Book Review: Mastering story, community and influence – How to use social media to become a social leader

A recent IBM study of 1,709 chief executives around the world found that, although only 16% participate in social media today, some 57% are expected to do so within the next five years. This jump is the result of CEOs starting to recognise that, in order to get their message out there, they are going […]

News: Youth Contract alone not up to tackling unemployment, warn MPs

The government’s flagship scheme to cut youth unemployment will simply not be enough to tackle the current scale of the problem, according to a group of MPs.   Although the Work and Pensions Select Committee said that the £1 billion ‘Youth Contract’ was a good start, measures such as providing subsidised work and training placements […]

Blog: How to undertake staff communications with pizzazz

Over the years some have found that HR communication has become somewhat synonymous with flat messages, full of corporate jargon that take up space in their inbox and rarely entice the recipient to open, let alone read it… Until now. With all the developments in modern technology HR departments all over the world should be […]

Infographic: What do staff look for in their line managers?

In a Nutshell: The five core principles of effective leadership

If you bumped into the chief executive in the lift and were asked to tell him/her what you thought the five core principles of effective leadership were, what would you say? Wendy Brooks, director at leadership training provider, Hemsley Fraser, shares her ideas on the subject:   1. Be an active learner and foster learning […]

Talent Spot: Caroline Lowe, HR director for Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5

Caroline Lowe, director of HR for Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5, was single-minded about wanting to work in the hotel industry. As a result, she undertook a degree in hotel management and, on finishing her studies, went straight into the operational side of the business.   “I just always enjoyed being in hotels: the look […]

Well-being at work: Learning to love what you do

One of the strongest predictors of health and well-being turns out to be the quality of our social connections. Yet, have you ever turned up for a doctor’s appointment, had your blood pressure taken and then been asked some rather direct questions about your social life: Do you often get together with family and friends? […]

News: Employers believe ‘protected conversations’ will lead to bullying

A worrying two thirds of employers believe that the government’s ‘protected conversation’ proposals will lead to abuse, acting as a smokescreen for threats and bullying that would otherwise constitute a breach of contract. However, a mere 13% of those questioned in a survey undertaken by law firm Pannone said that they would refrain from taking […]

News: Boardroom divide over who owns people management

While ineffective people management is considered a key reason that organisations fail to hit financial targets, a worrying boardroom divide over who should take responsibility is wreaking havoc. According to a report entitled ‘Talent pipeline draining growth: Connecting human capital to the growth agenda’, although a huge 83% of HR directors believe that talent management […]

Blog: Just what is an executive coach exactly?

What do Andy Murray, Mo Farrah, Jessica Ennis and Robbie Grabarz have in common?      They have a coach who has made a difference. Whether it be Ivan Lendl, Fuzz Ahmed, Toni Minichiello or Alberto Salazar, all have been accredited with making the difference between success and failure by their charges.     In […]

Blog: Working your business skills on the dating scene

Many of our finely tuned business skills can be applied to the dating scene. Match.com’s resident clinical psychologist, Dr Cecilia d’Felice, shares her advice on how you can transfer your business expertise to your dating toolkit: Research You wouldn’t turn up to a business meeting unprepared and the same diligence should apply to a date. […]

Talking Point: Is trust the future of learning?

So let’s start at the end. The end point is about trust and about creating that trust within your environment.   But, you might ask, why should trust be a future thing when, in the psychological contract between employers and their employees, it has always been a precondition?   The issue is that there is […]

Diary of a misfit: The perfect place??!!

I feel like a teenager again. Not because I’m filled with youthful exuberance, but because I’m waiting for the phone to ring – and it doesn’t. I am transported back more than three decades.   I am sitting at the kitchen table pretending to busy myself with homework but unable to concentrate because I am […]

News: Call centre workers in East Anglia most likely to throw a sickie…

Although a third of UK workers admit to having pulled a sickie, a worrying 55% soldier on when ill due to anxiety over what their boss or colleagues will think. According to a survey conducted among 2,000 employees by insurance comparison website Confused.com, some 35% admitted lying to their manager over why they had missed […]

News: Lack of first aid skills leads to death of 140,000 workers each year

Although up to 140,000 people die each year due to lack of access to first aid, about half of all UK employers have no formal processes in place to assess workers’ needs in an emergency. According to research conducted among 4,000 people by One Poll on behalf of St John’s Ambulance, less than 20% acknowledged […]

Ask the Expert: What legal issues do well-being initiatives generate?

The question  I have been asked to introduce some health and well-being initiatives into our workplace. Where should I start and are there any particular legal issues/pitfalls that I need to be aware of?     The legal verdict   Esther Smith, a partner at Thomas Eggar   Where to start indeed! There is pretty […]

Blog: How ‘big data’ can help you maximise your people investment

Recognise This! – Your single greatest “expense” is your employees. Big Data can help you get the most out of that investment. Big data (the ability to analyse lots of complex data quickly) is coming into its own. The Harvard Business Review blog published this excerpt of an article on “Big Data’s Management Revolution” saying, […]

Infographic: Overall staffing levels down despite Olympics boost

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In a Nutshell: Six considerations when devising an HR strategy

What’s the best way to develop an effective HR strategy? Christina Lattimer, founder of HR and leadership development consultancy People Discovery, shares some of her ideas on the subject, while maintaining all the while that simplicity and clear communication are key: 1. Understand the business and its people On the one hand, it is crucial […]

The Retail Distribution Review: How will it affect you?

By New Year’s Day 2013, recommendations from the Retail Distribution Review will need to have been implemented. The Review is significant as it will have a major impact on the way in which financial advisers and financial adviser firms do their dealings – or ‘distribute their advice’ – to consumers who are known as ‘retail […]