Book review: Who can you Trust? How Technology Brought Us Together – and Why It Could Drive Us Apart
HRZone has a range of books available for review. If you would like to receive one of our business books, free of charge, please contact the editor on editor at hrzone dot com and we can send you a list of what’s available. In return, we ask for a 400-700 word review of the book, […]
Motivating employees? Start with their four basic emotional needs
In order to build an effective work culture that can improve your business’s bottom line, you must get to know your workforce. If you grasp what drives each of your employees, you can better design policies, procedures, and practices that will appeal to your workforce and improve employee motivation. According to Harvard professors Paul Lawrence and Nitin […]
Talent management: why HR needs to stop promoting based on the Peter Principle
At Academics’ Corner we explore the latest HR research coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know about. Here, Jan Hills, Partner at Head Heart + Brian, looks at research on promotions and the Peter Principle. I’ve been mentoring a number of my daughter’s friends who are hitting challenges in their careers, they are at […]
How visual communications could transform your business
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests employees respond better to visual forms of communication, such as videos and imagery. Improving the way you communicate with staff could also benefit your business. Employees are faced with a constant barrage of email content both internally and from external customers and suppliers, and this can be pretty overwhelming […]
Minimise threat and maximise reward to accelerate change
Discover why it’s important for businesses to develop a sound understanding of neuroscience principles to help employees through periods of change and uncertainty. Is there a leader today who is not involved in a change situation? Most leaders have some form of change project or programme going on. With the amount of uncertainty and the challenging […]
Is there such a thing as emoji-nal intelligence?
Our ability to express emotions in the workplace could be made simpler by using the humble emoji. By no means are they a substitute for real life interactions, but research suggests they could facilitate a more nuanced interpretation of emails and text messages. Being born in the mid-90s, I am a so-called millennial. I am part of the generation that […]
Time to rediscover your values
Organisations must keep their values at the core of everyday operations or risk employees losing a sense of purpose and productivity. In a recent meeting with a client’s staff I was struck by how flat people were when talking about their organisation’s stated purpose and values. I offered the observation that from an outsider’s point of […]
How to solve the diversity crisis in local government leadership
There is a leadership gulf in local government when it comes to BAME representation – a problem caused by institutions and society as a whole. If there were more role models then individuals would be empowered to reach outside their perceived boundaries. In October, the Prime Minister announced that public services, including the NHS, armed forces, schools and the police force will […]
Invisible disabilities: it’s time for HR to get hearing loss on the agenda
People with hidden disabilities, such as deafness and hearing loss, are often overlooked and lack support in the workplace. HR can play a key role in removing any barriers faced by affected individuals and empower these employees to thrive in their job. In recent years, both the government and employers have been actively making strides towards […]
What are the legal implications of managing mental health in the workplace?
With an increasing number of organisations implementing initiatives to support employee mental health and wellbeing, what are the legal implications to be aware of? Recent tribunals have queried the actions of a ‘reasonable employer’, putting management and often named individuals at risk of legal action. Mental health is the largest single cause of absence in […]
Beyond the jargon: is HR tech lost in translation?
Reliance on technology and understanding its language can create communication barriers. To offset this, HR professionals need to develop non-technical tactics. We are all too aware of the vitality of the HR technology upon which we rely, with that tech not only vital, but very much alive and changing all the time. As HR leaders we are often just as aware […]
How digital assistants are reimagining employee engagement
Digital assistants have the capacity to transform people’s working lives. But how can this AI-powered technology help improve employee engagement? The general public has become increasingly comfortable with using digital assistants such as Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant – and with good reason. These AI-powered interfaces allow people to interact with their phones, smart speakers or […]
How to lead people through transitions
In this article series, written and created by Dr. Julie Hodges from the University of Durham, we look at how to make organisational change successful. Take a look at the whole article series to read all about emotion, communication and more. Consider the following scenario. You are driving along a country road with the rain hitting the car’s […]
Rise of the chatbots: how technology is transforming HR
Chatbots enable companies to communicate efficiently with their customers and the integration of machine learning is now opening up this technology to HR departments. Chatbots have become a familiar sight in recent times, particularly on the websites of customer-facing organisations. Visitors to sites in industries such as retail, travel and property are increasingly being greeted by […]
How recruitment can adapt to turbulent times
Historically low rates of unemployment and growing global economic uncertainty are making life harder for recruiters. Candidates can be more selective about the jobs they take but they are also less likely to take any significant risks. Recruitment is rarely a straightforward task. Even filling temporary, unskilled positions requires perusing CVs, holding interviews, assessing attitudes and whittling down […]
The dialogue of change : how to get it right
Communicating organisational change successfully requires a great deal of sensitivity. You must consider the appropriate method of communicating important messages and be prepared to open up a dialogue with your workforce. The role of communication during organisational change is well-established. Indeed, the management of communication processes that deliver key messages at the appropriate time to stakeholders is considered in the […]
A new way to unleash creativity and innovation
Advances in technology mean it’s possible for an organisation to measure individual creativity using AI, but that doesn’t guarantee innovative ideas. In order to have the competitive edge you need to nuture a team of creative innovators. Innovation is essential in today’s organisations. When your competitors have access to the same technology and resources as you – and they can quickly […]
Why you must prioritise the emotional side of change
During a period of organisational change it’s vital to ensure clear and consistent communication with your employees. In order to truly understand and prepare them you must be sensitive to the range of emotions expressed by those affected. Working in organisations often means that we have to leave our emotions at the door as we enter our place of work. It […]
The workplace showdown: me vs you
We all have to work alongside difficult people from time to time. But what is the best approach to dealing with your workplace rival? If your career were a movie you could rewind, erase and skip to the highlights to create a perfect cinematic experience. But your biopic is incomplete; one pivotal scene is missing. […]
The people profession: how can HR develop in 2019?
Off the back of the CIPD’s recent research on the ‘People Profession in 2018’, senior HR professional Charlie Goff-Deakins examines three development areas for HR and people professionals to focus on in 2019. The CIPD recently issued the results from the survey ‘The People Profession in 2018‘, which consisted of 974 respondents from a people […]
