People Power
Organisations
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) — ACAS is the employment relations service for England, Scotland and Wales offering practical, independent and impartial advice to employers, employees and their representatives. Their site has some clear and useful leaflets and booklets, often free and most instantly downloadable.
www.acas.org.ukBasic Skills Agency — an independent organisation, funded by the Department for Education and Skills and the Welsh Assembly Government, aims to support teachers of basic skills across sectors and age groups.
www.basic-skills.co.ukBritish Chambers of Commerce — accredited Chambers seek to represent the interests and support the competitiveness and growth of all businesses in their communities and regions. Visit the website to find details of your local Chamber.
British Dyslexia Association — help and advice for employers of staff with dyslexia.
www.bda-dyslexia.org.ukBritish Standards — The excellent Directors’ Briefings including: managing your employees, employment law, recruitment, training, remuneration, pensions.
www.mysmallbiz.co.uk (Click on Library of Resources and then Human Resources.)Business Link — advice to small businesses and simple answers to your questions. The information is presented in factsheets, case studies, interactive tools and frequently-asked questions with links to other websites.
www.businesslink.gov.ukCentre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) — CEDR's mission is to encourage and develop mediation and other cost-effective dispute resolution and prevention techniques in commercial and public-sector disputes.
www.cedr.co.ukThe Chartered Management Institute (formerly Institute of Management) — a source of professional management information and inspiration.
www.managers.org.ukCity & Guilds — leading provider of vocational qualifications in the UK.
www.city-and-guilds.co.ukCriminal Records Bureau - Produces an excellent HR e-newsletter and a series of business and employment briefing papers.
Department for Education and Skills — information about apprenticeships, numeracy and literacy in the workplace, and training young people.
www.dfes.gov.uk/employersDepartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) — the DTI offers essential information for small businesses.
www.dti.gov.ukDisability Rights Commission — an independent body set up by the Government to help eliminate discrimination against disabled people and to promote equality of opportunity. The site contains a wealth of resource information.
www.drc-gb.orgEdexcel — Training — Part of Pearson plc, Edexcel is the UK’s largest awarding body and offers a range of both general and specialist qualifications, including both BTEC short courses and work-based National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
www.edexcel.org.ukEquality Direct — an ACAS telephone advice service and supporting website for business, offering authoritative, confidential and down-to-earth advice about equality issues.
Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
www.hse.gov.ukHR Manager UK — free online guidance service for UK employers.
Investors in People — the national standard which sets a level of good practice for training and development of people to achieve business goals.
www.iipuk.co.ukLearn Direct — courses and training for business owners and employees. Learn Direct also offer a series of excellent Directors’ Briefings on such subjects as: appraisal, training, leadership and managing change.
www.learndirect-business.co.ukManaging Absence — provides employers with information and links to organisations, which can offer advice on the most effective ways of managing absence. Free downloadable leaflet entitled, Managing Short-term Sickness. Includes occupational health information and services.
www.managingabsence.org.ukThe Pensions Regulator — the regulator of work-based pension schemes in the UK. Provides assistance and guidance to employers, and the site contains useful information for employers about stakeholder pensions and their implementation.
www.thepensionsregulator.gov.ukThe Phoenix Fund — encourages enterprise in disadvantaged communities and in groups under-represented in terms of business ownership. (Financial support from the fund is not available directly to individuals or businesses; it is channelled through business support providers and financial intermediaries.)
www.sbs.gov.ukRoyal Society of Chemistry Women Members Network — committed to developing and implementing services, facilities and programmes of activity relevant to the scientific and professional needs of women in chemistry and actively promotes the entry and re-entry of women to the profession.
www.rsc.orgThe Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) funds, supports and champions the new UK-wide network of employer-led Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). The Skills for Business network comprises the SSDA and SSCs.
www.ssda.org.ukTIGER (Tailored Interactive Guidance on Employment Rights) — The ACAS user-friendly guide to different aspects of UK employment law. An excellent resource with a wealth of information including the National Minimum Wage, Flexible Working Rights, and tools to help you work out Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Rights.
www.tiger.gov.ukTrades Union Congress (TUC) — 70 affiliated unions representing nearly seven million working people; the website directory is a superb resource for employers and employees alike on such topics as health and safety, the law, equality and learning.
www.tuc.org.ukWomen’s Engineering Society - Promotes education, training
and the practice of engineering.
www.wes.org.ukWorking Links - Gets the long-term unemployed back to work, and helps them stay there by matching people looking for work with businesses with recruitment needs.
www.workinglinks.co.uk
Workplace Law - Provides free (and subscription) employment law information for employers (registration necessary).
www.workplacelaw.netWorkSmart — A TUC site that covers everything you need to know about being a responsible employer including many aspects of health and safety in the workplace and employees’ rights. An invaluable resource.
www.worksmart.org.ukYour People Manager — A free service that helps owners of small businesses to deal with the everyday questions, issues and problems of managing staff.
www.yourpeoplemanager.comPublications
ACAS also publish a series of advice leaflets and self-help guides which are available free from their website
HSE Publications
www.hsebooks.co.uk