HR Briefing #5 - 31st August

TrainingZone

HR Briefing #5 – 31st August

By TrainingZone

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HR Briefing - Issue 5 - 31 August 2000

A free newswire brought to you by HR Zone focussing on employment,
legislation, personnel and human resource issues.
http://www.hrzone.co.uk
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LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES

1. Using the web at work increases productivity and happiness
2. When the tea-break becomes hard work
3. Career Management: The forgotten element of HR
4. Performance Management lacks consistency in the UK
5. Key skills proposals during LSC transition

LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES

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View from the HR Zone
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Like a lot of people I cannot help but think that the introduction
of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) as a replacement for the
Training and Enterprise Council is motivated more by politics than
by a need for radical change in national training management. I
dont deny that such review of national training management is
needed though, nor do I deny that the LSC still has a crucial role.

Under the old system, training providers contracted on a local basis
with their local TEC. There were both advantages and disadvantages
in this system. There is no doubt that TECs themselves had
discretionary spending abilities, allowing them to specify, if
required, what training should be available locally to meet the
needs of developing workforces for local businesses, for example,
why put hundreds of school-leavers into hairdressing NVQs if there
are going to be insufficient hairdressing jobs at the end of the
training?

I have real doubts that communications between local businesses and
local training provision management will ever be as close.

The LSC offices and Small Business Service (SBS) offices would do
well to make greater efforts to talk with HR managers in local
businesses on a regular basis, so that they increased understanding
of anticipated future skills needs, and are able to indicate to
independent training providers how they should develop their courses
and businesses.

Jon Seaton
Editor, HR Zone
mailto:editor@hrzone.co.uk

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HR Zone is part of a community of 20,000 HR, Management and
Training professionals. You too can reach this audience. See
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/help/advertise.html
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Latest HR News
==============
This is just a selection of recent HR news stories. Read more
headlines and stories, updated every day at
http://www.hrzone.co.uk

Using the web at work increases productivity and happiness
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A national study conducted for US work/life solutions business Xylo,
Inc. says that employees who use the Web at work claim they are more
productive, do better work, and feel happier and less stressed.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25361

When the tea-break becomes hard work
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Disabled workers suffer from poor product design says a DTI report.
Businesses often forget that disbled people often can't do everyday
things that non-disabled people don't think twice about.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25246

Career Management: The forgotten element of HR
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In the world of HR and Training, career management doesn't always make
it to the top of the priority list.A new UfI web-site may help.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25102

Performance Management lacks consistency in the UK
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An Industrial Society survey shows that performance management in the
UK means different things to different businesses.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25090

Key Skills proposals during LSC transition
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The Government is planning a major reform of key skills delivery
within Modern Apprenticeships and the DfEE/NTO National Council has
issued clarification of the transition arrangements.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25204

ADVERTISEMENT
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Softworld HR & Payroll, The Annual Forum, will be taking place
12th - 13th September 2000 at the Chesford Grange, Warwickshire.
The event comprises a conference focusing on current issues in the
HR and payroll market including payroll legislation, workforce
metrics, integration, self-service and web training
infrastructures.The event will also include an exclusive exhibition
of the top-flight exhibitors and themed vendor seminars.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25384
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Where lies the boundary between training and learning?
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In this article, Robert Gervais offers a thoughtful response based
on his Canadian experience of both business and training.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25050

You have the right to be accompanied
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The new ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance
Procedures will come into effect on 4 September
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25237

NIC Frequently Asked Questions
------------------------------
The Inland Revenue has issued a Frequently Asked Questions section
as a further aid.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/25220

Publish your own news today at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/membersnews

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CALLING ALL HR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDERS
** HR Zone is in regular contact with HR Practitioners, HR
Consultants, Training Providers, Payroll Managers and Recruitment
Companies. If you have a product or service that these people may
use, but you are not in our suppliers directory, then the chances
are that you will be missing business. If on the other hand you
do not want to miss business you can enter your company and product
or service details from our suppliers directory page at:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-site/tzsupp.cgi

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Watching HR on the Web
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HR Zone is the fastest growing Human Resource site on the internet
for UK-based HR practitioners. In each HR Briefing newswire, we
plan to review at least one other HR website. If you want your
site reviewed send me the URL and tell me why you think it's
a useful site. mailto:j.seaton@hrzone.co.uk

This weeks reviewed site - http://www.gb.clara.net
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Graham Burdick of Norfolk has produced a basic site here directed
at showcasing his ability to pass on the secrets of creativity to
clients and potential clients. I do not doubt that Graham is very
competent in his specialism, but that is not the purpose of a site
review! I am looking at Graham's site and not his knowledge or his
ability to pass it on.

I get the feeling that this particular site of some half dozen
pages is home-produced. It has an earthy, home produced feel, and
whilst likely to catch the eye of other producers of home sites,
it won't necessarily impress corporate potential clients by itself

Graham no doubt has to some selling work. Let's face it, lots of
training and development people have to do selling work! The point
is that this site could put across a stronger message to companies
and in so doing reduce Graham's selling time and effort.

My advice would be to concentrate less on the "this is my
expertise" angle and more on the "this is how you would benefit"
angle. It's worth remembering that many internet users see the web
as a resource for free usable information. Ask yourself
whether the information that you are giving would be seen as
usable. Saying "I know this and can pass it on", is not as
valuable as saying, "here's some free usable information, but
if you want some more you'll need to give me some information"
The second will get the dialogue going more than the first

So, in the homepage for example, where "recent research" is
mentioned, write a summary of the recent research and make a link
to it. When you say people will learn "the nature of creativity"
tell them how knowing the nature of creativity will help them.

Finally, look to include a more pointed feedback route. Instead
of just an e-mail link include an appeal to action, such as "To
see how Graham can help your business creativity now, send an
e-mail to blah.blah.blah with the message I need to be
creative!"

Community Features
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Online Workshops
----------------
Every Tuesday lunchtime at 13:00 BST we run on online learning
workshop. Next Tuesday's topic is IT Trainers Discussion Forum -
Our new regular IT Trainers Forum is an opportunity for anyone
engaged in IT Training to chat together, learn from each other's
experience, and gain both ideas and support. Join in for free at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/workshop/

Tenders for freelance consultancy work
--------------------------------------
Every week, companies publish their tendering opportunities at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/tenders
Here are some of the recent ones you can respond to directly,
It could be an income stream that you hadn't considered before!

** Full-time personal development trainers required
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/24439
** AS400 Admin Trainer
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/24957

You can also publish your job vacancies, and set up personal
alerts for new vacancies at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-site/tzjobs.cgi

We also carry the Tenders Electronic Daily - invitations to tender
for public supply and public works for over 80 countries. All
excellent sources of major contract work.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/databases/db_tedd_sample.html

Get answers to HR Questions
---------------------------
You can tap the knowledge of thousands of other HR professionals
by posting your question to the Any Answers page. This week's
questions include: Geoff Roberts asking what a Health and Safety
Policy should contain; Ben Morris searching for 'role of the manager'
books; and Ian Buckingham asking for assistance in creating a Job
Description for a Training Administrator
Can you help? Check the questions, or add your own at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/anyanswers

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Looking for HR resources online? Check out the 20 specialist
shops for HR professionals. Search for resources and products
across all the suppliers. If you supply this sector, why not
create your own free branded shop in the Mall?
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/mall
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