HRD Insight: Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Leigh Lafever-Ayer on flexible working
Enterprise Rent-A-Car discovered that home-working for call centre staff reduces costs by £3,500 per employee annually while improving productivity and reducing absenteeism. The company piloted the flexible working programme at its reservations department and plans to expand it into a long-term initiative.
Ask the Expert: Can staff change the goalposts over maternity leave?
Employees on Additional Maternity Leave can change their return date, but must give eight weeks’ notice if returning later than originally planned. Employers must have provided written notice of the AML end date; failure to do so prevents objecting to late returns.
News: Don’t act “too gay”, senior GP tells medical students
A senior GP is under investigation after advising medical students to act less “overtly gay” and modify their appearance to pass exams, suggesting voice deepening and altered body language to counteract examiner bias. The Royal College of General Practitioners has rejected the controversial guidance and referred the doctor for investigation.
News: “Shareholder spring” leads to fewer senior exec pay rises
Following shareholder backlash against excessive executive pay, nearly half of FTSE 100 CEOs saw their salaries frozen this year. While only two companies voted down pay reports, the average CEO salary rose to £856,000—still significantly higher than the national average of £26,200.
Blog: Creating your own Dragon’s Den to foster innovation
Create an internal innovation program inspired by Dragons’ Den to encourage employees to present ideas for business improvements. By establishing quarterly pitch sessions with recognition rewards and cross-departmental participation, you can boost engagement, enhance operations, and foster a culture of creative problem-solving throughout your organization.
In a Nutshell: Five considerations when setting up your own business
Learn essential tips for starting your own business, including distinguishing urgent from important tasks, communicating with staff, networking effectively, and understanding finances. Expert advice covers recharging personally and mastering the basics of business management.
Engaging for success: The key role of line managers
Line managers play a crucial role in sustaining employee engagement, yet many organizations fail to equip them with the necessary support and capability. Rather than relying solely on communications programs, effective engagement requires HR, communications, and managers to work together, embedding positive managerial behavior into daily operations and helping managers understand engagement as core to their role.
Infographic: The impact of social media on recruitment
Social media has fundamentally transformed how companies recruit talent. This infographic explores key statistics on employer branding, candidate sourcing, and hiring outcomes across major platforms, revealing how businesses leverage LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to attract qualified candidates and build workforce pipelines.
Analysis: The rise of Salesforce’s social Work.com
Salesforce launched Work.com, a social performance management system designed to modernize employee engagement beyond traditional HR software. The cloud-based platform enables real-time feedback, recognition, and goal alignment through social collaboration tools for HR, sales, and marketing teams.
News: Higher stress levels and longer hours with us for next 3 years
A Towers Watson survey reveals that UK workers face excessive pressure and longer hours, with 46% of companies expecting no improvement over the next three years. High stress levels are affecting employee retention and engagement across organizations worldwide.
Blog: Why competency frameworks are like potatoes
Competency frameworks define how employees should perform their jobs by outlining required skills, behaviors, and attributes. Like potatoes, they provide a solid foundation for people management but work best when kept simple, specific, and involving employee input during design to ensure adoption and effective use across hiring, training, and performance management.
HRZone Interview: Jason Holt on apprenticeships
Jeweller and entrepreneur Jason Holt believes UK businesses are missing growth opportunities by not offering apprenticeships. His government report reveals that many SMEs misunderstand apprenticeship schemes, finding them too complex and inaccessible for their needs.
Book Review: Mastering story, community and influence – How to use social media to become a social leader
Learn how to build professional influence through social media with “Mastering Story, Community and Influence” by Jay Oatway. This practical guide teaches executives and professionals how to develop authentic online personas, create thought leadership, and leverage social networks for career and business success.
News: Youth Contract alone not up to tackling unemployment, warn MPs
MPs warn that the government’s £1 billion Youth Contract scheme alone cannot solve youth unemployment, calling for complementary economic growth and job creation. While the program offers subsidized work and apprenticeships, experts say complexity and employer skepticism limit its effectiveness.
Blog: How to undertake staff communications with pizzazz
Effective HR communication goes beyond corporate jargon and flat messaging. By leveraging modern technology, strategic visuals, authentic tone of voice, and the right communication channels, HR departments can create engaging internal communications that boost employee engagement and drive business performance.
Infographic: What do staff look for in their line managers?
Staff value managers who provide clear communication, recognize achievements, and offer growth opportunities. Trust, fairness, and approachability emerged as top priorities, alongside support for work-life balance and professional development in this employee preference analysis.
In a Nutshell: The five core principles of effective leadership
Effective leadership rests on five core principles: fostering continuous learning, communicating a clear vision, adapting to context, maintaining integrity and consistency, and developing leaders at all organizational levels.
Talent Spot: Caroline Lowe, HR director for Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5
Caroline Lowe, HR director at Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5, built her career in hotel management before finding her niche in human resources. With experience at major chains including Marriott and Rezidor Hotel Group, she combines operational knowledge with HR expertise to drive people development and organizational impact in the hospitality sector.
Well-being at work: Learning to love what you do
Social connections at work are as important for health and well-being as diet and exercise. Building high-quality relationships through empathy, treating colleagues as equals, and finding flow in your work can significantly boost job satisfaction, productivity, and overall happiness.
News: Employers believe ‘protected conversations’ will lead to bullying
Two-thirds of employers believe the government’s ‘protected conversations’ proposal will enable workplace bullying and abuse, though only 13% say they would refrain from using it themselves. The legislation, expected to pass next year, allows ‘settlement agreements’ where employers can hold conversations without fear of unfair dismissal claims, but legal experts warn undefined ‘improper’ conduct could expose companies to risk.
