Just a small sample of reasons to invest in HR. The 2007 CBI/AXA absence survey puts the cost of absence to employers at over £13bn a year while the annual cost per employee is £659 according to the CIPD’s 2007 absence survey.

The most effective measures to tackle short term absence include return-to-work interviews, trigger mechanisms, disciplinary measures and training line managers.

A sacked London park worker has been awarded a £550,000 record payout after a tribunal ruled he was the victim of disability discrimination. (Personneltoday 05 November 2007)

Hospitality, retail and construction staff are the most likely to consider making employment tribunal claims, according to the new chairman of conciliation service Acas. (Personneltoday 30 October 2007)

According to the latest statistics from the Tribunal Service , the number of claims reaching the employment tribunal stage has risen by 15% in 2006-07 (Personneltoday 01 October 2007)

The most crucial aspect to remember about race discrimination compensation is that it is uncapped. (CIPD factsheet 01 November 2007)

The average compensation for cases with an element of race discrimination was just over £14,000 (CIPD factsheet 01 November 2007)

The average awards for successful sex discrimination claims in 2006 was £10,807 according to the Employment Tribunal Service Annual report 2006.

The average cost of absence has increased to £659 per employee per year (CIPD survey)

In a company of 1-99 heads the average days lost per year to absence is 6.8.

The average cost per employee leaving your business is £7,750, rising to £11,000 for senior managers or directors.

It is relatively rare for people to leave jobs in which they are happy, even when offered higher pay elsewhere. Most staff have a preference for stability.

In the high turnover industries in particular, a great deal of employee turnover consists of people resigning or being dismissed in the first few months of employment. Even when people stay for a year or more, it is often the case that the decision to leave sooner rather than later is effectively taken in the first weeks of employment. Poor recruitment and selection decisions, both on the part of the employee and employer, are usually to blame, along with poorly designed or non-existent induction programmes. (CIPD survey)