Spotlight: Liz Booth, HR Director, NSPCC. By Annie Hayes
Liz Booth, HR Director of the NSPCC, discusses her career journey through various sectors and her approach to championing an HR function that says “yes” rather than defaulting to “no.” With 2,500 staff and 1,500 volunteers across 200 UK locations, Booth leads an HR team of 42 in the organization’s mission to end cruelty to children.
Taking a ‘dramatic’ approach to learning. By Lucie Benson
Drama-based learning has proven effective for employee development, with Grant Thornton using role-playing scenarios for over 10 years to train staff in coaching, leadership, and management skills. The interactive approach engages participants by having them coach actors portraying realistic workplace situations, making training lifelike and immediately applicable.
Ask the expert: What is continuous service?
Continuous service refers to an employee’s unbroken tenure with an employer, which affects eligibility for service-related benefits like pensions. When gaps exist between contracts, employment may still be deemed continuous if there’s an agreement for re-engagement or if the gap is less than one week under statutory provisions.
Seeing is believing
Most managers struggle to supervise remote workers despite believing flexible working boosts productivity. A new report finds that 73% of organizations use flexible working arrangements, yet only 25% of managers receive training to manage distributed teams effectively. Poor technology adoption and outdated “presenteeism” culture are hampering the transition to modern work practices.
Report finds link between management input and training quality
A report by the Broadcast Training and Skills Regulator finds that training quality depends more on management commitment and organizational culture than on company budget or size. The assessment revealed that broadcasters with strong leadership involvement in learning and development achieved the highest performance across all areas.
£10m women’s skills project kicks off
A £10m national initiative launched by Karren Brady aims to improve skills and career prospects for up to 10,000 women across nine sectors with skills shortages. The Women & Work Project offers training and support to help women progress into better-paid roles and senior positions.
Twelve top tips for recruitment
Learn 12 essential recruitment tips from a chartered occupational psychologist. Improve your hiring process by defining job requirements clearly, targeting the right candidates, choosing appropriate assessment methods, and avoiding common interview pitfalls.
University Trading games. Recruitment the winner?
BullBearings offers simulated trading games for universities and societies, combining financial learning with competition. Recruiters can access a growing database of numerate graduates through sponsorship opportunities, with memberships expected to exceed 40,000 next season.
Business travellers lack confidence
Half of business travellers lack confidence in their company’s emergency support, with over half expecting the world to become more dangerous in the next five years. Many travellers also fail to research destinations or know who to contact during emergencies, while most companies lack clear travel security policies.
The recruitment revolution – how the net has changed the rules
The internet has transformed recruitment by offering instant candidate responses and direct interaction, decimating traditional agency profits and job advertising revenues. Companies now use online job boards, corporate websites, and automated talent management systems to streamline hiring, with online recruitment accounting for significant portions of recruitment advertising budgets.
HR tip: Garden leave
Garden leave is a strategy where employers keep departing employees on full pay but require them to remain at home during working hours, preventing them from immediately joining competitors while maintaining their employment contract. This approach balances business protection with employee rights.
Ministers promise to cut red tape
The UK government unveiled a regulatory reform programme aimed at reducing red tape for businesses. Ministers will pressure regulators to review unnecessary burdens, simplify health and safety costs for low-risk firms, and improve communication around regulatory changes through twice-yearly implementation dates.
Colborn’s Corner: Can you train for honesty?
The BBC plans to train 16,000 employees in editorial integrity following competition fraud scandals, but questions remain about whether integrity can truly be taught through training rather than fostered through organizational culture and leadership example.
Race victim awarded £42,500
A Muslim street warden has been awarded £42,500 after enduring four years of racial abuse and bullying from colleagues at security firm Chubb. Iqbal Rasheed, who patrolled London’s West End, faced taunts about his faith and Ramadan fasting, eventually resigning in 2004 when management failed to address his complaints.
The trust dimension
Trust cannot be built through tactical behaviors or simple formulas. Sally Bibb explains why genuine trust requires it to be a core value rather than a strategic tool, and how leaders who treat trust as authentic rather than performative build lasting credibility.
Turning pressure to your advantage
High-performing leaders thrive under pressure by developing resilience to vulnerability and maintaining a positive mindset that prevents stress-induced burnout. This foundational quality enables leaders to respond effectively to challenges while influencing stakeholders and sustaining organizational competitive advantage.
Pizza outlet shamed in ‘minus-payslip’ scandal
Young Hungarian workers at Domino’s Pizza franchises face exploitation through excessive charges for vehicles, housing, and living expenses, resulting in negative paychecks. The Mirror investigation reveals a debt-trap system described as “modern day slavery” by unions, with workers sacked after seeking union support.
The PC program that looks after your back
PostureMinder is a British software program that uses a USB camera and visual analysis to monitor computer users’ posture, alerting them when they slump and reminding them to take breaks. Designed to prevent back pain, RSI, and other work-related injuries, the program costs £59.99 for individual users with bulk pricing available for organizations.
Gender equality will take generations
Achieving gender equality will require generations of change, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission, which warns that systemic workplace and institutional barriers designed for an era when women stayed home continue to fuel significant gaps in pay, pensions, safety, and career advancement.
Being ‘liked’ and ‘liking’ colleagues improves well-being
Employees who like their colleagues and feel liked in return report better well-being, according to a study of over 5,000 workers. However, only 2.4% would report workplace concerns to HR, with many preferring to confide in colleagues or managers instead.
