XpertHR - Employment Intelligence

Guidance on work-related stress

2010-02-08T10:53:35Z

Employers, particularly those that have had to make redundancies as a result of the recession, need to be aware of the signs of work-related stress in their staff. Redundancy survivors may have to work longer hours to cover the work previously carried out by redundant ex-colleagues, while at the same time facing the threat of redundancy themselves.

]]> Employers that do not address work-related stress may be subject to negligence claims, not to mention the damaging effects of poor morale and increased absenteeism on their business. The most recent statistics available from the Health and Safety Executive (on its website) indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for an estimated 11.4 million lost working days in Britain in 2008/09.

The current series of XpertHR's Topic of the Week (subscription required) looks at work-related stress. In the first article in the series, Elizabeth Stevens of Steeles (Law) LLP provides an overview of why employers need to be alert to work-related stress. Future articles in the series will include a look at measures that employers can take to support employees who appear to be suffering from stress, a case study and FAQs on this subject.

TRU London: a new way forward for HR and recruiters?

2010-02-05T11:14:29Z

There is a very interesting and, for many people, unusual UK HR and recruitment event taking place in London on 18 and 19 of February. The event is TRU London and what makes it unusual is that it is an unconference. It's not the first - that took place in London last November, but it is the biggest in the UK so far.

In the words of the organisers, "An unconference is an event that has no fixed structure and only two rules, no power point and no presentations."

So, besides the format, what else makes TRU London so eye-catching?

Well, here are a few for starters:

The format is less about lectures and more about facilitated discussion
That means participants are expected to interact with discussions
The event is split into different streams or 'tracks' providing attendees with a broad range of topics to dip in to
Track leaders, as they are called at TRU London, are experts in their area so can facilitate a high level conversation around their topic
Social media and social networks provide the communication channels for the event
Unconferences attract a far greater audience online than at the event thanks to the live coverage on Twitter, Facebook and blogs.
The event will be unpredictable - taking thinking in different directions
It is rare to attend events where HR, recruitment and social media intersect at the same place and at the same time

]]> Bill Boorman has pulled together a stellar line-up of track leaders including Laurie Ruettimann, Steve Boese, Trish McFarlane, Jon Ingham, Andy Headworth and Matt Alder.

Bill says he was able to entice big name HR bloggers from the US due to the fact he has built up strong relationships on social networks. That's no mean feat and means that for the first time in the UK we are going to see some high profile HR players from over the pond.

Social networks and networking tools underpin the unconference model and during TRU London those watching proceedings online will be able to get involved through initiatives such as the Live Lab when the event will connect with the online world to take questions and discussion points.

XpertHR will be there to join the conversation and to tweet and blog what goes on. If you are going, we look forward to seeing you there.

In the meantime, keep an eye of the event hastag #trulondon on Twitter and the TRU London Facebook page.

What others are saying about TRU London

One more for 2010 - TRU London

TRU London calling to the faraway towns

All Tomorrow's Parties - what TruLondon and Unconferences mean to me

Benchmarking HR costs in 2010: Every penny counts

2010-02-05T09:50:00Z

Every penny counts for HR practitioners in the current economic context faltering profitability for many organisations and weak overall economic growth. And so, as I tell Jeya Thiruchelvam in this week's XpertHR Podcast, benchmarking employment practices can represent a highly effective way to keep on top of costs and do their jobs more efficiently and more cost-effectively.

]]>

Here is just one example of how benchmarking can help employment practitioners and HR professionals do their jobs right now. We can use the XpertHR benchmarking service to drill down into the data for the 2009/2010 IRS HR roles and responsibilities survey (subscription required for each). Employers can use the interactive features to tailor their own bespoke benchmarking data.

Focusing on just one specific question from this survey, we find that the median annual HR department running costs budget stands at £585.71 per employee (subscription required).

So this figure offers HR professionals a very clear measure of what HR spend across the whole economy looks like right now. And this can help them assess exactly where they stand.

But using XpertHR benchmarking's unique interactive features, we can break the results down much further. By applying refinement options we can tailor the info we're seeing to match our specific needs. Find out more about how this works, and learn details of typical HR department running costs in the private services sector, by tuning in to the Podcast.

Find out more about XpertHR benchmarking:

XpertHR benchmarking: Take the video tour
Access XpertHR benchmarking (subscription required)
Learn more about benchmarking and XpertHR

Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 23.01.10 to 05.02.10

2010-02-05T08:00:00Z

A round up of links to news items on recent employment tribunal rulings, including: hundreds of former workers in a caravan manufacturer who may not see the money that they were awarded by an employment tribunal; an alleged refusal by Corus to reinstate three workers who were dismissed because of their trade union links; and a receptionist in Cardiff who was sexually harassed by her boss.

]]> You can now keep track of interesting employment tribunal decisions that you may not have heard about in the press in XpertHR's new employment tribunal case reporting service.

If you know about or have been involved in a recent employment tribunal decision, please let us know by commenting below.

Female sailor suffered sex discrimination (on the BBC website) A female sailor could receive a six-figure payout after winning a sex discrimination case against the Royal Navy.

Funeral director loses unfair dismissal case (on the Warrington Guardian website) A man has failed in his attempt to claim unfair dismissal after alleging he was forced to resign as a funeral director when his boss found out his wife worked for a rival firm.

School escort loses unfair dismissal claim (on the Leader Live website) A school escort who "tapped" a special-needs child in her care has lost her claim for unfair dismissal.

NHS whistleblower awarded compensation (on the Health Service Journal website) An employment tribunal has ruled in favour of a south London cancer specialist who claimed he was bullied after expressing concerns over cost-cutting measures.

Redundant workers fear losing over £1.5m compensation (on the This Is Hull and East Riding website) Former workers who succeeded in a claim worth at least £1.5m for failure to inform and consult on redundancies against a caravan manufacturer are unsure about how much of the money they will see.

HGV trainer loses unfair dismissal claim (on the Road Transport website) An HGV driving assessor has lost his claim for unfair dismissal but been awarded unpaid wages.

Stir-fry mixer loses an unfair dismissal claim (on the Evesham Journal website) An Evesham food firm has successfully defended a claim for unfair dismissal by a stir-fry mixer accused of being involved in a number of incidents in the workplace.

Corus "refusing" to reinstate workers after tribunal (on the BBC website) Steelmaker Corus is refusing to reinstate three workers after a tribunal ruled they were made redundant because of union links, it has been claimed.

Kidderminster man awarded £8,240 in unfair dismissal case (on the Shuttle website) A boat repairer has been awarded more than £8,000 for unfair dismissal.

Road Haulage Association successfully defends employment tribunal claim (on the Road Transport website) A former Road Haulage Association (RHA) employee has lost his unfair dismissal claim against the organisation.

Receptionist wins sexual harassment claim (on the Wales Online website) A receptionist in Cardiff who claimed she was the victim of sexual harassment by her boss has won her employment tribunal case.

Previous employment tribunal decisions reported on XpertHR [subscription required]
Pregnancy and maternity leave discrimination
Unfair dismissal in selection for redundancy
Age discrimination in redundancy
Disability discrimination in the police

Employment tribunal round ups coming soon
Failure to inform and consult on redundancies
Disability discrimination: duty to make reasonable adjustments

Photo: MGSpiller

"Baby brain" myth is dispelled

2010-02-04T12:10:29Z

Some mothers may have attributed a lapse in memory or concentration to their pregnancy or new born baby. Australian researchers, however, have confirmed that a woman's brain is not adversely affected by pregnancy or motherhood.

]]> BBC website) found that while pregnant women may naturally move their focus away from work in preparation for motherhood, this is not a "cognitive deficit".

Whilst the myth has been dispelled, it is undisputed that pregnancy and motherhood can (or will!) increase mothers' tiredness which in turn may affect their memory or ability to concentrate. This could be dangerous in certain work situations and there are special health and safety rules applicable to pregnant employees who have jobs which involve heavy lifting and/or night work.

Employers, therefore, need to ensure that they carefully monitor the health and safety of their employees who are pregnant or have just returned to work following maternity leave. Some of the questions we have answered for employers in the XpertHR FAQ section are:

More information (subscription required)

Interest rates on course for one year at 0.5%

2010-02-04T12:00:00Z

UK interest rates are now just one month shy of notching up a whole calendar year at the current all-time low rate of 0.5%. The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has announced that interest rates will once again be held at 0.5%, following the February 2010 MPC meeting.]]> Interest rates were first cut to 0.5% in March 2009 (external website).

The next movement in rates is more than likely to be an upwards one. But it remains uncertain when that move will come.

The £200 billion quantitative easing programme is also to be maintained at its current level.

The MPC is therefore continuing to take a 'wait and see' approach at present, even following the confirmation late last month that the UK economy has at last emerged from recession (if only barely).

Employees and guide dogs

2010-02-03T08:00:00Z

Employers who are considering whether or not a job applicant accompanied by an assistance dog (commonly referred to as guide dogs) could be employed, should consider that accommodating an assistance dog could be a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

]]> Employers may have concerns regarding where a guide dog should sit and whether or not it will interfere with colleagues' work. However, one of the five organisations registered as a member of Assistance dogs (UK) will have trained the dog and can help settle the dog into the workplace. These organisations have helped integrate many dogs into a variety of different workplaces.

XpertHR has just published an assistance dogs policy (subscription required) which establishes the basis on which employees can bring assistance dogs to the workplace, by setting out the responsibilities of the line manager, the employee who is brining the assistance dog to work and colleagues. It would be great to hear from any employers who wish to share their experiences on employees with assistance dogs.

Mervyn King: "Little scope" for pay growth in 2010 and beyond

2010-02-03T07:15:00Z

The prognosis for pay awards across the UK economy in 2010 and beyond is less than rosy (PDF format, 47K) (external website), according to Bank of England governor Mervyn King.

]]> In a recent speech, King gives an overview of global prospects for recovery, stating that "the world economy is now coming out of recession". Focusing on the UK, "there is a long period of healing ahead".

In this context, pay restraint is likely to remain a key feature of the UK employment landscape. As King puts it:

The patience of UK households is likely to be sorely tried over the next couple of years. There is little scope for growth in real take-home pay, which may remain weak even as output recovers.

Latest IRS data show that pay awards staged a slight recovery in the closing months of 2009. But the pay outlook is uncertain: pay awards could either stage a further weak recovery in 2010, or slump back toward their recent all-time low of zero.

Has your organisation recently carried out an annual pay review? If so, and if it has now been settled, please get in touch so that we can add your organisation's pay award to the IRS database.

Under-employment poses hidden danger for economic recovery

2010-02-02T09:30:00Z

Latest unemployment data delivered a relatively pleasant showing that headline unemployment stalled at 7.8% in November 2009 (subscription required). The UK unemployment rate is much lower than might have been expected given the length and severity of the recession (particularly when we consider that unemployment currently stands at 10% in both the US and the Eurozone). But Times business editor David Wighton argues that a focus on unemployment masks another difficult issue facing the economy: the problem of under-employment (external website).

]]> Wighton says that new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data show that:

This was the recession of the "under-employed" - people who have clung on to their job by agreeing to shorter hours, or who have lost a full-time position but quickly picked up a part-time job.

Wighton says the ONS puts the under-employment rate - which focuses on employees who would like to put in longer hours - at around 10%, up from around 8% at the start of the recession.

Unemployment growth has been dampened by the new collaborative spirit in the workplace - with both employers and employees willing to explore alternatives to redundancy, such as pay freezes and reduced hours. But the under-employment data suggest that this does not necessarily represent a panacea for the labour market.

Wighton says:

[U]nder-employment is not a "get out of jail free" card for the economy. Shorter hours and pay freezes mean modest pay packets, and modest pay packets coupled with debt-laden households do not bode well for consumer demand. [...] Under-employment is here to stay.

2010 general election: What will it mean for HR?

2010-02-02T07:15:00Z

The 2010 general election is fast approaching, although the exact date is still not yet known. But what is certain is that its outcome will have major implications for the world of work and consequently for the work of HR professionals - no matter which party wins. Personnel Today has canvassed the views of a number of UK HR leaders and commentators, providing a fascinating insight into the HR profession's wishes and concerns for the next Government.

]]> Key issues include the following: public sector cost-cutting; grievance procedures; illegal immigration; pensions; and how small businesses can keep up with the relentless pace of employment legislation.

The final possible date for the 2010 general election (external website) is Thursday 3 June 2010, with the actual date for the election appearing likely to fall in May 2010.

The rise and fall of unfair dismissal awards

2010-02-01T11:00:10Z

To acknowledge the decrease in the maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal, we've put together a table (subscription required) showing the rise, and now fall, of the maximum award since 1999.

]]> The Employment Relations Act 1999 significantly increased the maximum award from £12,000 to £50,000. It also linked future awards to the RPI for September of the previous year. We've seen a steady increase in the maximum award since 1999. This is the first time since the introduction of the provision in the Employment Relations Act 1999 that the maximum unfair dismissal compensatory award has fallen.

Economic commentary - February 2010: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

2010-02-01T07:15:00Z

With the new decade well underway, the casual observer could be forgiven for finding the economic outlook distinctly optimistic. The economy has, after all, made a belated return to economic growth, signalling an end to the longest recession on record. But there are still reasons to be cautious, as the latest monthly economic commentary article from CELRE - XpertHR's specialist salary surveys unit - explains.

]]> The UK economy is by no means out of the woods yet: any recovery is likely to be fragile at best; pay freezes could make a strong return in 2010; unemployment continues to rise, and could yet accelerate sharply; and the risk remains of a double-dip recession.

Government launches final version of 'fit note'

2010-01-29T17:26:46Z

The government chose late on a Friday afternoon when I suspect many of you will have already left work for the weekend to publish its response to its consultation on the replacement for the GP sick note, usually referred to as the 'fit note' although formally called the 'Statement of fitness for work for social security or statutory sick pay'.

The most obvious change following the consutlation with HR, GPs, occupational health practitioners, employers, unions and other stakeholders is that there will not be an option to say a patient is 'fit for work' as in the draft version. Instead the options will be: 'you are not fit for work' or 'you may be fit for work taking into acount the following advice'.

The reason given for this is that employees will be empowered to make 'their own positive decisions to return to work' and GPs will not have unnecesssary appointments - presumably because their patients assume they need a doctor's permission to return to work.

The fit note will work if it improves communication between GPs and employees and encourages a partial return to work rather than allow people to slide into long term absence and possibly incapacity.

I would urge caution about some of the legal advice I've seen saying that this means GPs will have to find out more about their patient's work environment. This is not supposed to be the case, according to Dr Bill Gunnyeon, the DWP medical director who led on fit notes.

Gunnyeon said in September 2009 that GPs 'don't have to be aware of the individual's job, they merely have to list any potential functional limitatiosn. It is for the employer to address this with the individual employee.'

Are you ready to do this employers?

Unemployment: Eurozone joins US in "the 10% club"

2010-01-29T11:45:25Z

The unemployment rate across the 16 countries in the Eurozone has hit double figures, rising to 10% (external website), according to latest official data published today. The Eurozone therefore joins the US in what might be termed "the 10% club" when it comes to unemployment the US rate having broken the double-figure barrier in October 2009 (PDF format, 211K) (external website), and running at 10% as at December 2009).

]]> In contrast, the UK appears to be faring surprisingly well - particularly given length and severity of recession (from which we have only just emerged by the very barest of margins). The UK's headline unemployment rate currently stands at 7.8% (subscription required) over the period September to November 2009, unchanged when compared with the rate for the three months to August 2009.

So why is UK unemployment comparatively subdued? With pay awards at very low levels, it appears that pay is taking much of the strain: UK employers and employees are agreeing to pay restraint as a means to stave off job losses.

Nonetheless, many economic commentators believe that the current lull in unemployment growth will be short-lived:

The CIPD warns of a possible "sting in the tail of the recession" (external website) which could see unemployment top out at 2.8 million during 2010.
Economist and former Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee external member David Blanchflower fears peak unemployment could be significantly higher still (external website). According to Blanchflower: "If a new government got in and started cutting public spending it could rise to four or five million."