KC-Jones Event

ACAS Employer of Choice Conference

Venue: Pride Park Stadium, Derby
Date:Wednesday 18th March 2009

Introduction

 

The theme of ‘Employer of Choice’ for this year’s Acas East Midlands Conference was agreed early in 2008 and may now seem like an odd selection in the midst of probably the worst economic downturn this country has ever experienced.

Pure survival will be the main preoccupation of many businesses at the moment.  However, we know that the upturn will come and when it does people will remember how organisations dealt with the current situation.  The way organisations conduct redundancy exercises for example has a huge effect on those that remain.  If not done well employees may make a delayed choice about you when they have the chance.
Our speakers will reflect the current economic reality in their keynote addresses.  Both Richard Reeves and Judith Leary-Joyce are well aware of the implications of the recession for businesses.
In light of the current economic situation we have added to the programme in two main ways:

There will be an additional workshop on the theme of, “Handling Redundancies”.  Hosted by Acas this will focus on the kind of practical help we are known for, and will cover issues such as:
• alternatives to redundancy
• consultation requirements
• redundancy selection criteria
• handling the typical contractual issues that arise

Many organisations do not have the contractual right to temporarily lay-off employees and most don’t know about the legal position regarding contractual variation or change.  Acas has a thorough knowledge of the legal obligations as well as experience of helping to broker pragmatic agreements between a business and its employees around short-term lay-offs (and other options).
 
The Conference will also now provide an opportunity to talk to a variety of business support organisations including JobCentre Plus, CIPD and City & Guilds.  We will be encouraging others to attend on the day too because we know it will be useful for you to know about the kind of services on offer in these difficult economic times.

All this is offered on top of the ability to network with other employers who, like you, are also in the midst of grappling with the implications of an economy in recession.

The Details for your Diary

The Conference will take place on Thursday 19th March, 2009 at Pride Park Stadium, Derby. This event will be of interest to HR practitioners, Trade Union colleagues and employers.
If you wish to register for this event please complete the online booking form. If you have any queries please contact us via the event hotline on 01332 224502