The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has produced a guide to help small businesses weather the economic storm.

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"EHRC advises small businesses"...

Remote and flexible working plays a major part in ensuring IT careers are attractive to a wide variety of people, a leading organisation claims.

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"Women 'attracted' to flexible careers"...

The recruitment process is still affected by gender as the sex of a job applicant is proving a barrier at interviews, research has revealed.

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"Gender 'a barrier' at interview stage"...

Businesses should reassure and communicate with their employees to keep them motivated through the recession.

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"Firms must 'reassure' staff"...

Going into work when you are unwell is counterproductive, according to an employment relations specialist.

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"Ill employees 'should stay home'"...

New limits on the payments awarded to workers by employment tribunals have been set by the department for business enterprise and regulatory reform (BERR).

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"Workers to get improved dismissal payment"...

Employers have been warned that worker benefits are a "waste of money" if they are not targeted correctly.

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"Employee benefits are a 'waste of money'"...

Frequency of sickness should be "low down" on the criteria used to select employees for redundancies; businesses have been warned by an employment expert.

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"Sickness 'not a reason' for redundancy"...

One in five small businesses are looking to expand during 2009, despite the recessionary climate, a survey has shown.

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"Small businesses 'want to expand'"...

Paid long-term sick leave has topped an employees' benefit wish-list, according to a new survey.

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"Sick-leave pay is 'top employee benefit'"...

The economic downturn has resulted in increased caseloads for solicitors handling unfair dismissal claims, said an insurance firm.

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"Downturn 'prompts unfair dismissal claims'"...

Small firms have been encouraged to sign up to a website to bid for government contracts.

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"Govt contracts available to small firms"...

EasyJet has launched a new employee benefit package for its UK workforce in a bid to motivate and retail staff.

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"EasyJet launches employee benefits"...

A leading trade union has claimed that it would be "bad practice" for employers to deduct pay or holiday for absence caused by the adverse weather conditions experienced this week.

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"Docking pay is 'bad practice'"...

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and NatWest have revealed they are to make £33 billion available through a package of financial products.

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"Banks announce funding for small businesses"...

Although many women are thriving in IT jobs, many others do not understand what IT really entails.

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"Female employees 'unaware' about IT"...

Although many more people are entering the job market, it is still proving difficult to find enough workers with skills to fill specialist roles.

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"Firms finding recruitment 'difficult'"...

The UK's ongoing snowfall can provide businesses with a "litmus test" for employee "engagement and loyalty".

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"'Loyal' employees will brave snow"...

Young people are being encouraged to take on apprenticeships by the government, with the introduction of new legislation.

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"New legislation encourages recruitment"...

Figures released by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) have found that four out of ten employers are considering restructuring their reward schemes in a bid to keep staff from looking for jobs elsewhere.

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"Firms attract staff with employee benefits"...

Staff at accountancy giant KPMG are signing up to new flexible working proposals to help the company prosper during the recession.

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"Employees support flexible working scheme"...

Harriet Harman, the minister for women and equality, has said she wants an end to sexism in the workplace and unfair employment practices.

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"Minister wants end to employee inequality"...

British businesses will look to alter employee benefits schemes this year because of the credit crunch, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

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"Firms 'to change' employee benefits"...

Businesses can keep their workforce motivated during the credit crunch by communicating their recession "survival strategy", according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

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"Firms must 'communicate' strategy"...

The occupational safety regulator is advising businesses to reduce the risks for employees to slip, trip or fall.

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"Workplace injuries can be 'devastating'"...

Businesses are paying staff above the minimum wage for fear of being seen as "tight", Personnel Today has reported.

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"Firms 'feel pressure' over employee pay"...

Britain's rising rate of unemployment is a "national emergency" that will affect everyone, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has claimed.

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"Rising unemployment is a 'national emergency'"...

Employers who continue to encourage their staff to engage in face-to-face networking will put themselves in a good position to weather the current economic turbulence, it has been claimed.

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"Workers benefit from face-to-face networking, experts say"...

Clarence House has confirmed that Prince Harry is to be sent on an equality and diversity in the workplace training course after concerns were raised over his choice of language while at the Sandhurst Military Academy.

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"Prince Harry highlights need for workplace equality training"...

Employers need to do more to support staff returning from long-term sickness absence, the Mental Health Foundation has claimed.

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"Employers still struggling with 'stigma' of mental health"...

Recruitment processes in the public sector are often overly costly and time consuming, a new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has concluded.

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"Report criticises public sector staff retention levels"...

Workers at one of the UK's largest financial services firms have expressed a strong interest in a new flexible working scheme aimed at protecting their positions from the current economic downturn.

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"4 in 5 workers sign up for flexible working scheme"...

Christians are being forced to endure significant levels of discrimination in the workplace, a majority of Church of England bishops believe.

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"Christians face rise in workplace discrimination, bishops say"...

The government has been urged to take action as a growing number of businesses place themselves at risk by cutting back on staff training initiatives.

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"Government called on to boost confidence in employee training"...

A vast majority of small businesses in the UK don't trust their employees enough to let them work from home, a new study has found.

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"Small firms 'don't trust staff to work from home'"...

British firms could be at risk of falling behind in an increasingly competitive global market because they fail to encourage their employees to learn a foreign language, it has been argued.

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"UK workers still 'complacent' over foreign languages"...

Vacancies for graduates are expected to fall for the first time in six years, experts have said.

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"Graduate vacancies 'expected to fall'"...

Unemployment could reach three million by the next general election, claims the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

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"Unemployment 'to hit 3m' by next election"...

London-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been hit hardest by the economic downturn, a new report has claimed.

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"London SMEs 'hit hardest' by the crunch"...

A quarter of the UK's workforce went into work sick in January, as they did not want to let their managers "down", according to a new survey.

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"Staff fight sickness"...

The government is facing increased pressure from campaigners to cut the default retirement age of 65.

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"Govt urged to end retirement prejudice"...

Employers have been advised that flexible working practices can benefit both business operations and staff morale.

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"Flexible working 'has its benefits'"...

Managers with poor interviewing techniques could be wasting their businesses thousands of pounds by hiring the wrong candidates.

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"Poor recruitment cost firms 'thousands'"...

Blaming colleagues for work-related problems can lead to increased stress levels, according to a business consultant.

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"Work stress 'caused by disagreements'"...

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has claimed that employers need to support their employees' wellbeing "more effectively".

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"Employers should provide 'more HR support'"...

Employers have been advised that reducing investment on health and safety is a "false economy".

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"H&S reductions 'false economy'"...

The government is urging business to sign up to a new scheme that aims to get employees on sick leave back to work quicker.

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"Govt launches new employee health initiative"...

The Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) is hoping to encourage firms to take on new apprentices.

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"FSSC encourages apprenticeship schemes"...

A leading trade union has warned businesses that using "underhand" techniques to make staff redundant during the economic downturn could "jeopardise" their long-term prospects.

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"TUC issues redundancy warning"...

Occupational repetitive strain injury (RSI) costs employers around £300 million annually, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

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"RSI costs economy £300m"...

Government legislation that would have increased mothers' rights to extended maternity leave is set to be scrapped.

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"Govt delays employment laws"...

Gordon Brown has revealed a four-point plan to end bonus culture in the financial services.

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"PM wants end to bonus culture"...

The British IT industry would become more successful if it recruited more female employees, an expert has claimed.

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"More female staff 'would help IT industry'"...

The Home Office has announced tougher immigration rules, which make it more difficult for some foreign workers to enter the UK.

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"Home Office announces tougher immigration rules"...

Businesses are being advised to educate their employees about the security of sensitive work data, according to Morse.

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"Firms should have a 'data security policy'"...

Employees who work long hours may be at a greater risk of experiencing mental health problems like dementia, new research has shown.

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"Working long hours 'causes mental health problems'"...

Businesses should be aware that more experienced job seekers may be tempted to lie on their CV during the current economic climate, according to the Recruitment Society.

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"Experienced candidates 'likely to lie' on CV"...

A third of the British workforce feel unable to discuss problems with their managers, according to a pension specialist.

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"Employees will not 'communicate problems'"...

The majority of employers believe that apprentices add value to their businesses, according to a new survey.

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"Apprentices 'improve a business'"...

Staff wage cuts must be discussed with employees first if businesses want to avoid costly redundancy pay-outs.

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"Salary cuts must be agreed"...