A buyer’s guide to talent management software
Talent management software has undergone significant changes in the past 18 months, with a major shift from on-premise systems to cloud-based solutions. This guide explores key players like SAP’s SuccessFactors and Oracle’s Taleo acquisition, helping buyers navigate the evolving landscape of talent management tools and make informed decisions.
News: Earnings growth to remain weak for next five years
Wage growth is expected to remain weak for the next five years, with average pay increases estimated between 2.2% and 2.5% annually due to labour market slack. Even by 2017, wage rises are unlikely to exceed 3%, significantly below pre-financial crisis averages of 4.3%, putting continued pressure on household spending power.
News: Eight ways to cope with the clocks going back
As the clocks go back this Sunday, millions of workers face the winter blues and disrupted sleep patterns. Monster.co.uk offers eight practical tips to cope with the time change, including personalizing your workspace, maintaining a healthy breakfast routine, managing workload effectively, building support networks, rewarding yourself, and focusing on workplace positives.
Blog: Employee Engagement Taskforce to unveil resources-based website
The UK’s Employee Engagement Task Force is launching a resources-based website on November 26, offering tools, workshops, and networking opportunities to help employers move beyond engagement buzzwords to drive real workforce change and productivity.
Christina’s Counsel: What can we do to motivate disaffected middle managers?
Middle managers struggling with motivation often lack decision-making authority and feel unheard by senior leadership. Addressing disengagement requires a holistic approach: empowering managers’ voices, evaluating organizational control structures, building transparent communication, and ensuring employees understand their role and value within the company.
The HRZone Interview: Jon Ingham on where HR is going wrong
HR consultant Jon Ingham argues that HR professionals risk losing their core purpose by prioritizing business credentials over their unique role in steering organizations toward people-centered working practices. He warns that excessive focus on employee engagement as a business tool misses the opportunity to fundamentally redesign organizations around trust, autonomy, and community.
Ask the Expert: Can I offer a candidate for one job a different post?
When interviewing for job A, you can offer an excellent candidate job B instead if there’s no incumbent and no discrimination issues involved. However, confirm the candidate will accept the unadvertised role before withdrawing the job B advert, as rejecting it would leave the position unfilled.
News: CBI union proposals dismissed as “attempt to weaken employees’ voice”
The CBI has proposed changes to trade union laws, claiming they need modernizing for today’s workplace. The TUC has rejected the proposals, arguing they would weaken employee representation rather than improve workplace democracy.
News: Dyson sues Bosch after discovering ‘spy’ on its staff
Dyson is suing Bosch for allegedly paying an employee to steal trade secrets from its research and development facility in Wiltshire. The British engineering company claims a rogue employee passed confidential information about motors and hand dryers to Bosch divisions for two years. Bosch denies the allegations, stating the employee had a pre-existing consultancy agreement unrelated to Dyson’s products.
In a Nutshell: Five tips to foster a change-friendly culture
Building a change-friendly culture requires strategic HR initiatives: restructure departments for flexibility, develop strong future leaders, ensure employees match their roles, adopt lean principles for bottom-up change, and maintain open communication about transformation goals.
Blog: Punk Rock HR – Resilience and the Chumbawumba effect
Emotional resilience—the ability to recover from setbacks and adversity—is essential for HR leaders and innovators. Rather than simply bouncing back without learning, effective resilience means stopping to understand what went wrong, adapting your approach, and moving forward with those lessons.
Six suggestions for boosting how many women sit on the board
Women comprise only 9.6% of executive director roles in the UK despite making up half the workforce. This guide offers six strategies to increase female board representation, including building a business case, adopting comprehensive measures beyond flexible working, and securing senior leadership sponsorship.
Infographic: HRZone community survey – What do you think?
HRZone surveyed its community to discover which features and aspects users love most and least about the platform. See the results of this comprehensive user feedback survey in our latest infographic.
Editor’s Letter: Finding your way through the HCM applications maze
Choosing the right HCM application is complex, with established players like Oracle and SAP competing against newer cloud-based solutions from Workday and others. This guide explores the key vendors, on-premise versus cloud options, and real-world implementation experiences to help HR leaders navigate the market.
News: Birmingham equal pay ruling could open claim floodgates
A Supreme Court ruling allows thousands of workers to bring equal pay claims dating back six years instead of six months. The landmark decision backs 174 women from Birmingham City Council who were denied bonuses paid to male colleagues in similar roles.
News: O2 and Bauer Media to create 30k youth work experience places
O2 and Bauer Media are launching GoThinkBig, a £5 million campaign offering 30,000 work experience and skills development opportunities to young people aged 14-25 across the UK over three years. The initiative includes fast-track coding courses, two-week placements, internships, and volunteering positions.
Blog: The dangers of pulling rank – ‘Do you know who I am?’
Pulling rank and asking “do you know who I am?” can damage workplace relationships and organizational culture. HR professionals should remember that all employees have equal human value, maintain authenticity as they advance, and encourage honest communication from teams.
Blog: Ten signs that you love your job (really)
Discover ten genuine signs you love your job, from having workplace friendships and enjoying colleague success to losing track of time because you’re engaged in meaningful work. These indicators reveal when work truly matters to you beyond just a paycheck.
Talent Spot: Liz Reynolds, HR director at Trustmarque Solutions
Liz Reynolds, HR director at technology reseller Trustmarque Solutions, manages the challenges of rapid growth while building a strong workplace culture. The company recently ranked 66th in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For, reflecting Reynolds’ commitment to staff motivation and innovation.
Talking Point: Isn’t it time HR focused on solutions rather than problems?
HR professionals often waste time on administrative tasks and others’ problems instead of strategic initiatives. A solutions-focused approach—which emphasizes desired outcomes over problems—helps HR teams boost engagement, improve performance, and create lasting organizational change.
