Infozone: the briefing – 14/05/10
HR PROFESSIONALS URGE NEXT GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THE DRAThe next Government has been urged to address concerns over scrapping or raising the default retirement age (DRA) after a poll revealed that three-quarters of HR professionals do not want to see the legislation changed. Some 72% of HR professionals do not want the DRA ditched or raised for fear that it will force firms to pay pension contributions for longer, impede succession planning and reduce workforce capability.
WOMEN IN STRESSFUL JOBS AT INCREASED RISK OF HEART DISEASE
Female high-fliers with stressful jobs could face an increased risk of heart disease, researchers have warned. Previous studies have largely focused on men, but new findings show that young women are also at risk of heart attacks. The latest study examined the impact of work pressure and heart disease risk among 12,116 nurses and tracked them for 15 years. By 2008, 580 had been admitted to hospital with heart disease, of whom 138 had suffered a heart attack and 369 had angina.
SALARIES FAILING TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RISING COST OF LIVING
Workers are facing effective pay cuts as salaries fail to keep pace with the rising cost of living. A litre of unleaded petrol now costs 121.3p on average, and food bills remain high. However, the latest survey by Incomes Data Services (IDS) found that wages rose at an average annual rate of just 1.9% in the three months to the end of March.
JOBS REVIVAL CONTINUES AS PERMANENT APPOINTMENTS INCREASE
The revival in the jobs market looks set to stay as the number of people being placed in permanent jobs continues to rise, new research has revealed. The monthly Report on Jobs, by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and professional services firm KPMG, found that permanent staff appointments in April remained strong, despite easing on the previous month, when they grew at their fastest rate in nearly 13 years.
