It is common for many employees to send, read and reply to work emails at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. This change in work culture developed in recent decades and has accelerated with the advent of smartphones. But is this a breach of employment law? The short answer is that ‘it depends’ and we need some test cases to clarify the situation, not least in…
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA), which implemented many of its provisions, are now over a year old. The aim of the GDPR was to increase the protection of individuals’ personal data. Employees are better informed than ever of their data protection rights, with employers receiving an increased number of subject access requests from their employees. Interesting, however, under the DPA, individuals…
Despite the uncertainty around Brexit, companies are still recruiting. It’s very much a candidates market at the moment and demand for workers is driving a sharp increase in starting salaries. It’s been getting harder and harder for firms to find good staff and with UK immigration policy likely to tighten, this trend isn’t going to get any easier. Concerns about a no deal Brexit are putting a handbrake on…
Candidate shortages contribute to slower rise in recruitment in June… Key points from June: Permanent placements continue to rise, but not as sharply as previous months Candidate availability deteriorates at steeper pace Robust demand for staff leads to further marked rises in pay Commentary : It’s a great time for people looking to take the next step in their careers, as employers compete for new staff in a tight…
Key points market indicators : Steep increases in permanent placements Severe staff shortages leads to quickest rise in starting salaries for three years Staff vacancies expand at the quickest pace since last November Despite growth in demand for staff this month, there has been another drop in staff availability. There has been a rise in client recruitment indicating that employers are feeling confident in making hiring decisions but a…
Key Points: Continued rise in permanent placements; Growth of demand for staff picks up for the first time in nine months; Steeper decline in candidate availability triggers greater rises in pay. Permanent placements… There has been an increase in permanent placements but the rate of expansion in April was the softest witnessed in 2018. The growth of placements was underpinned by a further substantial rise in demand for staff…
Key points from the March Survey: Permanent placements continue to rise; Growth of demand for staff remains high, but candidate availability drops lower; Starting salaries increase to greatest extent for five months. Growth in permanent placements… Although the rate of expansion has softened from February’s three-year record high, the growth in permanent placements remains sharp. Permanent placements vacancies continue to rise at a slightly faster pace than that for…
Key Points from the February Survey: Softer rise in permanent placements High levels of candidate shortages amid high starting salaries Softer rise in staff vacancies Softer rise in permanent placements… The number of people placed in permanent jobs increased in February although at a slower rate than January’s recent high. The continued increase has been attributed to a strong demand for staff and a greater willingness among candidates to…
Mental health can be a difficult subject for employers and candidates to bring up and discuss although it’s much more open now than ever before. Many organisations are afraid of legal repercussions if they ask too soon or fail to ask at all. Is it legal to ask employees about their mental health during a job interview? Generally, no, this would not be legal. Employers should make all efforts…
Key Points Strong rise in recruitment Starting salary inflation hits 31-month record alongside lack of candidate availability; Growth of demand for candidates declines slightly but still remains high. Sharp Increase in Permanent Placements Permanent placements have continued to rise each month for the past year-and-a-half. This growth has been linked to a greater demand for staff, although some panellists suggest that improved decision-making has also been a factor. Increase…
