SHL, a global leader in talent management, has revealed that while companies are reconsidering their approach to recruitment, a 2:1 from a Russell Group university is still the golden ticket for the top jobs. 71% of companies have started, or expect, to consider school leavers for graduate roles 71% of companies SHL recently polled said…
With up to a quarter of small businesses forced to close during the recent severe weather and heavy snow fall, many for at least five days and overall costing the majority up to £5,000. These figures come from a snap poll of 1,300 members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). A staggering 24 per…
UK SMEs are now more likely to accept excuses from late paying customers than before the recession hit meaning that many could be suffering with poor cash flow. This finding was as a result of an independently commissioned survey by positivecollections.co.uk, the online debt recovery service for businesses and consumers. More than 260 business professionals…
Confidence among the business services sector has improved slightly during Q2, despite the fact that output has declined over the quarter and the industry is performing well below levels seen before the recession, according to the latest Business Factors Index from Bibby Financial Services. March saw a period of considerable growth in the business services…
The CBI has commented on the Government’s announcement that the Equalities Act will be introduced from October. The CBI is the UK’s leading business organisation, speaking for some 240,000 businesses that together employ around a third of the private sector workforce. Katja Hall, CBI Director of HR policy, said: “The Equality Act should in many…
Perceptions of male bias in the workplace are much greater among employees in small businesses than in the working population as a whole, according to new findings. The research, which forms part of IFF Research’s Attitudes to Work study, shows while 10% of employees believe that men are treated better than women at work, this…
A new Five Point Plan has been announced by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), in a bid to create and retain jobs in a difficult economic climate. Investment in training and apprenticeships, simplifying legislation and promoting part-time working are just some of the areas that have been highlighted as important by the FSB. FSB…
Red tape puts small companies off recruiting more employees, new research has claimed. A report commissioned by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) suggests that while the sector is growing the number of workers it employs has fallen. The study claims that increased regulation could be the cause of this, with just one in five…
Small firms which offer on-the-job training are aiding in creating a skilled workforce but are not rewarded for doing so. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) advised official qualifications should be given to these firms and their employees as the training is currently unrecognised. A survey from the organisation found learning by doing is the…
A debate will be held at the London Stock Exchange this month to discuss two human resource (HR) approaches to employee money problems. The event, hosted by finance company AXA, will include a debate on whether the financial situation of an employee is the responsibility of the employer or not. Speakers for the Federation of…
Government efforts to cut red tape for businesses have not gone far enough and many firms are still grappling with burdensome regulations, it has been claimed. According to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO), just one per cent of businesses believe regulation has become less time consuming over the last year. Some 40…
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the government to reduce the burden of regulation on smaller companies ahead of the introduction of new worker training rights. Last month, Skills Secretary John Denham published a consultation into proposals which would give employees the right to request time off for training. While the FSB…
Most small and medium-sized employers are happy with recent changes to the national minimum wage, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). From October, the minimum rate of pay for adult workers will rise from £5.52 per hour to £5.73, while for 18 to 21-year-olds it will rise from £4.60 to £4.77. Simon Briault,…
Small companies in the UK are currently facing an "unstable situation" as a result of high fuel duty and rising world oil prices, an industry body has claimed. According to the Forum of Private Business (FPB), many firms will see little point in making plans for the future as they are not able to predict…
People’s dreams of being their own boss can blind them to the realities of establishing a business, an industry body has said. According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), establishing a firm is a "kind of lifestyle choice". A spokesperson for the organisation said: "It is a risk setting up a business, there is…