Overcoming age bias in recruitment
Age discrimination in recruitment remains widespread despite legal protections, with unemployment among those over 50 significantly higher than younger groups. Employers can reduce age bias by broadening recruitment criteria, challenging age stereotypes, and implementing more inclusive hiring practices that benefit from a balanced workforce across all age groups.
HR on a budget: Reward in a cold climate
During economic downturns, businesses should maintain employee recognition and reward programs rather than cutting them. Legal risks and lower staff motivation make cutting benefits counterproductive, while low-cost recognition strategies can effectively boost engagement without straining tight budgets.
How to be more resilient at work
Learn three key elements that boost workplace resilience: pride in your organization, trust, and recognition for achievements. Research shows these factors matter more than job security or salary, and managers can strengthen them through positive feedback and acknowledging employee accomplishments.
Success in a recession: Don’t forget your manners
During economic downturns, workplace rudeness increases due to stress and technology use, but good manners are critical for career success and organizational performance. HR professionals can help maintain civil workplace behavior by identifying processes and structures that hinder respectful communication.
HR tip: A problem of discrimination?
A new manufacturing manager expresses concern about a department where all workers are Pakistani immigrants assigned to poor conditions. HR experts recommend investigating potential discrimination, improving the workplace environment, adjusting wages, and actively integrating the group into broader company operations.
Asking too much of the annual appraisal
Annual performance appraisals often try to accomplish too much in one event, including feedback, coaching, goal setting, pay decisions, and legal documentation. Separating these functions into distinct processes throughout the year creates more effective performance management.
Legislation update: Imposing religious views on others at work
A UK employment tribunal upheld the dismissal of a social worker who promoted his Christian beliefs to vulnerable service users despite management instruction not to do so. The court found the dismissal was based on inappropriate conduct, not religious discrimination, as any employee imposing their views on clients would face the same consequences.
HR turnaround interims: In hot demand but short supply
HR turnaround interim specialists are increasingly sought after as companies navigate economic downturns and organizational recovery. These specialized professionals bring objective expertise in restructuring, headcount reduction, and functional realignment—skills often unavailable within existing teams stretched by current challenges.
A week in HR: It’s not all bad news
The government plans to suspend new business legislation during the downturn, while employers increasingly back apprenticeships as a skills solution. London authorities are creating over 3,000 apprenticeships to build workforce capability and support economic recovery.
Combating employee disengagement during difficult times
During economic downturns, employee engagement becomes critical. HR must ensure leaders maintain open communication channels and frequent dialogue to prevent rumors, disengagement, and declining productivity when organizations face financial challenges.
Ask the expert: Confidentiality in bullying grievance
Employers generally should disclose complainant identities during bullying grievance investigations unless genuine fear of retribution exists. Expert legal advice clarifies how to handle conflicting grievances and when to treat counter-complaints as responses rather than separate grievance processes.
Optimising your talent management strategy in a recession
During economic downturns, organizations should adopt a skills-based diagnostic approach to talent management, ensuring the right people are placed in critical roles aligned with business goals. This requires mapping talent against organizational strategy and moving beyond subjective assessments to optimize ROI and long-term business performance.
Talent liberation: A strategy to survive and thrive
Talent liberation is a management strategy that maximizes employee engagement and organizational performance by recognizing and developing individual strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses. Research shows fully engaged employees bring 40% more discretionary energy to their work, making this approach essential for competitive advantage during economic downturns.
Survive the downturn through effective knowledge management
During economic downturns, organizations risk losing critical knowledge when employees are laid off. Enterprise search tools can help preserve and share institutional knowledge, improve employee performance, and maintain operational efficiency by making information more accessible across the workforce.
Microsoft payroll mistake – staff can keep overpayments
Microsoft has reversed its decision to reclaim overpaid severance from 25 redundant employees, stating it should have handled the situation more thoughtfully. The company initially sent letters requesting repayment but has now decided not to seek any payment from affected staff.
Going through the motions: Performance management
Performance management often becomes a box-ticking exercise rather than a strategic tool aligned with business objectives. Experts argue it should shift from annual appraisals to ongoing talent management integrated with corporate goals and employee development.
Managing fear in your organisation
Learn how HR and authentic leadership can help organizations overcome fear and combat procrastination. Neil Twogood explains how senior managers can manage their own anxieties while addressing widespread employee fears to restore productivity.
Walking the redundancy tightrope
HR professionals facing redundancy while managing the redundancy process must balance professionalism with personal career planning. Key strategies include remaining objective and emotionally controlled, prioritizing deliverables, maintaining positivity, and investing in your own development and job search efforts simultaneously.
Improving productivity during a downturn
During economic downturns, HR professionals can boost productivity by streamlining communications channels. Implementing unified communications integrates voice, data, and messaging systems into a common infrastructure, enabling flexible work arrangements and reducing operational inefficiencies while cutting costs.
HR tip: Booking holidays
Manage holiday booking conflicts by implementing a designated application period early in the year, then allocating time off fairly based on business needs rather than first-come-first-served. This approach prevents resentment while ensuring organizational operations aren’t disrupted.
