From ‘fika’ to offline time: three lessons from European countries about stress management
Stress is rife in the UK – and it’s affecting our health, engagement and performance at work. Are there lessons to be learned from other countries on better managing this epidemic? Every year in the UK, 70 million work days are lost due to mental ill health such as anxiety and depression, making it the […]
Unconventional interview tricks – helping or hindering recruitment?
Companies are increasingly starting to use unconventional tricks in interviews to help them decipher the best person for the job. But could these quirky recruitment approaches be doing more harm than good? The rise in unconventional hiring tactics has created considerable debate around how effective, if at all, such approaches are for finding the best […]
Ethics in the workplace: what does an ethical business look like?
In the second article of a nine-part series on ethics in the workplace, Luke Andreski considers the key characteristics of ethical organisations and asks, ‘Is ethics a success factor in modern business?’ It’s worth beginning our discussion with a preliminary question: ‘Are organisations ethical by default?’ The answer to this question is that organisations have […]
Reaching for the stars: skills advice from a NASA astronaut
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which took place on 20 July 1969, astronaut Dr Story Musgrave explores how his thirst for learning has led to an extraordinary career. Even in our current world of uncertainty anyone can go the distance, he argues, but it requires embracing a new set […]
What gets measured, gets done: why inclusive workplaces thrive
Becoming a genuinely inclusive workplace means measuring what you do.
Four ways HR leaders can tackle a toxic work culture
Working environments have never been more transparent, and public scrutiny of businesses has never been higher. Lately, companies regularly face backlash for nurturing cultures deemed ‘toxic’. Toxic cultures can lead to increased incidents of sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, or other forms of unethical conduct. While cultural issues such as low employee engagement, siloed workstreams […]
Remote versus mobile working and why it affects diversity and inclusion
There’s a big difference between remote and mobile working and that distinction could make or break your diversity, inclusion and retention strategy. Thanks to a plethora of tools and technologies, remote work is becoming the norm for millions of employees around the world. In fact, as soon as next year, it’s estimated that half of […]
Why a VUCA business environment can be a positive thing
A lot has been written about the volatile and complex trading environment today but it’s only as difficult as we make it for ourselves. If we focus instead on collaboration over competition, we could make VUCA a positive thing. We like an acronym in the business world. VUCA is one that has been doing the […]
Recruitment: how aligning words and actions to values can ensure candidates are the ‘right fit’
Consciously or not, your recruitment process is values-based, but are you communicating the right values to potential new hires? Here, we look at how to be more deliberate with your words and actions throughout the process to ensure the right message is conveyed. Let’s start by replaying a conversation we’ve had many times with leaders […]
How organizational network analytics is transforming diversity and inclusion through data
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is increasingly being recognised as critical to the long-term success of organisations. Facing continuous disruption, evolving workforce demographics and the changing nature of work, companies are under increasing pressure to create workplaces where new ideas and different ways of thinking are embraced to enable them to successfully innovate. While organisations are busy creating programmes […]
Communication: it’s time for HR to stop sounding like robots and speak like humans
The modern business environment is less formal than ever before – so why do HR communications still sound like robots wrote them? It’s time to give your internal comms a more human touch. In person, HR folk are often great communicators – warm, human and down-to-earth – but when they sit down at their […]
Digital transformation: balancing AI and EI in the digital workplace
As artificial intelligence advances, it’s the human qualities of our employees that we will value the most – and those with the right mix of soft skills will be most in demand. The attitudes and behaviours needed to thrive in the modern workplace are changing. With digital transformation, increased automation and artificial intelligence (AI), skills-based […]
Presenteeism and leaveism: can you recognise these attendance problems in your workplace?
Attendance statistics only tell part of the story when it comes to your employees’ motivations and behaviour. Here, we look at some of the red flags for presenteeism and leaveism and how to encourage a healthier working culture. Absenteeism continues to be a thorn in the side of many HR professionals. Recent studies have shown […]
‘Double stigma’ – LGBT+ and mental health issues in the workplace
It is not uncommon for LGBT+ people to face the double challenge of mental health issues and discrimination in the workplace. What can your business do to stamp out the stigma and offer better support? The workplace can be a challenging environment for someone with a mental health issue for many reasons. Equally, people in the […]
People analytics – how candidate assessment tools can refine your recruitment process
Looking to enhance your recruiting approach to help you find the right talent for your business? Candidate assessment tools and their use of data and people analytics could help you make better informed decisions about potential new hires. In an attempt to better match applicants to job roles, employers spend a considerable amount of time and […]
How blind recruitment can help close the LGBTQ+ pay gap
LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning) employees are facing a pay gap much wider than that faced by women. Is blind recruitment one avenue through which we can help close the pay gaps for all? This week, results from a survey undertaken by LinkedIn and Black Pride were released, revealing a 16% […]
People vs. machines: the ongoing ethical concerns of people analytics
With people analytics fast becoming a key tool in the HR decision-making process, the ethical concerns that inevitably arise from the collection and use of people data are gaining prominence. Are HR leaders taking note? People analytics, also known as HR analytics, workforce analytics and talent analytics, has been on a slow, steady climb for […]
Disability discrimination: why HR needs to better understand epilepsy
Despite greater awareness of disability discrimination, people with epilepsy continue to be disadvantaged at work due to a lack of understanding around the condition. It’s time for HR to lead the way in stamping this out. No HR professional with integrity would set out to discriminate on the basis of disability and one might assume […]
People analytics: why some companies are making a fortune while others are losing out
One of the perks of being a consultant is that it allows you to compare a variety of business approaches used by different companies. Take people analytics for example: I’m constantly amazed at how some businesses make a fortune from their investments in this area, while others struggle to make ends meet and even to […]
Employee wellbeing: how to handle parental bereavement
What does the new right for parental bereavement leave and pay means for businesses and their employees? It is hard to imagine the pain of losing a child and the impact is has on a person. Grief can affect everyone differently, so if and when it happens to one of your employees, it can often […]
