How to engage your managers
Training for middle and senior management roles is often ad hoc and many new managers struggle to ‘unlearn’ their old habits and roles. Andrew Clayson explains how training intervention at this point can deliver significant benefits. Right now, many businesses may be considering reacting to the current economic environment by cutting training, despite the significant […]
Fines for organisations that breach data protection
A Parliamentary ambush has handed new powers to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) allowing the privacy watchdog to impose fines on organisations that “deliberately or recklessly” violate the Data Protection Act. The new powers were created by an opposition amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, which received Royal Assent on 9 May. Following […]
Demand for jobs at four-year low
Demand for new candidates is at a four-year low but hiring expectations remain steady.This is according to the latest quarterly CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook (LMO) survey of UK employers, which finds hiring expectations little changed between the winter and spring quarters, following the marked softening in employer sentiment that occurred between the autumn and winter. […]
Staff motivation: Am I bovvered?
You want staff to put in more than simply the 9-5 in their job roles but how can you work out what makes them tick? Louise Druce finds out. We all have our off days at work but if your staff are constantly downcast and de-motivated, not only are they more likely to leave, research […]
The future of flexible working
To mark the start of Work Wise Week 2008 this Thursday, which highlights smarter working practices for all, Sandra Beale gazes into her crystal ball to find out what the future of flexible working will look like. In recent years, many companies have realised the benefits of introducing flexible working, which can include working from […]
Source Tracking
Where did you hear about us?How did you find out about this job?What prompted your application?Probably most important after asking the candidate’s name, is asking the media source question.Why? Well, without this you have no idea as to which advertising method worked or not. Given that the biggest spend in the recruitment process is either […]
Go compare – recruitment websites up for scrutiny
The UK’s first comparison site for the recruitment industry has been launched.Adding to the sites that already compare the best deals in financial, car, property, utilities and travel products, is a new independent website launched this month, www.peoplecompare.co.uk.According to the site, for the first time ever employers across the UK can compare the best means […]
Bosses admire workers’ commitment to learning
Employers are increasingly impressed with employees that take time out to study.This is according to new research by the Chartered Management Institute, which shows that employers are attracted to staff who show commitment to their own professional development, because of the knock-on effect this has on business. The data, which comes from a series of […]
Top performers pay 5% less
New research reveals that the best performing companies pay 5% less in wages than the average.This is according to global management consultancy the Hay Group, that studied over 1,467 senior executives and directors in 358 global companies for the 2008 Fortune’s Most Admired Companies (MAC) list. The Hay Group study finds that firms on the […]
Changing employee behaviour: The key to successful change
One of the most challenging aspects of any change programme is the way in which the people aspects are addressed. Clare Roberts and Dr Jamie Ward outline some key considerations and steps for creating lasting behavioural change. Understand what drives behaviours When seeking to create behavioural change we need to recognise the influence of the […]
Ask the expert: Must we provide a reference?
Does an employer have to give a reference about an employee who was suspended from work during an investigation and has since resigned? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner at Mills & Reeve, advise. The question:Our employee was suspended during investigation, and was about to be disciplined when she resigned. The […]
Five million expected to work from home
Up to 5 million workers are expected to work from home on Thursday 15 May 2008 to mark National Work from Home Day.Across the UK, nearly 3.5 million people now work from home – 12.2% or one-in-eight of the population – an increase of 600,000 since 1997. The highest proportion of home workers is in […]
CIPD urges Brown to extend flexible working to all
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) welcomes a proposal to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of older children, but say reforms could go further.A new government-commissioned review by Imelda Walsh, the HR director for Sainsburys, is expected to recommend raising the age limit to 12 years-old, even as high […]
Caption competition: And the winner is….
This photo of the prime minister inspired some very funny entries to the caption competition this month, and it was tough deciding on the best one. But, after much consideration, we eventually chose a winner.Congratulations to Rob Falconer – he has chosen a bottle of Italian red (Villa Antinori Toscana 2003) as his prize, which […]
Skills Academy is super-sized
Three new organisations will cover sport and leisure, the creative and cultural industry and hospitality, under an expansion of the National Skills Academy. The move puts the government a step further towards reaching its target of having a Skills Academy in each major sector by the end of 2011. Created in a bid to solve […]
HR fails to take advantage of ‘video snacking’
HR is missing a trick when it comes to capitalising on the rise of ‘video snacking’, according to a new survey. Employers should use the growing appetite for ‘video snacking’ – using phones and PCs for quick online media fixes – to train staff, according to a survey of over 100 HR and training professionals […]
‘Talent drain’ as workers seek jobs abroad
The number of UK professionals choosing to work abroad is on the increase, according to a new report.The NatWest International Personal Banking (IPB) Quality of Life Report, undertaken in conjunction with the Centre for Future Studies, surveyed over 1,000 British expats from all over the globe and found that, out of the 200,000 Britons who […]
Follow the leader: Creating an engaging culture
Organisations that promote engaging leadership styles are usually also the most successful. So what can HR do to encourage and support a healthy culture with inspirational leaders? Lucie Benson reports. The prime minister’s future as leader of our country may be in doubt at the moment, but perhaps HR can learn some lessons from the […]
Learning the business side of HR
How well do you know the business processes in your organisation? Andrew Mayo has some advice on how to become a ‘business-orientated’ HR professional. Dave Ulrich has without doubt been the most powerful driving force behind the business partner/business focus preoccupation of recent years. He has of late become concerned about the misuse of and […]
Case study: Why evaluate training?
Graham Borley presents a case study which illustrates how important it is to carry out regular evaluations of training strategies, using insurance group Aviva as an example. The ability of an organisation to identify and develop talent is often cited as one of the key requirements for future success. In this quest, businesses will frequently […]