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February 19, 2010

Fit-note guidance for employers published

The Department for Work and Pensions has published guidance to help employers use the new fit note and get staff back to work following periods of ill-health.

The employers' guidance (PDF, on the DWP website) is intended to help employers understand the information that will be provided on the fit notes and how this will affect their return-to-work policies.

The new fit note will be implemented on 6 April and will ask GPs to state whether individuals are 'unfit for work', or 'may be fit for work taking account of the following advice'.

Doctors will then be told to list whether the employee would benefit from a phased return to work, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations, but the note does not require them to go into detail regarding which activities an employee can carry out at work.

Continue reading "Fit-note guidance for employers published" »

Mike Berry | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

Benchmarking sporting policy in 2010: Take part in the IRS/XpertHR survey

With the Winter Olympics well underway and the football World Cup looming in June 2010, we're running a timely benchmarking survey on how employers deal with the workplace impact of major sporting events.

Continue reading "Benchmarking sporting policy in 2010: Take part in the IRS/XpertHR survey" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 16, 2010

Do you allow lawyers to internal disciplinary hearings?

It is common knowledge that employees are legally entitled to be accompanied at disciplinary hearings by a work colleague or union official. But most organisations' disciplinary procedures do not make mention of whether or not employees have the right to legal representation at internal disciplinary meetings. Two recent rulings may make some employers think again when next updating their disciplinary procedure.

Continue reading "Do you allow lawyers to internal disciplinary hearings?" »

Rachel Suff | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 15, 2010

Times writer hits out at HR as "grossly overpaid"

"British HR executives are grossly overpaid, those in the public sector particularly so" (external website), according to an article in the Times written by business commentator Sathnam Sanghera.

Continue reading "Times writer hits out at HR as "grossly overpaid"" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 12, 2010

Delaying a difficult conversation?

Line managers who keep putting off that difficult conversation, in the hope that the issue that has been dragging on will just go away, could be creating further problems for themselves.

Continue reading "Delaying a difficult conversation?" »

Bar Huberman | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 9, 2010

Don't slip up on D&G procedures

The statutory maximum unfair dismissal compensation award from 1 February 2010 is £65,300 - a high price to pay for not following a disciplinary procedure deemed to be fair and reasonable.

In Metrobus Ltd v Cook (EAT/0490/06) the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that an employment tribunal did not err in increasing the amount of unfair dismissal compensation by 40% where an employer had failed to follow the statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedure.

IRS is conducting research to look at how employers deal with grievances and disciplinaries. We also want to collect feedback on the reaction to the new Acas code, and whether it has helped or hindered in dealing with employee grievances and disciplinaries.

Taking part in this confidential survey will give you a unique opportunity to benchmark your organisation's procedures for dealing with individual disputes against other employers in your sector.

Rachel Suff | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 2, 2010

2010 general election: What will it mean for HR?

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.

Continue reading "2010 general election: What will it mean for HR?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 1, 2010

Top 10 HR questions - January 2010

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There's no surprise what the most popular HR question has been this month (note the restraint there in resisting the obvious "snow surprise" pun). Whether or not employers have to pay employees who can't get to work because of the snow tops the list of the most frequently accessed questions on XpertHR for January 2010.

HR professionals were also looking for other snow-related information such as minimum office temperatures and how to deal with lateness due to travel disruption.

Continue reading "Top 10 HR questions - January 2010" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 5, 2010

Benchmarking HR costs in 2010: Every penny counts

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.

Continue reading "Benchmarking HR costs in 2010: Every penny counts" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 28, 2010

IRS conference on HR outsourcing - 11 March 2010

HR outsourcing is on the increase, with around 50% of private sector organisations and a quarter of public sector organisations now choosing this option. But have HR professionals really got to grips with the outsourcing process and what it can achieve? The IRS conference on HR outsourcing will examine the complexities of outsourcing, and share practical and strategic advice from experts on finding the right outsourcing fit for any of the HR operations that your organisation wishes to outsource.

Continue reading "IRS conference on HR outsourcing - 11 March 2010" »

Stephen Simpson | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 21, 2010

Employee engagement saves lives in the NHS

I once spent eight days as a patient in an NHS hospital. When the consultant in charge of the ward eventually came round to see me with his entourage I tried to join in the conversation. There was an awkward silence and then he turned back to his clipboard and lackeys.  When I was discharged I had a chat with the same consultant in his office. We got on perfectly well and he treated me like an equal. The difference was that I was no longer a patient. I was a human being again.

Continue reading "Employee engagement saves lives in the NHS" »

Noel O'Reilly | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 20, 2010

Talking benchmarking: Catch the latest XpertHR podcast

If you've not yet lent it an ear, XpertHR's Weekly podcast provides an excellent, thoroughly enjoyable and completely free weekly digest of key HR and employment issues. The current edition includes an introduction to the newly launched XpertHR benchmarking service from my colleague David Shepherd, explaining how it works and what XpertHR subscribers can get out of it.

Continue reading "Talking benchmarking: Catch the latest XpertHR podcast" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 14, 2010

XpertHR benchmarking is now open for business!

I'm delighted to announce that XpertHR's new benchmarking service (subscription required) has been launched today (Thursday 14 January 2010). This is a major enhancement to XpertHR, providing our subscribers with the opportunity to access a huge resource of customisable HR benchmarking data. The interactive features of XpertHR benchmarking enable you to tailor your own bespoke HR benchmarking data. We think it'll quickly prove to be an invaluable tool for our users.

Continue reading "XpertHR benchmarking is now open for business!" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 11, 2010

Dispatches from the social recruiting frontlines

The rise of online recruitment methods over the past decade has resulted in a completely transformed recruitment landscape with social recruiting at its centre as we enter 2010, according to a fascinating blog post from recruitment consultant Andy Headworth. He argues that social recruiting now represents the cutting-edge of recruitment (external website), and that recruiters must adopt social recruiting methods in order to meet evolving candidate expectations. Consequently, platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and blogs should be seen as "primary recruiting channels", and "will become the recruiting battlegrounds of 2010".

Continue reading "Dispatches from the social recruiting frontlines" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1) |

January 7, 2010

Jonathan Ross resignation highlights succession planning issues

The sudden, high-profile resignation of Jonathan Ross (external website) from his rather lucrative employ at the BBC (announced earlier today, Thursday 7 January 2009) leaves the BBC with some rather significant gaps to fill (possibly to the benefit of Messrs Norton and Kermode (external website)), thereby highlighting the ongoing and critical importance of succession planning. This is an issue that employers frequently ignore - sometimes to their cost.

Continue reading "Jonathan Ross resignation highlights succession planning issues" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 4, 2010

New decade could see an end to "benign employment relations", says CIPD

The new decade may have only just begun, but already there is speculation that it could herald a sea-change in UK employment relations. The CIPD argues that the aftermath of the recession could bring widespread unrest to UK workplaces (external website), as private sector employees deal with the ongoing impact of wage restraint and job insecurity, while their public sector counterparts face swingeing cuts to pay and jobs. This is according to the CIPD's annual barometer report for 2010.

Continue reading "New decade could see an end to "benign employment relations", says CIPD" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 30, 2009

Top 10 HR questions - December 2009

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Questions on medical evidence required for employees with swine flu, annual leave for employees on maternity leave and a number of questions on working time feature in December's top ten most frequently visited FAQs on XpertHR.

The closest we get to a festive themed FAQ asks whether or not Christian employees can refuse to work on bank holidays that are aligned to a Christian festival.

Continue reading "Top 10 HR questions - December 2009" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 15, 2009

Swine flu in the workplace - employers' faqs

Four new frequently asked questions on swine flu in the workplace have been added to the XpertHR dedicated swine flu resources page.

We asked XpertHR subscribers to suggest any questions they would like answered on how to deal with the impact of swine flu on their organisation. We have added the suggested questions to the swine flu FAQs already published on the site.

Issues covered by the new questions include how an employer should deal with sickness certification when employees with swine flu symptoms are advised not to attend their GP, and the risk of employees coming to work when sick because of absence policies that trigger disciplinary action.

Continue reading "Swine flu in the workplace - employers' faqs" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 9, 2009

Pre-Budget Report 2009: The speech

Chancellor Alistair Darling has now concluded what was arguably the most eagerly anticipated Pre-Budget Report since they were introduced in 1997. Here we provide coverage of the Pre-Budget Report 2009 speech, highlighting the proposals of most interest to HR and reward professionals.

Continue reading "Pre-Budget Report 2009: The speech" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (2) |

December 3, 2009

Looking ahead: The key workplace issues for 2010

An exodus of disgruntled employees freed by a recovering job market, 'baby boomers' opting out of of retirement, and maintaining organisational reputations as the spread of social media continues. As both the year and the decade rapidly approach their respective yet simultaneous ends,these are among the 2010 workplace predictions (external website) set out in a thought-provoking blog post on Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom blog.
Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 7, 2009

Paternity and adoption leave: take part in our benchmarking survey

IRS is conducting benchmarking research into paternity and adoption leave. Completing this brief, confidential survey on paternity and adoption leave will entitle you to a free copy of the report. The closing date for this survey is Monday 14 December 2009.

Continue reading "Paternity and adoption leave: take part in our benchmarking survey" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 4, 2009

City Christmas parties go underground in 2009

In these recession-racked times, conspicuous largesse from the banking community has the potential to provoke immediate public outcry, as illustrated by today's outraged headlines (external website) concerning proposed bonus payments for some Royal Bank of Scotland employees. So perhaps it should come as little surprise that workplace Christmas parties are being conducted in secret (external website) for many City of London finance firms in 2009.

Continue reading "City Christmas parties go underground in 2009" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 14, 2009

Will the new spirit of workplace collaboration survive the recession?

Earlier this year, research from the CBI and consultants Harvey Nash argued that the recession had forged a new cooperative spirit between employers and employees, with both sides assuming a collaborative and flexible approach to stave off job losses for as long as possible. But will this new willingness to collaborate survive the recession? The CBI certainly thinks so.

Continue reading "Will the new spirit of workplace collaboration survive the recession?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 26, 2009

How to respond to an employment tribunal claim

A properly completed ET3 form in response to an employment tribunal claim can mean the difference between winning and losing a case. The importance of spending time preparing and completing the ET3, while keeping to the 28-day time limit for responding, should not be underestimated.

A new guide in the XpertHR How To section gives practical advice on completing the ET3, including issues to consider and pitfalls to avoid.

Continue reading "How to respond to an employment tribunal claim" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 23, 2009

CBI predicts the next decade will see a growing "flexiforce"

The CBI has published a report on The shape of business: The next 10 years (on the CBI website), identifying the trends it expects to see in how business will develop over the next decade.

The report includes predictions of how workforce dynamics will change as a result of the recession, including the greater use of a flexible workforce.

Continue reading "CBI predicts the next decade will see a growing "flexiforce" " »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 16, 2009

Christmas parties: the latest victim of the recession?

With many employers having been hit hard by the full force of the recession during 2009, it is a distinct possibility that the traditional workplace Christmas party could have fallen victim to enforced spending cutbacks for many employers. IRS is conducting a short, confidential survey to investigate how employers are preparing for Christmas this year in light of the recession. Take part in the survey - which closes at the end of today (Monday 16 November 2009) to receive a free copy as soon as it is published.

Continue reading "Christmas parties: the latest victim of the recession?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 24, 2009

Performance management "not being used to its full potential", CIPD research finds

UK employers have mixed views on the value of performance management, and are failing to use performance management techniques to their full potential (external website), according to research from the CIPD.

Continue reading "Performance management "not being used to its full potential", CIPD research finds" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 2, 2009

Top 10 HR questions - October 2009

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October's top 10 most frequently accessed faqs on XpertHR include a number on how to handle issues relating to part-time employees and a number on entitlement to a redundancy payment.

The most popular question, arising from the decision in the Heyday case at the end of September, asked what will happen to tribunal cases that had been stayed pending the decision in that case.

Continue reading "Top 10 HR questions - October 2009" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 18, 2009

Why you no longer own your employer brand

"[I]t's time to admit that a major employer branding principle is no longer true: that corporations can own or control their employer brand image," (external website) according to US HR specialist Dr John Sullivan. And HR needs to catch up, fast.

Continue reading "Why you no longer own your employer brand" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 3, 2009

Are we approaching a post-recession 'brave new world' for HR?

The UK recession may be drawing to a close (or it could be over already and we are just waiting for the official economic growth figures to catch up, depending on how optimistic your outlook is), but an increasing number of commentators are now arguing that there is little chance that things will return to how they were before. So what will this mean for HR?

Continue reading "Are we approaching a post-recession 'brave new world' for HR?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 23, 2009

Bomb-disposing former Ulsterbus managing director dies

Werner Heubeck, whose exploits as managing director of Ulsterbus during the worst of the Troubles included personally boarding buses to remove suspect packages, has died at the age of 85. The Daily Telegraph has published an obituary of Heubeck on its website.

Continue reading "Bomb-disposing former Ulsterbus managing director dies" »

Stephen Simpson | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 20, 2009

Staff protection and wellbeing - a matter of staff involvement

Yesterday, I went to the Public Service Partnership staff protection and wellbeing conference. Although the speakers were from the public and private sectors, some common themes emerged as to how businesses can improve staff protection and wellbeing.

Continue reading "Staff protection and wellbeing - a matter of staff involvement" »

Bar Huberman | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 19, 2009

Why it pays to benchmark your HR function

In the current climate of ongoing economic instability and organisational belt-tightening, benchmarking HR processes is an essential way to control costs and ensure that you are achieving best practice as efficiently as possible. Taking part in our eighth annual HR roles and responsibilities survey represents a highly effective way to do just this.

Continue reading "Why it pays to benchmark your HR function" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 16, 2009

Assistance for redundant employees

Once employees have been given notice of dismissal by reason of redundancy, should employers sit back and be satisfied that they have complied with their obligations to inform and consult?

Continue reading "Assistance for redundant employees" »

Bar Huberman | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 30, 2009

IRS essential HR update on change management - 8 October 2009

The IRS essential HR update on change management takes place in London on 8 October 2009. We’ve put together a change management resource pack to help XpertHR subscribers attending the event get the most out of it.

Continue reading "IRS essential HR update on change management - 8 October 2009" »

Vicky Hoof | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 23, 2009

IRS essential HR update on pandemic flu - 6 October 2009

The IRS essential HR update on surviving pandemic flu in the workplace takes place in London on 6 October 2009. We’ve put together a pandemic flu resource pack to help XpertHR subscribers attending the event get the most out of it.

Continue reading "IRS essential HR update on pandemic flu - 6 October 2009" »

Vicky Hoof | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 15, 2009

Dogs at work

Take your Dog to Work Day, an annual fundraising event organised by the Blue Cross (on its website), is on 16 September 2009 (also reported on the Guardian website). The pet charity is encouraging dog owners to take their dogs to work to raise money to help it care for homeless and sick pets in its hospitals and adoption centres.

Continue reading "Dogs at work" »

Clio Springer | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 4, 2009

Don't be complacent on workplace swine flu risks, CIPD warns

UK employers must prepare now for the workplace impact of a "widely predicted second and more serious wave of swine flu", which is expected to hit the UK over the coming weeks (external website) and result in a significant rise in absence levels, according to the CIPD and the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).

Continue reading "Don't be complacent on workplace swine flu risks, CIPD warns" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 3, 2009

(Un)employment facts: did you know...


...that public sector employment has never been higher?

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Note: the latest spike in public sector employment is actually due to the de facto nationalisation of RBS and Lloyds Banking Group.

Continue reading "(Un)employment facts: did you know..." »

Ed Cronin | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Employee fraud skyrockets as 2009 recession bites

The impact of the 2009 recession is causing a significant rise in certain types of fraudulent activity among UK workers, according to latest data from fraud prevention service CIFAS.

Continue reading "Employee fraud skyrockets as 2009 recession bites" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

August 26, 2009

Video: Dave Ulrich talks leadership brand


Thanks to Andy Spence for pointing to this in his Twitter feed. Personal branding expert Dan Schawbel interviewed Dave Ulrich, professor of business at the University of Michigan and author of HR Transformation, on leadership brand. Here is a video of Ulrich talking through his concepts. 

I thought these five leadership characteristics were interesting:

  • Strategist:  know where you are doing and have a position about the future
  • Executor: make sure you make things happen and deliver as promised
  • Talent manager: involve others in your journey
  • Human capital developer: invest in the next generation
  • Personal proficiency: take care of yourself so others will trust you
Organisations have leadership competencies but I liked the idea of sharing these competencies with customers - turning leadership development from an inward facing discipline to one which is more outward facing.

There are plenty more interesting videos like this on the Harvard Business video channel on Youtube.





Martin Couzins | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 27, 2009

Swine flu FAQs added to XpertHR

Every day this week, we'll be adding new swine flu FAQs to XpertHR in response to employers' questions about the impact of swine flu on their organisations. The first three questions have been added to the XpertHR dedicated swine flu resources page.

Continue reading "Swine flu FAQs added to XpertHR" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

Engage employees now to retain them when the economic upturn comes

The recession is staving off a mass exodus of dissatisfied employees (external website). So employers are well advised to focus on boosting employee engagement now in order to retain their workforce once economic recovery gets underway. These are among the key messages of new research from the CIPD.

Continue reading "Engage employees now to retain them when the economic upturn comes" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 23, 2009

How to tackle 'survivor syndrome' in the 2009 recession

There can be little doubt that these are times of great insecurity in the UK labour market. Latest unemployment data show a record rise, while BBC research suggests that as many as two-thirds of UK citizens know someone who has lost their job in the recession (external website). Coping with these circumstances is exerting pressure on those lucky enough to remain in work, creating the perfect circumstances for 'survivor syndrome' to flourish.

Continue reading "How to tackle 'survivor syndrome' in the 2009 recession" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 14, 2009

Swine flu - guidance for employers

To help employers keep up to date with the swine flu pandemic, we have gathered together the latest information on XpertHR on the subject, along with links to external resources for employers. These include links to the Health Protection Agency’s weekly epidemiological update and influenza report, to assist employers in predicting, and planning for, absence levels. My colleague Luke Smith will be checking that the information is up to date on a daily basis. Meanwhile Susie Munro, who looks after the XpertHR FAQs section, is compiling employers’ questions on the swine flu pandemic and its impact on the workplace, to create new additions to the FAQs section. If you have any unanswered questions, let her know.

Joanna Stubbs | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 13, 2009

38% of UK employers don't have a swine flu contingency plan

Nearly two-fifths (38%) of UK employers do not currently have a contingency plan in place to cope with the workplace impact of a swine flu epidemic (external website), according to Government data reported in the Obsever.

Continue reading "38% of UK employers don't have a swine flu contingency plan" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 10, 2009

Combating swine-flu in 2009: self-certified sick leave period to double to two weeks?

The Government is actively considering an emergency measure to help limit the spread of swine flu (H1N1) - should it reach epidemic proportions - by allowing employees to authorise their own sick leave for up to two weeks, according to a report on personneltoday.com.

Continue reading "Combating swine-flu in 2009: self-certified sick leave period to double to two weeks?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 6, 2009

Alternatives to redundancy: radical proposals from BT and the CBI

We recently noted that UK employers hit hard by the 2009 recession are exploring a range of measures to stave off redundancies as long as possible, from pay freezes to short-time working. But more radical responses are starting to emerge, with BT and the CBI leading the way.

Continue reading "Alternatives to redundancy: radical proposals from BT and the CBI" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 3, 2009

How to make short-time working work in 2009

Short-time working is becoming a critical issue for many employers and employees as the impact of the 2009 recession continues to worsen. But what is short-time working, why is short-time working now seen as a necessity at so many organisations in 2009, just how widespread is it, and how best to go about implementing short-time working? As ever, XpertHR has all the answers.

Continue reading "How to make short-time working work in 2009" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 1, 2009

XpertHR voted business media brand of the year in 2009 PPA awards

XpertHR has been voted the UK's business media brand of the year in the 2009 PPA awards (external website). This is a truly significant award for XpertHR to attain. The PPA is the association for UK publishers of consumer, customer and business media, and its annual awards are described as "the most coveted awards in the magazine industry, showcasing excellence, rewarding innovation, and providing the benchmark by which the UK magazine industry judges itself".

Continue reading "XpertHR voted business media brand of the year in 2009 PPA awards" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 23, 2009

Employers respond to recession with a new spirit of flexibility

The recession has led to an increase in flexible working practices as employers and employees cooperate to save jobs, according to a survey by the CBI and recruitment consultants Harvey Nash.

45% of firms responding to the survey have increased flexible working, with the twin aims of reducing hours and meeting employees' requests for a work-life balance. A further 24% said they were considering such an increase.

Continue reading "Employers respond to recession with a new spirit of flexibility" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 22, 2009

Registrar cries foul over Islington Council's "sexual libertarian lobby"

Islington Council has demoted a registrar who refused to conduct same-sex civil ceremonies.

Continue reading "Registrar cries foul over Islington Council's "sexual libertarian lobby"" »

Luke Smith | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 15, 2009

Council loses £1 million lawsuit over former director's illness

The High Court has rejected Cheltenham Borough Council’s case against a former director who failed to disclose a history of depressive illness.

Continue reading "Council loses £1 million lawsuit over former director's illness" »

Vicky Hoof | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

CIPD and Acas publish tips on how to be a better boss

Acas and CIPD have produced the "five-a-day" fundamentals of good people management, aiming to highlight the importance of people management skills in helping to raise productivity. The five management fundamentals, with practical tips on "how to be a better boss", are grouped under five headings:

Continue reading "CIPD and Acas publish tips on how to be a better boss" »

Susie Munro | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 12, 2009

Swine flu/H1N1 global pandemic confirmed in June 2009: Do you have a swine flu contingency plan in place?

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) upgrading the level of the swine flu/H1N1 threat to global pandemic status (external website) yesterday (11 June 2009), it is increasingly essential that employers ensure that they have a contingency plan place to deal with the workplace implications of an influenza outbreak.

Continue reading "Swine flu/H1N1 global pandemic confirmed in June 2009: Do you have a swine flu contingency plan in place?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 3, 2009

Tweeting while you work: How to manage workplace Twitter use in 2009

With use of micro-blogging tool Twitter approaching epidemic proportions in 2009, many employers are concerned about the implications of Twitter for the workplace. To answer these concenrs, specialists from law firm Charles Russell present an invaluable FAQ on workplace Twitter usage (subscription required), including guidance on: whether employees should be permitted to 'tweet' during work hours; how Twitter can be used in the hiring process; and what to do if employees badmouth the organisation via Twitter.

Continue reading "Tweeting while you work: How to manage workplace Twitter use in 2009" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

May 27, 2009

Time to call time on homeworking in 2009?

BT is to some extent backtracking on its status as a pioneer of flexible working arrangements, by requiring 200 homeworkers in one of its UK divisions to return to its offices (external website), according to a report in The Times.

Continue reading "Time to call time on homeworking in 2009?" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

May 19, 2009

Generation Y: How to manage younger workers through the 2009 recession

Times are tough for Generation Y (defined as those born after 1978), and look set to get worse before they get better. And this is likely to create new challenges for those that manage them.

Continue reading "Generation Y: How to manage younger workers through the 2009 recession" »

Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

April 29, 2009

Have you got a swine flu pandemic contingency plan in place?

With the likelihood of a swine flu pandemic increased (although not inevitable according to the World Health Organisation), now is a good time for employers to check their flu pandemic contingency plan.

Swine flu: what you need to know [from New Scientist]
Swine influenza frequently asked questions [from the World Health Organisation]
Interactive swine flu map of US and Mexico [from New Scientist]
Readers’ comments on swine flu outbreak [from New Scientist]
Swine flu measures could be legal minefield, experts warn [from Personnel Today]
Will swine flu affect businesses? [from HR Girl]
Swine flu - an employer’s checklist [from Simmons & Simmons]
Swine flu: 10 things HR professionals and employers need to do now [on Personneltoday.com]
Don’t panic, TUC tells employers over pandemic flu [on TUC website]
Employers gear up for pandemic threat [on CIPD website]

Joanna Stubbs | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 6, 2009

"Enlightened employers" and retirement

Angel on the HR Space forum makes a good point. And perhaps employers don’t always think about the business benefits of having a progressive approach to age in the workplace. We’re currently looking into commissioning something on this for our XpertHR good practice guides - watch this space.

Joanna Stubbs | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 2, 2009

Alcohol misuse in the pits

Alcohol misuse is rife in Britain’s great orchestras, according to a report in The Guardian (on its website) on 28 February 2009. Bill Kerr, the orchestral organiser of the Musicians’ Union spoke at the Association of British Orchestras annual conference last week, about players performing while drunk.

Continue reading "Alcohol misuse in the pits" »

Clio Springer | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 3, 2009

Making Web 2.0 work for HR (2): New ways of working

Our look at how HR professionals can benefit from using Web 2.0 - interactive technologies such as social media and other tools for creating and commenting on user-generated content - continues with a look at what it means for how work is organised.

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Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 2, 2009

Making Web 2.0 work for HR (1): What Web 2.0 can do for HR

There are many ways that HR professionals can benefit from using Web 2.0 - interactive technologies such as social media and other tools for creating and commenting on user-generated content. Today and tomorrow I'll be looking at what Web 2.0 means for HR, commencing with some pointers for the Web 2.0-curious in the HR community.

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Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 4, 2009

Employers expect to make further job cuts this year

Three in four employers made job cuts in 2008, and the same proportion expect to do so in 2009, latest research from IRS finds (subscription required).

Our survey - covering 268 employers and roughly half a million employees - found that four in five employers expect that the job cuts they made in 2008 will be insufficient in the current trading climate, and are planning further job cuts in 2009.

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Noelle Murphy | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 2, 2009

Working in a winter wonderland

With most of the UK beset by extremely heavy snowfall (on the BBC website) today, here is a timely reminder that XpertHR offers handy content for those those dealing with the workplace impact of severe weather conditions.

surreysnow.JPG

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Michael Carty | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 22, 2009

Social networking at work: a right, not a privilege?

Social networking and web 2.0 technologies are now so deeply embedded in everyday life that today's crop of graduates and new employees want and expect to be able to remain plugged in to social networking sites while at work (external website), according to research from Open Text's Web Solutions Group.

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Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 26, 2008

Succession planning

The old military saying "fail to plan, plan to fail" is particularly pertinent when it comes to succession planning. Failing to idenfity successors to cover roles crucial to the business can have wide-ranging consequences - not least, being unable to respond quickly to the volatile economic landscape we currently find ourselves in.

IRS is conducting research in this area, and aims to identify the characteristics of an effective succession planning process.

The research is confidential, and shouldn't take longer than 10 mins or so to complete. There's a complimentary copy of the full research report in it if you take part.

Noelle Murphy | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 5, 2009

Performance management

Managing employees' performance is the essence of a line managers role, but it can also be the most difficult and frustrating - particularly when performance is not all it should be.

We are conducting some research in this area and want to identify the most effective ways of managing poor performers, and how best to support line managers in doing so.

The survey is confidential, and shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. There's a copy of the full research report in it for all those who take part.
Noelle Murphy | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 17, 2008

Prison, dismissal and shame - but what about the employer?

1571740357_a140d993e6_m.jpgThe recent news that two Britons have managed to get themselves locked up after a drunken romp on a beach in Dubai highlights the potential dangers of alcohol to individuals. The risks that organisations face in dealing with substance misuse are somewhat different but can potentially be serious.

(Photo: Pete the Painter)

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Ed Cronin | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 25, 2008

Sickness "presence"

Despite all our efforts here at IRS researching the best way to manage absence, it would seem we should be encouraging absence - not trying to find the most effective means of preventing it . . . New research from AXA PPP Healthcare of 2,000 working age adults found that nearly three quarters of UK workers go to work despite "feeling so ill they could legitimately stay at home."

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Noelle Murphy | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 23, 2008

Benchmarking the HR function

The IRS HR roles and responsibilities survey seeks to establish the shape, size, structure and operation of the HR function in a wide range of companies and public service organisations. In doing so, it will establish a series of benchmarks that allow HR departments to question the ways in which they work.

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Sheila Attwood | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

August 8, 2008

Employers supporting Olympic athletes and volunteers

With the Olympics getting underway, some employers are going to great lengths to support athletes and volunteers who are involved.

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Stephen Simpson | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 4, 2008

Keep staff and save money?

As some of the City's unfortunate bankers are now discovering, cash-strapped organisations often attempt to save money by getting rid of employees - but this isn't always the case. In many circumstances it can pay to hang on to staff.

The latest IRS staff absence and turnover survey (subscription required) revealed that the median voluntary resignation rate in the UK was 13.8% of the workforce in 2007. That's one in every seven employees deciding to walk out on an organisation on their own accord. Replacing these people costs time and money that many organisations would rather not spend on recruitment and training.

Continue reading "Keep staff and save money?" »

Ed Cronin | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

April 15, 2008

Employee engagement

Our recent survey (subscription required) looking at line managers’ role in people management shows that employee engagement is a growing part of a line manager’s function.

But, as our survey also shows, one in five HR practitioners responding felt that this was a role that line managers struggle to perform well.

I attended a seminar recently, given by international employee opinion survey ORC (external link), exploring this very topic. Kate Pritchard, ORC director of employee research, discussed practical steps organisations can take to keep engagement levels high among employees. This should help employees to remain committed to the organisation, and be prepared to “go that extra mile” – as outlined by ORC's model of engagement: ‘Say, stay, and strive’.

One thing was clear from the seminar: achieving and sustaining an engaged workforce requires effort, and conducting an employee opinion survey can be no more than a starting point.

Continue reading "Employee engagement" »

Noelle Murphy | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

April 2, 2008

April 1st - a typical day in HR

US blogger Evil HR Lady posted an account of her typical working day yesterday, beginning with an office breakfast of fresh bagels and cream cheese provided by a grateful finance department and ending promptly as usual at 5pm. Presumably the date of the post is of some significance.

David Shepherd | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Recruitment gets internet makeover

HR has been busy making changes to the way new employees are recruited and selected. IRS's latest survey (subscription required) of changes and trends in recruitment and selection has identified one clear winner: the internet.

Our three-part report is based on the experience of 133 organisations - covering a combined workforce of more than 1 million people - and shows that employers are now using the internet in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.

We looked at changes and trends in three areas: candidate attraction; the application process; and, assessment and selection. In each of these key areas, the internet has grown in use and coverage.

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Noelle Murphy | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 31, 2008

Simply the best? You decide

Is yours one of the “Best Companies to Work For”? Not in a literal sense, but in the Sunday Times’ annual ratings sense.

Well, if you are, and your organisation has been labelled extraordinary, outstanding or first class, then no doubt you’ve made the big announcement to your employees and are basking in the kudos of having a “Best Company” logo on your letterheads.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 17, 2008

US go-getters critical of UK HR's lack of activity

European HR departments – and that includes those in the UK – are facing renewed criticism for their alleged failure to take as active a role in workforce management issues as their counterparts in Asia and the Americas.

According to computer giant IBM, the HR function in Europe takes an advisory role in business transformation efforts rather than working as a proactive contributor of time and resources. It says HR on this side of the Atlantic remains a supporter rather than a driver of change, with decisions often based on relationships rather than hard facts.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 12, 2008

Budget 2008: Unlocking the secret of better productivity

Alongside the Budget, the Treasury also published Enterprise: Unlocking the UK’s talent, which focuses on entrepreneurial culture, business growth and skills.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

March 10, 2008

Dealing with the deluge

A timely reminder that XpertHR offers handy content for those those dealing with the workplace impact of today's stormy weather.

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Michael Carty | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 11, 2008

Would your organisation survive fire, flood or plague?

The repercussions of the government's loss of child benefit data discs continue to reverberate around Whitehall.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

February 8, 2008

Managers blamed for underperformance

Employers across Europe are missing out on potential talent because line managers fail to engage poorer performing employees, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt.

The research, which covers 175 companies and 5,500 employees, finds that managers are far too preoccupied with top performers and fail to communicate effectively with those that show less promise. As a result, those that need to have their skills or motivation boosted are left high and dry.

Continue reading "Managers blamed for underperformance" »

Charlotte Wolff | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 21, 2008

Cost of HR activities is £876 per employee

What does it cost to run an HR department? For the first time this year, IRS research into the roles and responsibilities of the HR function has tried to get serious data on the amounts UK employers spend.

Continue reading "Cost of HR activities is £876 per employee" »

Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

January 4, 2008

Growth in HR numbers may come to an end in 2008

If you have moved to a new job in human resources over the past couple of years, the chances are that it is with a company in the services sector.

New IRS research published this week on XpertHR shows that banks, retailers, transport firms and communication companies have invested in a big way in HR as they have taken on more workers and the HR workload has increased.

Continue reading "Growth in HR numbers may come to an end in 2008" »

Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

December 3, 2007

Government stresses progress on work-life balance

There is a big new survey on work-life balance and flexible working out today from the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

The press release accompanying the full report stresses that 92% of workplaces offer some form of flexible working to at least some employees, and highlights a growing trend for men to request flexible working.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 28, 2007

Adding social networking to your internet policy

Barely a week goes by without dire warnings about the impact on the workplace of websites such as Facebook and MySpace, including news that over two-thirds of employers have banned their use during working hours (on The Daily Telegraph website). But, as our new model policy on social networking websites [subscription required] shows, employers need to do more than just block employees from using them at work.

Continue reading "Adding social networking to your internet policy" »

Stephen Simpson | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

November 19, 2007

Civilisation to end: employers found wanting

Just when you thought you'd got to grips with terrorism, flooding and the outside chance that a giant meteorite might wipe out humanity, along comes yet another threat to your business continuity plan.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 12, 2007

City HR professionals get to grips with FSA changes

While the words ‘more principles-based regulation’ may strike fear into the hearts of otherwise brave HR professionals in the City, a breakfast seminar hosted this morning by the authors of XpertHR’s financial services chapters, Field Fisher Waterhouse, helped attendees demystify the changes to FSA regulation taking place on 1 November.

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Jean Sims | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

October 8, 2007

Return-to-work interviews cut absence rates

Two in three employers believe that return-to-work interviews have cut absence rates, our latest IRS survey (subscription required) shows.

Our survey of 182 employers, covering 705,000 employees, shows that return-to-work interviews are highly effective in recording and managing absence.

But employers are growing increasingly frustrated with line managers' lack of commitment to using return-to-work interviews to manage absence.

Continue reading "Return-to-work interviews cut absence rates" »

Noelle Murphy | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 28, 2007

Don't be caught out by MiFID and changes to FSA regulation

If you’re wondering how the implementation of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), the FSA's Better Regulation Initiative and changes to the FSA rulebook will impact your HR department, don’t panic, join us for a free breakfast seminar on Friday 12 October in London.

Continue reading "Don't be caught out by MiFID and changes to FSA regulation" »

Jean Sims | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

September 19, 2007

XpertHR Group: live blog from Harrogate 4 - Burning issues in HR

TUPE, navigating the age regulations when retiring staff and change management are some of the issues keeping HR people awake at night, according to those visiting the XpertHR Suite in Harrogate this week.

When asked what are the most important issues in their organisation attendees provided the following list:

"Implementing changes to the HR function in the public sector is like turning the QE2 around, it takes a long time. Other issues include TUPE and managing different terms and conditions, particularly when staff members are on different pay scales. Attendance management is an ongoing issue and always will be. Public sector

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Jean Sims | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

August 30, 2007

Time to stop panicking about Facebook

The owners of social networking site Facebook would have to have very deep pockets indeed to buy the volume of publicity they have been enjoying in the press of late. But has all the furore got just a little out of hand?

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Mark Crail | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 30, 2007

View IRS webcasts on talent management

Talent management is a hot issue for HR practitioners as new business models, changing labour market demographics and international competition make the task of recruiting, developing and retaining key employees all the more difficult.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Iraqi heroes triumph in Asian cup

I would just like to say well done and congratulate the Iraqi national football team for winning the Asia Cup on Sunday. In a country torn apart by war, where going without electricity and water for weeks on end and facing the dangers of suicide bombers and mass warfare are a normal occurrence, the players pulled together and defeated Australia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, among others, to a fairytale ending by lifting the Asia Cup.

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Faisal Alani | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 28, 2007

A slap in the Facebook for the procrastinator's paradise

Employers are increasingly blocking employee access to the social networking sites, such as Facebook, because of fears that staff are frittering away huge amounts of work time, according to a report in the Times today.

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David Shepherd | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 24, 2007

ONS relocation: Treasury Committee joins the critics

The cross party Treasury Select Committee of MPs has joined the Bank of England in questioning the wisdom of the decision to relocate 1,200 statisticians and other employees of the Office for National Statistics from London to Newport, South Wales. The committee's report says there is evidence that the relocation "poses risks to the quality of statistics provided by the ONS".

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David Shepherd | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 16, 2007

Why workplace absence is getting worse - and what you can do about it

Absence levels rose last year in the face of employers’ best efforts to promote employee well-being, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

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Mark Crail | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 12, 2007

Brown sketches out his agenda for employment

Prior to their formal announcement in the Queen's Speech this November, Gordon Brown announced more than a score of Bills and draft Bills in a speech to Parliament yesterday (11 July 2007).
A number of these have direct implications for the workplace, giving an early indication of Brown's employment agenda.

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Michael Carty | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) |

July 11, 2007

SURVEY: Age policies

IRS age policy survey

Has your organisation changed its retirement age as a result of the new legislation?

Have you had any requests to work past the age of 65?

EOR wants to find out what impact the new age discrimination legislation has had on employers and your help would be much appreciated. Participants will be emailed a free copy of our findings once our research and analysis has been completed (individuals will not be named).

>> Click here to take part in our short survey.

Kate Godwin | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

June 29, 2007

New govt depts: update

A flick through the papers reveals a broadly positive verdict on the abolition of the DTI and DfES and replacement with three new government departments. The Telegraph reports on how the new PM was dissuaded from tearing up the DTI completely by the business lobby, who feared the loss of a strong business voice in Cabinet. The FT also notes business support for the move, adding that in terms of the DTI's budget it is being split down the middle, as half is currently spent on innovation and the other half on everything else.

Continue reading "New govt depts: update" »

Sarah Welfare | |