Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel TodayThe HR profession

It was 20 years ago today…

by Greg Pitcher 25 Feb 2008
by Greg Pitcher 25 Feb 2008

20years of Personnel Today - read more on our anniversary

 

If you have been struggling to get remote access to your intranet to work on your laptop’s wireless connection while travelling between hotdesks, take a moment to remember your predecessors.

The front page of the inaugural Personnel Today in February 1988 included an in-depth report on the modern technology that had seen “personal computers find their way into most personnel offices”.

The information revolution was in full swing, the report gushed.

“In many companies, computerised information is allowing personnel managers to have a direct impact on business decisions.”

If only it was that easy…

Ten years ago

… In February 1998, Personnel Today reported that up to 250 Carphone Warehouse workers enjoyed free beer every Friday in a London pub as the fast-growing retailer retained the perk which had started when it employed 30 staff.

Head of HR Peta Clifton said the ‘beer-bust’ fostered Carphone Warehouse’s image as a dynamic go-ahead firm.

Perhaps more bizarrely, she added that to prevent gatecrashers, revellers were randomly asked questions about the company.

Five years ago

… Former Scotland Yard commissioner Sir John Stevens floated the idea of babies behind bars – cot bars that is.

He said introducing creches into police stations would help attract female recruits to the force, previously put off by the service’s ‘macho culture’.

However, critics of the plan said a lot of officers would not want their children anywhere near a police station.

Flexible working legislation was in the news as a study by the Equal Opportunities Commission found that more than 40% of UK workers were unaware of new rights to be introduced that April.

Avatar
Greg Pitcher

previous post
Employee buy-in delivers productivity gains
next post
Learning and Skills Council suggests making a training proposal on February 29

You may also like

Movers and shakers April 2022: Santander UK appoints...

22 Apr 2022

Time to kill off the HR business partner?...

8 Apr 2022

HR careers survey: three in four confident about...

30 Mar 2022

Movers and shakers March 2022: Appointments at Domino’s,...

14 Mar 2022

Movers and shakers February 2022: HR appointments at...

21 Feb 2022

HR chiefs report acute candidate shortage

10 Feb 2022

HR and recruitment roles shine in ‘best jobs’...

2 Feb 2022

Movers and shakers: top HR appointments for Accenture...

28 Jan 2022

Unilever announces new HR lead as part of...

26 Jan 2022

Baroness McGregor-Smith becomes CIPD president

25 Jan 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+