mental health issue. This means that almost all of us, either directly, indirectly or by proxy, will experience psychological illness within our lifetimes. The problem is, however, that of those who choose to disclose mental ill-health to their […]
The HRZone Interview: Dr Cary Cooper on well-being at work
Dr Cary Cooper is professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University Management School and author of more than 150 books on topics ranging from occupational stress and women at work to organisational psychology. He is also a regular contributor to TV, radio and the press and, in 2001, was awarded a CBE for […]
Blog: The crucial role of line managers in beating employee stress
Stress is a big problem within the workplace in the UK and it is not being tackled effectively. Many people are concerned about their jobs and many organisations have to take measures to reduce costs; stress needs to be tackled from the boardroom to ensure that it is a priority. So often it is […]
News: FTSE 100 firms to be ranked on staff wellness and engagement
FTSE 100 firms will soon be ranked on how well they report on staff engagement and wellbeing after research revealed a “critical link” between effective HR management and organisational performance. Charity Business in the Community intends to launch its Workwell pilot project this autumn, following a study that found FTSE 100 companies with robust processes […]
How to administer pay cuts in times of austerity
Last week, Reuters reported that the Spanish royal family, surrounded by high unemployment and scenes of public workers striking, had offered to take a pay cut. The move is intended to reduce the €8.3 million annual cost to Spanish taxpayers of keeping them by some €100,000. Leading the way is the Spanish King, Juan […]
