Recruitment: how to pick out the one-in-a-million candidates
Finding top-tier talent requires a strategic blend of science, networks, and genuine employer branding. Use recruitment methods that go beyond traditional advertising—focus on building credible employer value propositions and transparent communication about workplace culture to attract the one-in-a-million candidates who will elevate your team.
Should smaller businesses be required to report their gender pay gap?
MPs are calling for smaller businesses to report their gender pay gap alongside large companies. Currently, only organizations with 250+ employees must report, covering just 1% of UK businesses. Expanding this requirement could improve transparency and help eliminate workplace pay disparities.
Recruitment: why ‘cultural fit’ is an essential requirement for assessing candidates
Cultural fit is crucial for hiring success, with 89% of new hire failures linked to poor cultural alignment rather than lack of technical skills. Companies must clearly define their organizational culture and systematically assess candidates against it, rather than relying on gut feeling alone.
It’s not just fun and games any more: why gamification matters in HR
Gamification is transforming HR practices beyond entertainment, helping companies improve hiring, training, and employee retention. Research shows measurable results: Walmart’s gamified safety program reduced accidents by 54%, while PricewaterhouseCoopers uses gaming to assess job candidates, addressing engagement challenges and knowledge transfer in modern organizations.
A lesson from Winnie the Pooh on ‘doing nothing’
Winnie the Pooh offers a timely lesson on work-life balance: doing nothing is essential for mental health, processing daily experiences, and preventing burnout. The Christopher Robin film challenges the notion that constant productivity is necessary, showing how taking time to rest and reflect improves overall wellbeing.
Why a Change Pathfinder is essential to HR transformation
A Change Pathfinder is a crucial role in HR transformation projects who blazes the trail ahead, clearing obstacles and modeling behaviors that encourage organizational adoption. Unlike traditional project managers, this person takes the initial risks of implementing change, allowing leaders to learn from their experience while maintaining reputational safety.
Talent management: why horizontal growth is key to retaining job-hopping millennials
Horizontal career growth—allowing employees to develop skills across different roles and projects—is key to retaining millennials and Gen Z, who expect to leave their jobs within two years. Employers must embrace this strategy to break the costly turnover cycle and keep younger talent engaged.
How AI can make the recruitment process more ‘human’
AI can enhance recruitment by automating administrative tasks and reducing human bias, yet employers and job seekers remain cautious about machines making key hiring decisions without human oversight, particularly due to concerns about transparency and the emotional nature of career decisions.
How to write job descriptions that attract great candidates
Writing effective job descriptions requires clear job titles with relevant keywords, an engaging opening that highlights role benefits, specific details distinguishing must-have from nice-to-have skills, transparent compensation and benefits information, and data analytics to optimize candidate attraction.
Book review – Too Fast to Think: How to Reclaim your Creativity in a Hyper-connected Culture
Chris Lewis explores how today’s always-on digital culture threatens creative thinking and offers strategies to reclaim imagination despite constant connectivity. While the accessible writing and education-focused perspective provide reassuring validation of common concerns, the book lacks deep practical solutions for established professionals and contains somewhat repetitive middle sections.
Employee benefits: the changing face of company perks
Modern employee benefits are evolving to meet the priorities of younger workers, who value flexible work arrangements, professional development, and genuine support over traditional perks. Companies must rethink benefits to address real challenges like financial stability and work-life balance, rather than offering superficial gestures.
Employee experience: not just an HR rebranding exercise
Employee experience (EX) adds genuine value only when integrated with customer experience and driven by cross-organizational collaboration—not just HR rebranding. Research shows that service climate factors like organizational structure, rewards, and team cohesion directly impact customer satisfaction and performance more than employee engagement alone.
Why a ‘snowplough’ leadership team will deliver results
A “snowplough” leadership team clears obstacles for employees to deliver their best work. Leaders who prioritize their teams’ growth, provide resources, and learn from failures create environments where people thrive and businesses succeed, unlike the 80% of workers suffering under poor management.
How fast should you respond to emails at work?
Email response speed affects workplace perceptions differently based on your status. Low-status employees who delay responses risk seeming less competent, while high-status employees may gain credibility by taking time with their feedback.
Clear communication: empowering non-native (and native) English speakers to write better
Implementing plain language standards in organizations improves written communication for both native and non-native English speakers. Clear, jargon-free writing reduces confusion, saves time, and builds trust with internal and external audiences, directly impacting productivity and growth.
Employee engagement: why the UK has an employee apathy problem and how this can be solved
UK businesses face significant employee apathy due to line managers failing to meet core psychological needs around status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness. Empowering managers to conduct effective performance reviews and career development conversations can help bridge this engagement gap and improve organizational performance.
Embedding AI in HR: an interview with Ambros Scope, Head of Future Workforce Engineering, AXA
AXA’s Head of Future Workforce Engineering discusses how AI-based virtual career assistants are transforming HR by helping employees navigate skill development, internal mobility, and career opportunities in an increasingly uncertain workplace.
Brexit update: EU-citizen registration trial and practical steps employers can take to prepare for Brexit
The UK government is trialling EU-citizen registration to help EU nationals formalise their residence status before free movement ends in 2020. Employers should prepare for Brexit’s HR challenges by understanding settled and pre-settled status requirements for their EU workforce.
Employee wellbeing: what do you do when an employee raises a grievance?
When an employee raises a grievance, follow proper procedures by listening carefully, exploring the complaint thoroughly, and attempting resolution. Ensure the hearing is conducted by an uninvolved manager, allow the employee to bring a companion, and clarify what outcome they seek before deciding next steps.
Office conflicts: when to address the passive aggressive post its
Passive-aggressive behavior like critical post-it notes signals underlying workplace resentment and should be addressed immediately. Learn how to manage your emotions, clarify the situation, and respond effectively to prevent office conflicts from escalating.
