Are your managers really applying what they learn?
This article was written by Rachel Lewis and Emma Donaldson-Feilder. The holy grail of learning and development programmes is to guarantee that the skills individuals develop are applied in the workplace. Change is difficult and simply running a half-day (or longer) workshop may not result in developing skills and ensuring that they are subsequently used […]
Why candidates should write their own job descriptions
At the start of the year I was running a breakfast with a number of CEOs from the Oxfordshire area. We were discussing learnings from the last year. The conversation moved towards recruitment and retaining and attracting talented staff – something that was a top priority for all the attendees, regardless of their business size […]
Six steps to taking control of pay
Pay can be tricky. If pay is not understood, or feels unfair, it will demotivate. Regardless of the amount! So, how do you take control and stop reacting to those who complain loudest? 1. Choose your stance – as a company, do you want to pay around the going market rate? Most do as base pay […]
Using engagement to rehabilitate young offenders
Employee engagement has so many benefits for both the individual and the company – the oft-repeated facts are out there: companies are more productive, employees more fulfilled; creativity and innovation soar. Customer service is better. Staff are less likely to take sick days. And so on. In a 2014 McKinsey article, Redefining Capitalism, Eric Beinhocker […]
Why did Google abandon 20% time for innovation?
Google has been well known for its unique approach to innovation – from its open culture, its radical work environment in its Googleplex campus to its methods for innovation. This has enabled it to grow meteorically from its formation in 1998 to become a $62 billion turnover company by 2014. One of its best known […]
The impact of big data on HR strategy
HR, and specifically recruiting, is increasingly being asked to use big data sets to be more consultative. Instead of just going on gut-instinct and past experiences, talent acquisition teams are using statistics and trends to be strategic in how they find talent and which potential candidates will make the best fit. According to our own […]
The role of transformational leaders in wellbeing
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 […]
It’s time to remember the value that middle managers bring
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 […]
Is it time your own L&D changed up a gear?
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 […]
Are you ready to come clean on executive pay?
With average pay increasing at about 2% and the impact of deflation, most workers should be starting to feel the squeeze on their wages easing. But at the same time, the gap between their earnings and executive pay is widening at a faster rate than ever. The pay gap could be the bitterest aspect of […]
Are your work habits messing with your brain?
It's Neuroscience Learning Month on HRZone. You're reading one of the pieces that's been written to help you develop a sound understanding of why neuroscience principles are important to business, and a basic understanding of how you can apply them effectively. There's loads more content going live over the month to help you on your way, […]
“Imagine the data we will create in the next five or ten years.”
Tom Marsden is CEO of analytics company Saberr. He is an entrepreneur with experience in strategy consulting, talent management and finance. As a company Saberr help people make better decisions about their people through data. 1) Even though HR has been using the term Big Data for ages, HR data is not voluminous, varied or […]
The not-so-good, bad and ugly of management
A good manager should make people feel appreciated, valued and respected. Good managers build positive relationships with their teams and a culture of trust and engagement which motivates people to do well. A poor manager, on the other hand, can make employees feel under-valued, demotivated and demoralised. Employees with poor managers work in an environment […]
Can gamification enhance your attraction strategy?
The term ‘gamification’ is one which is widely misunderstood. Many associate it with gaming – conjuring up images of teenage boys playing ‘shoot em up’ on the latest console in their bedrooms. In fact recent research from Penna found that 89% of consumers didn’t know what gamification was. The actual definition is this: The concept […]
The 10 habits of successful managers
The quality of management is critical to the success of any business from the leaders at the top who set the strategy and direction to the army of line managers who, through their teams, help deliver the goals. What differentiates managers in high performing organisations from those in low performing businesses? The answer is trust. […]
Why engaging the employee is great for the customer
It is well chronicled that the UK isn’t close to the top of international league tables on productivity and employee engagement. The Engage for Success website notes the sobering statistics: ninth out of the 12 largest economies for engagement; 15% below average for productivity. This is despite the research that demonstrates the fairly obvious and […]
HR needs the CIO – a new law of attraction
HR is just one example of the major business functions that is consuming more IT bandwidth from the CIO as it becomes increasingly reliant on technology to improve the way that it functions. This technology can take multiple forms, including an HR solution to track employees’ performance, an e-learning platform for training initiatives or an […]
“Purpose-driven organisations far outperform traditional for-profit businesses.”
Andrew Hewitt is the founder of GameChangers500, which profiles the world’s top For-Benefit businesses that focus on maximising benefit to people and planet rather than an all-encompassing focus on profit. Andrew was led to the creation of the GameChangers500 list when he asks himself the question, “Why is it that we define success in business through […]
Is perseverance more important than intelligence?
Intelligence, or a person’s cognitive ability to understand and deal with complex problems in a rational and purposeful way, is undoubtedly a huge asset in the workplace, and is crucial in dealing effectively with work demands and challenges. However, in today’s fast paced environment where the speed of change is dizzying, intellectual horsepower is insufficient […]
What does it take to become an accredited Top Employer?
Achieving ‘Top Employer’ status for the third year running is something of a coup for a company, not least the HR team and wider business that helped make it happen. On the route to success however, the process is not always an easy one, yet through the challenges and the highs and lows, it is […]
