Blog: When to use social networks or personal networking?
Most of us have understood the importance of networking to leadership for a long time, but the recent appointment of Julia Hobsbawm by Cass Business School as the world’s first “Professor of Networking” makes it official. I listened to an interview with Hobsbawm on Radio 4 last week and it was what she had to say about […]
Barclays and the value of succession planning
The Libor rate-rigging scandal has resulted in the men at the top of Barclays, chairman, Marcus Agius, and chief executive, Bob Diamond, falling on their respective swords. But inevitably any changes to the senior management team have a direct impact on the business, potentially leaving it feeling rudderless and having a negative effect on staff […]
Banking crisis: Should staff pay be linked to customer service?
‘Banking’ and ‘customer service’ aren’t generally words that go together harmoniously. A recent survey by Avanade found a third of banking customers have lodged an official complaint with their primary bank in the last five years, generating a total of 30 million for the industry. According to the report, overdraft and late payment fees were […]
News: Employee ownership ‘not the sole driver of staff engagement’
The Institute of Customer Service has warned that the deputy prime minister’s call to boost levels of employee ownership approach will not be enough in and of itself to boost staff engagement levels across UK plc. Nick Clegg has pledged to increase the productivity of UK business by increasing the number of companies owned by workers […]
Blog: Why is it still a novelty when women get a seat on the board?
“Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s Long-Time COO, Becomes First Woman On Its Board Of Directors.” That was the breathless announcement coming from CNBC this week. thi As my daughter always says, “Really”? Here we are in 2012 and to make mention of the fact that she will be the only WOMAN to me just sounds so dated. […]
Blog: Performance and teamwork tips from Olympian Steve Williams
This blog post is the distillation of a talk about performance and teamwork given by Steve Williams at the Institute of Internal Communication’s annual conference recently. Steve is a double Olympic gold winner, and he focused much more on his Athens 2004 experience than Beijing 2008, although both were nail-biting close finishes! I’ve kept my hastily scribbled notes largely unedited […]
News: Coaching industry under threat from cowboys
The key challenge facing the coaching industry is the number of untrained individuals who describe themselves as practitioners, which is generating confusion in the marketplace. The sector has now become a nearly $2 billion industry, with around 47,500 professionals practising their craft on a global basis. These are the key findings of a survey commissioned […]
Legal Insight: Playing the Games within the letter of the law
With only a few months to go to the start of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and amid widespread predictions that London could come to a complete standstill, employers need to start planning now to ensure that they can cope with the many issues that will undoubtedly arise. Transport Inevitably, the Games will cause […]
Blog: How to boost employee engagement
Recognise This! – Recognition, reputation, and performance management are among the top opportunities for improving engagement as identified by Aon Hewitt. Aon Hewitt recently released their 2012 Trends in Global Engagement. Several findings were unsurprising, but worthy of highlighting as many organisations still struggle with getting these basic factors of engagement success right. First, it’s […]
Blog: Five ways to make your office a comfortable place to work
What makes an office a great place to work? This article reveals the secrets behind great office design and what you need to consider to retain and attract new talent to your workplace. Business owners and HR Managers all have a vision for their company, and part of this vision should include creating the right working environment. […]
In a Nutshell: Five tips for being an effective manager
As chief executive of the Institute of Leadership & Management, Charles Elvin is responsible for setting the UK’s largest management body’s agenda and striving to improve skills through a focus on qualifications. But he is also a fan of the management style of former Tesco chief executive, Terry Leahy. When asked how that style […]
News: Managers and staff differ over value of social media in the workplace
Although 41% of executives believe that social networking helps to build a positive workplace culture and makes them more accessible to the workforce, only 21% of employees have the same view, according to research. The survey of more than 1,300 employees and executives conducted by Deloitte and Harris Interactive revealed that business leaders and staff also differ on whether social media […]
Film Review: Water for Elephants
The plot “Water for Elephants” is a 2011 US romantic drama directed by Francis Lawrence. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese was based on the historical novel of the same name by Sara Gruen. The plot revolves around Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson), a student of veterinary science at Cornell University. He is on the […]
Case Study: Medtronic introduces global well-being scheme to cut absenteeism
Medtronic introduced a global well-being programme last year in a bid to help its employees deal with damaging health issues ranging from obesity and stress to smoking. As a manufacturer of pacemakers, defibrillators and other medical equipment, the vendor knows the value of good health and has long been committed to improving the wellbeing of […]
Talent Spot: Gill Crowther, HR director at Nominet
By the time Gill Crowther, director of HR at Nominet, had finished university, she already knew that she wanted to work in HR. She had studied engineering, but the fact that she seemed to be very good at getting people to help her with her studies gave her a “moment of revelation” that management […]
Video Interview: Beecroft talks to the TUC – Should it be easier to sack staff?
Venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft has caused controversy with his proposals to make it easier for bosses to fire underperforming employees. In this video debate from The Telegraph, Beecroft debates the issues with Trades Union Congress boss, Brendan Barber.
News: Legal costs see most employers settle tribunal cases out-of-court
The majority of employers settle tribunal cases out-of-court despite good odds of making a successful defence because it is cheaper to give in early rather than fight and win, according to a legal expert. Dan Peyton, an employment law partner at McGuireWoods, said that the latest figures for the first quarter of this year […]
News: Government attempts to inspire UK’s future workforce
The government has launched a scheme to encourage employees to go into state schools on a volunteer basis and talk about their careers in order to inspire the next generation. The Inspiring the Future initiative was unveiled by the deputy prime minister and such famous faces as entrepreneur Karren Brady, actress Joanna Lumley, radio presenter Margherita Taylor […]
Blog: Does gender equality stretch to pensions?
In the clean and well-rewarded land of management it’s easy to believe that the situation for women at work isn’t really too bad these days and to overlook what’s actually going on at the employment coalface – particularly in respect of older working women. While we managers, diversity specialists and HR professionals focus our attention […]
Blog: The Olympics – Learning lessons in flexible working
RBS has announced that its staff will be able to work flexibly during the Olympics. This news echoes that of Whitehall who also recently announced staff would be permitted to work from home for the 7 week period covering the Olympics and Paralympics. Whilst the intentions of both these organisations is to help employees […]