News - WorkScales

Employer relief as mandatory Level 2 training threat is put back five years
The threat of employers having to provide mandatory training has been significantly delayed after the government pushed back the date by which the skills commission will report on the issue. Buried in the detail of Wednesda

National Work from Home Day could see five million workers absent from office
National Work from Home Day today kicks off national Work Wise Week, with many employees taking the opportunity to work from home. Up

World's most successful companies pay lower salaries
A study has found that the world's most successful companies pay lower wages than their rivals. Consultancy Hay Group found that employers on the <A href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestc

Whistleblowers in UK lack protection as employers lag behind global rivals
Less than half of UK employers have procedures in place to protect whistleblowers - halfway down a global league table of major nations. Just 40% of UK businesses surveyed by accountancy firm Grant Thornton for the <A href

Employees willing to work into seventies to fund decent retirement
Employees older than 40 are prepared to work well into their 70s to ensure a quality retirement, according to a study out this week. The fourth annual HSBC Future of Retirement study, which surveyed more than 20,00

Annual employment figures continue upward trend despite rise in benefit claims
UK employment levels continue to rise despite the economic downturn, official figures from the Office for National Statistics showed.</STRON

Government to extend flexible working rights to staff with children up to age of 16
The government has announced that the right to request flexible working will be extended to staff with children up to the age of 16. Business secretary John Hutton has accepted the recommendations of Sainsbury's HR directo

Met Police HR department celebrates achievements
Metropolitan Police HR director Martin Tiplady has hailed his department's achievements over the past 12 months a success. He told attendees at a celebratory event earlier this week that the force had

Post Office faces £2m payout over TUPE failures
The Post Office could be liable for a £2m payout if an employment tribunal rules that it acted unlawfully when closing Crown post offices. A tribunal will hear claims this week from workers represente

Shared services in public sector fails to make headway owing to workforce opposition
Lack of communication with staff is preventing public sector employers from making their HR departments more efficient, the local government efficiency agency has admitted. Siobhan Coughlan, principal consultant at the Impr

Flexible working request to be extended to training says Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown used the draft Queen's Speech to announce a new right to request time off work for training. Revealing his plans

Many graduates lack basic skills claims insurance industry
Many graduates entering the financial services industry struggle with basic literacy and numeracy skills, according to a survey by the Chartered Insur

Overhaul of discrimination laws into Single Equality Bill expected in draft Queen's Speech
A major shake-up of discrimination laws is expected to be announced in Gordon Brown's draft Queen's Speech today. Brown will outline the long-awaited <A href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/framewo

Recruitment demand hits four-year low for labour market
Demand for staff has hit a four-year low, according to the latest quarterly Labour Market Outlook survey of UK employers by the C

Sickness absence rates in public sector outstrip private sector by 55% in 2007
The gulf between sickness absence rates in the public sector and the private sector widened to record level in 2007, a major CBI/AXA report has revealed. Th

Former Royal Mail HR chief to head up Recruitment and Employment Confederation
Former Royal Mail HR director Kevin Green has been appointed chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The REC is the trade body that represents the recruitment industry with a membership made u

IT careers get the overwhelming thumbs-up from workers in the industry
Three in four IT workers would recommend the career to their children, according to a poll. A survey of 956 technology workers by online recruitment specialist The IT Job Board and rec

Employment tribunal awards £44,000 to prison officer victimised after whistleblowing case
A prison officer has been awarded £43,875 in damages after she was victimised by colleagues for appearing as a witness in a high-profile whistleblowing case. Emma Howie claimed fellow officers turned on her after she gave e

RMT strike vote: Network Rail HR chief asks employees to consider offers
Network Rail HR director Peter Bennett has called for the firm's employees to "consider carefully" before voting for national strikes this month. The RMT union <A href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1948276/RMT-un

Participation in adult learning falls on average by 3% says National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
The number of adults participating in learning in the past year has fallen, according to research published to coincide with Adult Learners' Week. A survey b

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