Wellbeing at work: how self-care and success work hand-in-hand

It is undeniable that our outlook on life and our interaction with those around us has a direct effect on our experience at work. We so often hear of the importance of taking better care of ourselves, both physically and mentally, and yet putting this into practice at work might seem unfeasible. Faced with the […]
How can HR meet challenges along the many routes to future work?

If, as an HR professional, you believe the often used quip ‘one size does not fit all’, then accepting the need for multiple paths, bridges and contingencies to future work should not be that difficult. In part three of this series on crossing the chasms to future work, Mike Hammer – aka ‘The Gig Doctor’ – […]
Talent retention: giving employees what they want (part two)

In the race to attract and retain talent, employers need to consider their company culture and how others perceive it. Here’s how to read their responses and make the changes needed to make your organisation a great place to work. My last article looked at some of the aspects of working environments that put off prospective […]
Talent attraction and retention: what employees want, what they really, really want (part one)

UK employers are facing a talent shortage, which is making it harder to attract and retain employees. If your employee turnover is concerning, here’s what you need to consider to make positive changes. Most of us don’t start a job thinking that it or the company we will work for sucks. Despite this, the overall […]
Soft skills: how to increase empathy in business

Greater empathy within organisations has been linked to improved business performance, so isn’t it time we all injected a bit more empathy into our day-to-day business practices? Digital transformation is a bandwagon many companies continue to try and jump on. Last year alone, a purported $1.3 trillion was spent globally on digital projects. Despite this, […]
HR technology: how smart feedback transforms employee engagement and retention

The traditional approach to gathering employee feedback is no longer fit for purpose in today’s ‘always on’ work culture. It’s time we reinvented this process for the modern world. With a strengthening global economy and unemployment at record lows, today’s employees have abundant options when it comes to where they want to work and why […]
The future of HR: three things companies must do to attract and retain top talent

As more and more elements of our everyday working lives become automated, nurturing the ‘human’ element in the workplace has become increasingly important. The way we work has changed, putting a greater emphasis on how organisations interact with their employees than ever before. With rapid developments in technology such as AI, and an increase in […]
Onboarding: why new starters need a ‘travel guide’

Joining a new company can be a bit like entering a foreign country, so how can we better translate the new language, customs and traditions for new starters during the onboarding process? When we go on holidays to a different country, we usually take a travel guide with us. We want to know the basics […]
Is your team suffering from innovation stress?

As more businesses seek to transform and disrupt, the under-explored phenomenon of innovation stress is likely to increase. To mark National Stress Awareness Month 2019, we shine a spotlight on the detrimental impact of pushing employees to innovate without clear guidance. Although others have used the term ‘innovation stress’ before me, it is not a […]
Recruitment: four common hiring mistakes and how to avoid them

When hiring new candidates, employers need to carry out their due diligence checks – but there are a number of things that can go wrong. Here’s how to avoid them. Performing background checks on candidates is a crucial part of the hiring process for many employers. However, it can also be complex, especially when it […]
Leading the savings revolution: why it’s time to change perceptions on pensions

This April saw total minimum auto-enrolment contributions rise from 5% to 8%. While this is a step in the right direction for turning the dial on pensions, we must not get complacent in our efforts to change perceptions on saving for the future. Since its introduction in 2012, auto-enrolment has slowly increased its impact on […]
Stress Awareness Month: managing stress in a modern ‘always on’ work environment

With technology and an always-on culture contributing to our highly stressed workforce, Stress Awareness Month is the perfect time for HR professionals to remind themselves of the multi-faceted approach to combatting stress among employees. In the modern world of work there are times when we need to work outside of our normal hours; meaning early mornings, late […]
The future of HR: from human resources to human revolutionaries

Artificial intelligence may be able to take on certain tasks in the workplace, but human soft skills will always be in demand – it’s up to HR to champion and support them. The tech revolution dominates most conversations about the changing face of our world and, inevitably, business. The consequence of digital transformation is that the […]
Disability discrimination at work: how to protect your business and employees

Disability discrimination is still a widespread problem, and there’s much that can be done to address this. Here, we outline how to help protect your business from accusations of disability discrimination. Under the Equality Act 2010, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against someone on the basis of their race, religion, sex, disability, sexual […]
Leadership: confidence is king when it comes to crowning successful leaders

A lack of confidence is a career killer for those in leadership positions, so it’s essential that others see you as confident if you want to get ahead, according to new research. Confidence is a critical state for leaders. Whilst competency criteria may not explicitly require it, confidence is the prerequisite for success. An apparent […]
Soft skills: how different perceptions impact workplace conflict

Workplace conflicts are often about differences in perception. Getting around this is about figuring out how to reconcile the two perspectives. Interpersonal conflict at work is surprisingly common and yet this can be a difficult fact to swallow, for employees and managers alike. Where is the conflict coming from? What is fueling it? What can […]
Solving the flight risk issue: can people analytics tell the difference between employees, inmates and livestock?

The way we use people analytics to track the movements and behaviours of employees has alarming similarities to the way farmers monitor herds and prison officers guard their convicts. Below is a compelling argument for why this needs to change in order to drive more positive outcomes for both employees and businesses. By Max Blumberg and James […]
Pursuing talent: how existing employees can help you recruit

Data will be at the heart of future recruitment decision making as organisations harness the powerful insights they hold on their databases. Every organisation regards talent acquisition and retention as vital to its success, get it right and the business could be on the right path for future growth, but get it wrong and the […]
Disconnecting belonging from exclusion to create workplace harmony

Is there an untethered link between belonging and exclusion? And, if so, how can we break apart these polarities to create truly inclusive workplaces? I have a problem with the idea of belonging. Why? Because belonging is almost always defined by its polar opposite: excluding. Most of the time, our sense of belonging is defined […]
Disappointing gender pay gap results: it’s time for a fundamental cultural shift

With no significant improvement in the gender pay gap between 2017 and 2018, it’s time for employers to radically change their approach to building a diverse workplace in order to make progress in the coming year. “Imagine a workplace where women don’t have to spend extra, or any, energy fighting for fair pay or defending […]