Northgate-is - News Item 730

Legal issues cause HR headache

~ legislative compliance is number one worry for UK HR managers ~

Keeping ahead of legislation is the biggest day-to-day concern for 83 per cent of HR and payroll professionals, Northgate HR research has found.

The study, conducted by Harte Hanks Research, also showed that legislation is the primary concern for HR professionals, over people-focused concerns such as improving employee productivity and boosting morale.

The research found that the top five worries for HR and payroll professionals are:
• Keeping ahead of legislation: 83 per cent
• Employee productivity: 74 per cent
• Getting the most out of IT systems: 75 per cent
• Reward and recognition: 72 per cent
• Improving employee morale: 71 per cent

This legislative burden is in danger of blocking innovation, according to Marika Hall, HRO business manager at Northgate HR: “Staying ahead of new legislation is obviously important, and HR’s responsibility. But the fact that so many feel it’s their biggest worry rings alarm bells,” said Hall. “It’s very
time-consuming to even understand the legislation if you’re not a legal expert, let alone identify the implications for the organisation and then implement any policy changes, ensuring that the workforce is compliant. HR’s time is better spent focusing on people, not processes, leaving the worry of implementing legislative compliance to expert suppliers.”

“If HR directors are bogged down by details, their focus is not on their number one priority: their people. Talent management – an area vital for HR to prepare the organisation for the future – should be at the top of the list, not languishing at tenth place because other issues are taking up HR’s time. Devising new ways to recruit, retain and develop staff should be the number one priority for HR professionals,” Hall concluded.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

About the research

Harte Hanks conducted the research in behalf of Northgate HR in late 2007. It is the forth wave in a series of research projects Harte Hanks has carried out for the company, which started in 2002. The primary objective of the research was to understand how Northgate HR and its competitors are perceived in the market, and to establish the significant issues effecting HR Directors in 2008.

Harte Hanks surveyed 201 senior finance and HR decision makers, all of whom work at companies employing over 500 people.

About Northgate HR (www.northgate-is.com/hrs)
With over 40 years’ experience, Northgate HR is the UK’s largest supplier of HR, payroll and pensions applications. Northgate HR solutions are developed to provide maximum flexibility and seamless integration. They can cater for the diverse requirements of HR, payroll, benefits and pension management across all market sectors and in organisations of any size.
 
Solutions can be delivered in-house, via an Application Service Provider (ASP) or outsourced, providing forward thinking and state-of-the-art business management tools. With a comprehensive suite of software solutions combined with unparalleled levels of expertise, Northgate HR can fulfil its vision to provide solutions that simplify key business tasks and deliver value added benefits to customers, enabling them to provide vital human capital information to assist in HR management and business strategy. 
 
Northgate HR is the specialist HR and Payroll systems division of Northgate Information Solutions. Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit Northgate Information Solutions at www.northgate-is.com.

For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626                               Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com
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