The People Bulletin

This week I have been considering the concept of fresh starts and new beginnings. In the workplace this is traditionally associated with a change in career or moving to a new role, but I have to wonder whether this always has to be the case? It is difficult for any employer in the current climate to provide a list of new opportunities for their staff but not impossible. If an organisation can successfully foster a culture of creativity and innovation then shouldn’t a feeling of ‘freshness’ automatically follow? Difficult? Well, maybe but I would like to think that with a strong employee communications strategy and solid leadership, not impossible. Welcome to The People Bulletin! Leila Hutchins

News

• Britain’s employers rely on outdated methods to train their staff
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  A new survey from the CIPD has shown that traditional methods of workplace learning are considered to be the least effective way to train staff – however these methods still dominate learning and development programmes.

• Unearthing the roots of unemployment
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  Over 10% of the European Union’s working age population is now unemployed and this climbs to 22.4% for those under the age of 25. But is unemployment simply the outcome of the economic downturn or are other important factors at work?

• Employee who made offensive comments on Facebook fairly dismissed
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  An industrial tribunal has provided a useful example for employers of the circumstances in which it can be fair to dismiss an employee for offensive comments made about a work colleague on Facebook.

• Supreme Court mandatory retirement ruling
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  Following the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in the Seldon and Homer cases can employers justify a compulsory retirement age and what about indirect age discrimination?

Pay & Benefits

• Is the nine-to-five working day on the way out?
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  Flexible working can provide businesses with an added advantage in times of recession. Dean Hunter, discusses how organisations may be able to improve productivity and profitability through flexible working schemes.

Training & Development

• Ensuring the future health of organisations through real leadership
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  Good economic times can hide poor or inept leaders but in weaker economic times flaws quickly begin to show. Graham Jones discusses.