Capability and confidence in men and women
Capability and confidence are two critical areas where men and women behave differently. What each gender needs to sustain confidence is distinct from the other and this is not an issue of personality, it comes down to fundamental differences in neurobiology. Work cultures are more naturally geared to supporting male confidence building and therefore senior […]
Travelex HR Director: “I would not have a strategic capability without technology.”
It’s a very exciting time at Travelex as they transform from a traditional retail business into a lean technology company. Gareth Williams, Group HRD at the currency company, is leading the transformation. He tells us about his strategy, technology choices, and why he’s put his faith in the power of data. Embracing cultural change through […]
How to present your case for self-service technology to the board
Transversal recently hosted its annual HR Knowledge Summit in London. Attended by over 50 senior HR decision makers from across the public, retail and financial services sectors, the event provided delegates with the opportunity to hear about the importance of internal knowledge solutions in HR, directly from Transversal customers and other HR professionals. Lively discussion identified […]
The impact of video technology on employment interviews
According to a recent survey[1], six in 10 companies already conduct video interviews. There is no reason to expect this figure to decrease in the future. Benefits of using video technology for employment interviews are obvious: recruiters save travelling expenses and enhance productivity by interviewing more candidates in less time. Also, so-called pre-recorded video interviews […]
The business benefits of a diverse workforce
Tackling workplace barriers This year two reports have been published, highlighting major inequalities in how women and ethnic minorities are progressing in the UK’s workplaces. Race for Opportunity’s ‘Race at the Top’ found a widening leadership gap between Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people and their white counterparts when it came to securing their […]
Four deadly mistakes of 360-degree feedback
If you Google the term 360-degree feedback, you’ll get over 17 million results, many of which offer insights ranging from the blindingly obvious to the banal. While 360-degree feedback can be a highly beneficial process, it does need some care to get it right. HR teams must therefore look beyond the basics. In particular, you […]
Career plans are worthless, but flexible planning is everything
The notion of ‘career’, as a concept, is changing across the world of work. Careers used to be pretty straight-forward, a linear, hierarchical journey with planned stops along the way. But today’s career is more like an open-ended ticket to anywhere you choose to go. You may accumulate a satisfying portfolio of projects or experiences […]
Use mentoring to hold on to talent, employers told
Employees are not being given enough mentoring opportunities despite the fact that it could “stem” the talent drain, according to new research. The report, by HR services group Penna Plc, found that a fifth of the 2,000 employees questioned are not currently mentoring or being mentored, even though they would be keen to do so, […]
Jobs increase, pay stagnates: Solving the employee engagement challenge
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou[1] A recent report in the Guardian revealed that "unemployment fell to a five-year low in April but Britain's workers were squeezed by a dramatic slowdown in pay growth, according […]
Good relationships at work more important than salary, survey finds
Eight out of ten people would prefer to work in a happy environment and get on with colleagues than earn a high wage, according to a new report. The study by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) found that the people, enjoying the role, getting on with the boss and a good commute are all […]
Time for a fresh look at MOOCs?
MOOCs – otherwise known as Massive Open Online Course – are accessible to students anywhere in the world at no cost via the internet. The leading lights in this market, such as Coursera, EdX and FutureLearn, deliver existing course content from leading traditional universities. The ambition for many of those contributing to their development was […]
‘Myopic management’ jeopardising long-term growth
There is a “crisis in management” across UK businesses that is threatening the country’s global competitiveness, a hard-hitting report has claimed. The Commission on the Future of Management and Leadership, founded by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Management and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), has warned that “myopic management” is a “millstone around the neck” […]
Why reward and recognition isn’t optional
Reward and recognition is an important communications tool to reinforce the actions and behaviours you most want to see your people repeat. Ensuring that your employees feel recognised and valued for their work and the contribution they make to the success of your business is not optional, or simply something nice to do when things […]
Employee engagement lessons from some of the UK’s most sustainable businesses
Around a quarter of UK SMEs are prioritising energy saving management in 2014 after research has shown that, on average, a typical business wastes around 20% of the energy it uses. Whilst government initiatives, such as the Green Deal, have been put in place to ensure that both businesses and home owners UK-wide do more […]
Wellness and personal performance made easy: Part 3
In the final installment of our series, we highlight further strategies and behaviours that lead to exceptional results with personal health, wellness, energy and performance. As with our previous tips, these are all simple ideas that, when implemented with consistency, will lead to dramatic and positive results. Take charge of technology Technology is one of […]
Health and safety: Why HR managers need to think like marketers to win over colleagues
We all need allies in life and business. That’s particularly true if you are an HR manager with responsibility for health and safety (H&S). All too often the media and even leading politicians portray H&S as bureaucratic red tape that imposes costs on business and hinders managers and employees – yet, as HR and H&S […]
Staff that smile on demand play havoc with their emotions
There’s an emotional and physical price to pay when people are forced to display feelings that don’t coincide with how they’re actually feeling. Researchers followed 78 bus drivers in the north-western United States. Over two weeks they answered surveys before work, after their shifts and just before they went to bed. The questions focused on […]
Under-pressure managers work extra day unpaid per week
Nearly half of UK managers work at least one extra day of overtime per week, according to new research. Almost two thirds of workers feel under pressure to put in the extra hours, with 13% working two days of overtime each week, the study by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found. Heavy workloads […]
What do Generation Y really want?
Generation Y, or those aged 30 and below, have grown up in an environment unlike any before them. They have been raised in a world of technology, where they have been more educated than any previous generation. As such, they come to the workplace with different wants and needs than their predecessors: different things motivate […]
Eight million risk being ‘sucked into unemployment twilight zone’
The next decade could see millions of people either unemployed or in a job for which they are over-qualified, according to the Local Government Association. The incoming chair of the LGA, David Sparks, has warned that a “lost generation” of around eight million people could be trapped in a future unemployment “twilight zone”, at risk […]
