News: productivity being ‘sabotaged’ by email addiction
Business productivity is suffering because firms are not taking steps to curb “email addiction” in the workplace. This is according to Jerry Hopkins, founder of The Leadership Team, which provides training to leaders who need to create more time in their working lives. Hopkins said that organisations would benefit from introducing strict guidelines on the […]
News: Pay gap influenced by low applications, says research
Women are underrepresented in high-paying jobs because they don’t apply for them, according to new research. Workplace discrimination at the point of hiring is a factor but many women choose not to apply for higher-paying positions because of ‘preconceived notions’ of job roles. This research came from Professor Roxana Barbulescu of the Desautels Faculty of […]
Talent spot: Tim Munden, Unilever’s VP of HR for UK and Ireland
Tim Munden, Unilever’s vice president of HR for UK and Ireland, knew from an early age that he wanted to join the army. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas. While the army sponsored him through ‘A’ levels and university, an accident at officer training school Sandhurst put an end to his army career before it had […]
Is training key to preventing spear-phishing attacks?
This feature was written by Scott Gréaux, Vice President Product Management and Services at PhishMe. One of the most common ways for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data on enterprise networks is through phishing. Phishing is a method where cybercriminals send spoofed emails to try to trick recipients into doing something they shouldn’t. They can […]
News: Organisations invest in talent – but is it paying off?
Organisations across the world are investing in key talent, but are starting to ask questions about when they’ll see a return on investment. This is according to the Talent Barometer Survey from Mercer, which reveals 60 percent of organisations worldwide have increased their investment in talent in recent years. Yet just 24 percent say their […]
Interview: Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD
Peter Cheese, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) believes we are at an inflection point in HR and that the opportunities for the profession to make an impact on the business has never been greater. With the CIPD’s centenary year in full swing, HRZone recently caught up with Cheese, to […]
Book Review: Transformative HR by John Boudreau & Ravin Jesuthasan
Title: Transformative HRAuthors: John Boudreau & Ravin JesuthasanISBN: 978-1118036044 Reviewed by David Evans of Burn Bridge Associates. This is a book that ostensibly has a very clear mission: to champion the cause of evidence-based HR management. There is, however, a ‘sub-plot’ which relates to the need for HR professionals to be able to operate with their […]
Posture at work – how to improve it, why it’s important
Healthy body flexibility and movement diminishes as a consequence of inactivity and regular activity restores it. Joints maintain their youth essentially by virtue of movement. Diminished movement, from our desk-based office lives, can age the body prematurely. When tissue isn’t regularly moved, it dries out like the sponge that isn’t used. If you don’t move […]
News: Video recruitment on the increase, say UK HR Directors
HR Directors across the UK are increasingly relying on new technology to support recruitment processes, according to new research from recruitment consultancy OfficeTeam. Close to nine in 10 (89 percent) of senior executives labelled it ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ challenging to find skilled professionals. Small (91 percent) and medium-sized (90 percent) businesses find it most difficult. […]
News: The business case for flexible working – £34bn worth of savings
HR directors looking to make a case for flexible working may want to check out the latest research from Vodafone, revealing that the UK could save around £34bn by freeing up desk space and working flexibly. Despite these potential savings, many UK business leaders are underestimating how much their companies can save with 65 percent […]
Book review: Never Mind the Bosses by Robin Ryde
Reviewed by Tanya Cowin The objective of the book, Never Mind the Bosses by Robin Ryde, is to demonstrate that deference in the workplace “impedes organisational success.” The author has been strongly influenced by the punk movement and its anti-deferential attitude and devotes a whole chapter of the book to explaining the punk music explosion […]
HR and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – it’s all about balance
This article was written by Simon Meager, Managing Director of Footprint Media. Bring your own device (BYOD) programmes spark many a conversation in and outside the IT department. It’s a growing trend that clearly identifies the consumerisation of IT, in which consumer preference – rather than corporate direction – drives the decision on what technology […]
The future of flexible working in the 21st century
This article was written by Eileen MacMahon of law firm Dundas & Wilson. When Marissa Mayer’s recent memo banning Yahoo employees from working from home was leaked to the press last week, a lot of us questioned whether the UK Government’s stance on the promotion of flexible working was still relevant. Mayer, whose appointment as […]
News: employers who fail to engage will fail the UK
HR has known the importance of engagement for a long time – now there’s research out that points to just how important it is for long-term economic prosperity. According to new research from Adecco Group, employers that do not engage, motivate and retain their best employees risk damaging the UK’s economic position, according to new […]
News: men and women working later due to rising female pension age
Men and women are working later in life because women have to wait longer to receive their state pension, according to new research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies. HR will increasingly be working with an older workforce as the age of pension entitlement continues to rise – it currently stands at 61 years and […]
The Lowdown on National Apprenticeship Week
With National Apprenticeship Week just round the corner the media buzz is beginning to mount. If you’re unsure what the event is about or what’s going to be happening, read on to find out more. What is National Apprenticeship Week?National Apprentice Week, coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), is put on once a year […]
Six insights into Performance Management best practice
A few years ago, the CIPD report ‘Performance Management in Action’ revealed the shocking statistic that less than 20 percent of organisations said they realised ‘some’ benefit from their investment in performance management. Just pause a moment and think about that number: this means that more than 80 percent of organisations see no benefit at […]
News: business perceptions of employment law differ from reality
Business perceptions of the impact of employment law are at odds with the reality, according to a new government-commissioned study published by Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson. The study, Employer Perceptions and Impact of Employment Regulation, said that businesses viewing employment law as “burdensome” were often expressing a lack of understanding. In the case of […]
Legal commentary: what extension of parental leave means for HR
HR professionals will be more than familiar with the complex array of legal rights enjoyed by working parents – dealing with maternity leave and flexible working requests can consume huge amounts of time. However, parental leave tends to be something of an afterthought – take –up rates are low and employee awareness of the right […]
What you need to be doing when employees leave the business
HR departments carry the vast majority of the administrative burden when employees decide to leave. But beyond the usual P45 paperwork, how else do HR departments need to prepare themselves and ensure the necessary processes exist for departing colleagues, while ensuring that company property is returned and regulations are adhered to? Roger Moore, General Manager […]
