Blog: Crisis stories – What RBS’ Stephen Hester can teach us
RBS‘ Stephen Hester has emerged to apologise to his customers for the ‘technical issues’ that have left millions of customers frozen out of their accounts. Interestingly, he used the analogy of delayed planes waiting to clear after heavy rain to highlight the fact that the backlog of problems needs time to be fixed. I’ve talked […]
Editor’s Letter: The art of engagement
Two years on from the McLeod Review and it seems that engagement levels still remain worryingly low among the UK workforce. A recent survey conducted by ORC International – and there are many similar such polls – revealed that only 43% of respondents believe they have a positive relationship with their managers. Less than […]
Talent Spot: Charles Elvin, chief executive at the ILM
As chief executive at 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. He is a lifelong believer in the transformational power of education, an idea that was drummed into him from his earliest years by […]
News: Redundancies to leap as employers bid to cut staff costs
Amid warnings of a deteriorating economic situation, UK employers are shifting their focus towards making voluntary redundancies and outsourcing loss-making services in a bid to cut staffing costs. Sir Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, told MPs on the Treasury Committee today that the economic situation had now worsened to such an extent […]
News: Seeking part-time zombies
Looking for: Part-time, temporary zombies. Skills required: Groaning, shuffling, scaring people, murmuring ‘BRAAAAINS’, seeking/eating brains and battling human survivors. In what must be one of the first ever job adverts to be targeted directly at the living dead, Wish.co.uk is seeking ‘bright, responsible, rotting individuals’ to play zombies at its Zombie Manor House in […]
Blog: Still waters run deep – Never underestimate an introvert
Google is one incredible business. Not just because it has revolutionised the way we search for ‘things’ on the internet, but because of how the company’s progression is fuelled by great ideas and innovative thinking. The search engine gives staff free time to develop their own ideas for the business, and many of the […]
Blog: 5 ways to get creative with fundraising in the workplace
If you think fundraising means suffering through yet another temptation-filled bake sale, think again. There are a number of ways to get creative with fundraising in the workplace. Doing so will benefit not just the charity but your company as well, building morale and injecting a bit of fun into the everyday routine. We’ve […]
Talking Point: Do HR pros need to get back to basics?
HR is not just a job – it’s a career. As a vocation, it often attracts people who want to help employee communities feel wanted and understood. To this end, scores of HR operational models have been adopted, practiced and adapted over the years, many of which include the core ideal of ‘staff engagement’. […]
A typical HRD: Part 6 – Local government
We are all aware of just how challenging the current economic situation is and the impact it is having on organisations across all sectors. But nowhere is this ongoing era of austerity having a more significant impact than on the public sector in general and local government in particular. The sector is facing a […]
Ask the Expert: What should I include in a data protection policy?
The question I need to write a Data Protection policy for both staff and clients. What are the key legal points that I need to bear in mind and how can we best undertake enforcement – internally at least? The legal verdict Esther Smith, a partner at Thomas Eggar Before […]
Blog: How can you make performance management more social?
The workplace today has changed beyond recognition; new technology is continuously bringing efficiencies to our way of working. However, one thing remains constant – the performance appraisal process. Now, consider Generation Y for a moment, will they be content to wait for their annual or bi-annual review to find out how they’re doing? Probably not! […]
Blog: Is HR really out of touch?
The study by Kenexa reported on HRZone last week has some interesting findings but I doubt it comes as a huge shock to HR. HR has a massive role to play in building a high-performing culture and contributing to the bottom line – but at the moment so many HR professionals are managing the nuts […]
Dealing with the stress factor
Once upon a time, musculoskeletal problems such as bad backs brought on by physical labour were the main cause of long-term sickness absence. But not any more. According to the latest survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, stress is now – for the first time ever – the most common cause of […]
News: Count your immigrant workers, says Milliband
Overseas-only employment agencies would be banned and an early-warning system set up to highlight areas where locals are "dominated" by an influx of overseas labour, under new plans proposed by Labour. Following a u-turn on immigration policy, Labour leader Ed Milliband woudl insist that firms where more than one in four staff is from […]
News: MPs accuse Beecroft of employment “policy by parable”
The man behind the controversial ‘compensated no fault dismissals’ proposals appeared before a committe of MPs yesterday and got a hostile reception. Entrepreneur Adrian Beecroft appeared before the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill committee theoretically to discuss proposed new legislation, but instead found himself having to defend his stnace on previous recommendations. Opposition MPs questioned […]
Strategy: 5 things to consider when adopting HR shared services
HR Shared Services centres are posited as a way to reduce costs and increase efficiencies in administration, but setting up such arrangements can be a daunting task. HR case management firm Dovetail Software has identified five areas that it says are often overlooked but critical to success. These are: Standardizing common HR processes including […]
Blog: Isn’t the ‘seven second’ performance appraisal throwing the baby out with the bath water?
An article in People Management regarding the new approach by mining company, First Quantum Minerals, which hangs on the idea of a ‘seven second’ performance appraisal form, reminds of the appeal associated with those ‘2 second’ pop-up tents you see advertised. It’s the promise of convenience, ease, speed and time not wasted doing something you are not […]
Ensuring collaboration works
With new and updated HR legislation coming into effect all the time, HR departments need to stay on the ball to remain compliant. Mistakes in this area can have serious consequences and a negative impact in both a regulatory and employee well-being sense. As a result, it can help if HR executives put their […]
Public sector struggles to recruit top talent
Public sector organisations face increased problems in recruiting and retaining staff – particularly at more senior levels – as skilled individuals shy away from the sector as the impact of the cuts is felt and the image of the sector wanes. So argues the latest annual snapshot of the state of the UK recruitment market […]
UK employment trends see more self-employed
Almost 4.2 million people were registered as self-employed over the three months to April, the highest figure since records began in 1992, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That number also represents a rise of 84,000 over the previous three month, a surge which appears to reflect the difficulty of gaining permanent roles […]