How can employers use online methods of recruitment to deliver ROI?
Online recruitment is more cost-effective, providing you do your research first.
Try implementing a recruitment management system.
Online job boards are now embracing new forms of technology.
Let's not pull any punches - the UK jobs market has been decimated in recent months. Vacancies for permanent roles have diminished; the manufacturing sector has crumbled; and let's not even mention the financial sector. In London alone year-on-year demand for financial professionals has fallen by a disastrous 69%. It all sounds incredibly gloomy, and with good reason: the current UK unemployment rate stands at 2.26m, the highest for over a decade. In other words, the employment market is a rather hostile environment. It's not any easier for recruiters, who have already had their budgets slashed during the course of the recession. The proliferation of online recruitment sites offer a guiding light for those looking to plug a hole in their company personnel - but what's the best approach to take?
Jobseekers who use Facebook and Twitter are more attractive to employers
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Date: 19/06/2009
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Half of employers believe if candidates develop a strong online identity through social networking, they are more likely to be hired.
Research from Harvey Nash and the Department for Work and Pensions shows just under a quarter of employers regularly use social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook as part of their recruitment processes. And 15% said they would miss key new recruits if they did not tap into social networks.
But 44% of employers still believe social networking will only become important for recruitment in the future.
And although 92% of 18 to 24 year-olds use social networking sites, only 12% use them to make career contacts.
Matthew Garratt, HR manager at online lingerie retailer figleaves.com, said: "Social networking sites have become absolutely critical [for us] in finding new hires. Not only do they give us access to people we might not find elsewhere, but they are also an excellent way to understand more about the candidate beyond just their CV."
"Certainly figleaves.com jobseekers that have a strong online presence stand out from the crowd and we would encourage more people to invest in their online 'brand'."
Social media is being used more than email to keep employees engaged, according to a new survey.
The study found that while 75 per cent of those polled use email to engage with their employees, the figure for social media was a surprising 79 per cent.
Julie Freeman, president of IABC, said that social media can generate two-way discussions between employers and staff, while Robin McCasland of Buck Consultants pointed out that good engagement is especially important in times of economic uncertainty.
Other recent surveys looked at the impact of new media on business.
A reader pointed out that social media allows benefits such as instant feedback and crowd-sourcing ideas.
On July 16th at The British Library the UK will host its first conference for social media in recruitment.
Recruitment Training and performance management expert Bill Boorman, who has built marketing strategy around the social media arena, will be addressing the conference.
He told Onrec.com: "You don't need to be a techy to realise the potential of all these networking tools - the trick is to make sure that you are targeting the right people."
HR bosses are realising the value of online social networking
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Date: 10/06/2009
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HR decision makers are using online social networking more and more for business purposes.
According to research by Communications Management, eight out of 10 HR professionals belong to online communities or social networking sites in their daily work. One in three (32.3%) have already asked for supplier recommendations through this medium, nearly one in five (16.3%) have vetted a supplier through the same route and one in seven (14.8%) have found a new supplier in this way.
It has nothing to do with age either. Those over 45 are as likely as their younger colleagues to use online social networking to ask for supplier recommendations.
Communications Management's research also shows that the trend is likely to accelerate. More than half of respondents (51.8%) to the survey expect to move towards online social networking over the next year compared with only one in five (19.8%) who think they will use it less.
Orc International's annual Employee Opinion Survey 2008 has just been published and it reveals 71% of employees are satisfied with working for their organisation, while 68% say they feel proud to work for their chosen company.
The survey comprises responses from more than 1.5 million employees. It shows overall job satisfaction is up 4% on 2007, with pride up 1%.
Despite the survey taking place in gloomy economic times, 60% of UK employees say they feel secure in their jobs (up from 51% in 2007), while 45% say they are happy with their pay (up from 43% in 2007).
However, the survey reveals significant large sector-based differences. Satisfaction among those working in central government is down 7.4%, with pride also down 6.7%. Employees in central government who believe their pay is fair is 7.3% lower than the UK norm. In contrast, satisfaction in retail is up 8.8% compared with the national norm. The number of employees who believe they are fairly paid is also up.
The recession has sped up the decline of recruitment agencies in favour of e-hiring, exclusive research by Personnel Today has found.
Nearly half (48%) of the 400 employers surveyed in the study, said they had reduced their recruitment agency budget since last year.
Two-thirds (66%) admitted they were using their company websites as a recruitment tool for most jobs, while one-third (32%) said they used online jobs boards.
A fifth of SMEs are breaching the Data Protection Act
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Date: 02/06/2009
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Almost a fifth of businesses have unwittingly breached the Data Protection Act - and of those nearly half have done so several times.
According to research released today from BSI, 18% of 500 small and medium-sized employers surveyed were unsure if they had breached the Data Protection Act or not.
A breach could refer to an illegal transfer of information to a third party, failure to hold information securely or neglect of other legal operations. According to the research, 65% of businesses do not provide data protection training for their staff, 15% are not sure if their data protection practices conform to the Data Protection Act and 5% frequently share data regardless.
Almost one in five businesses (18%) claim data protection has become less of a priority for them during the recession.
Mike Low, director of standards at BSI, said: "The five million small and medium-sized businesses in the UK form the backbone of the British economy. These organisations are handling vast amounts of personal information on a daily basis and, while it is encouraging that some already have appropriate data protection measures in place, this survey shows there is still a long way to go."
BSI today launches a new British Standard BS10012, which is a standard for personal information. It provides a framework for organisations on the effective management of personal information.
Gordon Wanless, chairman of the Data Protection Forum, said: "The BSI survey backs up what we have known for some time - many organisations find the legislation in this area complex."
"The standard can help organisations put in place measures that will lead to compliance and demonstrate they are handling personal information responsibly."
The list of preferred bidders for the first round of Flexible New Deal contracts to provide welfare-to-work services has been published.
"The Department of Work and Pensions has appointed a diverse mix of organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors, combining existing providers with new entrants to the UK welfare-to-work market," said Amanda McIntyre, director of the Employment Related Services Association, which represents independent providers of welfare-to-work services.
"This should bring new approaches towards supporting people into work, so long as providers are given the freedom to innovate."
The preferred bidders for the first round are:
A4e - Contract package area includes Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire & Rutland; Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth; North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley; South Yorkshire and Derbyshire; Black Country
Calder Holdings BV - Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council - Black Country
Max Employment UK - Surrey, Sussex and Kent
Mentor Employment & Skills - Birmingham and Solihull
Pertemps People Development Group - Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire
Remploy - South Yorkshire & Derbyshire
Seetec - Birmingham and Solihull
Serco - Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire; Greater Manchester Central and Greater Manchester East and West; North and Mid Wales and South East Wales
Skills Training UK - Surrey, Sussex and Kent
The Wise Group - Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Leicershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire
Work Directions - Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire
Working Links - Devon and Cornwall; Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire; North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley; South Wales Valleys and South West Wales
One in 10 employers face skills shortage despite recession
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Date: 29/05/2009
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One in 10 (11%) of UK employers are facing difficulties in recruiting the staff they require despite the recession, according to the fourth Manpower Annual Talent Shortage Survey released today. The figures remain consistent compared to the 2008 findings when 12% of employers surveyed highlighted difficulties in recruiting the right staff. However, the figures represent a marked improvement from 2007 and 2006 when 34% and 42% of employers respectively cited difficulties recruiting staff with the right skills.
The independent research of 2,238 UK employers reveals that the most difficult positions to fill are: Engineers, Skilled Trades, Sales Representatives and Management / Executives. For the first time, Engineers tops the poll. Skilled Trades still rank highly in second place and Sales Representatives have moved back into the top three for the first time since the survey began in 2006.
Machinists / Machine Operators and Technicians enter the Top 10 for the first time and Restaurant & Hotel Staff re-enter the chart for the first time since 2006. Half of the positions from last year make the chart this year. Interestingly, Nurses drop out of the Top 10 in 2009 despite the NHS's need for specialist positions.
Mark Cahill, Managing Director of Manpower UK, comments: "Despite the highest levels of unemployment the UK has experienced for over a decade, employers are still struggling to recruit people with the skills they require. In this climate employers can afford to be very specific when looking to hire new staff and therefore companies are demanding more from employees, for example a PA may now need to have accounting or language skills to be considered for a role when traditionally these skills would not have been essential to secure employment."
"To address the skills disparity, companies need to take the opportunity now to upskill and even re-train their existing staff so that they will be in a strong position when the economy recovers. As after all, people and their skills will always be a company's greatest asset, so employers should be looking to safeguard their talent and therefore reduce future skills gaps."
Around the world, the survey of 39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories revealed that the percentage of employers having difficulty finding the right people to fill jobs has remained static, 31 percent struggled to fill positions last year compared to 30 percent this year. Employers having the most difficulty finding the right people to fill jobs are those in Romania (62%), Taiwan (62%), Peru (56%), Japan (55%), Australia (49%), Costa Rica (48%) and Poland (48%). In addition to the UK, the talent shortage appears to be least problematic in Ireland (5%), Spain (8%), China (15%) and the Czech Republic (17%).
At a global level, the most sought after roles are similar to those in the UK with Skilled Manual Trades, Sales Representatives and Technicians the positions hardest to fill.
Today's survey announcement coincides with the publication of the Manpower White Paper, Global Talent Crunch - Why Employer Branding Matters Now, which argues that a strong employer brand will help organizations attract and retain the best talent; and therefore enable them to win during these challenging times and achieve their growth plans.
Internet users in Turkey spend more time online and consume more pages than users in other European countries.
In April 2009, more than 17 million people in Turkey age 15 and older accessed the Internet from a home or work location, consuming an average 3,044 pages per visitor.
Of the 17 European countries individually reported by comScore, Germany's online audience was the largest with 40 million visitors in April 2009, followed by the U.K. (36.8 million visitors), and France (36.3 million visitors). The Internet audience in Turkey was the seventh largest with 17.8 million visitors, making it the second largest country in Eastern Europe behind Russia (31.3 million visitors). Internet users in Turkey were also found to be the most engaged users in Europe, spending an average 32 hours and viewing an average 3,044 pages of content per month.
"The online population of Turkey far surpasses the rest of Europe in terms of time spent and content consumed per person," said Mike Read, SVP and managing director, comScore Europe. "Much of this heavy engagement is driven by usage of social networking and entertainment media sites, which maintain users' attention for extended periods of time. There are certainly excellent digital marketing and advertising opportunities in reaching these 17 million Internet users who are so engaged with the medium."
Which are the most popular sites for online job seekers?
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Date: 28/05/2009
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According to Hitwise UK, the internet intelligence organisation, market share of job seeker traffic for March 2009 across the top 'job sites' was as follows:
Online job seekers prepared to be flexible to get the right job?
The largest ever online recruitment survey shows that online job seekers are prepared to be increasingly flexible to get the job that they want.
A surprisingly high percentage - 76% - of UK based online job seekers would relocate overseas to improve their career prospects and would also be prepared to take a course or train to find a new role.
The findings form part of NORAS 2009 - the UK's largest online recruitment research project, which surveyed more than 50,000 candidates across 31 online job boards.
Interestingly, the most likely job seekers to relocate overseas are Directors or Senior Managers, who constitute nearly one fifth of the total number prepared to relocate. In contrast, those who are prepared to take a course or train to improve their career prospects are more likely to hold more junior positions, constituting 37% of this category.
Online job seekers who would relocate overseas or train to get a job were also more pro-active in their approach to looking for a job utilising more methods and channels to search for jobs than the average job seeker.
Giles Guest, managing director of Enhance Media, the online recruitment research and strategy company that produces NORAS commented - "In the current economic climate the competition for vacancies has increased and candidates appear to be increasingly willing to expand their skills and search outside to get the job that they want. The detailed NORAS research helps employers and participating job boards target flexible candidates to fill more complex or difficult roles."
The NORAS 2009 results are free to download at www.noras.co.uk
When they joined the workforce in the late 1990's, Generation Y (Gen Y) brought a different set of strengths, but with those strengths came new challenges for employers too.
Previously, demand was high for this technically savvy generation and the bargaining power seemed to lie firmly in their hands. But during the recession, Gen Y faces a certain problem: fewer jobs and fierce competition. Recruiters can be fussy; demanding very specific skills and experience which are more likely to be available as the market becomes loaded with the unfortunate victims of redundancy. These changes in the economic climate are set to challenge Gen Y's values and outlook - forcing them to re-evaluate their attitudes to work.
Gen Y, a burgeoning generation of 70 million; born between 1977 and 2002, is characterised by individuals who have come of age in a buoyant economy; they have not experienced the hardships of unemployment or previous recessions that the 'Baby Boomers' (born between 1946 and 1964) have faced.
Because Gen Y was born into a skill-short market they have been able to pick and choose among organisations more readily than any generation which preceded them. They brought with them a new mindset and expectations about work; a mindset different enough for top organisations to develop strategies to attract, recruit, develop and retain this group specifically.
But the first of the Baby Boomers who have become eligible for retirement are not retiring en masse as previously expected, and many are choosing to remain in their jobs through this downturn. This has further highlighted stark inter-generational differences between Gen Y and the Baby Boomers and has led to the question: Are Generation Y's demands coming to an end?
One characteristic Gen Y does possess that will assist them in the downturn is short-term thinking. Business leaders have been forced to learn this, with the phrase "Vision is out, direction is in" being appropriately applied. Yet, a point to consider as we face the recession is whether Gen Y will be able to alter their values and attitudes and adequately deal with this new economic landscape.
So will the values from the Baby Boomers resurface in Gen Y? How Will Attitudes Change? ...
The number of people out of work in the UK rose 244,000 to 2.22 million in the first three months of 2009, the Office of National Statistics has revealed today.
The jobless rate rose from 6.7 per cent to 7.1 per cent, the largest since 1981. Unemployment benefit claimants in April rose 57,100 to 1.51 million.
Kevin Green, the REC's Chief Executive, said: "Although the ONS figures show a significant jump in unemployment, the rate of deterioration in the jobs market is showing signs of easing according to the latest REC Report on Jobs. As demand returns to the economy, employers' initial focus is likely to be on hiring temporary, contract and interim workers."
"A flexible workforce will help businesses respond to this demand by providing a stepping stone back into work for the unemployed. It is crucial then that the current consultation on implementation of the Agency Workers Directive in the UK protects the flexibility of the temp market and does not hamper employers' ability to hire temporary workers."
Job satisfaction rises as workers 'grin and bear it'
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Date: 05/05/2009
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Employees are more satisfied with their jobs now than they were three years ago, suggesting that staff are counting their blessings during the downturn, according to CIPD research.
In the Institute's new Employee Outlook survey of 3,000 people, the number of satisfied employees exceeded the number of dissatisfied employees by 46 percentage points. In the last equivalent survey in 2006, the difference was 26 percentage points.
However, there are also signs of fault lines developing. Fifty-two per cent of respondents said their level of stress at work has increased recently and 37 per cent were living in fear of redundancy. "Job satisfaction may have edged up - but this could be the employee opinion survey equivalent of a fixed grin," said Ben Willmott, senior public policy adviser at the CIPD and co-author of the survey.
"Employees who are grateful to have a job at all are less likely to grumble and more likely to see scorched earth rather than greener grass on the other side of the fence." However, he said that the survey highlights the impact the recession is having on the workplace.
"Without action to tackle some of the stresses and strains that are clear in our survey, employers could find employees' health and well-being deteriorating, and employee engagement tailing off at precisely the time they need all hands to the pump to survive the recession and thrive in the recovery," he said.
The service provided by recruitment firms needs "fundamental change" if it is to be flexible enough to meet the agendas of HR departments, according to the Association of Executive Recruiters (AER).
Garry Thompson, former HR director of online travel agent Opodo and founder of Aequus Consulting, said: "It is an extremely expensive decision to go to search [agencies] and so it has to be right and justified. Hefty retained recruitment fees are very hard to swallow especially in the current climate.
"HR directors will be looking for more cost-effective ways for flexibility in the way fees are charged as most of them will have had their budgets slashed."
The AER claims HR directors now have more choice than ever in how to recruit, for example, business networking, executive job searches, research companies or directly employing experienced recruiters. Recruiters were warned after the recession they will need to reconsider their methods.
Derek Smart, chair of the AER, added employers are now able to find staff for themselves. He said: "There is a fundamental shift in our methods of doing business affecting all players in the search industry with only those who are flexible enough to change surviving."
Organisations that ban social networking sites and other Web 2.0 technologies at work will not be able to attract future talent, delegates at the CIPD's HRD conference were told.
Vaughan Walker, a learning technologies expert at the accountants Moore Stephens, said that companies that restricted access to Web 2.0 tools and sites such as Facebook and Twitter risked alienating a new generation of workers who used them "like an extension of their arm". He said curbing their use also prevented "a fantastic source of continuing professional development" and risked de-motivating employees.
"If you don't adopt these tools you are implying you don't trust your employees and they are going to play on them all day long - and that is insulting to a lot of people," he said. "Think what will happen if you don't do it. You won't be able to attract new entrants to whom these tools are part of their toolkit and you won't be able to retain them. It's crucial."
Peter Butler, head of learning at BT Group, agreed that using Web 2.0 technologies to help deliver learning would be key to attracting future talent. "If we don't embrace this in organisations people will probably not join us in the future. They will go to ones that do," he said.
BT is currently developing a new online learning portal, named "dare to share", integrating all existing applications that employees use, such as blogs, wikis and discussion forums, into one place. The site enables staff toupload and share their own content, including videos and podcasts, all of which can be downloaded onto mobile phones and MP3 players as well as PCs.
Butler said the business case for the portal was "resounding", estimating that it had saved them £8 million in its first year because the learning could be delivered faster and more effectively. With all the technology already in place the only costs incurred in setting it up were through project management and marketing.
Other business drivers included keeping knowledge in the workforce, eliminating organisational silos and increasing employee engagement. About 5,000 of the firm's 100,000 employees have access to the portal, which will eventually be rolled out to everyone.
Butler added that the new portal would not replace formal learning, but was "bridging the gap" between formal and informal learning. "We are trying to enable them to use 2.0 to enhance learning and bring a new dimension to it. This is developed by anyone and delivered by anyone in real time," he said.
He advised delegates "not to get in the way of this because you can embrace it, understand it and enable it".
The long-awaited Equality Bill has been published today, setting new laws to help narrow the gap between gender pay and strengthen anti-discrimination legislation.
The Bill, expected to come into force by autumn 2010, is set to replace nine laws and more than 100 other measures with one single Act to make it easier for employers and staff to understand their legal rights and obligations.
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, said: "Today we publish our tough new Equality Bill, promised in our manifesto, building on our actions over the past 10 years. It will make Britain a more equal place, and help us build a stronger economy and fairer society for the future."
The Bill will require all employers with more than 250 staff to report their gender pay gap from 2013, if sufficient progress on reporting has not already been made voluntarily.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission will develop a set of metrics for gender pay reports in consultation with business, unions and others over the summer, and the commission will then monitor the progress of reporting within the private sector annually.
Public bodies with more than 150 employees will also be required to report on gender pay as well as other equality data including the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic workers.
Further measures to bring equality to pay include banning employers' ability to use employment contracts to prevent staff talking about their wages. Currently, nearly one-quarter of employers stop their staff from discussing their salaries, and the government hopes lifting this will allow more women to challenge unlawful pay.
Harman said: "We will shine the spotlight in every workplace on the hidden pay discrimination against women."
Vera Baird, Solicitor General, added: "Employers will no longer be able to rely on keeping their pay structures secret. We will ban secrecy clauses in employment contracts, so that women can challenge unfair pay. And we will encourage businesses to report on gender pay, but let us make no mistake: if voluntary measures do not work, we will take stronger measures to ensure equal pay for women."
Last week, business groups expressed concern that the introduction of equal pay audits would hit businesses as they struggle to emerge from the recession.
The Bill will also enable employers to favour under-represented groups during recruitment processes - provided the candidates are of equal suitability - to increase the diversity of their workforces.
Harman said the Bill also aims to tackle social-economic inequality by putting a new duty on all public bodies to consider what action they can take to reduce socio-economic inequality when making strategic decisions about spending and services.
"We know that inequality is grounded not just in gender, race, disability, age and sexual orientation, but also by class. So we will require public bodies when they make strategic decisions to help narrow the gap between rich and poor," said Harman.
Employment tribunals will also be given wider powers to make recommendations to firms on how to improve work practices. Currently, tribunals can only offer recommendations to the individual who brings the case, and they often end up leaving the company.
Under the Equality Bill, tribunals will be able to deliver recommendations directly to firms to ensure similar types of discrimination are not repeated.
James Purnell, secretary of state for work and pensions, said: "The government wants to make sure each person gets the help and support they need to overcome their barriers to work, fulfil their potential, and build a better life for themselves and their families."
They say every cloud has a silver lining and in these dark economic times, it seems it is the UK's volunteer movement that may be set to flourish.
As more and more people find themselves out of work, so the number of people taking an interest in volunteer work soars, new research shows.
Some of the UK's largest volunteering organisations, including CSV and YouthNet, have reported seeing the number of applicants rocket.
Among them are new graduates, laid-off workers in their 30s and 40s, as well as older people losing out on jobs to younger people in an increasingly competitive market.
Nearly 90% of volunteer centres in England - a kind of job centre for volunteers - saw an increase in inquiries over the six months to March, according to a survey by the Institute for Volunteering Research.
It also found of those centres polled, about three-quarters reported volunteers wanting the experience of volunteering to help them find a job.
YouthNet says applications have doubled in just one year to about 40,000 in February 2009 and CSV says full-time volunteers offering between four and 12 months are up 55%.
At first glance, volunteering might appear to be for the altruist.
But Volunteering England, which has published the research, is putting the spike in interest squarely down to the recession and people seeking a route back into employment.
There have been similar spikes in recent years, for example after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and, perhaps more surprisingly, following the announcement that London will host the 2012 Olympics.
But Mike Locke, director of public affairs for Volunteering England, said: "What we're seeing now is a remarkable increase."
It seems many see volunteering as a way to gain new skills, get a head-start in an highly competitive job market and make use of their time out of work.
David Sharples, from Tameside Volunteer Centre in Manchester, says there has been a marked shift in the type of applicants looking for voluntary work.
Historically, it was young people looking for experience in medicine, nursing or probation work. Now it is people in their 30s and 40s, recently made redundant often from manufacturing, looking to develop new skills or keeping their CVs up-to-date, he says.
"But for many, the number one reason is to occupy their time, keep active and keep a routine going," he added.
Malcolm Jones, 63, from Ashton-under-Lyne, was working as an electrician until work dried up last December.
He spent weeks ringing around agencies looking for more work but with no luck.
"I was doing fine, filling in my days. Until one day, I had just finished a pile of ironing when my wife said: 'Why not try voluntary work?'"
Last week, Mr Jones volunteered for the first time, visiting people's homes to fit smoke detectors for free.
"The idea of volunteering is not going to appeal to everyone, it depends on your age and your inclination. But I enjoyed it very much. It's no big deal to me. I enjoy meeting other folk," he said.
Will Nevitt, a roofer since he left school at 15, was also hit by the flagging building trade.
"There's no work. So I thought while I'm out of work, I may as well better myself," said the 25-year-old from Dukinfield in Greater Manchester.
This week, he starts teaching youngsters football and other outdoor activities. It is the start of a volunteer project but he is hoping it will also be the start of a new career for him.
Emily Cook found volunteer work could lead to better things. She graduated from Sheffield University with a 2:2 in history, confident it would not be long before she found a job.
"People said: 'you will be fine', but there was absolutely nothing out there," she said.
Now 23, she has a permanent job with the National Fire Service College in Gloucestershire and puts that down to a four-month CSV volunteering project.
"My CV looked better with a bit of volunteering on it and I gained in confidence," she said.
Volunteering England says it is too early to provide figures for the actual number of people doing voluntary work since the start of the recession.
The latest Department of Communities figures show about 40% of adults in England volunteered at least once a year up to September 2008, and 26% volunteered at least once a month.
HR professionals and recruiters have been warned to be on their guard as 24% of jobseekers are prepared to lie in interviews and 15% would exaggerate their skills and qualifications.
According to a report from talent assessment company SHL Group, 23% of job applicants said the tough economic climate - plus the belief other applicants would lie as well - led them to exaggerate in order to stand a chance of being recruited.
While 54% claimed they would never lie, a third said they would be persuaded for a good salary or a dream job.
Men are more likely to lie in job interviews - 26% compared with 22% of women - and staff aged 18-24 are more likely to stretch the truth - 37% compared with 26% of 35-44 year olds.
James Bywater, head psychologist at SHL Group, said: "Given the current job market, the results of our survey are really not that startling and, if anything, recruiters can expect to see more of this attitude to CVs and interviews as redundancy programmes contribute to a larger talent pool."
And Steve Huxham, chairman of The Recruitment Society, added: "I would agree the majority of jobseekers are honest but, given the current climate where candidates are up against tough competition for a job, they are bound to be tempted to elaborate their skills, qualifications or education to stand out from the rest."
"Now is definitely not the time to cut back on robust recruitment processes. More than ever recruiters should be undertaking the necessary checks and references but also looking out for hard-to-identify lies such as 'experience by proxy' where a candidate will claim full credit for a project when in fact they were on the sidelines and do not have the knowledge or skills to repeat that work. This can only really be spotted by sticking to a thorough assessment process."
The Prime Minister has insisted that thousands of green jobs will be created in the UK, despite fears that the government is not providing enough financial support.
In next week's Budget, chancellor Alistair Darling will unveil plans to boost a low carbon industrial strategy that could create 400,000 environmental sector jobs by 2018, Gordon Brown said today.
Pilot cities across the UK will also install charging points for electric cars, as the government tries to show its commitment to going green.
Brown told The Independent: "It is not just what we do to give real help to people and business now, but about setting a path for the future as well."
"[The green energy sector] is a job creator, a quality of life improver and an environment-enhancing measure," he added.
Yesterday, a report by think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research warned the UK would miss out on at least 70,000 green jobs in the offshore wind sector if the government did not provide serious financial support.
A further 133,000 jobs in the renewable energy industry could be lost to manufacturers abroad if the UK did not enable British firms to start work and create jobs, the report warned.
The Bank of England has also warned the government has little money left after bailing out failed banks and cutting value-added tax.
But Brown told the paper the UK could increase its output of green goods and services by 50% to £1.5bn over the next few years.
"This is a major part of our plan for recovery in the budget," he said. "A different type of economy will emerge in the recovery if we are prepared to invest in the future," he said.
Due to increasing numbers of employers publishing job vacancies on Twitter, the social networking site has launched a new tool to help applicants search for jobs near them.
Twitter has launched a 'job map' on its job search site, so applicants can see all the jobs in their local area.
The tool, on www.twitterjobsearch.com, allows applicants to view the number of jobs in a continent, country or specific location and drill down to more detail as the map zooms in. Jobs are signposted with blue markers.
The site will show the jobs employers have posted and it is searchable by city or postcode. It will update every few minutes to show all the vacancies posted in the previous 72 hours.
Employers have been quick to use the site to post their vacancies, according to Bill Fischer, co-founder of TwitterJobSearch. He said: "It is still surprising to see the global reach of businesses using Twitter for their recruitment efforts. Mapping the vacancies shows how quickly the hiring community is adopting it. The UK and US are clearly leading the pack currently but we are already plotting jobs from places as far-flung as Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria and Azerbaijan."
Employees waste time on personal e-mail and surfing
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Date: 09/04/2009
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A survey from a leading employment law consultancy has revealed that employees waste an average of two hours a day with personal Internet and e-mail usage whilst at work, with 91% of employees admitting to having sent personal e-mail at work. The Peninsula survey also found a high number of employers to be taking action, with 66% revealing they have disciplined their staff over the problem.
Peter Done, Managing Director of Peninsula said today, "The Internet is again posing problems for employers as they try to stop their staff wasting the day. Employers need to get strict and make employees aware that personal e-mail can not interfere with the working day. Putting a ban on all personal Internet and e-mail usage has been a tactic used by some employers but employees are seemingly ignoring these policies and continuing to use the Internet whenever they want."
Mr Done continues, "Employers need to set out stringent guidelines of what is expected when using the Internet and e-mail within the workplace. If you do choose to allow personal e-mail to be sent, set out rules and guidelines and restrict use to lunch hours and breaks. Implementing clear usage policies are a fundamental part of modern business and clear guidelines ensure that your employees know what is expected and also lets them know what action will be taken should they ignore the policy."
"Employees need to understand that they are getting paid to work and shouldn't be browsing the web or sending personal e-mail. Some e-mail content can be considered very offensive and so employees shouldn't be risking possible disciplinary action on these grounds. If employers do have in place any type of restrictions on Internet and e-mail usage, employees would be risking disciplinary action and in some cases, could even risk dismissal."
To conclude, Peter Done said, "Employers need to get their Internet and e-mail policies set out and make sure their employees aren't wasting away the day sending personal e-mail or surfing the net. Regular checks should be done and action taken against anyone failing to adhere to the company policy. Employees need to remember they are being paid to work, not e-mail their friends and need to understand that they are genuinely risking their job by sending personal e-mail."
HR professionals not measuring return on investment
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Date: 08/04/2009
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A report from Talent Q shows 82% of HR staff do not measure the return on investment of their practices - which is why they struggle to be seen to provide value to their organisations.
Emma Bothwell, HR director of catering firm Thomas Franks, said: "It is a tough environment and in a sector where margins are rarely more than single digit, HR needs to add value - and then be able to prove it."
"Many companies talk about people being their most valuable asset, but we would argue if that is really the case they should be measuring it."
And Alan Bourne, director of Talent Q, added: "Organisations should have a much clearer understanding of the return gained through their investment in people. This must include accurately assessing external and internal talent to select and promote the best people."
"A wealth of empirical data shows progressive HR practice achieves higher retention, productivity and business performance. With costs coming under a high level of scrutiny, it is incumbent on HR practitioners to demonstrate their worth."
This month sees a raft of new employment law regulations affecting employers and employees alike.
These include the repeal of the statutory dispute resolution procedures, the debut of the new Acas code, the extension of the right to request flexible working to parents with children aged 16 or under, and rises in statutory holiday entitlement.
Personnel Today magazine asked employment lawyers to sum up the changes, say what they mean for employers and rate them as to how useful they are for employers.
Rises in statutory sick pay (SSP) from 6 April
In a nutshell: SSP rises to £79.15 per week.
Actions: Employers who operate a non-contractual sick pay scheme will need to amend their records and any commercial payroll software to reflect this change. In addition, written policies that detail the level of SSP payable will also need to be updated.
Concerns: To avoid any HMRC trouble, make sure to pay the amended rate with immediate effect and to record this in all tax documentation. Otherwise your ability to reclaim SSP under the Percentage Threshold Scheme could be affected.
Usefulness rating for employers: 2 stars - at a time of reduced turnover and diminishing returns, this increase is unlikely to be welcomed by employers.
Nicholas Siddall, barrister, Kings Chambers (specialising in employment and industrial relations law)
The new Acas code applies from 6 April
In a nutshell: The revised Acas Code of Practice replaces the statutory dispute resolution procedures and will become the keystone of discipline and grievance matters. The emphasis is on resolving issues in the workplace. It is not legally binding and a failure to follow it will not make any dismissal arising out of a disciplinary matter automatically unfair.
Actions: Employers should review their existing discipline and grievance policies and train staff on the impact of the new regime.
Concerns: Where there has been an unreasonable failure to follow the code (by employer or employee), a tribunal can adjust any compensation awarded by up to 25% if it considers it just and equitable to do so in all the circumstances.
Usefulness rating: 3 stars
Tim Marshall, partner, DLA Piper
Increased penalties for failure to pay the national minimum wage (NMW) apply from 6 April
In a nutshell: Where employers have failed to pay the NMW, they will face a penalty of 50% of the amount of the underpayment, which may be enforced by HMRC, which also gains powers to remove wage records for inspection, and to use search and seize powers when investigating criminal offences relating to the NMW.
Actions: Employers should ensure the NMW is paid to all qualifying employees, and that no deductions are made that could take the worker's average pay below the NMW. Employers should also ensure that accurate records are kept.
Concerns: Even though there are only a limited number of NMW compliance officers at HMRC, employers should note that individual employees may still enforce the NMW themselves, by claiming in a court or employment tribunal.
Usefulness rating: 0 stars
Robert J Washington, associate, Hogan & Hartson
Increase in annual statutory holiday entitlement from 1 April
In a nutshell: On 1 April, the annual statutory holiday entitlement is due to increase from 4.8 weeks, or 24 days, to a minimum of 5.6 weeks or, for a full-time worker, 28 days - public holidays may be included.
Actions: Employers who currently offer fewer than 28 days holiday per year, including public holidays, need to increase employee holiday entitlement or risk employment tribunal claims. For employers whose holiday year does not run 31 March-1 April, an online calculator is available at businesslink.gov.uk to assist calculating pro-rata entitlement.
Concerns: The 28 days statutory holiday entitlement may not, after 1 April, be replaced by a payment in lieu, except on termination. Employers need to consider, in particular, the holiday entitlement of part-time workers who may not work on public holidays.
Usefulness rating: 2 stars - many employers already give workers 20 days' holiday, plus bank and public holidays (ie a total of 28 days) and so will be unaffected by the change.
Katie Clarke, partner, McDermott, Will & Emery
Increases to statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay from 5 April
In a nutshell: The prescribed weekly rates of statutory maternity pay, (SMP), statutory paternity pay (SPP), and statutory adoption pay (SAP) will be increased with effect from 5 April. The prescribed weekly rate of SMP, SPP and SAP will be £123.06 (up from £117.18).
Actions: Ensure the new rates are paid as appropriate.
Concerns: None.
Usefulness rating: 2 stars - any increase in staff costs is unwelcome in the current economic climate.
Bob Cordran, partner, Thomas Eggar
Withdrawal of the VAT Staff Hire Concession from 1 April
In a nutshell: From 1 April, the VAT Staff Hire Concession will be withdrawn and businesses supplying temporary staff will no longer be entitled to this concession. Consequently, suppliers of temporary staff will charge VAT (15%) on the full value of the staff supplied. Previously, VAT was charged only on the amount of their fee for supplying the individual and not on the full value of their supplies, including salaries.There are a few exemptions related to the supply of disabled workers and medical and care services.
Actions: Unless you are covered by a concession, it will have to be paid - check thoroughly that you have been billed correctly.
Concerns: Its withdrawal will affect recipients who are unable to recover any or all of the VAT on supplies of staff, typically those in the financial services, education, healthcare or charities sector.
Usefulness rating: 0 stars - The loss of the concession will have a direct impact on absolute costs.
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