Let’s settle this. Is there an “I” in “team”?

There’s so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics’ Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Get connected to the academic sector through Academics’ Corner and […]

Gulp. Are we “reward people” about to be replaced?

With Terminator V about to hit the big screen, we are being reminded once again of the persistent vision of a future where we are dominated by machines. Even Stephen Hawking is in on the act, claiming that machines pose a threat to our very existence. And now I’ve just come across – rather late […]

The most tax-efficient ways to reward employees

Employers with an eye for cost saving often want to take advantage of any tax and NI contribution (NIC) breaks when they devise a remuneration package, but saving money on the salaries and wages bill is only part of the picture. It is important to remember that a benefit is only a benefit if the […]

3 ways to upskill managers on mental health

Learn more ways to improve mental health in the workplace with The Ultimate Wellbeing Toolkit – a practical learning hub brought to you by financial protection specialists Unum, designed to equip HR professionals with the skills and knowledge to improve employee wellbeing. Poor mental health is one of the biggest issues in the workplace today, […]

Learning from Europe’s approach to working hours

There’s more to the EU than the Working Time Directive. Whilst EU employees should be guaranteed these standards, many European countries have their own approach to working hours. This impacts upon their citizens’ subsequent work-life balance; something UK businesses could certainly learn from. However, depending on the EU nation that you look at, their rules […]

HR and the bottom line – where does the value lie?

The human resources department has not always been perceived as having a big impact on the profitability of a company, in the same way as, say, sales or finance. But this perception is perhaps a little unfair. After all, who is responsible for the talent that drives those departments? When you strip everything back, it […]

How do you tell if someone is ready to work flexibly?

Eleven years after the right to request flexible working (Right to Request) was introduced, initially limited to assist carers with young families or disabled children, we saw the extension of that right to request in 2014 to most employees. Although some, such as The Agile Forum which was set up by Sir Winfried Bischoff to […]

Andy Murray is learning to manage his emotions. You can too.

There have been numerous articles telling us that Andy Murray is learning about how the brain works to improve his tennis. Well, Andy lost the chance of being Wimbledon champion but he may still be pointing the way to better performance. And pointing the way to leaders in business understanding more about their brain and […]

How the Equality Act helps create diverse workplaces

This Sunday is Disability Awareness Day. It is also 20 years since the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) introduced the statutory obligation for employers to make reasonable adjustments in respect of disabled employees, now enshrined in the Equality Act 2010 (EqA).  This remains a central plank of an employer’s strategy to attract and retain disabled employees. […]

Er, what does disruption actually mean?

“I want to hear some new ideas that will be disruptive, that will alter my perspective.” It seems that ‘disruptive’ is the new buzzword. I hear it used as a description of what people seek from road shows, seminars and training events. It bothers me and it may bother you too that the commentators might […]

The Employee Engagement Executive Breakfast

How many people are affected by an engagement program? How many employees do you have? Multiply that by their friends, their families. How engaged people are at work ripples through to their home life too. We’d barely got through our first coffee before we were asked the above by The Maritz Institute, and it was […]

How can we improve the female talent pipeline?

To address the issue of a less than productive female talent pipeline across UK businesses, www.WeAreTheCity.com has launched a new awards programme – the WATC Top 50 Rising Stars Awards for 2015. These awards are the first to focus on the UK’s female talent pipeline below management level and will celebrate 50 women across multiple industries who […]

Passionate employees deliver superior CX

Why do passionate employees lead to a great customer experience? Because employees who take pleasure from what they do will naturally provide a better experience to the customer.  Engaged employees are loyal and loyalty, if correctly channelled, leads to increased productivity which, in turn, leads to a better customer experience and ultimately improved company performance. […]

Make pensions communications engaging – here’s how

With the number of defined benefit plans in decline, pension provision through defined contribution arrangements is very much the norm. But engagement from employees is needed if this form of saving is to produce a satisfactory outcome for both employees and employers. When defined benefit pensions were standard, engagement was not so critical. Effective communication […]

Why do we still debate the composition of boards?

The debate around the composition of Europe’s boards continues.  The new wisdom says we need more women, younger executives, and more people with less traditional backgrounds on the boards of some of our biggest businesses. But why? And why now? According to the PwC CEO survey released in January, the competitive landscape is hugely turbulent, […]

Don’t worry, HR will still exist in an AI world

Martijn Gribnau is Chief Change Officer of IPsoft, who automate IT and business processes for enterprises across a wide range of industries. Through its portfolio of autonomic and cognitive solutions, it provides services that allow its clients to secure competitive advantage. Martijn is responsible for supporting the company’s goal of being a dominant global technology […]

Workplace suicide: lessons from across the globe

Suicidal behaviour is complex phenomenon that occurs along a continuum progressing from diminished mental resilience – to suicidal thoughts – to planning suicide – to attempting suicide and finally dying by suicide. Although the catalyst may appear obvious, suicide is seldom the result of a single factor or event and is likely to have several […]

Talent have not won the war. It’s a terrible lie.

No names, no job titles, no companies. HR After Dark features totally anonymised opinion pieces from HR professionals, consultants and industry commentators. No holds barred, no censorship, nothing but raw opinions on issues that matter to HR. When the lights go down, HR After Dark comes out to play. See it all here first. Want […]

Ergonomic offices: Steelcase Think chair review

HRZone reviews the latest office equipment to help you find the best fit for your workplace and your employees. We never receive money for writing reviews and products are always returned after testing. If you have a product you’d like us to review, or would like to review a product, please email editor@hrzone.com. Category: Office […]

What skills shortages? How HR can defrost the frozen middle

With UK unemployment falling to a seven year low this month, HR functions will be continuing to review their talent strategies and looking for ways to gain ground on their competitors in securing key talent, with the battle for the best people as fierce as it’s ever been. What is good news for individuals – […]