Is good HR knowing what you can get away with?

Been a little while since my last post. Today I ask something different of those of you kind enough to have a read.

Although not looking to run a Jim’ll-Fix it style ‘HR help’ blog, I kindly ask of your help.

I’ve been asked a few questions and for advice from a friend of mine in a quandary with their employer. Unsure of what would be the best solution, I thought to turn to the advice of a large network of brilliant HR professionals that I connect with on Twitter week in, week out.

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated int he comments below!

The message I was sent is as follows:

Just looking for some HR advice, Here goes…

Having a few salary issues at work and not sure what I can do…

There are 3 main parts really:

1) Mileage claim:
I drove to a networking event in Wakefield (120miles each way) with permission from my Manager now company have refused to pay the mileage as it would have been cheaper to get the train and I didn’t do this even though my manager knew I intended to drive and never said anything.

2) Salary:
It came to light end of July that I’ve been underpaid for last 2 years. My employer although confirming this have refused to back pay the underpaid amount.

3) Amendment to salary:
Since they have been made aware of the salary underpayment they won’t authorize my salary to be amended to correct pay grade from now, making me start at the bottom of the band (so I’ll have to work a further 2 years to get to where I should be now) Meaning I’ll always be 2 years behind where I should rightfully be.

And all this following the fact that they have all of a sudden just decided cut my hours in half from 01.08.13….

Hope this makes sense… I feel a bit lost and mistreated.

Is there anything I can do? If so, where do I start??

Brave HR from my naive perspective – Connecting HR Unconference 2013

Live drawings from the unconference

Last Friday, I left the confines and relative safety of CIPD towers in Wimbledon and headed off to a Connecting HR Unconference taking place near Kings Cross. Super brave.

If you’re unfamiliar with Connecting HR, they are:

A UK based, global network of social HR people, connected through social media, and with a passion for more social (relationship based) ways of working.

More here: http://connectinghr.org/page/about-us

And for all unfamiliar with an unconference, it is a participant-driven meeting of delegates. Participation being the optimum word. If you aren’t willing to get thinking and stuck in, it really won’t work. Time to speak up and be brave…

The Business Startup Show

As is already blatantly obvious from my eloquently worded title and tags, I’m visiting the Business startup conference today up at London Excel.

After attending HRD, TFMA 2013 and Internet World this year, this is the one I think I’m looking forward to most.

From the look of the program (and obviously the title), it’s clearly focused at early business start ups but more importantly, how small business can best expand.

Personally, I think that thinking big is easy.

Dreams of owning a thriving global business compared to the hard graft of starting a small business are so far apart sometimes the former seems impossible.

I think what I’m most looking forward to today is hearing keynotes from people that have grown their businesses through hard work and perseverance. It seems a common theme for so many successful business owners so they must be onto something.

And I think this important for people, especially young people in the UK. All things successful come from hard work, not reliance on parents, the government or talent show funding.

Get up and visit shows like these, get some inspiration from people that have done it.

Even if you don’t necessarily want a big business, a bracket I put myself in, the values shown from others can teach you how hard, effective work can benefit you in your own job, now or in the future.

I’m looking forward to it, hopefully I’ll have a post or two up today about things I’ve found interesting and inspiring.

Enjoy your day!

If you are attending and want to connect, please drop me a tweet 🙂