Interview: Emma Pinker, General Manager, London Vision Clinic, on employee engagement

Emma Pinker is General Manager of the London Vision Clinic, a laser eye surgery clinic. The company was recently included on the 2013 Best Workplaces List [PDF, 5.68MB] from Great Place to Work for their commitment to employee engagement.  Download our academic-led employee engagement toolkit, produced in association with Great Place to Work. 1. What does […]

Legal advice: the need for collective consultation when making redundancies

This article was written by Christopher Graham, Head of Employment at Watson Burton LLP. Background Woolworths may have disappeared from the high street but in a surprising development, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that the duty to consult with a Trade Union of Employee Representatives applies whenever an employer is proposing more than 20 redundancies, […]

HR professionals struggle to ‘justify case for talent’

Close to two-thirds of HR professionals feel overwhelmed by the complexity of justifying investment in talent amid increasing pressure to show ROI, says new research. Almost four out of five (79 percent) HR leaders believe senior management in their organisation think talent is critical to the bottom line. Over half (54 percent) feel their organisation […]

Five rules for creating a high performance, ‘mist-free’ culture

This article was written by Andrew Sillitoe, author of ‘Managing the Mist,’ a new book on coaching, leadership development and change management. To achieve anything in life, whether it is personal or organisational, usually involves changing something. The problem with change for a lot of people is that is can cause discomfort, anxiety and in […]

SaaS and the impact on flexible working

The article was written by Nick John, MD of FCP Internet Limited, a supplier of recruitment software through recruitment solution evolve. The working environment is changing and flexible working is the next big thing. For a business, this is a way of meeting employees’ shifting needs by giving them the option to work from home on […]

Has the time come to abandon the idea that we need leaders?

Since leaders earn the lion’s share, and since they have disproportionate sway in an organisation’s direction, isn’t it time we admit they just don’t make very good decisions? In The Leaderless Revolution, Carne Ross points to a new world order in which “ordinary people will take power and change politics in the 21st century,” highlighting […]

Top tips for recruiting interim managers

Charles Russam, chairman of interim manager provider Russam GMS, discusses how to ensure best practice when recruiting an HR interim manager and his top tips for successful recruitment. Interim managers are board level independent business leaders or project managers who work in a range of disciplines and sectors. They are experts in their field; high-level performers […]

Reaching out: connecting businesses with schools to build a talent pipeline

This article was written by Kirsty Mackie, Head of Barclays LifeSkills, which provides businesses access to free resources to help them develop work experience frameworks. In their annual survey of employers on education and skills out last week, the CBI and Pearson have highlighted the challenges that businesses face recruiting young people who are ready for the […]

How do we boost the female talent pipeline?

This article was written by Jo-Ann Feely, Alexander Mann Solutions’ Head of Consulting. With just three female executives in the FTSE100, and the percentage of women joining boards standing at 17.3 percent, the challenge of how to increase gender diversity in the workplace has never been more pressing. But how should HR directors go about it? […]

How the Millennial Generation is transforming the workplace for the better

This article was written by Prithvi Shergill, Chief Human Resources Officer at HCL Technologies. Post, Pin, Tweet, Webinar, Video Conference, Tele-presence, Social – these are some of the new business terms that we are increasingly seeing heard in our workplace. Gone is the static, paper-based, boardroom-centric world of work. In its place, a new social, collaborative […]

Spotting the signs of musculoskeletal problems in your employees

This article was written by Dr Nick Kendall, medical advisory board member for Health & Case Management Ltd (HCML). Failure to spot crucial signs of musculoskeletal or mental health problems in employees is jeopardising recovery and the probability of returning to work. It is well known that the most common health problems affecting the UK workforce […]

Google: brainteaser questions are a ‘complete waste of time’

Google gained a reputation for its use of ‘creative’ questions in the interview process as a method of differentiating between candidates. How many ping pong balls can you fit in a Boeing 747? Why are manhole covers round? Now Laszlo Bock, Head of HR at the search engine giant, has told the New York Times […]

Human Resources challenges on the U.S.S. Enterprise

This article was written by former MP and training and development expert Lembit Öpik, who is currently associate director of Leadenhall Consulting. In this article Lembit assesses the issues involved with managing the staff on humanity’s most famous Starship – the U.S.S. Enterprise – as he invites you to boldly go where no HR Manager has […]

Book review: The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, Charles Green and Robert Galford

Title: The Trusted AdvisorAuthors: David Maister, Charles Green and Robert GalfordISBN: 978-0743207768 Reviewed by Alan Warner, MTP plc This is not a new book but thirteen years after publication, it is still to be found in book stores. Also the wonders of Kindle and iBooks mean that we now have far easier access to works like this […]

RAF grounded by finding of discrimination

This article was written Andrew Moore, Solicitor at law firm Hill Dickinson. A recent decision in the Birmingham Employment Tribunal has found that the Royal Air Force (RAF) unlawfully discriminated against a female nurse on the grounds of her sex. Summary of the case: Ms Williams joined the RAF in 1984, and enjoyed a successful […]

The big data revolution: making it work for HR

This article was written by Jeremy Langley, Marketing & Business Development Director at Lumesse. The landscape of data analysis is changing. With professional information accumulated at greater rates due to increased online interaction and advancing technology, taking a dedicated approach to analysing big data in order to boost an organisation’s effectiveness and potential can give businesses […]

Interview: Shawn Farshchi, CEO of Saba Software

Shawn Farshchi is CEO of Saba Software, a provider of learning and HR software. Shawn has over 30 years' experience leading, driving and managing technological, organisational and cultural change across many different business environments. Before joining Saba, he was COO for IBM subsidiary Coremetrics. 1. How are the expectations of the client evolving when it comes to […]

Joined-up HR and finance – the move to systems of engagement

This article was written by Laura Schroeder, Director EMEA Product Marketing at cloud-based HCM provider Workday. Laura has more than 15 years of experience designing, developing, implementing, and evangelising global HCM solutions. Advances in consumer and social technology have created new opportunities to reach customers and forced organisations to adapt their business strategies faster than […]

Editor’s note: we want scientists in HR and we want them now

Welcome, everyone, to HRZone’s June 2013 Technology Supplement. No-one is surprised at the speed of change in technology spheres. It’s expected to move fast and hard. What’s really interesting is whether related spheres can keep up with the pace of change. I recently asked a software company CEO (you can read the interview in this […]

The BBC, its reliance on compromise agreements and the hidden legal costs

This was written by Steven Eckett, employment lawyer at Bishop & Sewell LLP. It has come to light as a result of a Freedom of Information request made on 15 April by Radio Station London Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) 97.3FM, that the BBC has spent in excess of £22 million in pay-offs to its staff over the […]