UK - Office Parties

Two new articles on this subject:

Preliminary findings from the CIPD annual Reward Management survey suggest that manufacturing firms are half as likely to provide a Christmas gift in 2006 and the number throwing a Christmas party has dropped from 71 per cent in 2005 to 60 per cent this year.


Employers Cut Back on Christmas Rewards

A new survey of almost 5000 managers by law firm Peninsula suggests that the majority are concerned that this year's office Christmas parties will lead to employment tribunal claims because of bad staff behaviour.

Office Party Warnings

Canada - 'Toxic' Communication

North American companies are suffering from "toxic communication," say experts at Juice Inc., a consulting firm for leaders who want to boost their organizational energy levels and employee engagement. They suggest that if a hall of shame for corporate communications existed, the true stories in this article would be solid contenders for a display case.


How to Avoid 'Toxic Communication'

UK - Apprenticeships

A new report from the CIPD finds that despite Government efforts, take-up of apprenticeships by large employers remains limited.

Combined Effort Needed For Apprentice Training

USA - Offshoring Could Save $58 Billion a Year

New research from The Hackett Group, a strategic advisory firm and an Answerthink company, estimates that Fortune 500 companies could potentially save US$58 billion annually, or over US$116 million on average, by off-shoring many of their back office activities.

Offshoring Could Save $58 Billion a Year

UK - Eastern European Migration Falling

Recent Home Office figures show that the rate of migration from central and eastern Europe is falling.


Migrants Boost Labour Market

Australia - NSW wages going backwards, say ACTU

New research by ACTU appears to show that workers in New South Wales are being hard hit by the Government's industrial relations laws with average wages for full time employees falling by AS$33 a week in real terms over the last year.

NSW wages going backwards, say ACTU

UK - FTSE 100 executives pull ahead

A new survey has found that the strong performance of many FTSE 100 companies is reflected in significant increases in the total direct compensation for CEOs and other board directors, mostly in the form of bonuses and other elements of 'at risk' pay.

FTSE 100 executives pull ahead

UK - Work and Families

A new survey by CIPD/KPMG finds that many employers believe that the implementation
of new legal rights for working mothers and fathers will cause them difficulty.

Most employers anticipate difficulties coping with new rights for workers with family responsibilities

UK - Age Discrimination

A new report in the journal Hazards indicates that over one-third of UK workers believe they will be unable to do their current job by the time they are sixty. In the last six years the UK has slipped from first to sixth in the European league table in this respect. The report argues that employers should stop using bogus health and safety excuses to get rid of older staff or avoid recruiting from this age group. Instead they should make more effort to keep the ageing UK population in work and off benefits.

One third of UK workers fear they will be unfit for work by 60

USA - AMA Change Survey

More than 80% of executives say that the pace of change is speeding up in organizations all over the world. And seven out of 10 say that their organizations experienced disruptive change during the last year. That’s according to a new global survey released today commissioned by American Management Association (AMA) and conducted by the Human Resource Institute (HRI).

AMA's Agility and Resilience Survey Reveals Effects of Change on Business

UK - Acas advises on Christmas parties

Christmas is a happy time - or is it? People can get overexcited and may act out of character. We've all heard the story about employees photocopying certain parts of their anatomy on the office photocopier. But what can an employer do about it?

Acas gives companies free 'Happy Christmas Party' advice

UK - Employment Situation

Unemployment rises to 5.6%

Employment Statistics

USA - The Job Journey

Sacramento-based The Job Journey is changing the employment outlook for Generation Y students and employers across the U.S. Still in its first year as a nationwide offering, the soft-skills development program is in use by Intel Corporation, Gates Foundation-funded Sacramento New Technology High School, PECO Energy Corporation, public, private and federally-funded schools, and by youth advocacy groups in nine states across the U.S., including California, Washington, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Alabama, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Innovative Program Takes on Generation Y Employment Issues, Changing Education and Employment Paradigms Across the Nation

NZ - Youth Pay Rates Discriminatory

Youth pay rates for 16 and 17-year-olds are discriminatory and breach the basic concept of equal pay for work of equal value, says EEO Commissioner, Dr Judy McGregor.

Commission backs abolishing minimum wage discrimination

NZ - Employment Situation

In seasonally adjusted terms, the labour market eased slightly in the September 2006 quarter, with a small fall in the number of employed, Statistics New Zealand said today.

High Employment but Labour Market Eases

USA - Effects of the Brain Drain on Health Care

Baby boomers are nearing retirement, which has caused concern over the potential for workforce shortages, particularly in the health care industry. As analysts make their predictions for the future, Compdata Surveys reviewed salary trends over the last few years for four positions: radiology director, licensed physical therapist, staff pharmacist and registered nurse. According to the Compensation Data annual survey of more than 5,300 employers, salaries have grown rapidly for radiology directors, licensed physical therapists and staff pharmacists over the last three years in the United States, while registered nurses have seen increases in supplemental pay and benefits.

Effects of the Brain Drain on Health Care

UK - Working Time Opt-out Not Necessary, say TUC

As European ministers meet to discuss the future of the UK's opt-out from the Working Time Directive's 48 hour limit on the average working week, the TUC has today (Tuesday) published a new analysis of official figures showing that the UK 'does not need an opt-out' any longer.

UK 'doesn't need long hours opt-out'

UK - Recruitment Industry Booms

Turnover in the UK’s recruitment industry, which has hit the highest levels on record, is a strong indicator of the current growth within the UK economy, the annual industry report has revealed.

Record High in Recruitment Industry Turnover Reflects Strong Growth in UK Economy, Annual Report Reveals

UK - Management Jargon

A survey for Investors in People finds that 54% of employees in the UK regard management jargon as a source of communication problems.


Management Jargon Baffles Employees

NZ - Asians, Cultural Attitudes and Sexual Identity

A recent New Zealand study finds that lesbians, gays and bisexuals of Asian origin are less open than other New Zealanders about their sexuality because of differing cultural attitudes. This has significant implications for professionals, especially those in health and social work.

Asians, Cultural Attitudes and Sexual Identity

Canada - Employment Situation

Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate fell by 0.2% to 6.2% in October, accompanied by an increase of 51,000 in the number of people employed.


Canadian Unemployment Falls By 0.2% to 6.2%

USA - Employment Situation

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports payroll employment increase of 92,000 in October and fall in unemployment rate to 4.4 percent.

US unemployment falls to 4.4%

USA - Human Capital Institute Launches New Education Program

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a global professional association and educator in talent management strategies, announced today that it has launched a new education program aimed at providing key executives, line managers, and human capital professionals with the newest ideas, most effective tools, and best practices in talent acquisition, alignment, engagement, deployment, measurement, retention, and other strategic practices.

Human Capital Institute Launches New Education Program