The blame culture has extended its tentacles into the giving and requesting of job references.

There are now an increasing number of reported cases of workers suing their employers for giving "unfair" job references which they say prevented them from securing their next position. There are also instances of one employer suing another for giving an excessively favourable job reference for someone who they then decide to take on but who proves to be unsatisfactory.

The overall effect of job references falling into the legal arena will ultimately render them useless. The days of bland responses to requests for references are already partly with us and we can only see this continuing.

The job interview – or interviews – will therefore become even more important in evaluating whether to offer someone a position with your business. But beware – in the future you may be asked to justify any decision you make even through this process!

An interesting article on this subject appeared in The Times on 25 April 2014 (page 7) and can be accessed here