Upcoming events: a conference, mud run, exhibitions and an award ceremony!
As well as being delighted to have been shortlisted for two business awards, HR Solutions are exhibiting at the SME2017 at the NEC in Birmingham on 3rd and 4th October; as well as The Business Show at Olympia, London on 16th and 17th November. We look forward to catching up with you at one or […]
Tackling Obstacles for Young Minds
Young Minds are the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the mental health and wellbeing of children. Help us help Young Minds Ten of us from HR Solutions under the team name #HRmy are committed to the muddy challenge of tackling over 30 obstacles along a 6Km run organised by Uventure, to raise £1000 […]
Record Number of People in Employment
The new Conservative government has received a post-election boost as figures show the number of people in employment is at a record high. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that the number of people categorised as employed hit a high of 73.5% in March, the highest comparable rate to the […]
Ban on Exclusivity Clauses in Zero-Hours Contracts
A ban on exclusivity clauses in zero-hours contracts is now in effect following the introduction of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015. The introduction of the legislation means that an estimated 150,000 workers are now legally entitled to take work from more than one employer at a time. However the new legislation offers […]
Employers Limited by Pension Compliance
A report has found that the rate of changes to pension compliance over the last five years has caused organisations to lose focus on their retirement objectives. “Fit for Retirement”, a report by Towers Watson, found that 56% of UK businesses believe they have to prioritise compliance above any other factor when managing pension […]
Effects of Aggression in the Workplace
New research suggests that even just witnessing aggression in the workplace can have a negative effect on individual performance. Research carried out at Sheffield University investigated the impact of workplace factors on employee levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. Dr Sprigg and her colleagues first surveyed 127 employees immediately after they had witnessed aggression […]
Employees Expecting to Work for Longer
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text] Nearly two-thirds of employees expect to work beyond the age of 65, according to a survey by Canada Life Group Insurance. 61% of employees now expect to work past the traditional retirement age. This is lower than […]
£3.2 Million Awarded for Workplace Harassment
A former banker at the London office of a major Russian bank has won significant damages at an Employment Tribunal following ongoing discrimination and harassment in her role. Svetlana Lokhova worked for Sberbank CIB (UK) Ltd until she resigned claiming constructive dismissal in 2012. Ms Lokhova, a Cambridge graduate, joined the bank in 2008. […]
Windsor Castle Staff Voting on Industrial Action
The Royal Family are facing the prospect of staff at Windsor Castle taking independent industrial action for the first time. Around 120 of the castle’s visitor staff are balloting over whether or not to take action over unpaid additional duties such as giving guided tours, acting as interpreters or providing first aid. The castle […]
Anti-Avoidance Measures & Zero Hours Contracts
The Government last week published new legislation to protect employees from exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts. These exclusivity clauses prevent employees from taking on secondary jobs to supplement their income. The proposals outline the consequences for any employer found to be enforcing exclusivity clauses, which include the right for the affected employee to seek […]
ECJ Rules on Holiday Pay & Commission Case
The Employment Tribunal in the case of Lock v British Gas ruled that any employee who receives commission should receive varied holiday pay to reflect their normal income. Mr Lock was a salesman for British Gas on a basic salary with variable commission paid in arrears. His commission depended upon sales achieved and could not […]
Acas Updates Guidelines on Right to be Accompanied
Acas have issued an updated Code of Practice following an appeal hearing about a worker’s right to be accompanied. The ACAS Code of Practice March (2015) was released after an appeal determined that if an employee makes a reasonable request to be accompanied to a disciplinary or grievance hearing, their choice of who they take does […]
Reduced National Insurance Contributions for Employees Under 21
This April sees the abolition of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for employees under the age of 21. Chancellor George Osborne announced the changes as part of a Government initiative to reduce unemployment levels amongst young people. The scheme looks set to reduce employee contributions for as many as 340,000 employers across the country, and […]
End of the Road for Jeremy Clarkson and the BBC?
How would you manage an employee like the outspoken Top Gear presenter? UPDATED 25/03/2015 The Daily Telegraph last night reported that Jeremy Clarkson is going to be sacked by the BBC following an internal investigation into an alleged incident earlier this month. If the purported facts of the incident are true then the BBC would […]
Higher Standard of HR Skills Required
A new report from the CIPD has concluded that many HR departments are failing to develop the HR skills necessary to operate in a changing workplace. The CIPD’s HR Outlook (Winter 2014-15) reports that as the workplace evolves and HR operating models and capabilities adapt, many HR professionals are not doing enough to keep up. […]
Updated Drug-Driving Laws Incoming
On 2nd March 2015 new legislation comes into effect in England and Wales that will make it illegal to drive whilst under the influence of a wider range of substances than at present. The new ‘drug-driving’ law will encompass both illegal drugs and some prescription medicines. Anyone found to be driving whilst over the limit […]
Bad Managers Drive Talent Away
A manager with a poor reputation would cause 20% of people to turn down a job offer, according to research released last week. A poll of 2,000 UK employees has revealed the effects a bad manager can have on an organisation, with a fifth of workers stating that they would turn down a job […]
‘Middle-Aged’ Employees Feeling the Pressure
Recent research by AXA PPP healthcare has shown that employees in the 30-49 age bracket struggle more with the demands of work than employees from any other age group. One of the headline findings from the research relates to the amount of sickness absence taken, with employees between the ages of 30-49 averaging 2.3 sick […]
Managing Expectations: CMI Future Forecast for 2015
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) published its annual Future Forecast report in December 2014, offering insight into what managers across the UK are hoping to focus on over the coming year. The report surveys managers from businesses across the UK, giving them the opportunity to reflect on the previous year and to also make […]
Government to Tackle Zero Hours Contracts
Tougher action will be taken against businesses who abuse zero hours contracts thanks to new legislation introduced during this year’s Queen’s Speech. Just last month the business secretary Vince Cable outlined the government’s plans to tackle zero hours contracts due to alarming figures from the Office for National Statistics, which revealed that there are approximately 1.4m […]