Online Personnel Sourcing

The Internet has brought about such changes as online employment listings, resulting in an onslaught of resumes that staffing/recruitment firms and companies continue to qualify, match and rank candidates with same tools from before the Internet. Since
job candidates expect an Internet speed response, recruiting/staffing firms and departments may be missing the best candidates. Standardization of the way they create job descriptions and accept resumes may solve many of their problems, according to Bruce Culver, a 20-year veteran of the staffing and recruitment software industry.

Overcoming the Downside of Online Personnel Sourcing

New Chair for EMCC UK

IOD Director of the Year 2005 award winner Zulfi Hussain has been elected to the chair of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council's new UK organisation.

New Chair for EMCC UK

USA - Unemployment situation

Unemployment rate edges up to 4.8%.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that payroll employment increased by 243,000 in February, and the unemployment rate went up marginally to 4.8%.

Canada - Unemployment falls

Unemployment down 0.2% to 6.4%

Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate fell by 0.2% to 6.4% in February, matching November 2005's 30-year low.

UK - Engineering Stereotypes

Classic stereotypes of engineers as men who are brilliant at and passionate about technology, but not very good at dealing with people, do not reflect real engineers and their work, according to Dr Wendy Faulkner from the University of Edinburgh. Moreover, such stereotypes are hampering efforts to recruit women into the engineering profession.

Sterotype of engineers puts women off the job

UK - Age Discrimination Regulations

Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson has published the final measures to outlaw age discrimination in the workplace in Great Britain. The regulations are the final major stage of implementing the European Employment Directive adopted in November 2000.

Age Discrimination Regulations

Global Learning

Learners around the Globe Access Training in Own Language and Culture, Right from their Desktop

Multinational Organizations Train Customers and Employees from China to South Africa, Germany to Australia

USA - The Green Score

Saba, Intekras Team to Help Government Agencies 'Get to Green'on President's Management Agenda

The Scorecard is part of the President's Management Agenda, a governmentwide initiative aimed at improving the efficiency of the federal government in five specific areas, including Strategic Management of Human Capital. The President's Management Agenda requires all departments and agencies to adopt new disciplines and has defined clear, governmentwide goals and a simple grading system of red, yellow, and green to track and measure how well the departments and major agencies are achieving those goals. To achieve a "Green" score for Strategic Management of Human Capital, agencies must demonstrate that they have implemented next-generation HCM systems that include performance appraisals linked to goals, succession planning, competency assessment, skill gap analysis and measurement of results at all levels.

Canada (Ontario) - Workplace Violence

One of the largest unions in Ontario has asked for workplace violence to be covered by the province's health and safety legislation.


Ontario Government Should Pay Attention to Workplace Violence

Canada - The Gender Gap Continues

The average earnings of female employees are still significantly lower than their male counterparts and women continue to make up a disproportionate share of Canadians with low incomes.

The Gender Gap Continues

USA/Europe - European Relocation

Businesses participating in a survey by Prudential Relocation, indicated that the most common reason they re-assign employees across national borders is to help ensure the success of the company's expansion into new markets.

Prudential Relocation European Survey Finds Business Expansion and Muti-Nationalism Spur International Job Assignments

USA - Jac Fitz-enz to Receive Award

The man who introduced metrics to the human resources profession in the 1980s, Dr. Jac Fitz-enz, has been named by IHRIM to receive its 2006 Chairman’s Award. The IHRIM Chairman’s Award is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves by making outstanding contributions to the general field of human resource information management. The award will be presented at the opening session of IHRIM’s HRMStrategies Conference, Monday, April 10 in Washington, D.C.

IIHRIM Names Dr. Jac Fitz-enz to Receive 2006 Chairman’s Award at Washington, D.C. Conference

USA - Performance Reviews

It happens at least once a year. Some employees may dread it, others may welcome it, but whatever the case, performance reviews are a must. Only 49% of American workers find managers take performance reviews seriously, according to a new survey by Adecco Staffing North America, a unit of Adecco SA, the world's largest workforce solutions provider. Furthermore, less than half of American workers (44%) say they receive constructive feedback and 47% of workers say they would feel better if the review process was a two-way street.

Only 49% of American Workers Find Managers Take Performance Reviews Seriously

USA - Federal Teleworkers

Report reveals new momentum in Federal telework, with 41 percent of responding Federal employees indicating that they currently telework - up from 19 percent at the same time last year. Validating the jump in participation, 43 percent of surveyed Federal teleworkers indicate that they have started teleworking in the last year.


Federal Telework Picking Up Speed

Australia - Commonwealth Games Labour Standards

Unions have expressed concern about souvenirs produced for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. They claim that souvenirs may have been manufactured in breach of the international labour standards previously agreed upon by the Games authority and unions.


Commonwealth Games Souvenirs Possibly Breach Labour Standards

Workstream Announces Workstream Development 6.0

Workstream Inc.(TM) (NASDAQ: WSTM), a provider of On-Demand Enterprise Workforce Management software, today announced the release of Workstream Development 6.0, a new addition to the Workstream TalentCenter suite, which can also be purchased as a stand alone product. The Workstream Development 6.0 product line significantly enhances the employee development capabilities the Company offers with particular emphasis on providing Human Resource organizations with tools to retain high potential employees and develop the quality of their overall workforces.

Workstream Announces Workstream Development 6.0

Poland - Hewitt Opens New Outsourcing Center

Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services company, announced today the opening of a new HR outsourcing center in Krakow, Poland. The new center, to be opened by Jim Konieczny, global HR outsourcing operations leader for Hewitt, extends the firm's global HR business process outsourcing (BPO) capabilities and furthers its ability to serve its growing number of global HR BPO clients.

Hewitt Associates Opens HR Outsourcing Center in Poland

UK - Flexibility

A survey of nearly 800 Institute of Directors (IoD) members highlights a changing work environment as the UK continues to adopt flexible and home working. The survey, commissioned by Avaya Inc (NYSE:AV), a leading global provider of business communication applications, systems and services, benchmarks the home working habits and practises of the UK’s business leaders and provides evidence of their lingering concerns over the productivity of workers when not physically present in the office. Based on these results, Avaya has proposed ten tips to help businesses address this issue and maximise productivity. At the forefront, Avaya recommends integrating effective communication practises into every aspect of the workplace, whether at home or in the office.

Leading Directors Set Standards for Flexible Working in the UK

New Version of HR-XML Standards Library

The HR-XML Consortium has given employers, business process outsourcers, and HR solution providers a reason to celebrate with the latest release of the HR-XML standards library. The release tackles new and diverse integration topics ranging from the provisioning and maintenance of outsourced HR systems, to the exchange of new hire data between applicant tracking systems and core HR systems. Among the new standards is an Assessment Catalog Specification that enables the exchange of test catalogs between assessment service providers and talent management systems.

HR-XML Tackles Key Integration Challenges in New Version of Its Standards Library

Salary Rarely Reason for Leaving

Only five percent of global executives surveyed cite inadequate or inconsistent compensation as the primary reason for leaving their last job, according to the latest Executive Quiz from Korn/Ferry International. Rather, lack of challenges or career growth (33 percent) topped the list of responses, which also included ineffective leadership (20 percent) and attractive job market alternatives (17 percent).

Salary is Rarely the Reason for Leaving a Job, Executives Say

Germany - Human Capital software

As a result of constant and rigorous quality certification testing, ExecuTRACK Software has once again proven its high standard of excellence in producing Human Capital management solutions. The renewed certifications for SAP NetWeaver, HR-XML Consortium, and Microsoft SQL Server 2000 reinforce the stability and quality offered by its flagship Web-based product, ETWeb(TM) Enterprise. In addition, ExecuTRACK has once again achieved the status of Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, the highest status achievable by Microsoft partner organizations.

SAP, Microsoft und HR-XML Renew Certification Of ETWeb Enterprise, ExecuTRACK's Human Capital Software Solution

Canada - Human Capital Management

Salesboom(TM) is announcing the expansion of its market-leading on demand Customer Relationship Management (CRM) service to include Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions. To be introduced with Salesboom Version 8 at the end of first quarter 2006, this latest addition will expand on current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) functionality integrated across Marketing, Sales, Service/Support and HR.

Salesboom(TM) to Add On Demand Human Resources Management to Hosted CRM Service

UK - Recruiters Struggling to Adapt as Hiring Targets Surge

Management consulting and IT consultancy recruiters revealed this week that they are struggling to meet a surge in demand for new hires. 90% of all recruiters in the sector believe the candidate market will be even tighter in 2006 than it was in 2005, leaving them with a candidate shortfall at a time when client demand is resurgent. Read on:

Recruiters Struggling to Adapt as Hiring Targets Surge

Businesses Failing to Control Internet Use

Employees are ignoring their organizations' Internet Acceptable Usage Policies (AUPs) according to a survey by network security provider SmoothWall. More at:

Businesses Failing to Control Internet Use

The New Learning Executive

A recent study has produced a picture of a new breed of learning executive - the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) - that has merged in the past decade. The challenge of running learning like a business and also making learning a critical contributor to organizational success requires a complex skill set. CLOs must run efficient learning functions that are both strategically aligned with and responsive to the needs of their organizations. More at:

The New Learning Executive

Psychopathic organizations

Psychopathic Organizations

Corporate responsibility researchers have found that many large organizations display the criteria psychiatrists use to classify people as psychopaths.

Meetings, meetings

Meetings, don't we hate them? Apparently, there was a doubling (at least) of meetings at work in the second half of the 20th Century. The implications have been little studied but recent research on the link between the experience of meetings and the effects on worker well-being has shown some surprising findings. Read on:

Meetings, meetings

Canada - Brain-drain

Canadian Brains on the Move

A study recently published by the C.D. Howe Institute shows that the slowdown of Canada’s productivity growth and the widening gap between Canadian and US per capita incomes in recent years has led to fresh concerns about a brain drain of highly qualified individuals and entrepreneurs.

Australia - Small Business

Wages Growth Putting Pressure On Profits for Small Businesses

Results from the December 2005 quarter St.George - ACCI Small Business Survey indicates that conditions for small businesses are mixed, with wages growth a significant issue.

Australia - WorkChoices

Controversy rages in Australia at the moment about the imminent changes in the country's Workplace Relations System(s). In a Melbourne speech, Kevin Andrews, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, gave his views on the WorkChoices initiative:

Minister Andrews talks about WorkChoices

Kevin Andrews' explanation of WorkChoices

USA - Employee theft

Jacent Technologies, the leading supplier of voice-ordering platforms for automating inbound telephone calls, today announced that customers are using Jacent(R) Voice Center to effectively track and control employee theft.

Restaurant owners are continuing to lose surprisingly large amounts of revenue to employee theft. Recent industry estimates put a price tag of almost $40 billion annually on employee theft in the US restaurant industry alone. The pizza restaurant industry is particularly hard hit since it is largely a cash business and that opens the door for many ingenious ways for employees to pilfer their employer that are very difficult to detect and prevent. This problem is so serious that The National Restaurant Association estimates that a full 30% of restaurant failures in this country are a direct result of employee theft. Read on:

Jacent(R) Voice Center Plays Key Role in Identifying and Controlling Employee Theft

USA - Brand Equity

New Unit Helps Companies Convert Workforce Contribution to Brand Equity

Application of the employer branding concept by the Boston-based firm of Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB). The firm announced the launch of its Workforce Performance Consulting Unit. The unit helps companies to take a decidedly "brand equity" building approach to managing their human resource as a strategic asset. At a time when data driven insights are crucial for prioritization, the unit relies on its deep roots in marketing science to gather information, derive insights and prioritize actions that result in alignment around equity building activities and behaviors.

USA - Retail Employees Not Entirely Happy

Retail Employees Not Entirely Happy

Workers in the retail industry provided one of the lowest ratings of their company as a place to work compared to other industries, according to a recent Hay Group Insight Employee Survey Benchmark Report. But they rated higher than average on job satisfaction. Go figure ...

USA - Race and the Accounting Profession

Accounting Industry Fails to Inspire Black Accountants

Why do so few African Americans succeed in the accounting profession? A preliminary analysis of results from a survey conducted among members of the National Association of Black Accountants shows that race continues to impact the careers of people of color in the accounting profession.

Australia - Employer of Choice for Women 2006

Employer of Choice for Women 2006

116 Australian employers have been awarded an EOWA Employer of Choice for Women (EOCFW) citation. More than a quarter (33) are in the education sector, including Australia's best-known universities.

USA - HRLogix New Corporate HQ

HRLogix, a leading provider of Web-based paperless hiring systems, has announced their move to a new corporate headquarters, located in Oklahoma City. Details at:

HRLogix Moves to New Corporate Headquarters

USA - Leadership and Development

Edge Training Systems, a producer of leadership and employee development solutions, announced the addition of new Instructor Led Training and Facilitation services.

Edge Training Systems Adds New Facilitation Program

UK - Training for Lifting

Training required for all staff whose duties include any lifting

Training is therefore required and employers are being urged to make sure that their staff are armed with the right knowledge in order that their health and welfare are protected. The answer for employers is indeed as simple as that, for if they provide staff with the correct training and equipment, the likelihood of any injuries is reduced, and importantly (for the employers) the risks of an injuries claim are reduced.

UK - Employment Situation

Employment Statistics

The unemployment rate has increased to 5.1% - up by 0.3% on the previous quarter.

Kaizen: A Missed Opportunity

Kaizen: A Missed Opportunity

N.G.Nelson examines the origins of "Teamworking" and the "Continuous Improvement Process", from its early beginnings in the Japanese automotive industry, to its adaptation by US and European industry in the mid eighties and throughout the 1990's to date.

Canada - Employment situation

Unemployment edges up

Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate edged up by 0.1% to 6.6% in January as more people joined the job market.

USA - Minority Professionals

Two recent surveys conducted for the American Advertising Federation (AAF) reveal that with an increased need for talent, advertising industry executives are facing significant challenges regarding recruiting, multicultural marketing and retaining minority talent.

AAF Surveys Reveal Significant Challenges in Recruiting Talent and Retaining Minority Professionals

Australia - Rise in Online Job Applications

Australian employers beware. Job seekers are on the move, posting 46% more job applications in January than at the same time last year according to SEEK Employment Index data. Full release at:
SEEK Employment Index - Job Seekers Out in Force: Job Applications Soar

UK - Nectar launches Sweeter Rewards

Loyalty Management Group (LMG) the company behind Nectar, the UK’s largest loyalty programme, has implemented flexible benefits for its employees in conjunction with thomsons online benefits.

Nectar launches Sweeter Rewards

Canada - Cutting middle management kills productivity

Companies that cut middle managers jeopardize their productivity more than save costs, a study from McMaster University suggests.

Cutting middle management kills productivity

USA - Generation Y Not Interested in Business as Usual

What served to motivate baby boomers in the business world may drive off members of Generation Y -- born after 1977 and next in line for rule of the country's corporate world, according to Texas Tech University experts in business.

Generation Y Not Interested in Business as Usual

Australia - Unemployment rises to 5.3%

Unemployment rises to 5.3%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also rises by 1,800 to 10,034,500 in January.

USA - Workplace Safety

Contrary to popular belief, today's workers are safer on the job than they are at home or in their communities. According to the National Safety Council, recent gains in lowering workplace death rates -- down 17 percent since 1992 -- have been undone by the rate of fatalities occurring off the job, up 14 percent in that same period.

Details at:
Off-The-Job Injuries Outpacing Gains in Workplace Safety, Says National Safety Council

UK - Work-life Balance Improving?

Stress levels among senior managers are declining, their work-life balance is improving and more people are working long hours because they enjoy their jobs, according to Roffey Park’s Management Agenda 2006 survey.

Article at: Managers Enjoy Their Work

Evaluating Training - Book Excerpts

Excerpts from Chapter 5, The Trainer's Handbook

1. Evaluating Effectiveness


2. Short-term Evaluation


3. Project Sessions


4. Case Histories and Practice Sessions


5. Examinations


6. Types of Exam Questions


7. Assessment Sessions


8. Self-evaluation


9. On-the-Job Evaluation


10. Long-term Evaluations


11. Bottom-line Evaluation

UK/Iran - Protest about Detained Activist

TUC protest at persecution of trade unionists in Iran

British trade unionists will today (Saturday) join an international day of action to protest against the imprisonment and beating of trade unionists in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

US unemployment falls to 4.7%

Unemployment rate falls to 4.7%

US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that payroll employment increased by 193,000, and the unemployment rate declined to 4.7 percent.

Canada - Ontario Minimum Wage

Ontario Minimum Wage Increases To $7.75

The Ontario government has raised the minimum wage for the third time since taking office.

USA - Kronos in Magic Quadrant

Analyst Firm Positions Kronos(R) in the Leaders Quadrant for U.S. Midmarket HRMS

Magic Quadrant Report Positions Kronos in the Leaders Quadrant Based on Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision

UK - Recruitment Fraud

Recruitment Fraud

Employers are increasingly at risk from so-called serial job-seekers who are hoping to trigger legal claims for discrimination.

Australia - Top Employer Priorities

Holding on to talent 'top of mind' for Australian employers in 2006

Holding on to existing employees is the highest priority for Australian organizations in 2006, according to the latest results from The Hudson Report.

USA - Splitting CEO and Chairman Roles

Board members are placing a priority on maintaining their independence from the Chief Executive and are increasingly advocating that the chairman and CEO roles be separated to promote a balance of power, according to a recent survey by global executive search and assessment firm Russell Reynolds Associates. While this trend is more established in Europe, data indicates that companies in the United States are increasingly following suit and rapidly heeding the call for the 'division of labor' between the corner office and the boardroom. More at:

Separation Of CEO And Chairman Role Increases, According to Russell Reynolds Associates' Survey

USA - Medical Care - South Carolina

ActiveHealth(R) (Active Health Management, Inc.), a technology driven, clinically based health management services company, has been awarded a contract from the State of South Carolina to provide CareEngine(R) clinical decision support services to the State's public employees and their dependents. Under the two-year agreement, effective February 1, 2006, ActiveHealth will cover more than 340,000 members of the State's Health Plan through its proprietary CareEngine technology. BlueCross Blue Shield of South Carolina, which administers the plan for the State, will work with ActiveHealth in this program, providing historical and ongoing data from medical claims. In addition, in light of the plan's longstanding relationships with providers in the State, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina will play a key role in provider relations efforts. Full release at:

Over 340,000 State of South Carolina Employees and Their Dependents to Benefit from ActiveHealth Management's CareEngine(R) Clinical Decision Support Services

USA - Principal Best Companies Award

With health care costs escalating and the future of Social Security uncertain, employer-sponsored benefits are more important than ever to the financial security of American workers. Companies that go the extra mile to offer outstanding benefits in this demanding environment deserve to be celebrated. Once again they have that opportunity, as the fifth annual search for The Principal(R) 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security has begun. Details at:


Wanted by The Principal Financial Group: Companies That Offer the Best in Employee Benefits

USA - Think you're underpaid? You may be wrong.

Nearly 60 percent of job searching workers claim to be underpaid - In fact some are overpaid. Read more in this article from January 18:

New Salary.com Survey Finds Workers Have Surprising Misconceptions about Being Underpaid

USA - Workplace aggression

Forty-seven million Americans are victims of workplace aggression

Almost half of U.S. employees have been subjected to aggression in the workplace, with customers, clients and patients being the main source of attacks

UK - Employment situation

Employment Statistics

The unemployment rate has increased to 5.0% - the highest rate for 2 years.

Student section - new pages

Updated student section - The first sections are being updated and expanded (more to come):

• Introduction to HRM


• Managing People


• People management


• Background and origins of people management


• Professional managers


• The human factor


• Human Relations


• Management theory


• Development of the personnel specialism


• Management thinking


• From personnel to human resource management


• The new managerialism


• Review questions and Case Study


• Section Quiz


• Defining human resource management


• Maps and models of HRM


• The Harvard map of human resource management


• Hard HRM


• Guest's Model of HRM


• Alternative HRM Models


• Discourse of HRM

Australia - Employment situation

Unemployment stays at 5.1%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment rose by 2,100 to 10,033,000 in December.

USA - Employment situation

Unemployment rate little changed at 4.9%.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that payroll employment increased by 108,000 but unemployment rate little changed at 4.9 percent.

Canada - Employment situation

Unemployment edges up

Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate edged up by 0.1% to 6.5% in December as more people joined the job market.

Canada (Manitoba) - Employment law

Amendments to Workers Compensation Act come into effect in Manitoba

Amendments intended to improve benefits, increase prevention, and strengthen accountability and governance measures came into effect January 1 2006.

UK - Unpaid overtime

TUC says 5,000,000 work a day a week unpaid

More accurately, 4,759,000 employees worked an average of 7 hours 24 minutes a week in unpaid overtime in 2005, according to a TUC analysis of the official Labour Force Survey figures.

UK - Employee relations

TUC New Year Message for 2006

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber's New Year Messages focuses on pensions as the major issue for 2006.

Job Interviews

Be Ready to Answer the Top 10 Job Interview Questions

The answers that you provide to the questions during the interview will demonstrate what the employer is most interested in: your confidence, skills, and knowledge of the job.

UK - Employment situation

Employment Statistics

More people moving into the job market, increasing both employment and unemployment levels.

Australia - Employment situation

Unemployment down by 0.1% to 5.1%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment rose by 28,000 to 10,030,400 in November.

UK - Scottish graduates

First destinations for Scottish graduates

Four out of 5 new graduates from Scottish universities and colleges are taking jobs in Scotland - and 90% of Scottish graduates are doing so.

Canada - Employment situation

Lowest unemployment in three decades

Statistics Canada reports that unemployment fell by 0.2% to 6.4% in October - the lowest rate in three decades.

USA - Employment situation

Unemployment rate remains at 5%.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 215,000 in November after two months of little job growth.

UK - Top Management Jobs

Top Executives Losing Out?

Watson Wyatt's 2005 Executive Reward Survey shows that, on average, FTSE 100 executives have seen falls in overall pay packages this year.


British Airways Cuts Management Jobs

British Airways has announced plans to re-structure the business and cut 35% (357) of its 1,715 management jobs by March 2008.

Stress

Stress is associated with a number of physical conditions including back-pain, susceptibility to viruses, chronic fatigue syndrome and autoimmune disease.

More at: Stress in the 21st Century

UK - employment situation

Employment Statistics

Employment is showing considerable growth and the level of unemployment is broadly flat at 4.7%.

Employee relations

New section in HR Topics about aspects of employee relations:

• Conflict, bargaining, involvement and well-being


• Employee relations as an activity


• Conflict


• Tribunals and arbitration systems


• The negotiating process


• Models of bargaining


• Employee involvement


• Employee involvement in practice


• Work-life balance


• Health and safety


• Stress

Overview of HRM

The final part of the HR Topics section has been re-built. New pages as follows:

• Overview of HRM


• The status and significance of HRM


• HRM and globalization


• HRM and 'best practice'


• Driving forces of HRM


• The impact of HRM


• What next?

UK - Pay

Gender Pay Gap Narrows

The median gender pay gap has fallen from 17.4% in 1998 to 13.2% in 2005. However, gaps between public and private sector workers and high and low earners are widening.

Australia - Employment situation

Unemployment up by 0.1% to 5.2%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment fell by 19,800 to 10,005,400 in October.

Canada - Employment situation

Lowest unemployment in three decades

Statistics Canada reports that unemployment fell by 0.1% to 6.6% in October - the lowest rate in three decades.

USA - Employment situation

Hurricanes had little effect on labor market conditions in October.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that payroll employment was little changed in October, and the rate of unemployment fell marginally to 5.0%.

Canada - Wellness

Alberta - Premier's Award for Healthy Workplaces

The Premier's Award for Healthy Workplaces is open to all employers in Alberta and recognizes Alberta employers with healthy workplace programs.

HR careers

The myths about HR careers

A new CIPD survey finds most HR professionals are happy with their career choice and would make the same choice if they started all over again.

Australia - Poverty and jobseeking

Jobseekers need better support

A new report from the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne Citymission and Hanover Welfare Services concludes that Australia's most disadvantaged job seekers are being given a raw deal under the Federal Government's Personal Support Programme (PSP).

UK - Age Discrimination

Age discrimination still rife

A survey of 2682 managers and HR professionals has shown that age discrimination is still commonplace.

UK - Unionising migrant workers

Better deals for Polish workers

A Polish union official joins the North West TUC to help Polish workers get a better deal at work.

UK - Health and safety

TUC responds to report on UK's poor health and safety record

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber welcomed a report from the the Crime and Society Foundation which concludes that unions are key to tackling the UK's poor health and safety record

Australia - Employment situation

Unemployment up by 0.1% to 5.1%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment fell by 42,300 to 10,022,800 in September.

UK - Employment situation

Employment Statistics

Employment rises by 103,000 over the previous quarter and unemployment also falls marginally.

Australia - Industrial relations

IR pincer movement to catch the poor?

The Brotherhood of St Laurence today warned that Australia's poorest households were at risk of being caught in a pincer movement between the Federal Government's Industrial Relations changes and its Welfare to Work strategy

Canada - Employment situation

31,000 more employed in the last quarter

Statistics Canada reports that unemployment fell by 0.1% to 6.7% in September - amongst the lowest in three decades.

USA - Employment situation

Hurricane Katrina adversely affected labor market conditions in September but effects not quantifiable yet.

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that payroll employment was little changed in September, and the unemployment rate rose to 5.1%.

UK - Minimum wage

National minimum wage increases to £5.05

The national minimum wage rates rise today

UK - Employment tribunals

Businesses losing confidence in tribunal system, say CBI

A report from the CBI (the employers' organisation) shows that British businesses have major concerns about the complexity of the new employment tribunal procedures despite a fall in the number of tribunal cases since the reforms were introduced last October.

Australia - Pacific Internet HR manager

Pacific Internet Limited, has appointed Louisa Gregory as their new Human Resources Manager. Details at:


New Human Resources Manager for Pacific Internet

UK - Reports

Two recent government reports are described here:

Factors Affecting the Labour Market Participation of Older Workers: Qualitative Research

New Report Focuses on Local Labour Markets

EU legislation

TUC Condemns Shelving of Temp Directive

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber criticised the announcement from Brussels that the EU's better regulation initiative will lead to the scrapping or shelving of the draft temporary agency workers directive.

Australia - Workplace relations

Deep divisions over workplace relations changes

Australia is deeply divided over changes to workplace relations legislation, according to the September 2005 Sensis® Consumer Report

UK - Skills

Government Presiding Over the 'Dumbing Down' of the UK Economy Says Union Chief

By failing to implement the best European working standards and importing the worst, the UK government is turning the UK into a third world economy says Derek Simpson, General Secretary, of Amicus.

UK - Skills

Passport Means Jobs for Cleaners

From today cleaners may need a skills passport to get work, according to industry voice, the British Cleaning Council (BCC).

UK - Flexibilty

Call centre worker receives £19,500 compensation after being denied flexible working

Communications giant Telewest has agreed to pay £19,500 in compensation after refusing to grant employee Deborah Clarke suitable flexible working arrangements to allow her to care for her baby.

UK - employee relations

Amicus Warns Companies to Comply With Information and Consultation Regulations

Amicus Assistant General Secretary, Tony Burke, warned today that companies that tried to get their employees to sign inferior information and consultation agreements would face a legal challenge from the union.

Australia - Flexibility

Teleworking in Australia

A recent report indicates that almost a third of Australians have experience of telework.

UK - Flexibility

Britain's Hidden Brain Drain

Britain's flexible and part-time working arrangements are failing to meet the needs of working women and men, leading to 5.6 million part-time workers – 4 out of 5 of Britain's 7 million part-time workers - working in jobs that do not use their potential, according to the results of a year-long investigation by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). Over three and a half million of these actually used higher qualifications or skills or had more supervision/management of staff in previous jobs, and a further 2 million believe they could 'easily work at a higher level'.

Canada (Ontario) - Computer operator guidelines

Health and Safety Guidelines for Computer Operators

The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Division has prepared a Health and Safety guideline for computer operators.

UK unemployment

Employment Statistics

Employment rises by 83,000 over the previous quarter but unemployment also rises marginally.

UK - MG Rover

MG Rover Workers Struggle to Find Work

More than six months after the closure of MG Rover in Birmingham, 60% of the workforce are still out of work.

UK - Skills

MOT Milestone Sees First 1,000 Car Technicians Sign up to New National Skills Tests

The UK's first national voluntary assessment system for technicians, Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA), has seen 1,000 technicians register since launching in June.

Canada - Unemployment rate

28,000 more employed in August

Statistics Canada reports that unemployment remained at 6.8% in August - amongst the lowest in three decades.

UK - Pensions

Amicus say the Government's Pension Assistance Scheme Will Fail Those in Need

Amicus say that only 20% of the people who have lost all or part of their pension entitlement after the winding-up of their schemes will benefit from the government's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) meant to help them.

Australia/New Zealand - Best employers

Australia and New Zealand's Best Employers

Hewitt Associates, the global HR services firm, has revealed its 2005 Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand results. The study is jointly managed by Hewitt Associates, The Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and AFR BOSS
magazine.

UK - Offshore workers

Amicus Push for Better Rights for Offshore Workers

Amicus, the union for oil workers, met with MPs and MEPs looking at the oil and gas industry yesterday to insist for better entitlements for people working offshore.

Australia - Employment

Unemployment stays at 5.0%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment rose by 32,600 to 10,067,500 in August.

UK - Voluntary sector funding

Voluntary Sector Funding Threatens Jobs and Vital Services

The voluntary sector funding regime is failing, threatening jobs and jeopardising service provision for some of the most vulnerable people in our society says Amicus.

USA - Employment situation

Employment Situation

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 169,000 in August, and the unemployment rate fell marginally to 4.9%

USA - Employee Assistance Programs

Long-term disability and employee assistance

Members can access an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering 'solutions-focused consultation' for a wide range of personal issues.

Canada - Saskatchewan minimum wage

Saskatchewan Minimum Wage Increases To $7.05

Saskatchewan's minimum wage will be increased by 40 cents an hour on Thursday, September 1 2005.

Canada - Managing Diversity

An index page for articles about Managing Diversity posted on HRM Guide Canada has been created at:

Canadian Managing Diversity Articles

Career Advancement

How to Reach Outside Yourself to Advance Your Career

As adults, we tend to forget the value of reaching out to others when we are in need of assistance.

UK - Disability Rights

Disability Rights Commission handles 500,000 enquiries in 5 years

Enquiries have surged since new disability legislation came into force in October 2004.

UK - Employment relations

An index page of selected articles from 2001-2005 has been posted at:

UK Employment Relations Articles

Victorian HR

Some articles from 1858-1859 which some people may find interesting/amusing. Count yourselves lucky that you are not Victorian domestic servants:

A Victorian Domestic Servant

The Victorian Employment Relationship

Mutual Obligations of Master and Servant

The Victorian Apprentice

The Victorian Character Reference

Victorian Appointments - including the Admiralty and Custom House

More Victorian Appointments - including the Inland Revenue, Post Office, Bank of England and East India House.

UK - Job Ads

Just 6% of job ads mention pensions

Employers are keeping quiet about their pension provision - or lack of provision - for new recruits, according to a TUC annual survey.

HR People

Nan Zieleniec Appointed Senior VP of HR at Developers Diversified Realty

Developers Diversified Realty, a Cleveland-based real estate investment trust (REIT), has appointed Nan Zieleniec as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

USA - Real earnings

Real earnings
reference page has been updated for July 2005 figures.

UK - Applicant Tracking

Cost v. Time

A quarter of the UK's workforce now expect to find their next job online but the UK's recruiters are still behind the game when it comes to their ability to realise and leverage the benefits of online applications.

Canada (New Brunswick) - Physicians pay increased

New Brunswick agrees physicians pay plan

The new agreement covers the period from Oct. 1, 2004, to March 31, 2008.

UK - Psychology of Management

Psychology of Management

The CIPD has developed a Certificate in the Psychology of Management designed to help those involved in managing people to understand employee behaviour and offer alternative and practical ways of achieving change.

Australia - Balancing Work and Family

ACTU - Balancing Work and Family

The ACTU says that the Howard Government’s own research report shows its individual
contracts (AWAs) are hostile to work and family balance

Canada - Job Strain and Retirement

Link Between Job Strain and Retirement

Job strain, caused by a combination of a heavy workload, time constraints, conflicting demands and lack of control, may be an overlooked factor in an employee’s decision to retire.

Canada (Quebec) - Employment law updates

New Anti-Smoking Bill Targets Workplaces and Public Spaces

(Quebec) On June 17, 2005, Bill 112 received Royal Assent and will come into force on May 31, 2006 with exceptions. Employers should start developing an agenda for effective compliance with the new requirements.

UK - Flexibility

Give us a 6.00am start

Many British workers would welcome the introduction of a 6am start, if they could go home earlier in exchange

USA - Absenteeism

Playing Hooky

An absenteeism survey conducted for Hudson showed that nearly a third (30%) of US workers admitted to taking a 'sick' day when they were not ill.

Decision Making

You can view any decision making as solving a problem - in fact any kind of thinking task could be called problem solving.

More at: Decisions and Problem-Solving

Job Satisfaction

Women are more satisfied with their jobs

Recent research in Australia and New Zeakand by Human Synergistics, a specialist NZ leadership and culture company, shows that men tend to be more dissatisfied at work.

HR Glossary

Definitions of 60+ human resource terms are available at:

HR Glossary A

HR Glossary B

HR Glossary C

HR Glossary D

UK HRD Articles

An index page has been created for UK human resource development articles published on HRM Guide between 2003 and 2005 at:
UK Human Resource Development Articles

US Recruitment articles

An index page of articles published on HRM Guide USA 2003-2005 has been posted at US Recruitment Articles

UK Recruitment Articles

An index page for articles on recruitment published on hrmguide.co.uk has been posted at: UK Recruitment Articles

Applicant tracking

USA 90% vs. UK 10%

Only around 10 per cent of HR professionals in the UK within large organisations use applicant tracking systems, as opposed to approximately 90 per cent in the US.

Canada - Job market

An index page has been created for articles about the Canadian job market published on HRM Guide between 2001 and 2005.

See: Canadian Job Market Articles

5 Hot Resume Tips

5 Hot Resume Tips

The purpose of a resume is not to land you a job, but rather to get you in the door for an interview.

Australia - Retail Careers

Retail careers are rarely intentional

Retail is rarely a first choice of career, with most people who work in retail having 'fallen into it'.

UK - Age discrimination

Age discrimination proposals

The UK Government has published draft measures to give over 65s the same rights to unfair dismissal and redundancy payments as their younger counterparts under new measures to outlaw age discrimination in the workplace.

Career Networking

Build Your Rolodex of Networking Contacts

How important is networking in your job search? Take a look at the astonishing numbers surrounding how job hunters ultimately become gainfully employed.

Australia - Recruitment Ads

Newspaper Ads Down, Web Ads Down in June

Major Metropolitan newspaper job advertisements were down 1.9% in June and internet job advertisements fell by 2.5% according to an ANZ report.

Canada (Alberta) - Employment of minors

Restrictions on the Employment of Minors

(Alberta) Additional guidelines regarding hiring of employees between the ages of 12 to 14 in the Food and Restaurant industry