Man against the machine: the struggle against unconscious bias
Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, self-driving cars – the debate around these innovations is raging. And much of this debate surrounds the power of the ‘machine,’ the fear of job redundancies, the ethics of new technologies and the prospect of unemployment for those who can’t keep up. But is it all that bad? Is […]
What learning experience would you like to find in your company?
For over 10 years now, I’ve been working in Learning & Development, defining training strategies, doing instructional design and developing learning content for clients. Throughout these years, I’ve been able to see the paradigm changing from single, one time training events to having learning content at the point of need. Being a strong advocate of […]
Why your creative employees are more likely to be risk-takers
“Five years from now, over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed.” “Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need.” – World Economic Forum, 2016 In the most popular TED talk of all time, Sir Ken Robinson delivers a powerful argument about the way […]
Why employees resign: recognising disengagement, and what to do about it
Martin Baker is the Chief Executive of the Corporate eLearning Consortium. He’s recognised as being one of the top ten most influential people working in learning technologies in the UK. Here he shares an analysis from the Toolkit for Managers on the work of Leigh Branham – a key contributor to the debate on employee […]
Coffee break: Humility, robot ethics and the harm of fancy job titles
Time to take five minutes for yourself and sit yourself down with this week's round up of HR news, opinion and associated tidbits. Let me know what you think in the comments below! Leadership – Is removing ratings the answer to better performance? (Jan Hills, LinkedIn) – The humility-confidence seesaw: The untold secret of great leaders (Buffer […]
20 years of HR innovation…or not?
The end of August 2016 was a big milestone for Fosway Group, marking 20 years of learning and HR technology research. The last two decades have obviously brought about massive changes, both in technology and how we interact with it. What I have found interesting about reviewing our research archive as part of our anniversary […]
Payroll versus HR: why we need to value our differences
In my previous article I hoped to convince as to why I’m not about to click any magic button to run a payroll. The comment “Payroll is just a click of a button” might for you conjure images of wry smiles or gritted teeth, but it deserves some defence. The implication of the line is unfortunate, often inflammatory […]
Plugging the values vacuum: why companies need to put their employer brand first
Traditionally, companies have been very good at explaining what they do, but not always why and how they do it. However, according to recent research we’ve done at LinkedIn, more than half of UK professionals (52 per cent) are ready to turn down job offers from organisations who don’t match their purpose – so businesses […]
Politician analysis: Boris Johnson
His heroes are Winston Churchill and the Mayor from Jaws. He has been described as colourful, flamboyant, and unpredictable. His imaginatively offensive comments about many of the world’s political leaders will no doubt be recalled for years to come. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, or should we say the Rt. Hon Boris Johnson our foreign […]
Payroll: why it’s more than just ‘the click of a button’
If you’d like to press emotive buttons in the world of HR and Payroll this is a great way to start. At the heart of this comment are some of the “them and us” misconstructions of the two professions. My personal suspicion is that this is aided and abetted by the HR professional's concern for […]
How to motivate employees, whatever their age
Many modern offices comprise employees from different generations, each with their own set of requirements from their employer. In order to accommodate as many workers as possible, employers must appreciate exactly how to approach individuals’ needs, and keep them feeling satisfied in their jobs. Our research explains what differentiates the various generations, and how their […]
Politician analysis: David Davis
There’s nothing like an inappropriate comment to get you in the news as Secretary of State for European Union Relations. David Davis found that out this week after saying “get thee behind me Satan” when asked by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee what he made of Guy Verhofstadt’s comments on the four ‘inseparable’ EU freedoms. […]
Coffee break: Leadership training, cultural fit and a new way to tackle racism in the workplace
Stop what you're doing, and allow yourself five minutes of down time – here's our round-up of the week's best HR news and opinion, curated especially for you. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, and what you think about the articles we've shared in the comments below. Culture – The secret to […]
Team biases: divorce your ideas
I’m biased. I glaze over when people talk about processes. Learning and Development processes, management processes, the list goes on. Why? Because I haven’t seen one that works. And another thing: When I express an idea, I do so because I think it’s a good idea and I’ll defend it. And when the stakes are […]
5 pitfalls to consider before setting up a mentoring scheme
Mentoring is a buzzword these days, and many organisations use it for a variety of purposes, from talent management, to leadership development, to knowledge transfer and succession planning. As somebody who has been working for over ten years facilitating and implementing mentoring programmes across the UK and internationally, I am not only a passionate advocate of […]
In praise of procrastination: the good, the bad, the ugly
Are you a procrastination PRO? As a matter of fact, I have never met anyone who never procrastinated in their life, including myself. I write and blog about personal effectiveness and smart working amongst other things, but after accepting Jamie’s [HRZone's editor] offer to write for HRZone about this very topic, I proceeded to postpone […]
What exactly do we mean when we talk about an ‘efficient’ hire?
Steve Smith is Director of Sales for background screening company Sterling Talent Solutions, where he has primary responsibility for engaging businesses throughout the UK and EMEA in discussions around the outsourcing of background checks. Steve will be appearing on an upcoming webinar on 5 Tips To Improve Your Hiring Efficiency on September 22nd. If you're looking to hire better and […]
Where’s your next HRD coming from?
We’ve all heard how ‘HR needs to change’ – both as a discipline in its own right but also in terms of the type of people it attracts. The consensus seems to be that if HRDs are to truly become boardroom equals, they must be fluent in the language of the CEO or FD – […]
Coffee break: Dream offices, Skype and keeping your job in the age of the robots
Get comfy, because it's time for us to proffer this week's selection of HR news, opinion and cultural crudites for your delectation. Feel free to tell us what you think in the comments below, or send us your own recommended reading for the week. Recruitment – To make a good first impression on candidates, do these […]
How to deal with dinosaurs in the workplace
In my role as a behavioural consultant, many of the business professionals I work with understand the importance – the necessity even – of continued development, change and moving with the times. However, older or more established team members, whilst often performing well, can often be very resistant to change. This is a common cause […]