How to support an ageing workforce
Find out how companies can create an environment and culture that retains staff beyond retirement age. Britain is growing old and as the population increases, the proportion of the population aged 85 and over is projected to double over the next 25 years and the number of those working for longer rises with it. Recent […]
If we’re okay, why are mental health absences going up and up in organisations across the UK?
Dealing with mental health issues effectively in the workplace is a complex issue, so opening the channels of communication is the crucial first step every business should take. “Do you want to hurt yourself or anyone else?” “Err no, I just want to stop feeling this way.” An awkward silence. End of conversation. If talking to a […]
Do your managers want to manage?
Do your managers love managing people or have they been promoted for their technical skills despite lacking people skills? With many businesses today tightening the purse strings on L&D, it’s important that you invest in the right people for the job. When was the last time you asked your managers if they want to manage? Have […]
How to earn employee trust in your business
In the opening keynote of CIPD’s Annual Conference and Exhibition 2018, award-winning author, speaker and lecturer Rachel Botsman explored the value of trust in today’s society. Opening up the 2018 CIPD conference, Rachel Botsman, author of ‘Who Can You Trust’ and ‘What’s Mine is Yours’, explored how little we really know about trust, how bad […]
Why the workplace is an ideal context to practice mindfulness
From Google to Ebay, from KPMG to BT, a growing number of companies have invested in mindfulness training programmes, recognising the potential of mindfulness as a life skill to improve focus and clarity, listening and decision-making skills and perhaps most importantly, overall well-being. And you’ve guessed it, a more resilient, less stressed and anxious workplace is […]
Relationship intelligence: “We need to put the human element back into the workplace,” says Esther Perel
In her closing keynote session on day one of UNLEASH 2018, renowned psychotherapist and author Esther Perel warned us not to forget the value that human relationships bring to our professional and personal lives. What better way to illustrate the importance of humans as social, collaborative beings in today’s technology-driven workplace than to have renowned […]
The secret about disciplinary investigations that HR professionals won’t tell you
No names, no job titles, no companies. HR After Dark features totally anonymised opinion pieces from HR professionals, consultants and industry commentators. No holds barred, no censorship, nothing but raw opinions on issues that matter to HR. OK so here it is. Are you listening? Are you prepared to (maybe) be a little bit shocked […]
Employee engagement: decoding social media for the workplace
Social media is an all-pervasive part of modern life, but HR teams are still struggling to keep up with the pace and develop an organisational approach to it. You only have to look around to see how widespread social media has become. From sharing updates on the train to posting pictures while on holiday – […]
How to write job descriptions that attract great candidates
Today two-thirds of hiring managers say that attracting quality candidates is their number one recruiting challenge. Here are the top 5 tips to help every recruiter and hiring manager create job ads that deliver quality candidates. 1. Choose a straightforward job title Search algorithms pick up significant keywords, so keep them relevant; weak or meaningless […]
How fast should you respond to emails at work?
There’s so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics’ Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Does the speed with which you respond to emails at […]
Clear communication: empowering non-native (and native) English speakers to write better
Clear communications are essential for organisations to function properly and it’s up to HR to come up with smart solutions to make this happen. Organisations rely on written communication. Website content, scripts for live chats, customer journey drips, process documents, policy documents, terms and conditions and emails are just a few examples. For an eye-opening […]
Small company super-glue: how to grow up without growing apart
A micro business doesn’t need to talk about culture to have it perfectly formed. When you are a bunch of folks starting-up, you’ll have found a very natural super-glue. As a business owner scaling up, sticking together is altogether harder. Here is how to navigate from micro-business into fully-fledged SME without losing the magic of […]
Communicating company culture: understanding the role of unique language in business
What language does your company speak? The unique buzzwords and phrases that your employees use could actually be the key to communicating your organisation’s culture to a wider audience. ‘Uniqueness’ is one of the most important pillars of a company’s culture. That could be what makes your brand, your workplace and even your employees unique, […]
Engaging employees in the age of social media
Social media is blurring boundaries between the personal and the professional, so how can HR teams manage employee communications in this period of transition? When it comes to communication in today’s world, more is definitely more, with the average UK user scrolling through an impressive 5.149 miles of content every year. In our personal lives, […]
Writing a business case for HR and payroll software investment
Convincing management to invest in new HR and payroll software doesn’t have to be an onerous process. Get your proposal right, and the need will be clear. Once you’ve decided that it’s time for an HR and payroll system upgrade, your next job is to convince your business directors to invest in what they might […]
Reputation management for HR professionals
A positive reputation is not just a ‘nice to have’ for HR professionals – it’s an essential requirement for effective leadership. You may not be in control of your reputation, but it impacts you in every conversation, every day. It might seem unfair and unreasonable, but it’s true. People form opinions about you quickly – […]
Complacency kills: three ways for SMEs to foster employee engagement and productivity
The UK has a productivity problem, and SMEs need to better engage with their employees to boost performance. ONS stats suggest that worker output per hour saw year-on-year declines of 0.3% on Q2 2017, and that workers in 2016 produced 15.1% less than workers in other G7 countries. It’s a significant gap, and it’s worth […]
Pension transition relief: why HR needs to understand it
Pension transitional relief is probably not a phrase that is regularly bandied about in HR circles. But it arguably should, considering the potentially negative impact on senior hires if its not factored into the recruitment process. It could mean the difference between a successful or failed hire. And that, in turn, will inevitably have implications […]
Communication skills: what your team say, and what they really mean…
Getting feedback from your team is a key part of employee engagement, but it’s what you do with that information that really counts. Feedback is an incredibly powerful tool; it’s something that can help uncover issues your team might be facing or on the flip side, to better recognise the things you’re doing well. As […]
How to take the grief out of grievance
Forward-looking organisations have recognised that traditional grievance procedures are not delivering the goods when it comes to resolving conflict speedily and effectively. The procedures are intrinsically adversarial, pitch people against each other from the outset and promote a victim/persecutor mentality that is beneficial to no-one. Alternative resolution approaches, which are person-centred and values-driven, are being […]
