A round-up of HR-related stories in today’s newspapers.
The Government is being urged to consider banning strikes in essential public services, the BBC reports. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development says ministers should consider tightening laws on strike ballots ahead of expected industrial action in response to the toughest public sector cutbacks in decades.
Ministers are considering “privatising” an NHS agency that provides 50,000 nurses and other workers to the health service, the Telegraph reports. An advert has been placed for private sector investment in NHS Professionals, a company owned by the Department of Health, which provides bank staff to fill shifts in the health service. Unions have criticised the plan, claiming it is “privatisation” and say that NHS Professionals was set up to stop the NHS being ripped off by private agencies charging large sums for staff to work unfilled shifts.
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Civil service unions have said it is a myth that their members’ pension scheme is unaffordable. The Government is reviewing all public service pensions schemes, to find ways of making them cheaper to fund, the BBC reports. The unions say the civil service scheme was reformed significantly in 2007 and further cuts in its benefits would amount to a huge pay cut for staff.
David Brent’s misguided belief that he excelled at motivating his staff in the hit BBC comedy series The Office is being replicated by managers across the country, according to the Telegraph. Many bosses wrongly believe they succeed at managing their workers, a misjudgment which is hindering Britain’s “already struggling” businesses, a survey of more than 2,000 bosses by the Chartered Management Institute showed. It found that that almost half thought they were excellent at managing their employees, although only 14% said they were born to be a leader.
