subscribe to ebrief

Inside the latest issue... cover image

theHRDIRECTOR Issue 69
This issue we speak to
James Dalgleish
Head of HR - London Fire Brigade

FEATURES

Special Report
Interim Management
Retention
Reward & Recognition
Leadership

FEATURING

Hays Human Resources
Northgate Arinso
Mind
QVC
New Balance

Communications

A celebration of communication
Today, BT has c107,000 employees globally and just 22% of those are women. The BTWN, run by a dedicated committee of volunteers, has over 4000 members with branches across the UK, in Europe and North America and an expansion plan for Asia Pacific.
Communication - we're loving it !
A dedicated, engaged workforce makes for a thriving business, but what role can internal communication play in motivating your people? One organisation that recognises the need for effective internal communication is McDonald’s. The company has built an internal communication culture that nurtures, develops and ultimately places trust in its 67,000 UK employees to create strong growth. This is demonstrated by the fact that around 80% of its restaurant management started their careers on the restaurant floor as crew members, as did one in five McDonald’s franchisees and half of the company’s executive team.
Strategic thinking
Demands on HR these days is more business driven requiring real strategic thinking and a demonstrable contribution to strategic business priorities. The increasing strategic role of HR at Board level is well illustrated at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), responsible for building better services and outcomes for young people and their families.
Ethical Communications
In the modern workplace employees have the ability to communicate in a manner that would be unrecognisable twenty years ago. From an era when the majority of work related communications were completed on company letterhead, the professional world has embraced the technology of faxes, pagers, mobile phones, video conferencing, email and instant messaging. With so many different outlets, ensuring that employee communications adhere to a company’s ethical standards can be a daunting task for an HR director.
Absenteeism and Presenteeism - A Plan of Action
Whether the proposed ‘well-notes’ become the norm or not, amongst the confusion one thing is clear– that both employees and employers have never been more concerned with the issue of employee health. And with the first ever review into the health of the working population revealing that ill health is costing Britain a staggering £100 billion every year, which is more than the annual budget of the NHS, employers have more incentive than ever before to promote a healthier working environment and ethos.
Defining the Benefit of Workforce Planning
Due to substantial cost increases over recent years many employers have been forced to review their Defined Benefit (DB) schemes. For most companies, the decision to close is the only pragmatic approach they can take - both to control risk and to plan ahead with known costs (i.e. rather than it purely being a cost cutting exercise). In our experience, the majority of companies, and in particular HR Directors, are keen to find a solution that does not however disadvantage long serving and loyal employees. The question is how to structure a Defined Contribution (DC) scheme that meets the needs of both the employees and company.
Once upon a time... “I resign"
Recent research from the fast-track headhunting company Executives Online indicates that 35% of the time organisations are ignoring clear indicators that a key Senior Manager is set to leave; while more than 75% of organisations have contingency plans that you could drive a hypothetical bus through. Relying on the rapid deployment of Interim Executives is becoming part of the norm.
Support value through effective communications
It’s a scenario that’s happening time and time again. The phone rings and it’s a journalist from the local evening paper asking for details on the number of redundancies planned for a local business. This is the first time the PR team has heard of the issue and therefore has to call the client for more information. The call confirms the worst – there will be job losses and a buyer is being sought for the firm.
Arrested development?
The coming year is going to be a difficult one for many large and small businesses alike. Central to every business is the HR team, and staff and senior management will be looking to HR to hold things together when the going gets really tough.
What do points mean?
Employers' attitudes to personnel in tough times can be a key factor in influencing a successful outcome, as businesses that neglect staff during difficult trading conditions run the risk of de-motivated staff. But most personnel will feel motivated and satisfied if they believe their efforts are being rewarded, and will be better prepared when a recovery happens.
Higher earners tax explained
With the new 50 percent additional rate of UK income tax, Sykes Anderson present options for high earners after 2009 Budget. A summary of the income tax changes by David Anderson solicitor and chartered tax adviser and Graeme Perry, trainee solicitor at Sykes Anderson LLP Solicitors and Chartered Tax Advisers.
Obama's lessons on leading change
Careful study of President Obama's inauguration address reveals his masterly approach to inspiring people to pursue change rather than remaining comfortably in the status quo.
Recession is only temporary... honest
Many line managers and HR professionals feel stressed, anxious and fearful during the current recession. This can stem from the external climate of anxiety as much as specific operational realities. Stress shows itself in a number of ways, including long hours, self protection and withdrawal.
Common sense v political correctness: the legal perspective
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears recently warned against what she described as 'creeping oversensitivity'. She wants to encourage 'debate about religion in contemporary life'. Audrey Williams of Eversheds gives her legal angle on the subject.
Dispute Resolution
April saw the much maligned statutory dispute resolution procedures make way for a new regime. Martin Warren, head of employment law at Eversheds LLP, considers what this will mean for HR practitioners.
Safe haven for dangerous times
Where in the rule book does it say that government’s can bail out the banker? How can the winning tactics that rewarded our most celebrated business players yesterday suddenly be labelled short-sighted and critically flawed today? What is the new objective in the business environment now rising from the chaos and how can the coolest players in enterprise learn to win with confidence in a new world order where the basic rules of commerce seem to be changing by the day?
The stress test - steering your workforce through turbulent times
In many companies, a host of counterproductive emotional issues are in play ... and executives who don't recognise and address them will have difficulty moving their organisations forward.
Diversity - understanding the individual
Common misinterpretations include assuming that people know and understand what is meant by the terms equality, diversity and inclusion, which are often used very differently by organisations. In addition, many organisations still see diversity as either a fearful legal entity that must be complied with, or simply as a 'nice thing to do'. Few seem to have really grasped the wide range of business benefits of embedding a culture of diversity and inclusion. Not establishing a clear business case is a key factor in organisational diversity strategies failing in the early stages.