http://www.personneltoday.com/en-gbFri, 21 Nov 2008 17:21:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48467/ditch-the-retirement-age-campaign-gets-backing-of-lords.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48467/ditch-the-retirement-age-campaign-gets-backing-of-lords.html Personnel Today's drive to force the government to commit to scrapping the default retirement age (DRA) has stepped up a gear after receiving support from leading age campaigner <A href="http://www.oecd.org/speaker/0,343Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:21:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48473/friday-podcast-economic-downturn-advice-working-time-directive-opt-out-unemployment-age-discrimination.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48473/friday-podcast-economic-downturn-advice-working-time-directive-opt-out-unemployment-age-discrimination.html Our weekly HR news and analysis audio programme includes: advice from a senior HR director about the function’s role during the economic Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:50:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48468/cipd-standards-row-erupts-after-member-is-named-on-list-of-bnp-activists.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48468/cipd-standards-row-erupts-after-member-is-named-on-list-of-bnp-activists.html Leading HR directors have called on the CIPD to toughen up its rules after it emerged one of its members was named as a British National Party (BNP) activist. A leaked liFri, 21 Nov 2008 16:40:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48465/data-at-risk-due-to-lack-of-training-on-dangers-of-working-online.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48465/data-at-risk-due-to-lack-of-training-on-dangers-of-working-online.html Employers risk losing valuable commercial and customer data if they do not train their staff on the dangers associated with working online, the TUC has claimed. The union body's warning followed this Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:18:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48463/multicultural-respect-standards-to-be-launched.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48463/multicultural-respect-standards-to-be-launched.html A set of standards geared towards building respect between different cultures at work will be launched next week. The NatioFri, 21 Nov 2008 12:36:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48460/bradford-bingley-boss-praises-staff-commitment.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48460/bradford-bingley-boss-praises-staff-commitment.html Bradford Bingley's chairman last week gave a glowing review of the crisis-hit bank's people culture. Richard Pym told MPs on the Treasury Select Committee that staff had proved their commitment on the weekend the bankFri, 21 Nov 2008 08:43:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48459/hospitality-body-condemns-exploitation-of-young-to-fill-migrant-skills-gaps.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48459/hospitality-body-condemns-exploitation-of-young-to-fill-migrant-skills-gaps.html The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has warned employers worried about the UK losing its Working Time Directive opt-out<Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:08:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48457/newly-jobless-likely-to-remain-that-way-for-some-time-admits-mp.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/21/48457/newly-jobless-likely-to-remain-that-way-for-some-time-admits-mp.html Axed staff face lengthy spells out of work as the economic crisis hits the government's ability to get people off benefits quickly, a minister has admitted. EFri, 21 Nov 2008 07:37:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48453/police-service-urged-to-introduce-local-targets-to-boost-diversity-drive.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48453/police-service-urged-to-introduce-local-targets-to-boost-diversity-drive.html Police forces may have to follow new ethnic recruitment targets under proposals set out by the government. Policing minister Vernon Coaker today published a <A href="http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleasThu, 20 Nov 2008 16:32:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48443/front-line-nhs-staff-asked-for-views-on-improving-healthcare-service.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48443/front-line-nhs-staff-asked-for-views-on-improving-healthcare-service.html Doctors, nurses and other NHS staff are being called on to develop new standards to measure and improve the quality of care in the health service. Local NHS organisations are being encouraged to engage with staff to help dThu, 20 Nov 2008 13:01:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48442/bnp-list-provokes-anger-but-employers-warned-not-to-overreact.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48442/bnp-list-provokes-anger-but-employers-warned-not-to-overreact.html Employers have been warned against knee-jerk reactions against employees recently outed as members of the BNP. Earlier this week a leaked membership list was published online, which includes police officers - who are banneThu, 20 Nov 2008 12:50:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48437/failed-training-initiatives-down-to-lack-of-line-manager-buy-in.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48437/failed-training-initiatives-down-to-lack-of-line-manager-buy-in.html Line managers are the main stumbling block when it comes to making a success of staff training. A survey of learning and development professionals at the <A href="http://www.learnevents.com/world-of-learning-conference-200Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:28:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48410/cable-wireless-staff-benefit-from-profits-boost-with-extra-holiday.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/20/48410/cable-wireless-staff-benefit-from-profits-boost-with-extra-holiday.html Cable Wireless has just given its employees around the world an extra day off after reporting an increase in half-year profits, Personnel Today has learned. All 5,000 staff across Europe, Asia and the US wilThu, 20 Nov 2008 07:13:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48436/record-number-of-government-staff-dismissals-overturned.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48436/record-number-of-government-staff-dismissals-overturned.html A record number of sacked government workers successfully overturned their dismissals last year, with total compensation breaking the £1m barrier for the first time. The Civil Service Appeal Board's <AWed, 19 Nov 2008 13:18:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48431/woolworths-may-sell-entire-business-for-1.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48431/woolworths-may-sell-entire-business-for-1.html High-street business Woolworths has confirmed it is in talks over the possible sale of its entire retail business for just £1. <A href="http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5183Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:17:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48413/benetton-embraces-talent-management-to-drive-global-ambition.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48413/benetton-embraces-talent-management-to-drive-global-ambition.html Clothes retailer Benetton has made talent management one of its top priorities as it aims to become "truly international", an HR manager has revealed. Gabriella Valentinotti,Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:47:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48430/bank-bonuses-under-fire-as-think-tank-reveals-five-ceos-52m-top-up.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48430/bank-bonuses-under-fire-as-think-tank-reveals-five-ceos-52m-top-up.html Unions are calling for a complete overhaul of remuneration in the financial sector after research revealed that five banking chief executives received pay and bonuses worth more than £52m over a four year period. <PWed, 19 Nov 2008 09:23:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48429/bb-bonus-defended-by-former-chairman-as-new-boss-eyes-326000-top-up.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48429/bb-bonus-defended-by-former-chairman-as-new-boss-eyes-326000-top-up.html The man in charge of Bradford Bingley when it was nationalised in September was yesterday forced to defend the bonus structure that will see his replacement given a huge bonus this year. Rod Kent, who was replaced byWed, 19 Nov 2008 09:10:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48428/credit-crunch-inspires-cipd-to-launch-damage-limitation-training-for-hr.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48428/credit-crunch-inspires-cipd-to-launch-damage-limitation-training-for-hr.html Two courses to help HR staff and line managers handle strikes and redundancies better have been launched by the CIPD. The first course, 'Practical Employee Relations', provides participants with the tools to handle employeWed, 19 Nov 2008 09:07:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48409/wtd-opt-out-axe-could-force-hotels-to-use-unpaid-labour-to-fill-gaps.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/11/19/48409/wtd-opt-out-axe-could-force-hotels-to-use-unpaid-labour-to-fill-gaps.html A luxury hotel chain will use work experience students to make up the overtime hours currently worked by permanent employees if the UK loses its opt-out to the <A href="http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/employment/employment-legislWed, 19 Nov 2008 07:01:00 GMT