Blog: Seven reasons to employ a pregnant CEO
Last week’s announcement that Marissa Mayer had been appointed CEO at Yahoo! while pregnant should send a message to the Lord Sugar brigade; business leaders who believe that you shouldn’t employ women of a certain age in case they get pregnant. We’ve been thinking about the benefits that employing a senior woman while she is […]
In a Nutshell: Four tips for creating a positive company culture
Hilti, a major supplier of fastening and demolition systems to the construction industry, takes the idea of company culture very seriously and devotes 10 million Swiss francs and 30,000 working days per year to building and nurturing it. But Eivind Slaaen, the firm’s head of people and culture development, believes that, when you get down […]
News: Number of women on FTSE 100 boards leaps by a third
The number of women with a seat on the board of FTSE 100 companies has leapt by a third over the last year following the introduction of voluntary targets, according to the government. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills revealed that females now hold 16.7% of all board positions in such organisations, up from […]
News: Sick days cost UK employers £89m per year
Although sick days cost UK employers £89 million per year, the average number being taken has been on the decline for the last five years. According to a survey of 343 organisations by XpertHR, every member of staff took around 6.4 days due to illness in 2011, in a move that cost their employer £618 […]
Talking Point: Is it better to outsource training or offer it in-house?
Although employee performance may have improved over the last two years, individuals are still not working to their full potential, a recent poll of HR directors revealed. With the economic climate as it is, however, it is clear that employers must ensure that they get the most out of the talent they already have. […]
Blog: Are employers offering fathers enough support?
Research shows many fathers are dissatisfied with the amount of time they spend at work and the amount of time they spend with their children. Some 54% of fathers with children under one feel they are not devoting enough time to them, while 42% of fathers feel they are not able to spend enough time […]
Blog: Three ideas for retaining young talent when career paths are scarce
Recognise This! – Boomers are about to surpass Gen Y in the workplace. Steve Boese (another go-to blogger of mine for anything relevant and important in the moment in HR) recently pointed out this alarming statistic: For the first time since these things started being tracked (1950), we are on the cusp of the number […]
Academic Insight: Charles Handy on leadership, work and well-being
Charles Handy, an author and philosopher who specialises in organisational behaviour and management, is described as a storyteller. Over the years, he has written a number of books that contain rich tales and showcase his ideas on the meaning of life, business and purpose. Here, he opens up the floodgates and asks each of […]
How to tackle your first 100 days as HR director – Part 1
We live in a rapidly changing world in which the political and economic outlook for the next 12 months is very unclear. In this unstable commercial environment, uncertainty about the future feeds a growing sense of urgency in the here and now. As a result, judgments are made much more quickly. This means that […]
News: HMRC to probe recruitment industry’s £390m tax avoidance scheme
HM Revenue & Customs is to crack down on UK recruitment industry practices following allegations that hundreds of agencies across the country are running multi-million pound tax avoidance schemes. The organisation plans to launch an investigation into claims that agencies are using “travel and subsistence” expenses systems for temporary staff, which are believed to both […]
News: Employers delude themselves over staff engagement levels
Employers appear to be deluding themselves that workplace relations are positive and staff morale high when in fact two thirds of employees don’t trust their bosses and 58% are indifferent to their work. According to a survey entitled ‘Facing the Future’ undertaken among 319 employers by the CBI and recruitment consultancy, Harvey Nash, just under […]
Blog: Cracking employee communication codes QR-style
In spite of how you might feel about technology, you must admit that it’s making some aspects of employee communication much easier and improving communication between employer and employee. Let’s look at the QR (Quick Response) codes for example…used properly and following a few basic rules, these little barcodes can create a huge impact […]
Blog: Five ego traits to drop if you want to become a better team player
We all claim a positive ego when we admit we have one. When discussing the ego we often refer to a healthy ego, which means having in place healthy boundaries, or a good sense of self, or having a clear identify. The free dictionary describes the ego as: 1. The Self, especially as distinct […]
Legal Insight: The protected conversation issue
The government is currently looking at ways to try and make life easier for UK employers. It has doubled the service qualification for protection against unfair dismissal to two years and is either consulting on other possible legal changes or is pushing them through the legislative process. One initiative that looks likely to hit […]
Ask the Expert: Can we recruit a leader if a team member is off sick?
The question Is it okay to recruit for a team leader from within a team if a member of the team is off sick? They are not on long-term sick leave, just recovering from an operation. What is the legal position here? Legal verdict Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar As […]
News: Shop floor workers make better leaders than general managers
Bosses who have experience of working on the shop floor make better leaders than career general managers, research has found. A study conducted by London’s Cass Business School and the University of Sheffield, in which academics analysed every Formula One race – almost 18,000 – that had been staged over the last 60 years, […]
News: Police forces consider canning G4S shared services deal
Three UK police forces are reportedly evaluating whether to drop joint plans to outsource 1,100 back office jobs to G4S following its Olympic security staffing debacle. According to the Guardian, the chief constables of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire police met yesterday and agreed to rethink the move. It was stated only last month that […]
News: RIP Jackie Orme, former head of the CIPD
Jackie Orme, former chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, died yesterday evening after losing the battle with pancreatic cancer. Orme, who was only 46, headed the organisation from April 2008 until her condition was diagnosed in the summer of 2011. She had worked in HR for 17 years, starting […]
Blog: Seven reasons why the FA should try John Terry
Despite the acquittal of Chelsea and England defender, John Terry, for racism by Westminster Magistrates’ Court, there are seven reasons why the Football Association must try him for his comments against Queens Park Rangers player, Anton Ferdinand: 1. What the magistrate actually said to Terry John Terry was acquitted of the criminal charges because […]
Living Leader Learnings: How can I stop older colleagues putting me down?
The challenge A team manager at a law firm asks: “I am a manager in a family-run firm of lawyers. I joined the company a year ago and my first impression was that everyone was really nice. However, since then, I’ve noticed that lots of comments are made about my age and perceived lack […]