The Work Clinic

Gender pay gap - Schofield v Britton

2009-02-06T14:55:22Z

According to The Sun (you don't often read that on Work Clinic ...), the gender pay gap is alive and well, as personified by the hosts of ITV's This Morning - Philip 'Silver fox' Schofield and Fern 'skinny malinky' Britton.

The Sun reports that Schofield is banking £45,000 per show to host the second series of Mr And Mrs while Fern will take home 'just' £15,000 for each programme.

A source from the show told the Sun: "Fern asked for the same pay cheque as Phil but there isn't a huge production budget.

"Phillip's pay is basically pre-agreed, while Fern is only on an exclusive daytime deal with ITV. Fern won't be aware of this pay difference."

Phillip is believed to be earning more because of his £2 million exclusive contract with ITV, which also includes his presenting duties on Dancing On Ice.

Call me a cynical old grump, but isn't even £15,000 an episode a ridiculous amount of money for sitting on your backside reading from an autocue?

Job insecurity inspires inefficient working

2009-02-06T09:03:32Z

You'd expect people to work more efficiently if they felt that their jobs might be at risk. Apparently not ...

Figures released today by international recruitment consultants Badenoch & Clark have shown that employees are fighting the blues by getting their heads down and trying to keep busy. It seems this reaction is being driven by the general fear in the job market - 46% of those questioned identified job insecurity as the key cause for workplace blues.

Popular responses to workplace blues

Put your head down and try to keep busy (54%)

Spend more time on individual tasks (32%)

Write 'to do' lists (26%)

Surf the internet (25%)

Rising workloads continue to be a key cause of workplace blues, with one in ten UK workers spending the equivalent of an extra day in the office last year. However, it seems media headlines of redundancies and the general strain being felt by UK workers have become more important, triggering many people to respond by trying to appear busy in order to prove their worth to their employer.

According to Neil Wilson, managing director of Badenoch & Clark, "There are some strong lessons to be learnt here for employers. Unhappiness in the workplace is becoming a serious problem as the economic downturn continues to bite, and it seems not enough managers are doing everything they can to combat it. For example, better communication and consultation over job losses would go a long way to alleviating the strain.

"If left alone, workplace blues can create a culture where everyone works with their head down, meaning there's little feedback, little input to decisions and probably no challenge to suggestions - all of which is all vital for a healthy business.

"Untold damage can be done to an employer's brand as well. Employees are the best ambassador for any organisation. If they're unhappy at work, they're unlikely to play that ambassadorial role effectively and employers will find it increasingly difficult to attract the top talent. If you're looking for a highly skilled change management specialist to help you navigate through shifts in your business, the best candidates are unlikely to want to work for an organisation whose people's heads are constantly down."

IT sector HR battles with poor image

2009-02-04T09:07:00Z

A new survey of women in IT has shown that the HR function may need to work on its image.

According to the survey of female technologists, carried out by career and networking portal womenintechnology.co.uk, only 11% of those questioned felt that HR was very important to their career progression.

When asked to rate how important various people were to their career progression, the overwhelming majority (93%) said they themselves were very important. The boss was seen as the second most influential factor as 69% classed him or her as very important.

This backs up research carried out in 2007 by womenintechnology.co.uk and Microsoft which found that HR departments were seen as the least supportive area within the working arena, with 28% rating them worse than OK.

"HR was actually ranked last in the level of importance for career progression out of all six groups of people given, with networks and line management being seen as more important, which indicates that maybe women see HR as more of a function that acts for the company as opposed to one that supports them" comments Maggie Berry, director of womenintechnology.co.uk. "However, hopefully HR teams can benefit from this feedback and work towards portraying themselves in a more positive and supportive light."

Snow laughing matter

2009-02-03T13:40:03Z

Work Clinic today comes live - if slightly frostbitten - from the wilds of Surrey. And by day two of this enforced absence from the office, I will admit to a touch of cabin fever. While a certain level of civilisation remains (Starbucks, Sainsburys and the local newsagents) and I am warm and well-fed, I cannot physically get out of the small town where I live. But I am one of the lucky ones. I can work from home. I have a laptop and a phone, and I have remote access to my e-mail.

Not so for much of the rest of the working population - Mr Work Clinic included (he is on housework duty, instead). It rather begs the question 'Why?'. Why, why, why in this day and age don't all employers make provisions for staff (at least those whose jobs allow it) to work from home? Today the roads around this town are icy and treacherous - are organisations prepared to let their staff risk their lives because they, their employers, are bizarrely reluctant to facilitate remote working?

Yesterday, when the snow here was a good foot and a half deep, I stood and watched people trying to drive, because they felt that they absolutely had to get somewhere - more than likely their place of work. Isn't there something wrong with a society where we are willing to put work before our own health and wellbeing? Not to mention that of the emergency services staff who end up rescuing these idiots.

Most of us need to work - I admit that - and a lot of us actually enjoy working. But surely not to this ridiculous extent. And if employers are worrying about time and money lost when staff can't reach the office, then it's up to them to make sure that we can work from home. It's not a lot to ask, surely?

Executive salaries and the recession

2009-01-30T09:10:37Z

The economy is going from bad to worse, but its impact on the individual will vary a great deal according to the seniority of the person's role. A blue collar worker struggling to pay their rent is a million miles away from a banker fretting that they may have to cancel the Easter trip to the Bahamas. And while thousands - sometimes tens of thousands - of people are being made redundant every day, for some the most pressing question remains "Will I get my bonus?"

The likelihood, and size, of bonus increases with seniority. In years gone by, the board bonus was sacrosanct. Indeed, it often provided the only interesting reading in the annual report. But it looks like this worm is finally turning. Asset managers Aviva Investors, which owns 2% of the stock market, has warned the City that it does not expect any rises in boardroom pay this year.

Aviva has taken the unusual step of writing to the pay consultants and City lawyers responsible for putting together remuneration packages for top bosses, asking them to be particularly careful with companies where staff are being made redundant.

The letter points out that basic pay for directors has risen by 94% since 2000 and total cash pay, which includes short-term bonuses, is up by a colossal 259%.

So what should organisations do? Should they continue with these huge senior salaries in order to attract the people they need to get them through the recession? Or should they show some sensitivity to those whose jobs are under threat, and freeze board salaries? Maybe even axe board benefits? Or would that cause the staff to panic? It looks like a case of 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'.

Maternity leave - the long and the short of it

2009-01-22T09:28:01Z

Glamorous French justice minister Rachida Dati caused no end of a hoo-ha by going back to work just five days after having her first child delivered by caesarean section. Opinion has been very sharply divided as to whether she is a flag-flying feminist, or simply a bad mother. Added to which is the fact that she can afford to employ a nanny - making her childcare concerns somewhat less pressing than those of the average working mother.

Underwear entrepreneur Michelle Mone went back to work just four days after the birth of her third child - and has since admitted to the Times that she continues to feel guilty about doing so.

Mone was at a crucial stage in the launch of her company, and Dati apparently felt that a prolonged absence could lose her her place in the French government. But what of women in less senior roles?

Every mother is different. Some will be keen to stay at home and bond with their babies, while others will be equally desperate to get back to work. And there are those for whom an early return from maternity leave is an economic necessity. So what should companies be doing to ensure that the right provisions are made for each individual woman? How to strike a fair balance between 'allowing' women to return early and making them feel that they need to if they want to keep their job. And what of the person covering the maternity leave? Their importance may seem secondary but these days, when so many people stay in the same roles for years, this is an invaluable way for junior colleagues to gain experience and further their own career prospects.

It's an ethical minefield, but unavoidable. As the recession deepens, organisations will be increasingly keen to retain good existing staff - dealing correctly with maternity leave will be a crucial part of this.

Business as usual? Coping without your chief executive.

2009-01-20T09:46:53Z

In the furore surrounding Apple's Steve Jobs taking six months off for health reasons, no one seems to have spared a thought for his employees. Everyone is busying themselves worrying about his absence's impact on share prices and Apple's Q1 results. But what of the people who joined Apple because of its charismatic leader?

As co-founder and chief executive of the company, Jobs has involved himself in Apple to an extraordinary degree, with input in everything from marketing to ideas for new products. And while his commitment and enthusiasm are commendable, does it make sense for a chief executive to be quite so involved?

This is not Jobs' first extended absence - he was successfully treated for pancreatic cancer in 2004 - and Apple's chief operating officer, Tim Cook, is more than capable of taking over the reigns, so analysts are confident that the day-to-day operations of the company will be unharmed.

But how do organisations keep staff engaged - and confident - when key people are absent for more than a few weeks? Should chief executives be persuaded to distance themselves from their employees? Consider the implications - staff who aren't entirely confident about the ongoing performance of the company, or the security of their own role. Employees who feel that the spark has gone, along with their boss.

Inevitably, HR will be left picking up the pieces - so what can be done to future proof an organisation and workforce against life without a leader?

Maintaining productivity in 2009

2009-01-12T09:15:36Z

Many people see February as the worst month of the year - Christmas and New Year are long gone, Easter is some way off, and the weather is, more often than not, foul. Add to that the constant headlines and broadcasts about the recession, and motivating your staff becomes well-nigh impossible. And productivity suffers. Stuart Duff, partner and head of development at business psychologists Pearn Kandola, points out that in 2009, additional rewards and remuneration are unlikely to be available, so managers will have to come up with other ways of motivating their staff and improving productivity.
Duff has come up with a list of barriers to productivity - and a solution for each:

1. Problem: uncertainty and ambiguity. Solution: to "be as clear as you can about what the future holds"

2.Problem: pessimism and negative thoughts. Solution: encouraging optimism among your staff

3.Problem: unachievable goals. Solution: to set your team new goals and targets

4.Problem: lack of leadership and accountability. Solution: according to Duff, you need to "make sure that each person in your team is clear about their scope of accountability"

5.Problem: routine and boredom. Solution: introduce more creative problem solving into your team

6.Problem: individuals worrying. Solution: to 'confront mental blockers'. Duff recommends that you "recognise when your team are showing signs of worry", before looking at what can and can't be done.

7.Problem: constant news of the recession. Solution: encourage resilience in your team. Possible methods include standing back from problems in order to reanalyse them and looking for alternative solutions.

8.Problem: poor communication. Solution: improve the communication - but avoid spin or failure to include bad news.

Duff believes that the single most important thing that a manager can do is to help their team stay focused. But while his suggestions are well and good as theory, are they practical? Or will management see them as detracting from the real priority - staying in business?

Scattiness - it's bad for your health

2009-01-05T10:00:32Z

As we wend our weary way workwards this morning, many of us returning to the office after the longest Christmas break in 16 years, and some of us ploughing through snow (literally), most of us will be wondering what vital component of our commute or working day we've left behind. Pen? iPod? Travel card? Pass to get into the office?

If you're the scatter-brained type, you may have more to worry about than the inconvenience. According to researchers at the University of California, people with self-control and strong organisational skills live longer.

Says Howard Friedman, professor of psychology there, "Not only do conscientious individuals have better health habits and less risk-taking, but they also have more stable jobs and marriages and may even have a better biological disposition toward good health".

The study also found that highly conscientious people live on average two to four years longer, are less likely to smoke or drink to excess, and live more stable and less stressful lives. Other healthy traits included thoroughness, reliability, deiberation, competence and sense of duty.

But don't despair, all you flibbertigibbets ... Professor Friedman says that "Even though conscientiousness cannot be changed in the short term, improvements can emerge over the long run as individuals enter responsibile relationships, careers and associations" ...

2009 - prospects for the older worker

2008-12-29T09:42:07Z

Until recently, older people were increasingly staying in work in line with the government's aspiration to extend working lives. With the slow down in the economy all this has been put on hold. Possibly, HR departments are husbanding talent and skills selectively, recognising the value of age balanced workforces as they prune. Surprisingly the employment figures of older workers are holding up reasonably well in the recession - so far.

This relatively reassuring picture should not disguise the differential pain that older workers experience when they lose their jobs however. Older workers stay unemployed for longer. The latest figures cover the August to October quarter which is before the dramatic changes started to work through. By next month, the picture may be different.

After six months out of work, a fifty something's chance of return diminishes greatly. Again this may not be evident in the figures but long term unemployment, disillusionment of fruitless job searching and wide spread age discrimination, will force many older people to become "economically inactive," joining the ranks of the hidden unemployed. Those who get work are likely to take jobs considerably below their potential - and previous earnings.

This is why recessions are bad news for older workers. During the period 1980 - 95, the proportion of 50 to state pension age workers economically active, declined from around 83% to 65%.

During the three and four day weeks forced upon us during Ted Heath's government in the 1970s, a "job release scheme" was introduced. "Young workers for old," was its essential message.

Would it be unlawful today? The lawyers would cite the Palacios v Cortefiel Servicios case where the Spanish government introduced mandatory retirement to boost youth employment figures. (The ECJ said this was legal, by the way).

But the government wants to extend working lives not cut people off at the knees. The reason is simple - with birth rates and longevity heading in opposite directions, we are facing labour shortages in the longer term.

Companies performing best, in recessions and at other times, are the ones which value talent and knowledge, investing in these things in good times and bad alike.

In the recessions of the 70s 80s and early 90s, millions quit on early retirement and redundancy packages, siphoning skills and knowledge out of the economy. Whatever emerges this time, companies investing in competent people of all ages, developing them and applying an "age management" mind set, will be fittest to emerge from the bruising experience.

Chris Ball

Chief executive

TAEN - The Age and Employment Network

HR in 2009 - where will the jobs be?

2008-12-23T09:06:17Z

We expect a challenging climate for at least the first two quarters of 2009 and feasibly the whole year. It's important to bear in mind, however, that despite significant speculation to the contrary, 2009 will still offer good career opportunities for the best candidates.
The fallout from ongoing market conditions means that organisations, from all sectors, which undergoing restructuring or rationalisation will be looking to HR for guidance - this is a real opportunity for talented HR professionals to make a mark.
The challenge for senior executives will be to balance the cost of full-time HR headcount with value added. HR department costs will be reduced but need to be carefully balanced to ensure that there are enough HR staff to deal with the work load, plan for the future and retain a good work/life balance - under-resourced and overworked staff are neither productive nor motivated.
We expect to continue to see a demand for those with good employee relations, compensation benefits and reward experience. Additionally, those with good organisational development, restructuring, cultural change and M&A experience will be required to help in post deal integration.
We expect to see small pockets of activity in the retail financial services sector and in some of the large, publicly owned organisations committed to high capital investment programmes that are already underway and are hiring organisational development or change consultants to help with structural and cultural transformation projects.
Public sector recruitment is obviously going to be a key factor and challenging positions here are already in demand. Other sectors that we expect to drive HR recruitment include the energy, utilities and pharmaceutical industries and some of the more innovative players in retail.
On the downside, we expect to see further casualties in financial services - especially in investment banking and lending - and also in retail, property and technology.
Finally, for those so inclined, opportunities overseas will remain comparatively buoyant and recruitment in the emerging markets such as the Middle East and in Australasia remain upbeat.
John Maxted
Chief executive
Digby Morgan

The end of the luxury business trip?

2008-12-22T09:04:09Z

Swanning about in four star hotels while on business trips may soon be a thing of the past - at least for those of us below board level.

The 'Aldi effect', whereby individuals or companies are seeking out cheaper options, such as the German discount food chain, appears to have spread into corporate travel.

And the biggest winner seems to be Whitbread's Premier Inn chain, whose rooms cost between £49 and around £100. The odd Lenny Henry adverts notwithstanding, Premier's business account has increased by 33% in the 10 months to November 27th, with like for like sales of 8.5% - particularly during the current economic climate.

According to Alan Parker, Whitbread's chief executive, corporate customers now account for two thirds of Premier Inn's sales. Travelodge, Premier's biggest rival, has also seen an increase in business guests, and, having gone one step further, is discussing joint promotions with Aldi.

So next time you're offered an overnight trip to Slough, think carefully.

Mental illness and the workplace | Surviving the recession

2008-12-10T09:00:00Z

While few employers or employees aren't worrying about their job security, the situation is particularly worrying for the more vulnerable members of society. And at any one time, one worker in six will be dealing with depression, anxiety or stress-related problems #

The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH) and the College of Occupational Therapists have published a joint paper arguing that the government is at risk of 'writing off' people with mental health problems during the recession. And they claim that the country lacks the professionals with the skills needed to address the problem.

Nine out of 10 people with mental health issues want to work. And while their wants and needs are significant, the problem also represents a serious threat to the economy:

• £8.4 billion a year is lost through mental health-related sickness absence
• The average employee takes seven days off sick each year, 40% of which are related to mental health
• Mental illness costs £15.1 billion a year in reduced productivity at work
• £2.4 billion a year is spent replacing staff who leave due to mental health problems.

According to the SMCH, the last recession created a 'lost generation' of workers who were written off on incapacity benefits, and they and the other mental health charities are keen that this doesn't happen again.

In a joint statement, Dinesh Bhugra, president of the Royal Society of Psychiatrists, SCMH chief executive Angela Greatley, Paul Jenkins, chief executive of Rethink, and Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said "People with mental health problems will be one of the largest groups affected by the welfare reform agenda. Support should be offered to everyone, no matter what mental health problem they have, with a minimal threat of benefit penalties. Failing to follow the evidence or taking too punitive an approach to those with these problems will seriously undermine the government's ambition to reduce the overall number of long term unemployed".

But how to strike a balance between plugging the skills gap and forcing people into work before they're ready, or without the necessary support?

Demotivated middle managers | Poor support from employers

2008-12-09T09:07:21Z

Findings released last week by Accenture have shown that the UK's middle managers feel that the uncertain economy is having a negative impact on their work.

Over 60% of the 150 middle managers surveyed admitted that they are concerned about losing their jobs, while 58% are less than satisfied with their current roles.

Nearly a third of those surveyed are already looking for a new job, while 50% would consider a move, although they are not yet actively looking. Among those looking elsewhere, just over half are leaving because they want better pay and benefits, while 29% are moving due to downsizing within their current organisation.

According to Aimee Chapple, a senior executive in Accenture's Talent and Organisation Practice, "In an uncertain economic environment, employers will need to take extra care in keeping employees engaged and ensuring that they maintain their job performance". As Chapple adds, "Sound talent management strategies are now more important than ever">

Worryingly, the survey revealed that only 14% of middle managers say their employers have taken steps to help them cope with a weak economy, while 50% said that their employer could be doing more to help them. Chapple says: "Job security is of paramount importance right now. Nevertheless, employers must continue to find ways to improve the work experience for their employees or they may be faced with an unwelcome rise in employee departures when the economy improves".

Second Life | an island too far?

2008-12-08T10:20:09Z

Has the love affair between Second Life and the world of work gone too far? First it was cobwebby old corporate types using it to try to connect with yoof (ie potential Generation Y employees), and now even student nurses seem to be jumping on the bandwagon ...

While 'Nurse Island' sounds like something targeted at bespectacled nerds who lack the social skills needed to interact with real women, it is in fact a legitimate educational tool. Glasgow Caledonian University has launched it 'to help students with decison making', according to Jacqueline McCallum, senior lecturer in clinical simulation. Trainee nurses will be able to create characters and lives for themselves in a parallel universe, interacting with virtual patients before being let loose on the real thing.

The university is a big fan of Second Life, having already created a replica of its own campus, complete with Glasgow landmarks, so that potential students from abroad can get an idea of campus life before arriving in Scotland. Personally, I find that a bit dispiriting - what ever happened to mystery or anticipation? And will access to a virtual campus put off would-be students from sunnier climes?

As for letting trainee nurses run riot on 'Nurse Island' ... all good, clean fun, I'm sure, but wouldn't they benefit from more, rather than less, interaction with patients?