Does Google look for boring leaders?
Yes, according to a blog post from July arguing that Google data suggests their best-performing leaders are those that are boring. Except ‘boring’ is just a headline-grabber – what they actually mean is predictable. Which actually means consistent. More about Google Is Google the new HR department? What you can learn from what Google learned […]
More than half of companies have no e-cigarette policy
Over half (58%) of UK businesses haven’t introduced a policy on the use of e-cigarettes, with 53% unconcerned over ‘vaping’ among staff. This is according to a new survey from employee health risk company PMI Health Group. How many people 'vape' in the UK? The total number of e-cigarette smokers in the UK has climbed […]
Why HR is its own worst enemy when it comes to employee engagement
In recent years, the use of the written term ‘employee engagement’ has overtaken phrases such as ‘staff incentives’ and ‘employee motivation’1 for the first time since 1920, demonstrating an emerging new ‘engagement’ model when motivating staff, particularly those who work for large, global organisations. Employee engagement is a compelling proposition and there have been dozens […]
Time for a rethink of what we mean by talent?
Talent is arguably one of the most imprecise concepts in management-speak. When I ask a group of HR professionals and/or line managers to expand on what they mean by talent, it’s common to receive at least a dozen different responses. For example, they may refer to: A specific skill or aptitude Someone who demonstrates high […]
The new HR challenge: Retaining talent in a recovering job market
It has been 15 years since Gallup’s renowned research study sparked the notion that ‘people leave their manager, not their organisation’. Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman popularised this concept in their 1999 book First, Break All The Rules[1]. But is it still true? Hay Group[2] has warned that today’s organisations face the threat of a […]
Understanding the psychology of conflict
Organisations devote huge amounts of money to conflict: in trying to prevent it, and trying to manage it when it does arise. So it is well worth devoting time to understanding this phenomenon that is conflict. Where does it come from? And why does it arise with such predictable regularity? We can see conflict in […]
Boris Johnson ‘committed’ to helping his staff manage stress
Employees working for London mayor Boris Johnson are being given free advice and support on how to manage their health and wellbeing. Free resources, such as mindfulness podcasts, are being provided on the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) staff intranet at City Hall, the Huffington Post UK reports. "We have a wellbeing portal on our intranet […]
HRSS review: The must-know HR tech trends
The HR Software Show is always a good place to get a feel for how the world of HR is faring and what professionals’ priorities will be for the coming year. It provides an opportunity to gauge what’s going on in the wider industry and tap into the latest concerns and trends, to get your […]
British workers snub social media bans
British employees are most likely to ignore workplace bans on social media, compared to their European counterparts, according to a new report. Two in five European employees are either banned from, or have restricted access to, Facebook in the office, the study by Samsung Electronics found. In UK workplaces where Facebook is banned, 41% of […]
Why I won’t recruit from HR
When recruiting my own team, candidates can fall into one of two categories – time-served HR and those with little or no HR experience. I find that recruiting those who have little or no HR experience is by far the best option. Bitter experience tells me that time-served HR people come into this consultancy and […]
[NOW CLOSED] Take the HRZone Survey
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who took the HRZone Survey! We had an absolutely fantastic response and are now working though the data that will really make a difference to how we run the site. In a few week time we'll be announcing some of the findings from the survey. In the meantime, if […]
Group HRD Travelex: “How I chose the HR technology I wanted.”
Gareth Williams is Global HR Director at Travelex. We recently interviewed Gareth on the global technology transformation taking place at the currency company. Here we ask Gareth about how he chose the cloud-based technology being implemented in Travelex and what advice he’d give to HR professionals on the same journey. Finding a core HCM product […]
Employment tribunal fees a ‘victory’ for rogue employers
The introduction of employment tribunal fees has been a “huge victory” for bad employers, resulting in a significant drop in the number of claims, the Trades Union Congress has said. A TUC report to mark the first anniversary of the new charges has revealed that, since July 2013, there has been a 79% fall in […]
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 […]