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 Today

Time to get rid of the bad work habits

by Personnel Today 16 Apr 2002
by Personnel Today 16 Apr 2002

Let me whisper something in your ear – the Government is moving towards
supporting a clear public policy on work.

There have been a series of significant public events recently that have led
me to believe this. I attended a lecture at Warwick University held in honour
of the legendary chair of Acas, Pat Lowry, who was in the hot seat during more
belligerent times. The speaker, Professor Keith Sisson, outlined the impact of
the new EU directive on information and consultation and made the business case
for improved communication. Structured discussions with represented groups held
the key to stimulating management thinking, he said. Importantly, he said there
is a need for a body to advise us how to do this effectively, never mind
legally.

The same theme was picked up in London last week when Chancellor Gordon
Brown, acting "as a warm-up man for Will Hutton", led the applause
for the relaunch of the Industrial Society as the Work Foundation.

The Chancellor, Hutton, Peter Ellwood from Lloyds TSB and Gail Rebuck from
publishers Random House were all singing from the same hymn sheet.

Hutton used the phrase "just and creative capitalism". For me,
that is the point in a nutshell. If people feel they are valued, respected and
working in a ‘just’ environment, it is much more likely they will respond to the
productivity challenge that faces us all.

The Work Foundation also advocates the creation of a viable institutional
base to tie these concepts together. Perhaps it could take the shape of a
Centre for Work and Productivity.

Most European countries have quasi-governmental bodies that feed best
practice into public policy. Hutton is even calling for a Minister for
Management while most managers are reluctant to see anyone from any ministry.
It would encourage the Government to take the direct link between treatment of
staff and thebottom line more seriously.

The third factor prodding the Government towards sponsoring an improved
employment culture is coming out of the DTI itself.

The ministry is searching for a wider role for the Partnership Fund. Instead
of making companies and unions jump through hoops to win a £50,000 partnership
support grant, it is going to use the joint work done by the CBI and the TUC –
in linking partnership working methods to productivity – and disseminate best
practice on the matter. Trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt has
committed £20m over the next two years to this.

So something is stirring in the Whitehall undergrowth. The challenge to
business and unions is: can we respond to this and change the bad work habits
of a lifetime?

By John Lloyd, National officer, Amicus

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Recruitment drives back on the road
next post
Rules on monitoring create HR minefield

You may also like

Grants scheme set up to support women’s health...

16 May 2022

How music can help to ease anxiety at...

9 May 2022

OH will be key to navigating ‘second pandemic’...

14 Apr 2022

OH urged to be aware of abortion consultations...

8 Apr 2022

How coached eCBT is returning the workplace to...

8 Apr 2022

Why now is the time to plug the...

7 Apr 2022

Two-thirds of shift workers feel health affected by...

18 Mar 2022

TUC warns of April Covid risk assessment ‘confusion’

14 Mar 2022

Consultation on new NHS cancer standards, as waits...

11 Mar 2022

Pandemic pivot to home working fuelled mental ill...

11 Mar 2022
  • 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+