The secret to saving half your training budget
In the last few months we have been working with clients on training core skills. What do I mean by this? Well, a short story might explain. Late last year, a client was telling me his goal was to get his account managers to become better people managers. In particular he wanted them to coach […]
Why HR professionals can’t practise what they preach
I thought it would be prudent to immediately diffuse any negative thoughts or perceptions from the HR professionals (HRPs) among you. So firstly, let me boldly state how commonplace it is for professionals of all types to engage in some periodic indulgence of ‘I can’t practise what I preach’. Here are some interesting examples to […]
How HR can prolong that post-holiday feeling
Picture the scene – staff are returning to the office at the end of the summer holiday season. They’re feeling relaxed, recharged and revitalised. The potential for greater productivity and creativity should be at its highest but, in most cases, it will remain largely untapped as normality quickly kicks in with energy and motivation sapped […]
The six stages of the leadership journey
Steering an organisation on its unique journey towards its chosen destination is one of the biggest personal challenges facing all leaders. Why? Because internal and external issues will constantly change the landscape in which the organisation operates. Navigating the landscape is widely recognised as the new core requirement of the 21st century leader. The benefits […]
Why you need to treat your people as mini organisations
People as mini organisations Achieving business success can never be described as a chance occurrence. Organisations have to work hard to succeed. They exist and, importantly, thrive when they have identified their unique selling points (USPs) and, as a general rule, invested in making those USPs outstanding by maximising their potential. It is that USP […]
TED talk: “Your body language shapes who you are,” by Amy Cuddy
Amy Cuddy is Associate Professor of Business Administration in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at Harvard Business School. As a social psychologist she is known for work on stereotyping, discrimination, emotions, power dynamics, nonverbal communication, and the effects of social stimuli on hormone levels. This article is based on her TEDx talk at TEDGlobal 2012 […]
Book Review: The Leader’s Guide to Managing People by Mike Brent & Fiona Dent
HRZone has a range of books available for review. If you would like to receive one of our business books, free of charge, please contact the editor on editor at hrzone dot com and we can send you a list of what’s available. In return, we ask for a 400-700 word review of the book, […]
Women at the top: How to excel in the boardroom
On 26 June, a new era for the boardroom was supposedly heralded. The appointment of Patrice Merrin at commodity trading and mining company Glencore Xstrata meant that there is now at least one woman on the board at each of the FTSE 100 companies. This announcement was trumpeted by the government with much fanfare but, as […]
“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 […]
