“We must be different by design,” says Thames Valley Police’s Director of People

1. Is agile leadership particularly useful in the police force with people at all levels having to respond to unique situations quickly and authoritatively? Absolutely yes. I always say to our newly qualified police officers at their confirmation ceremony that they are taking on one of the most challenging vocations I can imagine. From day […]

Five reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid to be the lone nut

Finding the courage to voice or act on an idea or passion is a challenge many of us face and, before you know it, someone braver is reaping the benefits, financial or otherwise. Taking inspiration from the strangely alluring, absolute must-watch Leadership Lessons from a Dancing Guy, commentated by Derek Sivers, we explore five reasons […]

Older workers would struggle in job beyond retirement age, study finds

Employers estimate that nearly one in three older workers would have problems performing in their current role after retirement age, according to a new study. Over half of employers expect an increase in the number of older workers in their business over the next few years, but are concerned that 31% would not be able […]

“Four facets of leadership I’ve learned from heroes,” by military leader Matthew T. Fritz

“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.”General George Patton 20-years of service to the United States Air Force have been a blessing for my family and me. Every day I have the privilege of serving with heroes, sometimes in the most challenging of situations. The dynamic environments provided by a career in […]

UK salaries grow for first time since downturn

Salaries offered in job adverts have increased year-on-year for the first time since the recession, according to new research. The average advertised UK salary stood at £33,873 in July, a rise of 0.9% on the previous year, the report by UK jobs website Adzuna found. The number of advertised vacancies grew by over a quarter […]

Interview: Raj Kaur-Hooper, HR Engagement Manager, Twinings

Rajdeep spoke on organisational values and how to get the most out of them on our HRZone webinar, ‘Organisational Values: are they worth the bother?” Click the link to watch her full presentation and the Q&A discussion that followed. She has worked in talent/development/HR engagement roles for 10 years in a variety of industries including retail […]

Talk to your talent today about their tomorrow

Growing economies create more job opportunities. Your talent will be feeling more confident, and more focused on their development than ever, so if you’re not actively engaging with them about the ways they can develop their career with you, then someone else soon will.  This is particularly true when it comes to your Generation Y […]

How can Salmond build trust and sway his remaining few?

Following the two-hour live debate on STV earlier this month Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and Labour MP Alistair Darling, chairman of Better Together, will make the case for Scotland remaining part of the United Kingdom once again, but this time to the whole of the UK on the BBC. On 25 August all eyes […]

Quarter of graduates quit job within a year, study finds

One in four graduates anticipates leaving their first job within 12 months of starting it, according to new research. The global report by advisory firm CEB revealed that 20% of graduates take jobs they don’t want just to “fill their CV” while they look for the career that interests them, and two in three regret […]

There’s no place for egos in a highly effective team

I have always had a keen interest in sport, of any kind really….watching it, playing it…rugby, athletics, tennis and, more recently, golf (under duress) and cycling (only gentle encouragement needed).  So when the Tour de France descended on the beautiful Yorkshire countryside recently, I felt compelled to go and observe the technicolor shirts of the […]

Low wage increases in a buoyant jobs market – don’t be fooled!

So, the headlines shout “Wages Growth Lowest Since 2001” alongside messages of record low unemployment and an economic upturn.  Should you still choose to fight that battle for an increase in the salary budget? The Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported annual wage growth (including bonuses) fell to just 0.3% in the second quarter of […]

How to get your employees excited about pensions

Despite the government’s recent pensions reforms, including the introduction of auto-enrolment and the 2014 Budget changes to abolish annuities, 41% of employees still don’t understand retirement planning according to a recent report, Flexibility in Retirement – planning for change. The report, authored by former government advisor Ros Altmann, found that just 24% of working adults […]

‘Mid-life pay crisis’ hits female bosses as pay gap widens

Female managers are still being paid 35% less than their male counterparts, meaning they would have to work 14 years longer to equal men’s total career earnings, new research has found. The report, by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR, revealed that female executives over the age of 40 are being hit hardest by […]

Five ways HR can develop innovation cultures in large companies

Ask any CEO and they’ll tell you that innovation is vital to a company’s long-term success. In fact, a recent IBM study (IBM, 2010) of over 1,500 global CEOs found that ‘creativity’ was the number one most important capability for achieving their ambitions. Yet many large companies will secretly admit they don’t have the capabilities […]

Third of workers happy for employer to use their social media data

Almost a third of employees would allow their employers to access their personal data, such as social media profiles, to help measure productivity and engagement, according to new research. This type of data profiling, already used by retailers and advertisers to understand consumer behaviour, could soon become common in the workplace, PwC’s Future of Work […]

The do’s and don’ts of a second interview

Second interviews are not always essential – I have made successful hires from first interviews, having identified and assessed the key traits and experience I wanted the candidate to demonstrate at the first stage. However this is often not the case; despite utilising experienced interviewers who probe in all the right places, second interviews are […]

Five myths about personality profiling

1. Can personality change be based on mood? Personality profiling tools measure the core or DNA of personality. The underlying traits don’t really shift. Research shows that the re-test for reliability statistics of profiling are high. Changes can occur because of a life event which may have caused, for instance, an emotional trauma, and people […]

Auto-enrolment reaches four million mark

Over four million workers have now been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, The Pensions Regulator has claimed. The figure represents an increase of over one million this year or an average of around 6,000 a day, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). More than 21,000 employers have now completed their ‘declaration […]

The science behind a happy and productive workforce

Humans have been fascinated by their own behaviour for thousands of years. Understanding each other has been critical for survival – both as Neanderthals and in today’s corporate world. A successful employee will not only possess the right skills, but their working style often matches their role requirements. However, an individual’s working behaviour type isn’t […]

Scottish independence will ‘put job creation first’

Scotland could benefit from a major boost to jobs if it votes to leave the UK next month, the Scottish government has claimed. The Scottish National party this week unveiled a 10-point jobs plan for an independent Scotland, stating that control of economic policy would allow the country to build on its strengths and create […]