This line manager briefing covers a number of challenging situations that may arise as a result of an employee's pregnancy or maternity leave, but will not be relevant to every pregnancy or period of maternity leave. A second briefing, Line   More...
26 March 2013 00:01

Summary Click on any of the hyperlinks to go to more detailed guidance below. Be aware that the maternity legislation provides that "reasonable contact" during maternity leave is permitted. Take into account that what is "reasonable" contac  More...
26 March 2013 00:00

There are around 36,000 volunteer reservists in the UK, making up approximately 14% of the nation's total defence capacity. With the Government planning to increase the size of the reserve forces, more employers are likely to have members of the Territo  More...
25 March 2013 00:00

Successful benchmarking requires organisations to identify clearly what performance they want to improve, understand it fully and then select, adapt and implement the most appropriate best practice available, according to Ray Wilkinson, director of the   More...
20 March 2013 12:12

Someone comes into the HR department and you are fully anticipating a simple question about benefits or holiday entitlement. In fact, the member of staff wants to speak to you in confidence and the information they share with you could have huge implica  More...
19 March 2013 12:10

Severe weather has been revealed as the top cause of disruption to British businesses over the past 12 months, but managers appear to continue to underestimate it as a threat. Indeed, despite it being identified as the top cause of business disrupti  More...
18 March 2013 15:01

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that the NHS will no longer be able to gag former employees from speaking out about issues in the public interest. Confidentiality clauses in compromise agreements have been used by NHS employers to stop fo  More...
14 March 2013 16:18

Office banter can be a very tricky subject - one person's harmless joke can be very offensive to someone else. Helen Ward (pictured), an associate at Clarion law firm, looks at how employers can aim to encourage good team relationships and, in  More...
11 March 2013 12:02

Almost three-fifths (58%) of men in the UK would consider taking paternity leave, according to research released this week. The survey, commissioned by law firm Allen & Overy and conducted by YouGov, suggests that mid-range age groups were  More...
07 March 2013 15:04

The Public Sector People Managers' Association (PPMA) exists to promote the best HR practices across the public sector. Martin Rayson, PPMA president, explains the current issues affecting the public sector during these times of economic restraint.  More...
06 March 2013 10:52

Organisations must change their approach to talent development in order to successfully define and achieve their business strategies, according to a report released today by Harvard Business Publishing (HBP). Respondents to an annual report carried   More...
05 March 2013 16:22

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) experts will be offering advice and support during a Twitter question and answer session running from 11-15 March 2013, which will discuss the implementation of real time information. From 6 April 201  More...
05 March 2013 00:01

Parents will be entitled to 18 weeks' unpaid parental leave per child from 8 March 2013, an increase from the current 13 weeks. Both men and women are entitled to parental leave, relating to dependents under the age of five. For each child who receiv  More...
04 March 2013 16:25

Lone workers can face risks those in an office environment may not even think about. Walter Brennan explains how to evaluate these and handle them effectively. As with any other form of work, employers are expected to undertake a risk assessment befo  More...
01 March 2013 00:01

The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow in 2014. The organisers are appealing for 15,000 volunteers, with applications closing today, 28 February 2013. While the Commonwealth Games are likely to have most impact on employers in Scotland, there will  More...
28 February 2013 13:57

Employers and working families have been asked for their input on the detail of how the new system for shared parental leave will work. An initial consultation, launched today, will look at how the current arrangements for maternity and paternity le  More...
25 February 2013 16:20

Almost one-third (30%) of UK HR directors have said that "employee burnout" is common in their organisations, with excessive workloads the main cause of factors such as increased sick leave, lateness and reduced productivity. A survey by recrui  More...
25 February 2013 13:17

Despite overwhelming opposition, the Government is pressing ahead with the repeal of the third-party harassment provisions in the Equality Act 2010 – a serious blow in the broader context of promoting equal opportunities within the workplace, say employ  More...
25 February 2013 00:01

Whistleblowers will be protected from bullying and harassment from their colleagues under new amendments made to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, announced by the Government this week . Currently, workers who make protected disclosures a  More...
22 February 2013 15:34

Your customer communities could be the gateway to fresh talent for your organisation. Andy Curlewis of Ochre House looks at the growing convergence between customer and employee networks. Building communities to tap into top talent on a global or lo  More...
18 February 2013 17:37