Category Archives: Human Resources

Careers, Employment, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Salary, Wage

Salary Expectations In 2012

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TopLanguageJobs, Europe’s Number 1 Specialist Provider of bilingual jobs and multilingual job vacancies makes projections on the UK and Europe salary expectations for 2012.

toplanguagejobs.jpg (180×333)Aytac Irfan of TopLanguageJobs commented: “With average salaries rising for some countries in Europe and others falling, we will probably see an overall dip by a small percentage. But hopefully only for Q1 & Q2. ”

With Greece , Portugal and now Egypt having IMF loans to fill their own budget gaps and to avoid bankruptcy, Europe is bound to see a small drop in employment figures for the end of 2011 & 2012.

With UK banks such as Lloyds still awarding bonuses to top employees of up to 420% their base salary, this is not set to conclude any time soon.

In Germany the Deutsche Bank CEO is touted to head the IMF which will surely bring stability and a more conservative view to proceedings in Europe.

In the UK cuts continue with strikes imminent from the civil service union over issues of pensions, job cuts and pay. Ballots will decide whether they go on strike and hopefully effect decisions made by the government. These decisions will be key to the economic stability in 2012 so we must all monitor the situation closely and hope for a brighter future.

About TopLanguageJobs

Top Language Jobs, Europe ‘s No. 1 specialist language recruitment job portal.

We operate the largest European network of bilingual jobs & multilingual jobs websites and have 1000’s of bilingual jobs available online from leading language recruitment agencies & employers in London, UK & Europe.

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How Salaries In Europe Compare

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TopLanguageJobs, Europe’s Number 1 Specialist Provider of bilingual jobs and multilingual job vacancies studies salaries across Europe and is surprised by results.

toplanguagejobs.jpg (180×333)

Aytac Irfan of TopLanguageJobs commented: “Even with the single currency, some countries average is lower than the minimum wage of another.”

Serbians average salary is lower than that of the minimum wage of Croatia . With an average pay of 353 Euros, Serbians earn 32 less than that of the minimum pay of Croatians.

Germans still pay the most social security per employee and company with averages of around 12% of total earnings for both. Slovakia pays the least with totals around 2% of overall earnings.

French employers make the most social security contributions paying out a whopping 17% across the board.

Poor Greece has seen a fall of around 10% in change in earnings since the effects of the last recession and bankruptcy. Portugal on the other hand has seen a rise in change of earnings of 2% even with the bailout of 2011 by the EMU.

Across the globe Soccer stars continue to earn more with an average increase of 12% this year.

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A Strong CV Is Key To Avoiding Graduate Under-Unemployment

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Following the news that more than half of all graduates are either out of work or stuck in menial jobs some six months after leaving university, Guardian Jobs are today stressing the importance in preparing a good CV to give you the best chance of success in the jobs market.

A study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that 52% of last year’s university-leavers, that’s 15,655, were unemployed or under-employed six months after graduating.

20%, that’s 59,000 graduates, had no job this year, the highest amount in a decade and double when the recession began in 2008. Worse still, it’s estimated that some 55% of 2011 graduates will be unemployed or under-employed six months after leaving university.

A spokesperson for Guardian Jobs said today “These findings and predictions by the CEBR do make for rather grim reading. It really highlights the importance graduates must make in making themselves appear employable on their CV, which is after all, the first form of contact employers will have.”

To help graduates get the right job, Guardian Jobs have partnered up with The Fuller CV to offer a free CV checking service that promotes the message ‘just say no to bad CV advice’ and highlights the importance of getting your CV checked over by an expert.

To browse Guardian Jobs extensive selection of graduate jobs, and for advice on how to best prepare your CV for the jobs search, visit the Guardian Jobs website.

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Job Search Tips for Holiday Season Beat Conventional Wisdom

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People really do get hired between Thanksgiving and the middle of January! Don’t buy into the myth that it can’t happen for you. The holiday time actually provides great opportunities for job seekers. If you’ve found yourself mumbling, “I need help with my resume,” then a professional resume writing service may be the best gift you can give this time of year. What are some other worthwhile career improvement endeavors?

Job Search Tips for Holiday Season Beat Conventional Wisdom

Network While Celebrating

• Take advantage of the business socializing opportunities during the holiday season. At events, casually let friends and extended family know you are job hunting. Briefly discuss your career while connecting with people. Follow up later with each person. Attend other parties and networking events: open houses, association meetings, school events and friend’s work parties.

• Hire an executive resume writer adept at guiding you in the complete job search process.

• Send appropriate greeting cards to people with whom you have interviewed recently and to any of your friends who are well-connected. Enclose your business card.

Businesses Don’t Grind to a Halt during the Holidays

• If a job is available, employers still search from late November through December. Keep checking classifieds and online job boards. Check company websites of employers for whom you’d like to work and professional association websites for advertised positions.

• Many job seekers suspend their search during the holidays. This can mean that employers needing to hire full-time employees for the coming year receive fewer applications during that time. That can help your application stand out.

• Many hiring managers are not so busy during the holidays, because employees are taking vacation time. This gives the managers more time to interview candidates.

• Hiring managers experience urgency about staffing toward the end of the year. They don’t want to begin the new year with their team not fully staffed. Interviews for anyone who starts working early in the year must have been in November or December. Companies that have budgeted for first-quarter hiring have to be starting the process now.

• Temporary agencies receive increased employer requests as companies work to meet annual goals and employees use vacation time. Keep in mind that seasonal work during the holidays can open doors to full-time jobs.

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Online Bachelor Of Science In Occupational Safety By EKU

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- Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is proud to announce the new online Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety Degree Program, with classes starting in January 2011.

EKU’s online Bachelor’s in Occupational Safety arms current safety professionals and those interested in pursuing a safety career with the skills and knowledge to succeed within this evolving industry. The program’s comprehensive curriculum provides students with a solid safety foundation including: OSHA inspections, education and training, workers compensation, and auditing.

The new EKU occupational safety program provides students with relevant, real- world learning applications, from industry-leading faculty members. EKU’s faculty members have many years of safety experience. They incorporate that experience into the courses by directly applying theories to practice. Additionally, the professors use cutting-edge teaching tactics in the courses. For example, they have incorporated videos of construction safety and OSHA inspections into coursework for online students.

“The faculty truly makes this degree program stand out. They give a strong foundation and enhance the curriculum with their industry experiences, which makes our graduates untouchable,” said Program Coordinator, Dr. Michael Schumann.

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Eastern Kentucky University Launches Website For The College Of Justice And Safety Online Programs

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Eastern Kentucky University (EKU),http://safetymanagement.eku.edu, is proud to announce the launch of a new website hosting all of the online degree programs available through the College of Justice and Safety. The new website will be a resource of information for current and prospective students, as well as industry professionals. Vital information on a suite of online programs including Bachelor’s programs in Fire Protection Administration, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, and Occupational Safety and a Master’s program in Safety, Security and Emergency Management is presented throughout the website. Working professionals within the fire and safety industries will also benefit from the information on this website, including fire resources, safety resources, and a collection of course videos.

In conjunction with the new website, EKU will also launch social media. Check for updates and current news on:

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ekuonline
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EKU-College-of-Justice-Safety-Online/170281136295

Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Justice & Safety holds the designation of being a Program of Distinction in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and one of the foremost institutions of learning and research in the fields of justice and safety in the nation and world.

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Reed Carer of The Year 2010 Announced

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Lorraine Marshall, a Head Care Assistant in Edinburgh, and Georgia Douglas, a Social Worker in North Tyneside, were Reed Carer of the Year 2010 and Reed Social Worker of the Year 2010 respectively.

At a prestigious awards event at the Waldorf Hotel in London (on Thursday 2nd September), guest speaker Dame Joan Bakewell, the first official ‘Voice of Older People’, commented: “From paupers to monarchs, at some point in their lives everyone needs care. The Carers and Social Workers in this room are doing the work of angels. Their work is right at the heart of humanity and I take great heart in the knowledge that it may be one of you caring for me.”

Chosen from 27 finalists, drawn from 14 regions after a record number of nominations, Lorraine and Georgia each received £1,000 worth of holiday vouchers in addition to the accolade of being named Reed Carer of the Year 2010 and Reed Social Worker of the Year 2010.

Reed Carer of the Year
For the last 20 years, Reed Carer of the Year 2010 winner Lorraine Marshall has been working at Libertus Day Care Centre in South Edinburgh, which supports people of all ages who experience physical or learning disabilities or age-related infirmity. Extracts from Lorraine’s Award nominations include: “Lorraine puts so much effort into looking after us. Nothing is too much trouble for her. She is very kind and caring and always makes time to listen to anything you have to say and can be depended on to help. She is a wonderful example to others.”

Lorraine said: “It is fantastic to receive this award, but the simple fact is that I just love being a carer – encouraging people, promoting independence and helping them live a better life. It is really rewarding working with older people. There is always lots of laughter and I love listening to their stories.”

Reed Social Worker of the Year
Reed Social Worker of the Year 2010 Georgia Douglas is based at North Tyneside Hospital in the Discharge Team, and was nominated for all her support, knowledge, expertise and flexibility. Extracts from Georgia’s Award nominations include: “Georgia is passionate about her job and her team, and will always go out of her way to help staff and especially service users. She is a role model to what a manager and social worker should be.”

Commenting on her award, Georgia said: “It is an honour to receive this award and I am so lucky that it is for a job that I love doing. It is rewarding that I am able to support people in times of crisis and make a positive difference in their lives.”

Commenting on the success of this year’s awards, Reed Social Care Director Leslie Weare said: “We were delighted to receive so many nominations for a large number of exceptional individuals working in care and social work. The judging panel had an extremely impressive selection of regional winners to chose from, and Lorraine and Georgia were both deserved winners.”

Reed Global specialise in Social Care recruitment, and in association with Sue Ryder Care, this year’s Reed Carer of the Year Awards attracted nearly 900 nominations and triggered a donation of £10,000 to Sue Ryder Care by Reed.

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Foster Care Associates Rated Outstanding In Ofsted Inspections

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Foster Care Associates (FCA) has reaffirmed its status as the UK’s leading independent fostering agency through the publication of recent Ofsted inspection results.

Assessing the quality and standard of services provided in its North West and South West regions, Ofsted judged each category and the region as a whole as ‘Outstanding’ – a fantastic achievement for the fostering agency. The inspectors found extensive evidence to underpin their judgement, particularly from children and young people and the agency’s foster carer colleagues.

The results further support the fostering agency in its ongoing commitment to raising standards of foster care and improving outcomes for children and young people. Through the Team Parenting model of foster care – delivering an extended network of professional support services to the foster carer and the child or young person – FCA is working to change the shape of foster care in the UK.

Regional manager at FCA North West, Colette Abbiss said: “We are delighted to have achieved the highest accolade with our practice being judged as ‘Outstanding’. The outcome is testament to the consistent hard work in the North West and the dedication and commitment of our staff and foster carers to our children and young people. The senior management team and I are very proud indeed and dedicate this achievement to the team effort in striving for excellence.”

Echoing these sentiments, Sheeree Cole, regional manager, FCA South West commented: “The staff at FCA South West are true professionals and they will go the extra mile both in terms of their outstanding practice and in terms of supporting carers. I feel very lucky that I have such a remarkable group of professionals that I have the privilege of managing. They truly deserve the ‘Outstanding’ accolade and I feel very proud that the South West has achieved such a terrific result.”

FCA North West provides an ‘Outstanding’ fostering service throughout the North West Region, delivering foster care in Manchester, fostering in Liverpool, and beyond, providing the highest level of local support to carers. This includes access to a wide range of support professionals, geared at addressing every looked after child or young person’s needs. FCA South West covers fostering in Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter, and Torquay and across the South West.

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Reed Finance Shortlisted For CIMA’s Recruitment Consultancy Of The Year 2010 Award

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Reed Finance have been shortlisted by CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) for their Recruitment Consultancy of the Year 2010 Award, which will be presented on 22 November 2010 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

Reed Finance Divisional Director, Tim Vye, comments: “We were delighted to hear that we had been nominated for this award. In a marketplace of hundreds of financial recruitment agencies, it’s an achievement to have reached CIMA’s shortlist.

“The award judges look for evidence of commitment to the employability of CIMA members and the provision of career advice that goes beyond normal levels of service. This nomination is therefore testament to the excellent service offered by our consultants.”

CIMA is the world’s largest professional body of management accountants, and the CIMA qualification is one of the most sought-after financial qualifications by employers – due to their focus on producing commercial and forward-looking finance professionals and business leaders.

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Hays Reports Graduates Turning To UK Call Centres To Get A Foot On The Career Ladder

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Hays, in conjunction with the Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service initiative, has reported that UK call centres are attracting more graduate employees.

Hays Contact Centres revealed that over two in five (43%) call centre managers have experienced a rise in graduate applications over the last twelve months and 35% of call centre workers are now educated to an undergraduate university level, compared to 25% in 2009.

The level of interest from graduates is not surprising, given that there are currently around 70 graduates for every job vacancy compared to just 31 graduates in 2008, suggesting that graduates are making a smart move in turning to UK call centres for employment opportunities.

According to the survey of 286 call centre professionals, working in the industry offers a real chance for career progression, with 54% of call centre agents agreeing they have a clear opportunity to progress beyond their current position, compared to just 40% in 2009. Over half (58%) stated they would like to develop a long-term career in the industry and the signs are encouraging, as 55% of UK call centre managers started out as agents.

The survey also suggests that graduates will benefit from excellent training and development opportunities in the call centre, as 65% of managers spend more than 20% of their time coaching or training team members, and one in four at least 40% of their week.

Simon Thorpe, Programme Director at Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service, said: “There are record numbers of graduates looking for work this year and it’s encouraging that so many are attracted to the call centre industry. UK call centres offer excellent training opportunities and competitive salaries, plus the opportunity for graduates to develop their careers and move up the ladder, both within the call centre and across the wider organisation.”

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FCA Carer Recruitment Targets Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Dorset

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Foster Care Associates (FCA), the UK’s leading independent fostering agency, has stepped up its foster carer recruitment campaign across Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Dorset.

Through a wide range of marketing initiatives across the print, radio and online mediums, together with regular information evenings, the agency hopes to attract a new influx of quality foster carers in three areas of England which traditionally carry a desperate shortfall.

The targeted campaigns complement the agency’s ongoing recruitment drive to tackle the 10,000 shortage of foster carers across the UK.

“FCA is urging potential foster carers to come forward and find out more about the many benefits that this challenging yet hugely rewarding career can offer. We are seeking to recruit new foster carers in Aylesbury, Buckingham and Milton Keynes in particular, as well as Bournemouth and Southampton,” explained Fozia Sheikh, Marketing Manager for FCA South.

She added: “We are recruiting carers who believe they have what it takes to look after children above the age of 10 years old who sometimes display challenging behaviour. We really need to find a cross-section of local foster carers who are able to cope with the diverse needs and backgrounds of these children – and provide a safe secure environment where children are given the opportunity to flourish and enjoy happy lives in their local communities.”

Residents in Buckinghamshire will receive a wide range of information about fostering and what is involved in becoming a foster carer through leaflet drops, newspaper and radio adverts, and information drop in sessions. FCA will initially run a campaign of radio adverts in Hampshire on fostering in Bournemouth. Potential carers from both regions are also invited to visit the agency’s carer recruitment focussed website, which offers readers locally based information on foster care UK news and events in their region.

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Hays and AmicusHorizon Working With Tenants To Get Them Into Employment

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Hays Social Housing, the leading recruiting expert, is working in partnership with AmicusHorizon, one of the largest housing associations in the South East region on a job seeking skills programme.

The three-month programme, which was set up because residents said they needed support in gaining employment, has already secured jobs or training for several tenants and has improved the employability of many others.

The programme started in June with introductory seminars and a series of one-on-one career coaching sessions. Each participant also attended five Hays workshops, which taught them how to write a successful CV and best practice interview tips. Residents were also given access to a ground breaking on-line career programme which was developed by Hays specifically for AmicusHorizon.

Helen Kirk-Brown, Regional Manager at Hays Social Housing, commented: “This partnership is a fantastic way of supporting residents into employment and is essential in such a tough economic climate. To date the participants have completed placements within local businesses and are now working with us to establish personalised long-term career plans. Whilst the project isn’t yet complete, we have already achieved outstanding results as several residents have already secured employment or training opportunities.”

Alma Haq, Resident Involvement Manager at AmicusHorizon, added: “This is the first time we have run a scheme like this and I am extremely pleased at how it is progressing. We are delighted with the commitment the participants have shown. Local businesses have also been very supportive towards the programme. Hays is working hard to ensure residents are equipped to find employment for the long term and it’s great for our residents to know that help is at hand.”

For further information about Hays Social Housing and social housing jobs interested parties can visit: www.hays.co.uk/socialhousing

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Hays Reports Millions Being Spent On Coaching Without A Business Purpose

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Hays Senior Finance reports that while multi-millions of pounds are spent on coaching across the UK, 15% of organisations admit they have absolutely no measurements in place to assess the impact of their programmes.

A new survey from Hays Senior Finance, working with expert coach/ mentors LeaderShape, shows that coaching is often undertaken without evaluating the return on investment. The survey also shows that 68% of businesses fail to use coaching directly to address corporate objectives and outcomes are often simply referenced at a personal level.

According to the data, the majority of coach-mentoring programmes are for individuals, with 72% deployed to develop individual talents or address personal worries.

Chris McCarthy, director at Hays Senior Finance, said: “In far too many cases companies are leaving it to individuals to set the framework for their own coaching or mentoring – with little or no reference to business needs. They then fail to check the standards of their programmes and show little concern for the outcomes. Support can be extremely effective when a professional starts a new role, but it is essential it is carried out in the right manner by people who understand the specific needs of these individuals.”

The survey showed that if a senior finance professional leaves within three months of starting a new role not only is there a financial cost, but it dampens staff morale. The vast majority of respondents (96%) agreed that these appointments would benefit from confidential support during this period.

One major concern revealed by the Hays Senior Finance/LeaderShape survey is the lack of ongoing professional development for providers. Internal coach-mentors are the preferred choice by those who use coaching, with 73% of companies using in-house support. However, 16% of coaches and 28% of mentors do not receive any training or support themselves, while companies describe 29% of team or group facilitators as untrained.

Chris Gulliver from LeaderShape commented: “This is a very expensive missed opportunity for UK Plc in fast-moving times. Increasing amounts of money are being spent on coaching as a universal panacea but many companies have no comprehensive overview or sense of purpose.

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Payroll Outsourcing Services Save Small-Business Owners Time And Money

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Small-business owners often have to wear multiple hats: boss, human resources representative and payroll administrator, just to name a few. Thanks to National PEO, small-business owners can remove that last hat by outsourcing their company’s payroll administration. National PEO leads the payroll outsourcing services industry, offering payroll administration, tax payment and filing, online payroll entry, and EVerify, among other payroll-related tasks. The Scottsdale, Arizona, company helps small-business owners across the country save both time and money, as payroll administration is neither revenue-producing or an effective use of their time.

National PEO allows small-business owners to do what they do best: Run their companies. It does this by taking over all payroll services, including the important task of verifying work eligibility of employees. To determine whether or not a small business will benefit from payroll outsourcing services, including EVerify, National PEO does the following:

Performs a detailed analysis of the small business’ payroll operations and delivers an action plan showing the potential savings of time and money.

Outlines the many payroll outsourcing services National PEO provides, including:

Input Options – National PEO clients can decide how they want to upload payroll information. They can opt for WebPay, an online payroll entry solution, or they can fax, call, email or drop off their payroll information to be input.

Reports – National PEO’s powerful accounting software eliminates the task of compiling payroll reports.

Direct Deposit – Among National PEO’s payroll outsourcing services, is this versatile option: Small-business owners can give their employees the option of direct deposit, whether into one account or multiple, or via a pay card.

Deductions and Garnishments – National PEO handles health-care benefit deductions, child-support orders, levies and other deductions and garnishments.

PTO Tracking – Perhaps one of the most important of National PEO’s payroll outsourcing services, this system accurately tracks employee sick, vacation and personal time based on the policies of the small business.

About National PEO: When it comes to payroll outsourcing services, National PEO leads the industry thanks to its successful leadership and innovative practices. To schedule an interview with a member of the National PEO team, call John Rico at 480-429-8098. To get more information about the payroll outsourcing services the company provides, including Everify, go to nationalpeo.com or call (480) 429-8098 or toll free (888) 221-0945.

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Acas Releases 2009/10 Report

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Acas’ 2009/10 annual report shows that it dealt with more than 900 collective disputes in the past year. Ninety-four per cent of cases, including high profile disputes such as Royal Mail and Milford Haven Port Authority, were either resolved or the parties were moved towards a resolution.

The report also shows that Acas dealt with more than 85,000 (net) employment tribunal cases for individual conciliation, an overall increase of 13% from 2008/2009 and the highest number ever. While the figure was a record for the year as a whole the trend is now in reverse – the number of cases received for conciliation in the second half of 2009/10 was three per cent lower than the equivalent period in 2008/09.

Nearly 10,000 cases were referred to pre-claim conciliation in 09/10 – the early conciliation service which aims to resolve workplace issues before they escalate into costly and stressful tribunal claims. In 70% of completed cases where PCC was appropriate, tribunal claims have been avoided, saving time and money for taxpayers, employers and workers. It is estimated that completing employment tribunal paper work alone costs employers on average £2,000 a case.

With a million calls, it was also a record year for the Acas helpline which provides advice and guidance to employers and employees on workplace problems. Redundancy, dismissals and discipline and grievance were the most popular topics.

Acas continues to play a critical role in helping employers find more creative ways to avoid redundancy and boost economic recovery with more than 20,000 employers and employees attending an Acas training course during the year.

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Acas Launches Guide To Help Businesses Understand New Equality Act

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Acas, the employment relations service, has published new guidance to assist businesses in understanding and preparing for the changes to the new single Equality Act. The new Acas quick start guidance, ‘The Equality Act – what’s new for employers?’ demonstrates what these changes mean in practice.

John Taylor, chief executive of Acas, said: “Fairness in the workplace is good business and motivates staff as well as improving effectiveness and productivity. Last year Acas received around 32,000 calls on diversity and discrimination related issues. Our new guide helps businesses and managers understand what the changes mean in practice and what action employers will need to take.”

Changes have occurred in the following areas: third party harassment, pre-employment health checks, power of employment tribunal recommendations and pay secrecy.

The new act means employers are potentially liable if their staff are harassed by people they don’t employ such as external suppliers or customers.

F r o m October employers should no longer send out pre-health questionnaires with employment application packs. There are some exemptions, for example around questions related to making reasonable adjustments for the person in the selection process if they are disabled.

Employment tribunals can require employers found guilty of discrimination to take steps to require them to change their policies and practices to prevent further discrimination.

If a contract of employment requires employees to keep pay secret, the Equality Act makes this requirement unenforceable. An employer can still require employees to keep pay rates confidential f r o m others outside the workplace, such as competitors.

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Hays And ICM Partner To Deliver Enhanced Recruitment Services

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Hays Accountancy & Finance, the leading recruiting expert, has signed an exclusive partnership with the Institute of Credit Management (ICM) to provide members with an enhanced, dedicated recruitment service. Complementing its existing strategic partnership to provide recruitment services outside of ICM’s core scope, as a Corporate Partner Hays will offer members additional priority services.

ICM members will continue to benefit from Hays’ regional network of offices and access to the latest job opportunities. As Corporate Partner, Hays will also offer members a priority service, which will include essential information in an annual salary guide, careers advice from expert recruiters and Hays will host exclusive national and regional networking events, which will include speakers such as ICM’s Chief Executive, Philip King. As part of the partnership Hays has also confirmed that it will be a sponsor of the ICM regional roadshows and the ICM Awards.

ICMos previously worked with Hays to develop an online skills test, which already forms part of every candidate’s screening and registration process when they register with Hays. It provides employers with extra information about jobseekers and additional insight into how well suited a candidate is to a role, thereby giving employers added confidence that they are recruiting the best candidate.

Ceinwen Wilson (née Walker), Credit Control Business Director at Hays, comments: “This exclusive partnership demonstrates our commitment to the industry, allowing us to continue to meet the complex needs of credit control professionals. As a Corporate Partner, we look forward to working even more closely with ICM and offering members a priority service so they have access to essential information which will help them progress their careers.”

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Hays Reveals Over Half Of Employers Welcome Flexible Working Legislation Despite Extra Cost

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Hays, the leading recruiting expert, has revealed the results of new research that shows over half of employers (55 per cent) welcome plans by the Government to introduce legislation requiring them to offer flexible working to all employees. Seventy per cent expect an increase in requests for flexible working and nearly 40 per cent are bracing themselves for a resulting impact on their budgets.

The survey of over 680 workers and 420 employers undertaken by Hays in June 2010 found that more private sector employers expect an increase in their costs if staff take up the offer of flexible working than in the public sector (44 per cent, compared to 33 per cent).

Employers offer flexible working primarily as way of supporting their employees, with just 18 per cent reporting it is just to comply with existing legislation. Only 29 per cent feel offering flexible working is integral to the success of their business.

From the perspective of employees, almost half of all workers (46 per cent) say their current employer does not encourage flexible working, rising to over half in the private sector. Furthermore, some of the options most sought after by employees are the ones they believe are unavailable.

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Hays Reveals The UK’s Jobs Offering The Best Opportunities

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Hays, the leading recruiting expert, has revealed the top ten job areas, which are currently exhibiting the strongest demand for candidates in the UK.

As a result of long development cycles the pharmaceutical industry came out on top of the new “most wanted” list. Areas such as regulatory affairs, health economics and statistical programming are faring particularly well due to the increase in safety measures and the need to check products going into the prescription markets.

The second key area revealed by the research was banking jobs in the city. In particular, the banks are looking for revenue generators who are client-facing, with a strong banking background and appropriate levels of managing risk and control, as the majority of investment, corporate and retail banks are still trying to re-build their businesses.

Doctors, qualified social workers and other healthcare professionals all came out well, benefiting f r o m a more secure job environment due to prevailing shortages. The NHS has an ageing workforce and specialist nurses are particularly in demand across the UK.

The demand for candidates to fill a wealth of IT jobs has risen by nearly 30% in 2010. This is partly down to the release of MS Windows 7, which has helped increase the demand for IT staff to support home users or smaller organisations.

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PEO Company Introduces NPower Green Payroll Services

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National PEO, a leading PEO (Professional Employer Organization) is pleased to announce the introduction of NPower, a free and environmentally friendly program that eliminates paper pay stubs in favor of online payroll access. Besides the “green” aspect of the new program, employees and employers stand to benefit in other ways, including on-demand online access, up-to date information on benefits and the ability to send messages electronically within Npower.

National PEO has gained a reputation for leading the PEO (Professional Employer Organizer) industry through innovative practices and the company’s latest program -NPower- continues this tradition. NPower is the latest in a long line of progressive PEO services introduced by National PEO and one that is bound to strike a chord with employers and employees alike. Instead of receiving printed pay stubs, employees of participating companies have live access to their information online. By eliminating paper and printer supplies from the payroll equation, NPower helps to reduce pressure on companies to make their operations more environmentally responsible. No more pay stubs thrown in the trash or lengthy payroll reports to print and fax. Yet, where other “green” measures tend to come with a measure of inconvenience to those companies that adopt them, NPower represents a tremendous improvement over typical payroll operations.

Human Resources departments are always under pressure to make deadlines and deal with various critical issues, but a considerable amount of time is often lost due to having to respond to frequent questions from employees. National PEO’s NPower removes some of this stress by making the information employees frequently ask about available to them online. How much Paid Time Off (PTO) do they have remaining? Can they view last week’s pay stub? What about information on their 401k? This information and much more is available to employees online 24/7, so they can log in and review it at their leisure instead of having to request the information from a HR representative. The information available through NPower is live and accurate. This means faster answers for employees and fewer distracting questions for the Human Resources department to deal with. Employers can also send messages to employees about benefits programs or other subjects that might be appropriate. NPower truly is one of those PEO services that benefits employer and employee equally. Add in the “green” element, the fact that it’s a free program and you can understand why NPower is a winner.

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