Does the real you show up at interviews?
Some of us may feel our interview techniques let us down; here are some thoughts on how to break this pattern. A counter-intuitive suggestion Interview practice is essential. However if you invest some time to reflect on your career to date and create a “Big Fat CV” (BFCV) rather than a crisp version, you may […]
Stress management on a Post-It note
Stress is your body’s response to something that you experience in your environment and is a completely normal part of your life; it is not in itself a bad thing. In fact, people perform better with some level of stress because, as you will see, the stress response makes you more alert, releases energy and […]
New report: Best Places to Work 2014
Every year Great Place to Work put out a report profiling the organisations that have ranked highest in their employee engagement programme and display long-term commitment to creating cultures where employees thrive. The Great Workplaces Special Report, just released today, profiles 2014's 100 Best Workplaces and shares insights into how trust and engagement drive their […]
Third Culture Kids – international education for children
Were you ever the new student at school? If so, it’s likely you can recall just how overwhelming it can be. The first day of school for any child is full of anxious moments and nervous feelings about the unknown. Imagine what this must be like for children who are starting a new school in […]
The Power of Vulnerability, by Brené Brown
This article is based on a 2010 TED talk from Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. Brené has spent over 10 years studying vulnerability worthiness, shame and courage. Her TED talk has racked up over 15 million views and is a superb, personal insight into the terrible, negative power […]
How often should you conduct an employee survey?
This article is based on data and conclusions from our report, The State of Employee Engagement 2014. You can download the report here and learn what best-performing companies are doing when it comes to engagement, and how you can ramp up your employee engagement efforts. How often should you conduct an employee survey? To help […]
Case study: how to assess emerging talent
The company and the challenge JT (formerly Jersey Telecom) is halfway through a five-year growth strategy, initiated in 2011 to transform the Group into a global communications business. Already, JT has nearly doubled its value after expanding its global reach, introducing new services, undertaking strategic acquisitions and creating new global partnerships. However, while rapid growth […]
People managers – the war’s hotting up for top talent
The role of the line manager has evolved beyond almost all recognition in recent years. The traditionally held view that managers are accountable for making things happen, for delivering results and for creating high performance in their teams is now only a part of the equation. In today’s post-recession world, many organisations have slimmed down, […]
Interview: Dr Nick Udall, Chair, Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership
Who is Dr Nick Udall? Dr Nick Udall is co-founder and CEO of nowhere, a founding member and the current Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership. Nick is also the author of Riding the Creative Rollercoaster (published by Kogan Page). 1. What defines a successful culture of […]
Interview: Rob van Elburg, Global IT Recruiter, ING
Rob van Elburg is a specialist in global IT recruitment. He studied Human Resources Management and Business Administration and has a history in recruiting dating back to 1992. In 2000 he started RAVE-cruitment, a full-service ICT recruitment agency, located in Amsterdam. Since 2011 he has been with a global IT recruiter for bank ING. You’re […]
Can we please stop blaming women for diversity problems?
Why is it always assumed that gender diversity is all about women? Too often female under-representation in senior positions is blamed on motherhood, women shying from responsibility and failing to behave like men. It’s time to stop blaming supposed ‘women issues’ for the lack of diversity in business. The solution does not lie in asking […]
Why don’t employee engagement surveys work?
‘The fundamental element required for an organisation to thrive and grow is having employees who are committed, motivated and engaged’. That was the conclusion of the UK government’s 2009 review on employee engagement[1]. This and other research studies – such as those by Gallup[2] and the Corporate Leadership Council[3] – champion the transformational possibilities of engagement and […]
Interview: Gary Luffman, Director, thinkchange consulting
Gary Luffman is an Occupational Psychologist and Director of think. change. consulting. Gary and the think. change. team focus on bringing together business expertise, neuroscience and psychology to help understand more about our own and others’ brains. This forms the basis of practical and tangible applications in the workplace to help individuals and organisation succeed […]
Diversity and recruitment – a necessity for the modern organisation
For any HR professional or hiring manager, the recruitment process can sometimes appear time-consuming, but in fact it is incredibly simple. When on a journey to find the right talent for your business, it is essential that you find the best person for the job, someone who can contribute positively and add value to your […]
Neuroscience and leadership development – what can we learn?
Pilots, surgeons, F1 drivers and astronauts regularly use simulation exercises to prepare them for challenging situations. But new research from Ashridge suggests that simulations can also help business leaders think more clearly under stress and make effective decisions in volatile and uncertain situations. Ashridge has been working alongside the University of Reading on a pioneering […]
Interview: Susanne Given, Chief Operating Officer, SuperGroup
What does a typical day look like? I work in Europe, the States and the Far East and so work across a range of different time zones. When I’m in the UK I’m office based. I start work around 8am and work through to 7.30pm. It’s been two years of investment and change. I look […]
The HR of today v the HR of tomorrow
This article is based on submissions to a new academic journal, the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, by Paul Sparrow and Cary L. Cooper. The journal is published by Emerald Group Publishing and provides insight into best practice and how HR can add value in a sustainable way. The journal covers a range of […]
Employee goal-setting – why not?
Why do so many employees start out so well – highly focused on their ambitions within the company – and then, after a year or so, become just one-more drone in the workplace? Listless, time-serving, unambitious and uninterested. Other than the attrition of time and familiarity, what is it the sucks the enthusiasm and appetite […]
Employee development through CSR programmes
Employees are increasingly demanding that their workplaces not only provide opportunities for them to develop within the business, but outside of it too. With CSR remaining high on the agenda and workers craving the challenges and learning that come via volunteering and community-based initiatives, organisations must master the world of ‘intelligent volunteering’ that not only […]
Talent analytics to transform recruitment and onboarding
It is often said that ‘our people are our most important asset’ but as organisations what are we doing to encourage and nurture our high performers and ensure attrition rates remains low? Are we recruiting more people like them to plug skills gaps, support growth opportunities, as well as engaging with them at the right […]
