Infozone: the briefing – 13/08/10

HOSPITALITY VACANCIES DRY UP

Demand for hospitality staff slowed almost to a standstill in July, part of a wider trend that saw vacancies increasing at the slowest pace for eight months, research has revealed. The Report on Jobs survey by professional services firm KPMG and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), found that demand for permanent hospitality staff was the lowest of all sectors analysed, at 51 - on a scale where anything above 50 represents an increase. Demand for temporary staff was also slow, at 51.3, with only nursing/medical and care staff seeing fewer temp job vacancies.

NEW LEGISLATION FOR OLD

A new "one-in, one-out" system of regulation is to be introduced by the Government from 1 September. The new rule will apply initially to domestic legislation, including employment law and licensing regulations, affecting businesses and the third sector.

When ministers seek to introduce new regulations that impose costs on employers, they will have to identify current red tape with an equivalent value that can be removed. The Government has also asked the independent Regulatory Policy Committee to scrutinise the evidence supporting new regulatory proposals, prior to policy decisions being made.

MORALE KEY TO EMPLOYEE RETENTION

Employers risk a loss of productivity and falling retention levels if they don't do more to manage morale. Workplace psychologists OPP issued the warning following a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Employee Outlook survey, which found that job satisfaction levels across the UK had fallen by 24% since spring 2009. OPP also cautioned that if the economic climate improves, employees with low morale are the most likely to leave their job at the first opportunity.