Opinion – Page 13
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Are pay increases discriminatory?
When did you last ask for a pay increase? Is this something you do regularly, or like so many of us, would you only consider doing so when changing roles? Are you even comfortable doing so at all? And if you have requested a pay rise, how successful were you?If ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should bonuses be scrapped?
Are bonuses an effective tool to drive employee performance? Or are they too often perceived as an entitlement rather than a reward for performance?Earlier this week, Woodford Investment Management hit the headlines when it was revealed that founder Neil Woodford axed bonuses in favour of paying a flat basic salary ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: How effective is the national living wage?
The national living wage was back in the headlines this week, when restaurant chain Zizzi was reported to have reviewed how tips are distributed to waiting staff and to have cut back on the choice of free meals offered to employees.Even before the national living wage came into effect earlier ...
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OpinionGwyneth Williams: The great gender divide
In February, the government published its draft gender pay gap regulations, expected to come into force in October 2016. The gender pay gap is hardly a new phenomenon (the Equal Pay Act was introduced over 45 years ago in 1970), nor has the subject been short of publicity in recent ...
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OpinionNeil Emery: EAT rules holiday pay calculations should include commission
In the case of Lock v British Gas Trading, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has confirmed that an employee’s holiday pay should include an element in respect of commission.Lock was an energy trader for British Gas Trading, earning commission on the sales he generated, equating to around 60% of his ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should we have a national living wage?
Earlier this week, I read several articles in the Financial Times about how the world will be watching the UK when the new national living wage of £7.20 an hour for workers over 25 comes into effect from today.These articles described how countries around the world, including Germany, Japan and ...
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OpinionConor D'Arcy: Consider the long-term consequences of approaches to the national living wage
Since its announcement last summer, the national living wage (NLW) has rarely been far from the headlines. Commentators have discussed its merits and demerits, but whatever your opinion, it is a big deal: the Resolution Foundation estimates that it will result in a pay rise for roughly 4.5m workers.But pay ...
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OpinionJuliette Graham: The implications of the Bank of England's proposal on bonus buy-outs
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) last month published a controversial proposal on buy-out bonuses aimed at stopping employees at the largest banks from being able to wipe the slate clean when they move firm. The proposal requires new employers to reduce or clawback buy-out bonuses if the ex-employer decides that ...
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OpinionSally Brett: Build on the basics to bridge the gap
In July 2015, David Cameron pledged to end the gender pay gap in one generation by forcing large organisations to publish information about the difference between the average earnings of male and female workers.The TUC (Trades Union Congress) wants the government to go further in its legislation, but there is ...
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OpinionDenise Keating: How the gender pay gap was formed
It is important to start with acknowledging that pay inequality is rarely due to women and men in the same role being paid differently. A huge amount is due to the dominance of men in more senior (and higher-paid) positions.Other causes include women being more likely to work part time ...
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OpinionLouise's Lowdown: How long until Equal Pay Day moves off the calendar?
Pay has featured heavily in the news over the last couple of months. On 25 October the government revealed plans to extend its gender pay gap reporting requirements to large public sector employers and to include information about bonuses; during Living Wage Week on 1-7 November, the Living Wage Foundation ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Taking a proactive stance on gender pay
Pay is inevitably an emotive issue. Just in case we needed reminding, this has been highlighted again the UK's Equal Pay Day. This is the date from which female employees are calculated to effectively work for free until the end of the year compared to male staff.Now, I know the ...
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Opinion
Dev Raval: HR needs to act on low pay
Well, it could be a case of ‘not me guv’, that is, HR doesn’t have a role or responsibility in managing pay, it’s someone else in finance or the board. That doesn’t hold up. HR formally has some significant responsibility for setting pay in most organisations. There may be variations ...
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Opinion
Jon Terry: Bonus caps remove flexibility to reward staff
This is a fundamental change and the unintended consequences should not be underestimated.Capping bonuses will reduce boards’ flexibility in managing a vital aspect of their cost base. Instead of being able to reward staff in good times, and limiting payouts and clawing back bonuses when needed, banks will almost certainly ...
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Opinion
Ben Wells: Will higher student debt affect employers' reward strategies?
The Browne Review essentially suggests an increasingly commercial approach to higher education. With new levels and horizons of student debt, the value of higher education has gone up and is now a significant investment choice for young people and their parents.Is university the right investment? If it is, what return ...
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Opinion
Michael Rendell: Will higher student debt affect employers' reward strategies?
Increased student debt is likely to have an influence on graduates’ degree and career choices, and employers need to respond accordingly. Pay levels and potential career progression are likely to become an even greater priority for students. Raising salaries may not be an option for many employers, but they can ...
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Opinion
Carl Gilleard: Will higher student debt affect employers’ reward strategies?
Past experience does not suggest employers will take increasing levels of graduate debt into account when determining reward strategies. From 2006, when tuition fees were first introduced, starting salaries have barely risen (2% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007) and in the past couple of years they have not increased ...
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Opinion
Hazel James: Will this month's Equality Act make a difference to equal pay?
I would love to think that publishing pay details will have a positive impact on the gender pay gap, but I am afraid that as the Equality Act stands, the effect will probably be limited.Gathering, analysing and benchmarking information on pay is always a valid and valuable task, and something ...
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Opinion
Stuart Hyland: Will this month's Equality Act make a difference to equal pay?
You have to applaud the intent behind the incoming legislation, but I am less excited by the potential impact that I expect it to have, although I would love to be proved wrong.The requirement to disclose details of pay differences between men and women will be voluntary, although it could ...
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Opinion
Sheila Wild: Will this month's Equality Act make a difference to equal pay?
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. While the film Made in Dagenham highlights the heroic struggle of the Ford sewing machinists to be paid the same as their male colleagues, many people will wonder why - nearly four decades later - the full-time pay gap ...