The case for and against… soft benefits
There are plenty of contentious issues in HR and the workplace, and we think it’s important to get a balanced discussion going on some of the bigger questions out there. In this series, we’ll be asking HR experts and practitioners to give us opposing viewpoints on a key issue, and we welcome your input too! If […]
Let’s get political: harnessing post-election office debates
It’s a commonly-held custom; no talking religion, salaries, or politics in the workplace. Political discourse has historically always been a professional taboo, however as the UK continues in this period of uncertainty, having conversations with co-workers about politics is now harder-than-ever to avoid. Our analysts at Peakon recently looked into this subject, studying the attitudes […]
System selection: how to make the right choice
In our 12-part series, Kate Wadia – Managing Director at Phase 3 Consulting – guides the HR professional through how to navigate, succeed and lead with HR tech project-work. From the inception of the business case to the handover into BAU, we’ll follow an indicative project timeframe to explain the way and the why of a project step-by- […]
Is there a need for HR to form a strategic partnership with IT to get value from big data?
There is an argument – sometimes called the ‘law of requisite variety’ – that if the technological changes going on outside organisations are relatively complex, then the internal environments of those organisations need to be equally complex to keep up, matching and engaging the outside with the proper degree of internal sophistication. In short, external […]
Reality bites: when culture and brand don’t align
We conducted a piece of research in partnership with Bournemouth University earlier this year to understand how large multi-site organisations with workforces in excess of 1,000 staff are able to engage their staff throughout their network. The results provided some clear indicators for why so many employees are going through the motions. Knowing me, knowing […]
Treading on eggshells? Autism in the workplace
Employing an individual on the autistic spectrum can be culturally enriching and develop unique communication skills amongst colleagues and managers, who work alongside employees on the autistic spectrum. However, let’s be realistic, until this point is reached, it can be challenging, leading to stressful situations and a real fear of the dreaded word “tribunal”. With personalised, […]
How to make the case for HR technology implementation
In our 12-part series, Kate Wadia – Managing Director at Phase 3 Consulting – guides the HR professional through how to navigate, succeed and lead with HR tech project-work. From the inception of the business case to the handover into BAU, we’ll follow an indicative project timeframe to explain the way and the why of a […]
Five ways to ensure your feedback has impact
Feedback is a powerful means of optimizing performance in others. When done well it helps employees fine-tune their efforts to achieve results while strengthening self-confidence and deepening engagement – two outcomes that increase initiative and “stick-to-it-iveness.” But feedback is often misunderstood by leaders at every level, too frequently avoided, or ends up having little to no […]
How to navigate toxic behaviours during conflict
Consider this scenario. You’re negotiating a starting salary with a potential new employee, Jim. You tell him for the second time that despite his experience and background, you aren’t authorized go above the salary range set for his position. Jim begins to raise his voice, points his finger, and interrupts you as you try to […]
The secrets of simple graphics
Because graphics are concerned with hand drawn images style and quality vary hugely amongst presenters, facilitators and others who use graphics in their work. Much like the way handwriting is a unique insight into someone’s personality, their humanity, hand drawn graphics offer us a similar observation. No two persons’ drawings are quite the same. It […]
HR, up your impact: what happens when reality bites?
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything” said Dwight D. Eisenhower. It’s one thing to come up with some goals and to have ways of measuring performance. What is vital is that we adapt when there are inevitable deviations from the plan – there may be opportunities to capitalise on and challenges to address. In this third article of this series, […]
Transaction cycles: a simpler future for an effective HR function?
In large organisations, HR can be an unknown world for employees. In their view it should be quite simplistic. It pays them, hires new employees for them and helps develop them. These apparently straight forward requests, however, come with complex and lengthy processes spread across multiple, unseen and sometimes seemingly unconnected teams. Isn’t it time we […]
The sharing block: how restricting employees from sharing ideas is holding back business
Communication and collaboration have become much-used terms in the business world, highlighting the importance of interaction between colleagues and those outside of the business, including customers, partners and suppliers. But new research strongly suggests that employee collaboration and engagement with the rest of the business is severely lacking. Although technology has created numerous ways to […]
Millennials aren’t from Mars; employers aren’t from Venus
Justin Hughes is Managing Director of Mission Excellence, a consultancy which accelerates organisational effectiveness. Justin previously spent 12 years as an RAF fighter pilot and served for 3 years on the Red Arrows. He is a renowned speaker on performance and risk and the author of The Business of Excellence, published by Bloomsbury. He can be found on […]
Change leadership: how to give employees a sense of control
A few years ago a group of London psychology students were charged with carrying out a survey on the general public. Their study consisted of approaching strangers in the street and posing the question, “Which of the following would you find the most physically challenging? (1) deep sea diving, (2) power gliding, (3) addressing a […]
How to transfer accountability when giving autonomy: Part 1
This is the first part of a two-part series from Joe Britto on transferring accountability when you give autonomy. Read part 2 here! Joe is an experienced global leadership consultant with a grounding in experiential learning, psychological coaching and a study of literary theory. I think it’s fair to say we all want our direct reports to grow in their […]
How to transfer accountability when giving autonomy: Part 2
This is the second part of a two-part series from Joe Britto on transferring accountability when you give autonomy. Read part 1 here! Joe is an experienced global leadership consultant with a grounding in experiential learning, psychological coaching and a study of literary theory. Welcome to part two on transferring accountability. As I said before, […]
Onboarding senior leadership – making the right first impression to ensure success
Corporate governance, investor relations, reputation….ultimately success lies with the behaviours, attitudes and expectations of the board and senior management teams. But what happens when a new leader joins the team: how do you help them to provide leadership which will strengthen the organisation? In this article we take a look at the importance of […]
Do you see onboarding as a two-way street?
It takes two to build a relationship, two to have a conversation, two to complete a sale, so doesn’t it make sense to see onboarding as a two-way activity? Quite frankly, to do otherwise is to instantly confer an authoritarian master/servant outlook on the relationship between the organisation and its people; not what you […]
Do recent legal decisions mean employers can discriminate on the basis of religious discrimination?
Have the recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) cases of C-157/15 Achbita, Centrum voor Gelijkheid van kansen en voor rascismebestrijding v. G4S Secure Solutions and C-188/15 Bougnaoui and Association de défense des droits de l’homme (ADDH) v. Micropole Univers opened the door for employers to discriminate against employees who wear religious dress? […]
