Category Archives: Employment

Careers, Employment, HR, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment

Carers and Social Workers Recognised in Reed Carer of the Year 2010 Awards

Launched this month, the Reed Carer of the Year Awards 2010 will recognise outstanding contributions made by exceptional individuals working in Care and Social Work.

Created in 2009 to recognise some of the fantastic contributions made by individuals working in these challenging areas, the Reed Carer of the Year Awards are run by Reed Social Care Jobs, in association with Sue Ryder Care. The awards are open to anyone working within Social or Domiciliary Care, and each national category winner – the Reed Carer of the Year 2010 and the Reed Social Worker of the Year 2010 – will receive £1,000 of holiday vouchers.

Members of the public, clients, service users, fellow carers and social workers can nominate any individual who they believe has demonstrated extraordinary commitment in a caring capacity. For each Award nomination1 received by Reed Social Care up until the 31st May closing date, the recruitment specialist will donate £8.70 to the Sue Ryder Care charity towards an hour of care.

Regional Winners will be announced in early June, and these outstanding individuals will each receive a prize hamper, certificate and progress to the national final of the Reed Carer of the Year 2010 Awards. This event takes place on 2nd September 2010 in London at The Waldorf Hotel, which this year is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary – just as recruitment specialist Reed is celebrating it’s formation 50 years ago.

Via EPR Network
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Employer Demand Drops 3% In March, As Reed Job Index Reads 102

Mixed signals for the UK economy on brink of Election call as demand for top finance and business services staff rises 4%.

Employer Demand Drops 3% In March, As Reed Job Index Reads 102

Demand from UK employers for new workers fell back overall in March, according to the Reed Job Index published today (Tuesday 6 April 2010).

The number of new job opportunities fell by 3 Index points (3%) to give a Reed Job Index reading of 102 in March compared to February’s high of 105.

In contrast, demand for key business services professionals across finance, general insurance and marketing rose in March. Employer demand for staff in these career sectors increased by 5 Index points (4%) compared to February, indicating growing confidence in this pre-recessionary heartland of the British economy.

Each month the Reed Job Index tracks the number of new job opportunities on offer compared to the previous month and against a baseline of 100 set in December last year. The Reed Job Index is based on data from the UK’s largest job board, reed.co.uk, which every day lists over 90,000 job opportunities from 8,000 recruiters across 37 career sectors throughout the UK.

The Reed Job Index figure stands at 102 in March, a 3 point decrease compared to February’s high of 105 – although it is still 2 points above December last year when the Index baseline was first set at 100.

However demand remained high for staff across the business services sector. New vacancy numbers rose most for Qualified Accountants, General Insurance plus Strategy and Consultancy professionals, with increased demand for Marketing and PR, and Banking staff close behind.

Demand fell most for Engineering, Scientific, and Manufacturing staff, demonstrating the continued weakness of these sectors in spite of the extra government support for them announced in last month’s Budget.

At the same time, the Public Sector Reed Index figure stands at 79, with demand for new staff lower in this sector than any other – although it has risen slightly above February’s low of 76.

Interested in recruiting? For more information on recruitment and jobs offered by Reed Specialist Recruitment, please visit their website reedglobal.com.

Via EPR Network
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Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations, Employment, Health & Welfare Plans, HR, HR Consulting, HR Education, HR Services, HR Solutions, Human Resources, Management, Staffing Services, Team Building, Training & Safety

Argyll ‘Blac and Blu’ In Fight Against Lone Worker Violence

Argyll, the UK leader in lone worker safety introduces ‘Blac’ for Blackberry devices and ‘Blu’ for Windows Mobile devices, two new Health & Safety software applications that are specifically designed to discreetly monitor those at risk, remove the need to deploy expensive ‘specialised’ devices for those personnel deemed at lower risk, maximize the employer return on investment case through significant added value services and still comply with legislation.

Following feedback from clients, Argyll has recognised that many employers are now deploying mobile technology such as Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices in a bid to improve productivity for their remote workers. Argyll has also recognised that employees do not always require, or desire, to carry two devices and that in the current economic climate, where employers are striving to keep costs under control, employers are keen to reduce the numbers of sim cards being deployed.

‘Blac°’ & ‘Blu°’ enable any ‘at risk’ Lone Worker with a GPS equipped Blackberry or Microsoft Windows Mobile device or mobile phone, to maintain reliable contact with an in-house response team and a BS8484 compliant end-to-end solution incorporating a police preferred status Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).

Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker service provider, is providing free links and advice for any organisations seeking to control ‘lone working’ which is highlighted by the HSE as one of the highest risk exposures for prosecution under the CMCHA. The information is available via the company’s website and enables employers to properly understand the current legislation and contains helpful advice and guidance to assist them fulfil their duty of care for lone workers.

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HR Consulting Firms Offer Fast Track To OSHA Safety Compliance

Against the backdrop of industrial tragedies in Virginia and Louisiana that together took the lives of over 40 workers, employee safety and compliance with related regulations is once again a hot-button issue, particularly among small and medium sized businesses which might not have the needed expertise within their own HR departments. National PEO, one of the nation’s leading HR consulting firms, has announced that it now offers safety compliance services tailored to meet the needs of some of the largest business sectors in the country, including: manufacturing, health care, food service and construction.

HR Consulting Firms Offer Fast Track To OSHA Safety Compliance

National PEO’s reputation among Human Resources consulting firms is built on years of experience, including 30 years combined among senior management and over a decade in operation. In fact, company founders helped to write legislation governing the PEO (Professional Employer Organization) industry. By offering comprehensive safety compliance services to its clients, National PEO removes the barriers to one of the most complex and difficult to implement components of a comprehensive Human Resources strategy. Workers are protected and companies benefit from reduced exposure to industrial accidents and safety code violations.

While other HR consulting firms offer programs to help companies comply with applicable safety regulations, none offers the comprehensive approach offered by National PEO. Included in its program is a safety inspection of a client’s premises conducted in the same methodology and approach employed by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), complete with written report and photographs. In addition, a safety audit can be performed, which goes into additional detail including a review of the client’s existing safety policy (as well as any Hazardous Material management plan), review of OSHA logs for the past five years, review of any corporate safety training programs and a detailed review of any accident reports along with supporting documentation. After analysis, the client is offered assistance in rectifying any oversights and in complying with OSHA regulations. This might include consultation in developing a comprehensive corporate safety program complete with safety training classes for employees. While the expertise needed to accomplish compliance may not be available within a smaller company’s own HR department, National PEO has the experience to offer safety compliance services that fill the gap. National PEO also offers the OSHA 10 and 30 hour outreach classes for both the general industry and construction industry.

Established in 1999, Arizona-based National PEO is one of the oldest and most experienced hr Consulting Firms in the US. Its executive team boasts a combined 30 years in the Human Resources industry. National PEO offers a wide range of HR services including payroll, benefits, recruiting, training and development, IT, labor law compliance, worker’s compensation and Safety Compliance Services . For further information about National PEO or its safety compliance program, please contact John Rico using the following contact information.

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Careers, Employment, HR, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment

Foster Care Associates Announces UK Cycle Challenge

FCA, the UK’s largest independent fostering agency, will be stepping up its foster carer recruitment drive with a range of activities organised throughout the UK during this year’s Foster Care Fortnight (17th-30th May 2010).

Following the path of the FCA Cycle Challenge, which sees two members of the FCA team cycle f r o m Land’s End to John O’Groats, FCA will be staging a range of activities and events to coincide with the cyclists as they stop off en route. FCA staff and foster carers will be invited to attend the events and participate in fundraising activities.

Two representatives f r o m the FCA Western office, Chris Benjamin and Morris Gooding, will be putting their power behind the pedals to undertake the Cycle Challenge. Chris and Morris are relishing the prospects that the challenge presents in raising awareness of fostering and encouraging more people to consider becoming a foster carer.

“Cycling is something we have both been involved in for many years – primarily for long distances,” commented Chris. “Land’s End to John O’Groats presents a massive challenge for us, but very exciting too. We’ve both been working hard in preparation – in the gym and out on the road. Of course, there’s an element of apprehension about the scale of this challenge, but we’re also motivated by what we’re looking to achieve – raising awareness of foster care and the desperate need to address the huge shortage of fostering families across the UK.”

The events mark an ongoing foster carer recruitment campaign by FCA, in a bid to plug the 10,000 shortfall of foster carers across the UK. It will serve to build upon the success of the recently launched carer-recruitment focused FCA website, which will play a key role in this initiative through tracking the cyclists as they make their way up the UK and posting regular updates and reports.

“This Cycle Challenge represents a really exciting initiative for FCA,” said Louise Withers, external communications manager, FCA. “The enthusiasm shown by all of the FCA team and foster carers has really shown that we’re in the spirit of things. It will form part of our ongoing drive not only to recruit foster carers across the UK, but to engage with our existing pool of foster carers.”

Chris and Morris will be s e t t i n g off f r o m Land’s End on the morning of Saturday 15th May and expect to arrive in John O’Groats by the end of Foster Care Fortnight 2010.

Via EPR Network
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Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna’

Millions of Americans facing long-term joblessness may find greater success in finding a new career rather than trying to reclaim what was lost says Washington-based success coach Eva Jenkins. Jenkins, who is herself re-tooling due to the economic meltdown, suggests a path of self-reinvention modeled on the ultimate ‘quick change artist’…Madonna.

Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna'

As corporate economic belt-tightening makes the prospect of new positions in old places unlikely, Eva Jenkins urges the more than 15 million Americans who are looking for work to think like Madonna. “Madonna has remained a top pop icon for nearly three decades,” observes the Washington-based career coached. “It’s because she has consistently reinvented herself to fit changing times.”

Jenkins believes that a Madonna-like willingness to let go of the past and see new possibilities in the future is “the best antidote to a toxic employment environment.”

Leading by Example
Jenkins, herself, is a victim of the times. The founder of V.I.P. Innovations, one of Washington’s premiere resources for managing ‘human capital,’ Jenkins spent 20+ years working within corporations to facilitate effective communication from top to bottom, inside and out. But as the corporate bean counters have slashed budgets and human resources programs, she has found herself with fewer and fewer clients. “I knew I had to find a new way to ‘spin’ my skills,” she explains.

She reassessed her strengths and nimbly made the transition from working with human resources departments to simply working with humans. She offers one-on-one career coaching to the newly and long-term unemployed. She calls herself a ‘guide,’ noting that she sought out this new role not by choice, but as a by-product of the current economy.

“My new role seems to be a true calling,” she observes. “And in the process of helping others find out who they are, I have also been discovering my own path.”

Jenkins strives to build positive business relationships with her clients. “The best way I know to inspire people as their coach is to ‘walk the walk’ not just ‘talk the talk,’” she says. In this way, Jenkins serves as a role model for her clients. “I model the behaviors I want my clients to emulate such as the willingness to take risks, and a willingness to be vulnerable, authentic and open in their communication,” she explains.

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Recession Has Created Demand For Generation R Employees

Joslin Rowe has revealed that the recession has created demand among companies for a new class of employee known as Generation R, with 68% of City employers recognising Generation R as an emerging labour market force.

Generation R is a term coined to describe those professionals who were retained during the recession, escaped redundancy, worked in far leaner teams and thus progressed faster than usual as they took on the work of more senior ex-colleagues.

According to research across 571 professional bankers, lawyers and accountants in London, 70% stepped up to the more technically demanding responsibilities that redundant colleagues left behind and 81% gained more experience and a wider skill set during the recession than at any time in the boom years. Now the recession has eased, 73% believe they are performing at a level above their current job title – and want recognition and reward for their achievements.

The Generation R trend has been identified by Joslin Rowe, the UK financial services recruitment agency of the world’s second largest HR and recruitment services group, Randstad. Joslin Rowe Managing Director, Tara Ricks, said: “Filled with confidence as to their own abilities and what they can offer, Generation R has high expectations as to what their next move should be. Some initial research we’ve conducted across our banking recruitment desks shows that many assistant vice president (AVP) level candidates feel they operated at a junior vice president (VP) level during the recession and therefore will only move on to a competitor, or stay at their current firm, in return for a VP title.”

City employers are also fast becoming aware of the Generation R phenomenon. Of the 163 surveyed, 70% agree that the employees they retained in the recession are more proficient and commercially aware thanks to their experiences over the last 18 months. 59% acknowledge they have discovered future ‘stars’, who weren’t apparent before the recession forced employers to give smaller teams increased responsibilities. Over a third of organisations (37%) also stated they feel pressure to progress their existing staff to the next level (title wise) faster than would usually be the case, because of their recent track record.

Interestingly, 53% of hiring managers admitted they have a preference at CV stage towards candidates who were retained during the recession as opposed to those who were made redundant. Tara Ricks believes this has more to do with the high demand for Generation R CVs than any negative reflection on candidates who were made redundant:

“It’s not that losing your job in the recession is seen as a stigma rather that being retained during the worst economic downturn in modern history carries so much kudos. Employers only have to look internally at the people they retained to know they possess a unique set of skills, so it’s only natural to want to entice the same Generation R population from their competitors. It’s almost a form of Guerrilla warfare – as companies start to focus all their efforts on attracting and retaining the very best Generation R employees.”

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Acas Reports Increase In Those Seeking To Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

Acas, the employment relations service, has released new figures that reveal the number of businesses and employees which are trying to avoid employment tribunal claims continues to rise in recent months.

Acas Reports Increase In Those Seeking To Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

Monthly calls to the Acas helpline which, have resulted in being referred to the early conciliation service - pre-claim conciliation (PCC), have almost doubled since September. The free service aims to settle workplace issues which could escalate to an expensive tribunal.

By the end of February 2010, 8,304 PCC referrals had been made from the Acas helpline since the service was launched to accompany changes to the Employment Act in April 2009. Acas estimates that over 5,000 employment tribunal claims have been avoided already.

Rising demand for the service has resulted in a steady increase in referrals culminating in over 2,700 in the last quarter of 2009. The first quarter of 2010 is on track to exceed this figure by at least 20%. At the moment around 300 referrals are being received every week on average, and Acas expects this number to rise to about 400 during 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair said: “This data indicates that workers and employers are increasingly taking steps to avoid employment tribunals. The current economic climate has created difficult workplace challenges for managers, HR professionals and employees. The earlier issues can be sorted out, the more likely people will remain in productive employment in the workplace.

“The service is quick. Over half of all resolved cases are completed in around three weeks instead of the six to nine months that most tribunal claims take We have a responsibility to support the economic recovery by resolving workplace disputes early on and in doing so, avoiding costly, stressful and time consuming employment tribunals.”

The PCC service was launched in April 2009 alongside the new Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures following the Government’s Dispute Resolution Review in 2007.

Via EPR Network
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Joe Kiedinger Launches Program To Help People Connect Better With Co-Workers, Spouses And Children

Joe Kiedinger, founder and Brander-in-Chief of Prophit Marketing of Green Bay, believes that the number one killer of employee job satisfaction and workplace engagement is tension caused by unhealthy relationships and perpetual misunderstandings.

To help employers reduce tension and ultimately increase the level of employee satisfaction with their lives at both work and at home, Kiedinger is launching the About Me Card Program, an employee engagement system combining breakthrough communication approaches with supporting software.

The core of the About Me Card Program involves a practical personal assessment that reveals individuals’ fundamental motivations that are most essential to their happiness. With this information, human resources staff, business owners and managers can better understand what drives employees at the deepest level and can assist them with performing their jobs in a more meaningful and productive way.

Kiedinger is holding a premiere event for the launching of the About Me Card Program at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, at the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay. The event is free and open to the public and is being held in partnership with Junior Achievement. The event will include a presentation by Kiedinger, a demonstration of the software, a panel discussion, and live entertainment featuring Let’s Be Frank Productions.

Appearing on the panel will be Mark Skogen, President/CEO of Festival Foods; Dan Swift, General Manager of Dahl Automotive Group; Angela Owen, President of TBL Leadership Partners; Tom Thibodeau, Director of the Servant Leadership Program at Viterbo University; Chris Elliott, Managing Director of About Me International; and Kiedinger.

At the event, attendees will get a glimpse of two About Me Card Programs that will be released in 2011, About Me Kids and About Me Teens, as well as several technological enhancements involving social media.

According to Kiedinger, the About Me Card Program offers important benefits for employers. “When this program is applied to a business, it allows people to communicate clearly without misunderstanding, reduce conflicts, cut tension, hire right and match employees to jobs that fit their talents. In short, this tool creates a whole new level of cooperation and connection between people at work,” he says.

Kiedinger adds that “while all of these factors contribute to increased profitability, what is special with this program is that it helps employers do the right thing—make life better for their employees.” In addition, he says the program is also unique in that it helps facilitate the development of leaders across organizations.

Kiedinger says the most notable feature of the About Me Card Program is its simplicity. “I like to call it a ‘Monopoly’ property card except that instead of being about property it is about a short list of rules to help people successfully connect with one another. The software enhances the experience by allowing people to communicate effectively at the click of a mouse. No other assessment offers this level of immediacy and practicality while providing relevant individualized information,” he says.

Kiedinger says the About Me Card Program is an ideal culture-building tool that can easily become a company’s training program or be integrated into an existing training program. He also says the program can help improve employees’ personal lives by minimizing if not eliminating workplace tension that they would typically bring home with them at the end of the workday.

The About Me Card Program is already being used by a wide array of organizations, and the initial results have been very positive, according to Kiedinger. Organizations that are currently using the program include the United Way of Brown County, Festival Foods, Trig’s, Dahl Automotive, Al Huss Auto & Truck, The Selmer Company and TBL Leadership Partners. In addition, the program is scheduled to be used by a Campbell’s Soup Company plant in Texas in May.

Kiedinger notes that the About Me Card Program continues to draw inquiries from a variety of interested parties, including some organizations from China.

A white paper on the About Me Card Program is available. “How to Produce Highly Motivated and Engaged Employees in the Face of Today’s ‘What’s In It For Me? Workforce’ ” is available at www.aboutmecard.com.

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National PEO Relieves Companies of the Confusion and Hassles Associated with the Arizona Everify Compliance Requirements

National PEO, a leading provider of PEO services in Arizona and across the nation, offers an Arizona Everify service. As new regulations and laws governing businesses are established, the process of running a business grows increasingly complicated. Small to mid-sized businesses often find that back office duties take up more time than revenue-producing activities. The Arizona Everify regulation is another in a long list of chores that businesses must comply with. With no end in sight of regulations and back office duties, more and more businesses are turning to the professional HR Consulting services of National PEO.

The E-Verify program is an internet based system operated by The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau. Although the system is set up to be user friendly, it is vitally important that precise steps are followed. Many businesses are finding that this system, added to the multitude of other back office duties, results in mass confusion. A mistake with the Arizona Everify requirement can result in possible suspension or even the loss of a company’s business license. This thought can send chills down the back of a business owner.

The HR Consulting team at National PEO can alleviate that fear as they work to process each new hire and rehire made by a company. The team will follow up on any discrepancies in a timely manner in order to comply with federal deadlines. Businesses appreciate the fact that the HR Consulting team also answers employees’ questions and audits the I-9’s and employee filing system.

Additionally, National PEO keeps businesses informed of changes to federal and state laws related to immigration. This comprehensive service means that businesses are relieved of unnecessary stress and they can focus on the duties that bring in profits instead of time consuming administrative tasks.

National PEO has the expertise and professional team members that can help any business run more efficiently and therefore, more profitably. They provide services ranging from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, Arizona Everify and beyond. Besides having extensive knowledge of laws and regulations, National PEO HR Consulting professionals can also assist businesses with such things as document translations or even Spanish speaking tutorials for staff and management. Whatever Human Resource need a business has, National PEO has a solution that will result in a higher profit margin.

National PEO works to help businesses have more time to spend doing profit-producing activities and less time in the back office working on administrative tasks. Their renowned HR Consulting services include a wide range of the basic to the unexpected. Small to mid-sized companies across Arizona and the nation have found National PEO is unmatched in its professionalism and extensive knowledge. Services offered range from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, and even Arizona Everify compliance requirement services. In essence, National PEO works with companies to fulfill Human Resource needs, remedy problems and provide solutions.

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SafeShores Group Release ‘ARCHANGEL’ The UK’s Largest Personal Safety System

Archangel is the largest personal safety system currently deployed within the UK. Originally conceived in 1998 and marketed as ‘Communicare’ by Argyll – www.argyll-loneworker.co.uk – the UK leader in lone worker monitoring, Archangel has developed significantly and currently supports over 30,000 end users managing key risks that span multiple industry sectors. In 2010, Archangel’s backbone technology was instrumental in assisting Argyll when, following extensive trials, they became the police preferred specification for use in domestic violence applications.

Archangel is the first fully integrated wide area personal safety monitoring system and is a comprehensive, secure, service platform designed for use by monitoring centres (e.g. call centres; CCTV; Telecare; or BS5979 Alarm Receiving Centre’s), delivering healthcare, personal safety and security services for commercial operators, employers and public sector agencies in pursuit of their duty of care under current health & safety legislation and emerging lone worker standards such as BS8484.

Personal risk management requires more than just software or devices it requires an holistic approach to all aspects of supporting people while working or living alone. This is why Archangel is designed to satisfy five key principals:

1. Risk Management
2. Location Management
3. Solution Management
4. Incident Management
5. Compliance Management

Archangel assists in the measurement and control of risk through the introduction of safer working practices for remote/mobile workers and discreet remote monitoring of vulnerable persons.

This aids:

Staff to take control of the risk at source by carrying out their own dynamic risk assessment and by enabling them to take sensible proactive measures that ensure their own safety Monitoring providers and responders to co-ordinate and deliver effective and appropriate assistance exactly where it’s required Employers – to achieve compliance with current Health & Safety legislation Carers – to provide discreet and comprehensive support for vulnerable individuals under their care.

Support is achieved through the combined use of layered, interactive and time based risk management software; electronic location information management; a choice of appropriate mobile devices and applications plus secure Internet services for local day-to-day management. The system is designed to provide care and response support to a wide range of vulnerable persons irrespective of the device being carried or their geographic location and without placing unnecessary resource burdens on response teams.

Archangel provides end users with simplicity of use, operational suitability and technical competence. Fundamentally it provides vital comfort, remote dedicated support and reassurance of safety.

For employers and carers Archangel facilitates compliance with legislation, offers productivity improvements, improves social relations and morale and provides simple administration via Internet services enabling management of the corporate H&S policy.

Archangel provides ARC’s with simplified operator interfaces and subscriber alarm workflows. Automated alarm escalation and filtration processes plus automatic and manual incident report generation with fully auditable performance and productivity measures enable demonstration of compliance with industry standards. High volume call traffic handling, intelligent routing, access to management information, flexible reporting and friendly, reliable support are just as important.

It is Archangel’s total commitment to these standards that has built our reputation for delivering an industry-leading risk management solution.

Main Features:
Police preferred specification
Over 30,000 end users
Modular technology, flexible and scalable architecture
Integrated location mapping
Secure Internet services for dynamic control
Supports personal mobile phones, blackberry and windows mobile devices
Supports a choice of accredited, specialist manufacturers, health, safety and
wellbeing devices
A choice of 3rd party developer applications
Compliance and audit reports
BS8484 lone worker standard compliant.

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Controlling Corporate Manslaughter Risk Through Effective Lone Worker Solutions

With the recent drastic increase in the consequences for firms contravening health and safety legislation, Tom Morton, CEO of Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker solutions provider, advises why organisations should mitigate their risks associated with lone working.

The release of new sentencing guidelines for courts (issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in February 2010) have raised the stakes for companies convicted of corporate manslaughter offences. The new law applies to every organisation within the UK and provides an effective route to securing a conviction in the event of a fatality, if it can be proved that a company was in breach of the ‘Duty of Care’ owed by the organisation to its workers by virtue of the way in which its activities are managed or organised. In addition to the existing threat of civil actions being taken by staff, unions or family members, and the costs of defending any action taken, the fine recommended for a public corporate manslaughter prosecution to be imposed on any business is now £500,000 or greater. Not only will the organisation face this unprecedented fine, but it may also be burdened with the additional costs of a remedial order and a publicity order.

Fines of this scale can have a devastating impact on small and medium-sized businesses with modest turnover and profit figures. In the case of very large businesses, the fines issued could be much higher than this minimum and the guideline suggests these will reach into millions of pounds.

However, these financial penalties are only part of the story. Courts are also empowered to issue remedial orders, requiring businesses to address any specific health and safety failures that it hasn’t already dealt with, but the final coup de grace is potentially the most damaging element of any corporate manslaughter sentence: the publicity order.

A business served with such an order is required to make a public announcement giving details of the offence committed and the financial penalty imposed. The court will dictate how this announcement must be made but it is expected that national and local press announcements and a message on the business’s own website will be usual practice. The reputational damage caused by a publicity order could end up costing businesses (especially large household names) far more, and take much longer to recover from, than any financial penalty the court can issue. The potential costs of complying with a remedial order and publicity order will not be taken into account by the court in setting the fine and will be a further drain on businesses that may already be facing unprecedented financial pressure.

In the 2008 TUC safety representatives survey, working alone was the sixth main hazard of concern for safety representatives. Recent research shows that 1.3 million people are attacked in the UK every year at work and assaults are increasing by 5% every two years. The rise in workplace violence now costs UK industry hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation and the loss of more than 3 million working days each year.

Health & Safety has been pushed to the top of the corporate agenda by the newly introduced legislation that threaten grave legal and financial consequences for those not exercising an adequate ‘Duty of Care’ for staff exposed to risk whilst operating as Lone Workers. In a nutshell, Trustees and Directors must consider every possibility when assessing the risk faced by Lone Workers and including the impact risk to the organisation.

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High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative Announces New Executive Director

As of February 5, 2010 The High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative has a new Executive Director, Kenneth C. Collins, Sr. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Kenneth served as the Initiative’s Green Building and Small Business Advisor.

Linda K. Jones, Co-Founder of the Initiative and its Executive Director since its launching in October, 2008, is stepping down effective February 5, 2010.

Serving as Executive Director of the High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative has been a very rewarding experience and I take tremendous pride in what we have been able to accomplish. As I transition to my campaign for State Assembly, I will continue to work towards expanding the clean energy economy in the High Desert and the high paying new jobs that come with it” Jones said.  “I leave confident that under the leadership of Kenneth Collins Sr., the HDRGJI will continue to thrive and grow, serving our community by supporting economic and workforce development to bring green jobs to our region” she concluded.

“ I am looking forward to leading the Initiative for 2010 and beyond. Linda K. Jones’ and Co-Founder Ann Vanino’s vision to link economic and workforce development to bring green jobs to local residents has set a strong foundation for my work . Our key goals in 2010 are to bring green jobs training to the region, work with local government organizations to increase community awareness of the benefits of the growth of the region’s green economy and work with our stakeholders to develop public/private partnerships advancing energy and water efficiency and renewable energy projects in the region.” said Kenneth Collins

Kenneth Collins brings to his new role experience as a building contractor and real estate broker as well as 20 years experience as a Signal Systems Supervisor for The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Kenneth attended Alpine Elementary School in Littlerock, CA for five years. After receiving an Aerospace Avionics Certificate from Antelope Valley College, he worked at Rockwell International on the B-I Bomber. Kenneth is a resident of Lancaster, CA.

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FCA Launch New Website Addressing The Shortage Of UK Foster Carers

Foster Care Associates (FCA), the UK’s leading Independent Fostering Agency (IFA), has launched a new carer-focussed website to step up its campaign to recruit new foster carers throughout the UK.

FCA Launch New Website Addressing The Shortage Of UK Foster Carers

With a current shortage of up to 10,000 foster carers in the UK, FCA decided to enhance their online activity as part of their extended recruitment drive.

The new site provides potential foster carers with a guide to all of the considerations a foster carer may face, as well as developing into a general fostering-focussed information resource. Geo targeting has also been introduced to ensure intensive focus on the main cities across the UK.

Kevin Smith, Online Manager at FCA said: “As part of our online strategy, we’ve conducted extensive keyword research to identify what fostering-related terms people are typing into the main search engines. We want to make sure that FCA appears in the search results for all generic fostering related terminology. This website allows us to do that. It also confirms our position as a market leader in the foster care industry.”

The new website also boasts a postcode search tool so that foster carers can find their local office, a glossary of the main terminology relating to fostering children, extended detail about the different types of fostering placements and services delivered, an informative video library and an FAQ section.

“We appreciate that potential foster carers want to learn more about the local support services available in their area, and new features on the website such as the postcode search tool allows us to do that,” said Marie-Louise Allred, Marketing Manager at FCA. “We expect it to become a valuable resource in addressing the shortage of foster carers across the UK.”

Moving from a Local Authority based website (where the key focus was to promote FCA’s fostering services to Local Authorities across the UK), the website now provides a guide for potential foster carers and existing foster carers, as well as helping Local Authorities and Health Trusts to access information.

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Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

Winning a new role in today’s highly competitive job market requires a level of application that many part-qualified accountants may have thought was only required when preparing for their professional examinations.

Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

Here are a few simple tips from recruitment experts Reed Accountancy to help you take your next step in finding your next accountancy job. Know where you want to get to Only when you know where you want to get to can you work out how to get there.

Having this clarity for your career is crucial in enabling you to properly spot and evaluate the less obvious opportunities, which may not bring you an immediate big jump in salary or responsibility, but which will provide you with enhanced longer-term personal and career development opportunities.

What makes you different?

The next thing to do is work out what your Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) are.

Your USPs are those aspects of your background, achievements, skills, experience and expertise which will help you to stand out from other applicants and be of most interest and value to a prospective employer.

How to stand out

Now that you know what your USPs are, you need to decide how to market yourself so that your application immediately stands out positively from the inevitable mass of others that an employer will have received.

Make sure your CV is concise, punchy and customised with your relevant achievements, qualifications and experience. Don’t include clichéd phrases like “works well as part of a team” or “highly motivated self starter”. Instead, concentrate on showing where and how you have added value to previous employers, using specific and quantified examples.

Also, be aware that business acumen and a commercial awareness are valued in accountancy professionals just as much as they are among in other disciplines. By showing that you possess these important skills, in addition to your core accountancy qualifications and experience, you will make yourself a much more interesting candidate for any organisation looking to maximise their profit or surplus.

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What Else, Apart From Qualifications, Will Help You Climb The Career Ladder?

Having the appropriate accounting qualifications is essential as you seek to find your next accounting job, but employers take much more than proven technical aptitude into account when considering who to recruit and who to promote. And this broader approach isn’t limited to finance roles in the private sector: in the public sector and in practice too, recruiters look for a broader range of skills from applicants.

hat Else, Apart From Qualifications, Will Help You Climb The Career Ladder?

A few years ago, in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals and the subsequent introduction of the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate governance requirements, compliance and control were paramount. IAS, IFRS and technical ability were all and we were firmly within ‘The Age of the Auditor’.

The role of the accountant continues to change and evolve, and now business acumen, commercial awareness and first rate people skills have become the number one priority. At the moment, not all accountants are ready and able to face this new set of challenges…..

For almost 20 years, Robert S Kaplan of Harvard Business School has said that accountants need to “spend less time dealing with financial accounting, audit and tax”, arguing that more time should be spent on “operations, marketing strategy and behavioural and organisational issues”.

Kaplan has certainly now got his wish, as throughout 2009 Reed Accountancy and Reed Finance have been inundated with requirements from employers who specify they want candidates who “demonstrate MD or CEO potential”.

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HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

Redundancies and pay freezes were commonplace in the HR profession last year, revealed the Reed Human Resources Salary Survey 2010. Although some sectors were affected more than others, overall there was a slight fall in the UK average salary for HR professionals of 3-6%. However, early indications of increased activity in HR recruitment at the start of 2010 show organisations are gearing up to recruit again and gives some cause for optimism for the year ahead. With more signs of economic recovery now being reported, optimism among HR professionals is growing and only 39% of HR departments said they were unlikely to raise their headcount in the next 12 months.

HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

Demand for Talent Management, Recruitment, Reward and Learning & Development specialists is already increasing, as employers look to strengthen their organisations by bringing in, developing and retaining the best people to help their organisations succeed in 2010.

“2009 was a tough year for the HR profession as a whole, but the outlook for 2010 is positive and there are solid foundations upon which HR can build itself back up,” said Reed Human Resources Divisional Manager Jason Willis.

“In recruitment terms, we expect to see a swing from the Public Sector back towards the Private Sector as the year progresses. As for salaries, these should edge back up as the recovery strengthens and demand for both HR generalists and specialists increases.”

Summary of 2009

HR practitioners with niche skills sets generally came through the recession best, with Organisational Development and Compensation & Benefits specialists in most demand.

On a function level, the standing of HR in many organisations actually rose through the downturn. HR functions played an important role not only managing redundancy and the effects on those who remained, but also often worked closely to advise board directors on organisational restructuring, skills deployment and development. In most regions and industry sectors the highest paid branch of HR is Organisational Development, where the UK average salary for an OD Manager is £53,719. In-house Recruitment tends to be the lowest paid specialism, with the UK average salary for a Recruitment Manager being £34,913.

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Nearly Three Quarters of Finance Professionals Say They Will Look for A New Job In 2010

Levels of optimism are much higher than six months ago among finance professionals and their employers, according to the 2010 Reed Accountancy & Reed Finance Salary and Benefits Guide – which polled over 200,000 jobseekers and 40,000 employers in a wide range of sectors across the UK.

With 59% of employers optimistic about improving trading conditions and 71% of individuals saying they intend to look for a new finance job in 2010, retention of key finance staff will be a challenge across the public sector, private sector and also within accountancy firms this year.

Despite last year’s much-publicised pay cuts and pay freezes, the majority of finance professionals reported receiving slight pay increases (1.5 to 2.5% on average). Pay rates in the public sector rose by the most (between 2.5 and 3%). The recession created increased demand for more specialist finance roles – in particular within audit, recovery, restructuring and change management.

2010 – A year of change

Even though 43% of individuals said they felt secure within their current position, with growing levels of confidence there is likely to be a rise in the movement of finance professionals between organisations throughout 2010. The survey uncovered notable discrepancies between the perceptions of employers and employees: 71% of employers said they believed their employees were loyal to their organisation. Meanwhile, while only 25% of employees felt that they are rewarded adequately in their current role – suggesting that pay rates will become an increasingly important factor in a ‘war for talent retention’ in the coming year. Financial analysis, financial risk management and compliance will continue to be key skills in demand during 2010, while aspiring jobseekers will be attracted to perceived fast-growth sectors such as energy (from nuclear to renewables), digital technology and online media.

Reed Finance Director Tim Vye commented: “With the UK emerging steadily out of recession and a general election before the summer, 2010 may be an uncertain year for some employers. However, recruiting and retaining the best finance talent will be a priority as the job market moves away from being employer-driven. “2010 will also mean fresh changes for finance professionals in all market sectors. 64% of respondents in our survey said the role of the accountant has changed significantly over recent years, with a far greater need for people skills, strategic thinking and commercial acumen.”

Recruitment within Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has shown encouraging increases recently. Many employers are increasingly looking for finance professionals with ‘future boardroom potential’.

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Acas Urges Businesses To Improve Employee Engagement

Acas, the employment relations service, is encouraging UK businesses to prepare for the potential economic up-turn by focusing on employee engagement.

In its new discussion paper Acas highlights the simple procedures that can increase employee engagement in the workplace, to improve staff retention, increase morale and encourage greater productivity.

It also indicates that there is a good case for focusing on employee engagement as a business priority. Employees who are committed to their work are much more likely to behave in a positive, cooperative way. Engagement is therefore a benefit to both employees and the business.

Ed Sweeney Acas Chair said: “The recession means that a lot of businesses have experienced a challenging period. Inevitably, this has had a knock-on effect on employees and morale. As we approach what might be the beginning of the end of the downturn, business leaders and managers have a responsibility to encourage an open business culture.

“There is plenty of evidence which suggests strong employee engagement can help boost the bottom line. Our advice to businesses is that by engaging properly with staff, organisations will put themselves in a better position to emerge from the recession in a healthy position.”

The discussion paper also highlights the important role played by line managers but argues that they should not work in isolation. It also suggests that to be effective, they need good teams around them and senior managers who support the same values and demonstrate the same kind of behaviours. These include open communication, regular positive feedback and an emphasis on personal skills and development.

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Veteran Background Screening/Investigative Team Starts A Michigan Location

Providing pre-employment background checks for some of the nation’s largest employment screening corporations, Florida-based GPS and Associates announces the opening of a new office in Michigan. The veteran team of professional investigators will now provide criminal records checks, employment screening and international investigative services from offices located in Florida, Tennessee and now Michigan.

Veteran Background Screening/Investigative Team Starts A Michigan Location

One of the few background-screening corporations that is also an investigative agency, GPS, specializes in providing “hands on” criminal history background checks in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.

Investigators at GPS provide nationwide document retrieval and investigative services to banks, insurance companies and private and corporate groups. GPS investigators are licensed in Florida and Tennessee, and bring more than 27 years of experience to all types of investigations.

“GPS has been instrumental in furthering a stricter hiring standard in the industry that provides pre-employment background checks. We play a key role in ensuring that employers keep the criminals out,” says Andy Gomez, President and CEO.

A licensed investigator, Gomez was one of the first to offer nationwide employment screening services. Today, the company’s pre-employment screening services include criminal record searches, civil litigation searches, bankruptcy filings, comprehensive background reports, corporate searches, drug testing, education verification and more. Documents can be retrieved at all levels, from local to global (upon request).

Julye Bakos, Vice President and Private Investigator, speaking recently at an investigators’ forum, stated that”GPS always goes the extra mile, not just to screen a profile but also to investigate carefully, confidentially, and conclusively any candidate that we do a background check on.”

In addition to on-site criminal background checks extending to Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands, GPS conducts all investigative services, including arson, due diligence, death, comprehensive background, insurance, worker’s comp, theft, fraud and the full range of investigations. Surveillance and debugging services are also available through GPS.

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