Payroll technology threatens police jobs

More than 150 civilian jobs in Greater Manchester Police could be axed in a cost-cutting drive, reports Manchester Evening News.

About 380 people who work in the force's HR and finance sections have been sent letters warning them a staff reduction will be 'inevitable'. It says management have decided to 'substantially change' the way the services are provided. The force is to invest in new technology to replace out-of-date HR and payroll systems.

The letter says: “The proposals will clearly outline savings as a result of improvements in technology and therefore it is inevitable that there will be a reduction in staff numbers in both HR and finance roles.”

The Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) has unveiled an HR information system as it prepares to begin the largest employee recruitment drive in the history of the region, says Barrie Advance.

With more than 1 000 new employees and up to 75 new physicians needed as the hospital's Phase 1 expansion project nears completion, the new Telus Sourcing Solutions technology will allow hospital staff to focus on recruitment while dramatically streamlining payroll, pension and benefits administration, and disability management.

The Telus system will deliver a variety of benefits to RVH's current 2 200 employees. With quick access to a new HR Web site, employees can electronically manage transactions (like their marital and dependent status or leave of absence requests) whenever and wherever they want.

The Institute of Payroll Professionals (IPP) is warning businesses that Britain's adverse weather conditions can have implications on payroll departments that have to deal with a high number of staff absenteeism, according to Fresh Business Thinking.

It has been predicted that one day of employee absence due to the snow could cost £230 million (R2.7 billion) in the UK alone. Businesses need to prepare their payroll and HR staff to deal with the possibility of having to help cross train other departments to step in and undertake the workloads of other colleagues, as well as work out whether there are contractual obligations to pay staff even if they cannot come into work.

Elaine Gibson, senior policy officer at the IPP, said: "The freezing winter conditions in combination with icy roads and defective transport links are going to make it difficult for many employees to come into work.”