Employee wellbeing: how to support people with neurodiverse conditions
Employee wellbeing has never been so high up the corporate agenda. Here are some practical tips to help guide you through the challenges of supporting neurodiverse employees’ with their physical and mental health, both inside and outside of the workplace. Supporting employees in the workplace can sometimes feel like an overwhelming and difficult task, with […]
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 […]
Leadership skills: the role of conflict in collaboration
Conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing – indeed, some of the best innovations come from situations where there’s a divergence of opinion. Here, leadership strategists Mandy Flint and Elisabet Vinberg Hearn explain how leaders can approach conflict constructively, and encourage their teams to do the same. Conflict is often seen as something negative, […]
Different people, different needs: mental health and older workers
Mental health may be less of a taboo subject in the workplace today, but for older workers the culture of suffering silently may be hard to move away from. How can you ensure that employees across all generations feel safe to speak up about their issues when needed? It’s hugely positive to have mental health supported […]
Workplace mental health: how to be caring, not just compliant
Providing meaningful mental health support does not have to be complicated or costly for employers. By taking a simple three-staged approach to wellbeing, businesses can reap the benefits of a healthier, happier and more productive workforce. The average person today is said to spend roughly a third of their life at work – so it’s […]
Supporting the business isn’t strategic HR – people centricity is
HR practitioners sometimes report being conflicted about whether to align with the business to be more strategic or to better support their people. However, it is actually much more useful to see these poles as a paradox rather than a dilemma. That is, we need to do both – to focus on the business and […]
Taking communication offline to improve workplace relationships and productivity
Are you a slave to your inbox? Take part in the Miticom Friday challenge to uncover the value of putting your technology aside to have more genuine conversations. I have a challenge for you. Next Friday, while you’re at work, don’t send any emails. Not one. Every time you share some information, it has to […]
Three ways to help solve the HR productivity problem
How can HR professionals improve their technology use, workflow and communications to enhance their productivity? Recent research has revealed that HR workers spend seven hours a week manually checking, responding to and keeping up with different HR applications – the equivalent of 367 hours a year. With these workflow interruptions, it comes as no surprise […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
How to create a healthy feedback culture
The giving and receiving of constructive feedback should be embedded into workplace practice, but to succeed it requires a culture built on self-compassion. The importance of developing a feedback culture at work and how it supports professional growth is often discussed, yet still not fully understood. One of the reasons it’s so hard to achieve is because for […]
Leadership: how to avoid anger hijack with emotional intelligence
Intellect can only get you so far in the workplace – emotional intelligence is what’s required if you want to be an effective manager. Work is good for your health, so we are told. It’s certainly true that a good job can provide meaningful activity and friendship, as well as a means of paying the bills. It […]
When resilience training isn’t the answer
Resilience training can be hugely beneficial for many – but it has a time and a place. Are some managers offering this training as a solution to a difficult situation just to avoid conflict? Have you ever witnessed someone being asked to go on a resilience training course after bringing up a workplace issue or conflict […]
Management transformation: time for change
In this time of rapid change leaders must remain agile and flexible in their approach. We examine how staff can help management identify ways to lead effective transformation. We are in a new world of unimaginable uncertainty. Not just with our Brexit woes, but with AI tech, emerging markets, globalisation, new competition et al. Monzo, Netflix, […]
Four things you should never say about change
Communicating change requires management to look beyond trite cliches and consider the emotional complexities staff members will experience and support them appropriately. I’ve never liked clichés. Beneath many clichés there is a truth, but there’s also a lie. As HR professionals, we need to look hard at our assumptions if we aren’t going to perpetuate […]
EU Settlement Scheme: time for UK businesses to prepare for Brexit
Is your HR team supporting EU citizens in preparation for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU? Read our guide and make sure your staff fill in the correct paperwork before the deadline in 2021. With the UK set to sever its ties with the European Union on 29 March, major changes are set to ripple through the UK workforce. While […]
Business benefits: what do employees really want?
In an employee-led labour market, businesses carefully guard details of their benefits packages to maintain competitive advantage. But without a point of comparison, companies must look internally to discover what will entice and secure talented staff. Despite growth slowdown and Brexit fears, the UK labour market is more vibrant than ever. While this is good news for those looking for their […]
It is time to rethink your pension communications?
How can HR make pensions communications more relevant, engaging and impactful? Here are eight research-backed tips… According to the British Confederation of Industry and Aegon, just one in 10 companies are satisfied with their employees’ level of engagement with pensions. Many HR professionals want to change this. Pensions are an important employee benefit, they support recruitment […]
