Talent Spot: Ella Bennett, HR director for Fujitsu UK and Ireland
Ella Bennett became HR director for Fujitsu UK and Ireland in 2009, bringing experience from roles at charities Family Service Units and Mind. She has reorganized the HR function, established new leadership, and implemented social media for better staff communication.
Talking Point: Isn’t there a better way to make redundancies?
The current UK redundancy model prioritizes legal compliance over genuine communication, harming organizations, employees, and workplace culture. A compliance-only approach damages company reputation, recruitment ability, and staff morale through emotional contagion, suggesting a better approach is needed.
What to do when there’s board trouble
When board members distance themselves from day-to-day operations, they risk missing critical problems and negative feedback. HR directors can help senior executives stay connected to the business, seek regular feedback, and address difficult issues before they escalate into public crises.
News: Bereaved parents call for corporate manslaughter charges against G4S
Parents of a security guard killed in Baghdad in 2009 are calling for G4S to face corporate manslaughter charges. A BBC documentary reveals that an alleged whistleblower warned the company about the killer’s violent criminal history and mental health issues before the incident, but the warnings were reportedly ignored.
Talking Point: Does HR have a role in CSR programmes?
HR plays a crucial role in corporate social responsibility by ensuring employees buy into CSR initiatives and helping align programs with core business strategy. HR manages recruitment, training, diversity policies, workplace ethics, and employee engagement—all essential for implementing authentic CSR that creates positive business and social impact.
In a Nutshell: Five considerations when setting up your own business
Learn essential tips for starting your own business, including distinguishing urgent from important tasks, communicating with staff, networking effectively, and understanding finances. Expert advice covers recharging personally and mastering the basics of business management.
Blog: How to undertake staff communications with pizzazz
Effective HR communication goes beyond corporate jargon and flat messaging. By leveraging modern technology, strategic visuals, authentic tone of voice, and the right communication channels, HR departments can create engaging internal communications that boost employee engagement and drive business performance.
In a Nutshell: The five core principles of effective leadership
Effective leadership rests on five core principles: fostering continuous learning, communicating a clear vision, adapting to context, maintaining integrity and consistency, and developing leaders at all organizational levels.
Blog: Five ways to encourage a proper workplace dialogue
Discover five practical strategies for fostering genuine two-way dialogue in your workplace, from climate feedback sessions and story-swapping to coffee break conversations with leaders. Modern employees expect to have their voice heard—learn how to create the right blend of communication approaches for your organization’s culture.
An HRD’s guide to tackling pension auto-enrolment
HR directors must prepare for pension auto-enrolment by understanding the staged implementation timeline, selecting appropriate pension schemes like QWPS or NEST, and establishing robust business processes rather than relying solely on software updates to manage the administrative changes.
International workforces: Supporting non-native English speakers
HR directors play a crucial role in supporting non-native English speakers in international workforces. Beyond conversational fluency, employees need to understand business English terminology, workplace communication norms, and cultural nuances to integrate effectively and avoid miscommunication in professional settings.
Blog: The art of mobile motivation
Managers must adapt staff motivation strategies for mobile-first workplaces by creating content designed specifically for mobile devices and social media platforms, while balancing constant connectivity with employee well-being to avoid burnout.
The HRZone Interview: Best Companies’ Wayne Clarke on engagement
Wayne Clarke of Best Companies discusses eight critical factors for employee engagement, including leadership quality, management effectiveness, colleague relationships, and personal growth opportunities. He explains how recession has forced many organizations into survival mode, but those thriving must prioritize clear communication and authenticity to rebuild employee confidence and engagement.
In a Nutshell: Five tips for creating a positive company culture
Creating a positive company culture starts with understanding employee values, communicating clearly with staff, and ensuring workers understand organizational goals. Additional key steps include reworking policies to support change and delivering on company promises to build trust and retain talent.
Blog: Communication is the essence of good leadership
Effective communication is essential to strong leadership. Leaders who ignore team input, play favorites, or fail to acknowledge contributions create disengagement, turnover, and damage organizational culture. Poor communicators cannot truly lead.
Legal Insight: How do you control social media usage in a BYOD world?
Employers face new challenges managing social media use in BYOD environments, where personal devices blur work and personal boundaries. Clear policies are essential to prevent discriminatory content, reputational damage, and potential legal liability from employee social media activity.
News: HR pros ‘most likely to share a secret’
HR professionals are most likely to share personal secrets with coworkers compared to other professions, according to a survey of 2,000 office staff. The study found that 37.6% of HR practitioners had divulged private information to colleagues, spending about 29 minutes daily on non-work chatter with family being the favorite topic.
Blog: What are your staff non-verbals really saying to customers?
Employee body language and behaviors significantly influence customer perception of a company’s values. Common non-verbal cues—from reluctance to help with large orders to prioritizing tasks over customers—send unintended negative messages that undermine customer service efforts and loyalty.
The HR Headmistress: Is it time to change the way we train HR pros?
The author questions whether university degrees adequately prepare HR professionals for entry-level roles, citing graduates’ lack of basic practical knowledge and understanding of operational priorities. Russell HR Consulting is addressing this gap through work-based training and mentoring programs focused on real-world skills development.
News: Social media undervalued as employee comms tool
Most employers underutilize social media for internal communications despite strong employee interest. A survey found only 17.4% of workers were aware of employer attempts to use social networking tools internally, while 42.3% would welcome direct communication with managers via Facebook.
