Has the coaching boom peaked?
Research from the US suggests that coaching of corporate employees may have passed its peak in popularity.The survey of 2,000 HR and L&D executives found that one-third of the organisations that provide executive coaching say they rely less on it than in the past. Boston-based consulting and training firm Novations Group asked those offering coaching: […]
High levels of theft in the workplace
A startling 72 per cent of workers in the UK admit to stealing from their employer, a survey by an employment law consultancy has shown.The survey of 2,062 office workers across a variety of industries, conducted by Peninsula, found that around seven in 10 workers admitted to stealing in the workplace on more than one […]
Workers settle for second best
Just two per cent of the UK workforce are living the dream and doing the job they always wanted to, exposing a nation of workers that are unsatisfied and unfulfilled, according to research by business psychology experts OPP.The findings reveal that 35 per cent of employees cite a lack of confidence and drive as the […]
BBC drama exposes plight of maternity returners
Women are still being sidelined and undermined on returning to work after having a baby, says employee well-being provider ICAS.ICAS made the comments following the BBC’s one-off drama, “Sex, the City and Me”, aired last Sunday, that highlighted the very real plight of mums who return to the workplace following maternity leave, only to find […]
The hidden menace: Bullying at work. By Annie Hayes
Stick and stones may break my bones but words can also hurt me. Sporting a black eye is not the only sign that a bully has been on the prowl; for the one in four workers who are bullied, verbal abuse is the more common complaint and for those on the receiving end working life […]
Blogging smashes job prospects
Employers are turning to social networking sites including MySpace and Facebook to filter out unsuitable candidates, according to a report by the Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC).A total of 298 recruitment consultants were quizzed as part of the survey, which looked at how Web 2.0 is affecting recruitment. It found that leaving an internet footprint could […]
Ask the expert: Employment status of contractors
This week, Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills & Reeve, advise on whether a contractor is considered an employee or self-employed, should any dispute arise with regards to employment status. The question:An employee began work with our company two years ago as an IT projects […]
Knowledge management: Capturing quality as it comes in
Most organisations have induction training for new recruits, to pass on some of the company’s shared knowledge, but should this process be more of a two-way street? HR Zone member Rich Lucas recommends spending a little time discovering the breadth of employees’ knowledge. Knowledge management can be done in two ways; codification (recording information in […]
Migrant workers swell tax coffers
Far from being a drain on the welfare state, migrant workers are making a valuable contribution to the UK economy, as highlighted in a new report published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).The economics of migration says that migrant workers are paying more in taxes than the value of the public services they receive, and […]
Marketing HR: From tactical to strategy
With the need for internal marketing activities increasing, Mike Morrison offers some tips and advice on how to develop your skills in branding and promotion, so as to meet the specific needs of the business. As the business environment changes, so does the potential contribution of HR and organisational development (OD) teams. As the day […]
Take me to your unstressed leader
When it comes to stress, career transitions are rated next to divorce according to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Development Dimensions International.Career transitions – the point where leaders are promoted from one level to the next – are rated as very or extremely challenging by 59 per cent of […]
Transformation of HR priorities
Global research has revealed that HR functions are transforming themselves as they shift their priorities from enhancing internal operations to maximising their contribution to business performance.The research was carried out by Mercer Human Resource Consulting and builds on a study carried out in 2003. Nearly 1,400 organisations across Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, New Zealand […]
Workflow tools – the new buzz for HR software
While self-service HR software is winning the battle for acceptance, the new buzzword at the HR Software Show (Olympia, London, 21-22 June) is likely to be workflow. John Stokdyk reports“Self-service systems have been around for 2-3 years now, but what’s happening is a lot of customers are not just rolling it out to line managers, […]
HR reporting: The key to unlocking value. By Bettina Pickering
From a senior manager’s point of view, the most important part of an HR or human capital management solution is its reporting and analytics capabilities, explains PA Consulting Group’s Bettina Pickering. Good HR reporting tools deliver value from employee data in two ways. First, they help organisations understand their employee cost base. Good and combined […]
The HR Zone guide to human resources software (2007)
CONTENTSIntroductionThe Human capital management (HCM) movementOutsourcing options and software as a serviceEnterprise software incorporating HR & payrollIntegrated HR/payroll software developersSmall business HR software suppliersPayroll and benefits administrationTime & attendanceTalent managementE-recruitmentLearning management systems Introduction This is an updated version of a guide published regularly in HR Zone to help members identify and shortlist suitable software suppliers […]
Case Study: Human capital management at Royal Bank of Scotland. By John Stokdyk
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is an acknowledged leader in the field of human capital management (HCM) and devotes eight pages in its corporate responsibility report to documenting its people policies and how they support business performance. It has developed a global HCM strategy and suite of online tools to support decisions affecting 150,000 […]
HR tip: Dependents’ leave
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "One of our employees has an aged and infirm mother who is looked after during work days by a home help. The home help herself is knocking on a bit and frequently […]
Training to tackle bullies. By Dawn Smith
Workplace bullying is a serious problem for employers, who risk lengthy and expensive tribunals, unmotivated staff and a poor company reputation if they don't tackle the problem. Dawn Smith looks at how training can help employers deal with bullying in the workplace. Employers are waking up to the fact that bullying in the workplace […]
Colborn’s Corner: Holidays… time to pack our bags again?
A recent publication of a survey by Mercer HR research reports that holidays within the UK are among the lowest in Europe. However things are changing, later this year the statutory minimum will increase by four days with another four days being added in 2009. This week Quentin takes a provocative view on the issue […]
Blending into a new class of training. By Louise Druce
Forget trying to stay awake in a stuffy classroom or robotically clicking your way through an e-learning course, training has become much more sophisticated by blending man and machine together in an engaging way. And as Louise Druce finds out, it couldn’t have come at a better time for skill-starved businesses. If you’ve ever had […]
