Hot HR Update

Amazing news - Hot HR has now reached the 1000 mark - with over 1000 members the group is going from strength to strength. Thank you to all those that have contributed and are using the group, I hope you continue to find the group of use.

Welcome to all new members, we hope to see you joining in discussions and utilising the group to it's full potential.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for the group, please do not hesitate to contact me.

On 20th October Hot HR ran an event in Leeds 'Social Media - The Right Way' in partnership with Ward Hadaway law firm covering using social media for recruitment and legal and legislative aspects of social media. This was a great success, many thanks to all those that attended. If you would like any information please do not hesitate to contact me.   

A round of what happened in the group this week:

Ward Hadaway Speed Read - W/C 17th October
1.TUPE – When is it effective to vary contracts?
2.The cost of accommodating employees
3.Foreign doctors will be required to meet minimum standards of English

To read more join Hot HR.

Discussions:
1. Hi all, I have been tasked with drafting an Absence Policy & don't know where to start. Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions?
2.HR Software
Hello, i am currently looking to introduce a new HR Software package does anybody have any recommendations or are using a good piece of kit. We have circa 300 staff and are using Sage at the moment. All info gratefully received!
 
Please share your thoughts and experiences by joining Hot HR.

Hot HR content members:
• Harmajinder Hayre Employment Lawyer from Ward Hadaway Solicitors
• Stephen Hart owner of Edenchanges training
• Andy Whittle from Genesys Training
• David Taylor from Data Protection Consultancy
• Mark Terry from Edenred Employee Benefits
 . Jenny Cooper from Key Steps Coaching for Stress Management

Please use Hot HR as a forum to ask the content members any questions you might have in their fields of expertise, no matter how big or small the question, our experts can help!

Hot HR continues to endeavour to add to the portfolio of content members who can add value to the group and to Hot HR members and to compliment each other's skills and expertise. If you have any suggestions for the group please contact me.

Hot HR Hot Spot:
We have 4 regular writers for the Hot Spot - Michael Rabone, HR Manager for The Seafood Restaurant group owned by Rick and Jill Stein, Tim Rawson HR Manager from Travel Jigsaw, Caroline Hackney from Cape and Alison Mulholland from nef.

Thank you to Michael, Tim, Caroline and Alison for their contributions. Please support their articles and dedcation to the group and feel free to respond, ask any questions or if you would like join the exciting Hot Spot writers please contact Alex via Hot HR.

Hot HR Update 10-14 October

With 980 members the group is going from strength to strength. Thank you to all those that have contributed and are using the group, I hope you continue to find the group of use.

We welcome all new members, please recommend the group to all HR Professionals you may know and who are in your network.

Here is a round of what happened in the group this week:

Ward Hadaway Speed Read - W/C 10.10.2011

1. Disability discrimination - making adjustments for employees.
2. Dismissing with notice - what employers should be aware of.
3. The importance of keeping in touch with absent employees.
4. New legislation.

To read more join Hot HR.

Discussions:

1. Public and private sector, is there a difference to a good HR professional? People are people wherever you go, but the business infrastructures and cultures can undoubtedly be different. Thoughts?

2. Rewarding full attendance - a good move for positive reinforcement, or is it just throwing extra at those who've simply earned their salary by turning up as they're supposed to?

3. I'm looking at carrying out some in depth profiling for our sales team. Can anyone recommend ways of doing this?

Please share your thoughts and experiences by joining Hot HR.

Hot HR content members:

• Harmajinder Hayre Employment Lawyer from Ward Hadaway Solicitors

• Stephen Hart owner of Edenchanges training

• Andy Whittle from Genesys Training

• David Taylor from Data Protection Consultancy

• Mark Terry from Edenred Employee Benefits
. Jenny Cooper from Key Steps Coaching for Stress Management

Please use Hot HR as a forum to ask the content members any questions you might have in their fields of expertise, no matter how big or small the question, our experts can help!

Hot HR continues to endeavour to add to the portfolio of content members who can add value to the group and to Hot HR members and to compliment each other's skills and expertise. If you have any suggestions for the group please contact me.

Hot HR Hot Spot:

We have 4 regular writers for the Hot Spot - Michael Rabone, HR Manager for The Seafood Restaurant group owned by Rick and Jill Stein, Tim Rawson HR Manager from Travel Jigsaw, Caroline Hackney from Cape and Alison Mulholland from nef.

Thank you to Michael, Tim, Caroline and Alison for their contributions. Please support their articles and dedcation to the group and feel free to respond, ask any questions or if you would like join the exciting Hot Spot writers please contact Alex via Hot HR.

Hot HR Update 3rd-7th October 2011

With over 960 members the group is going from strength to strength. Thank you to all those that have contributed and are using the group, I hope you continue to find the group of use.

We welcome all new members, please recommend the group to all HR Professionals you may know and who are in your network.
Here is a round of what happened in the group this week:

Speed Read from Ward Hadaway:
1. Discrimination - making those at fault accountable for their actions.
2. Government Proposals for Employment Law Reform.
3. New legislation set to promote transparency in the public sector.

 To read more join Hot HR.

 Discussions:
1. Social Media - help needed
2. Has anyone got a social networking policy they are willing to share? we are just working on our and would value other view points
3. What's wrong with the C word? 
4.Hi, I'm looking to speak to people who deal with induction training or other forms of staff training at their company.  
          
Hot HR content members:

• Harmajinder Hayre Employment Lawyer from Ward Hadaway Solicitors

• Stephen Hart owner of Edenchanges training

• Andy Whittle from Genesys Training

• David Taylor from Data Protection Consultancy

• Mark Terry from Edenred Employee Benefits

. Jenny Cooper from Key Steps Coaching for Stress Management

Please use Hot HR as a forum to ask the content members any questions you might have in their fields of expertise, no matter how big or small the question, our experts can help!

Hot HR continues to endeavour to add to the portfolio of content members who can add value to the group and to Hot HR members and to compliment each other's skills and expertise. If you have any suggestions for the group please contact me.

Hot HR Hot Spot:

This week's hot spot was written by Michael Rabone on Graduate Recruitment.

Please let us know what your thoughts are on this article and share your experiences f graduate recruitment.

We have 4 regular writers for the Hot Spot - Michael Rabone, HR Manager for The Seafood Restaurant group owned by Rick and Jill Stein, Tim Rawson HR Manager from Travel Jigsaw, Caroline Hackney from Cape and Alison Mulholland from nef.

Thank you to Michael, Tim, Caroline and Alison for their contributions. Please support their articles and dedcation to the group and feel free to respond, ask any questions or if you would like join the exciting Hot Spot writers please contact Alex via Hot HR.

Hot HR Hot Spot on Graduate Recruitment from Michael Rabone

Graduate Recruitment

Michael Rabone, HR Manager for The Seafood Restaurant group owned by Rick and Jill Stein in Padstow, Cornwall considers the impact of labour market changes on graduate recruitment.

Having been given a fantastic career opportunity with a large company that offered a graduate placement programme, it is a topic that I’ve remained close to as I feel that graduate recruitment is an important part of a balanced approach to resourcing. Prior to recent news regarding university fees, the volume of individuals with a degree, coupled with recent changes to the economy and labour market, appear to have had a significant impact on the volume of graduates looking for work. 

Whilst some businesses have cut their graduate recruitment, others appear to have maintained or even increased the number of opportunities provided. I recently met with a recruitment officer from PwC and they are currently recruiting for 1,300 graduates for their latest intake; incredibly, they have encountered some graduate recruitment challenges in the South West and it left me wondering what we can do to help individuals to fulfil their potential and for businesses of all sizes to take advantage of the fantastic opportunity that currently exists.

There are some circumstances locally that have created a bottle-neck for graduate recruitment that may sound familiar; limited ‘large company’ graduate schemes, increasing opportunities to study degree-level qualifications locally and a reluctance to relocate all combine to make for a potentially difficult situation if you happen to be looking for a graduate level job. 

This opportunity creates plenty of room for innovation and a fantastic graduate recruitment scheme in Cornwall called ‘Unlocking Cornish Potential’ has so far placed over 750 graduates into micro businesses and SMEs in order to provide a large company style graduate programme when the business infrastructure would be unlikely to be able to support such a scheme in-house.

The collective effort to develop local graduates is incredibly inspiring; a two week ‘stand out from the crowd’ programme offers a fantastic opportunity to develop knowledge and awareness of a vast array of topics that will help graduates to prepare for their next career move, including tips on applying for graduate roles, entrepreneurial skills, business skills and an insight into assessment processes along with the opportunity to network with guest speakers from local businesses that recruit graduates. Twelve month graduate placement programmes, graduate business start-up support and under-graduate placements make up the options available to those seeking graduate level opportunities in the local area.

Cornwall’s Convergence funding (European Social Fund) gives the process a valuable boost, offering graduates a training and development budget in additional to potential wage subsidies that are geared towards assisting business start-ups to attract graduate talent at rate they never thought would be possible.

I’ve been very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to give something back to the graduate recruitment process by getting involved as a guest speaker and mentor for those looking to develop HR careers. We’ve now recruited eight graduates into our company through this particular scheme, with contract extensions offered to each individual that has completed their twelve month graduate programme.

One fantastic benefit of being involved is the potential that you get to see; two individuals that have been appointed to graduate roles within our business were identified via the ‘stand out from the crowd’ programme as it quickly became apparent that they were exactly what we were looking for.  We have continued to offer graduate roles with the support of this particular scheme; something that certainly wouldn’t be as easy if we tried to manage the process in-house.

There’s no doubt that the graduate market has changed; I’ve seen a major shift away from new graduates that are fresh out of university towards a number of individuals that have made a decision to re-train, be it for a new challenge or the difficulty of being made redundant. There are now a number of experienced graduates seeking to re-enter the labour market that can demonstrate a track record of skills and experience to back up their academic achievements, something that gives an extra dimension to the graduate market.

The interesting aspect is that many of the graduates I have met are looking for the right opportunity with a company that could support their longer-term career goals and it doesn’t necessarily mean that a specific graduate programme is required to tempt an individual into an opportunity.

The competition out there is substantial, which can only be a good thing for us as employers. The only question that remains is whether we have the means as employers to maximise the potential that this opportunity may bring?