Is diversity now being fully embraced by organisations?
In today’s marketplace organisations must embrace new thinking, action and innovation. To achieve this, diversity must be key to driving operational strategy. Diversity is the key to variety, whether in new markets, overhauling work processes or new products and innovations. It has progressed as a part of companies approach to strategy, yet arguably it has […]
Protected beliefs and the case of the democratic socialist in the DWP
The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination and harassment in the workplace on the grounds of religious or philosophical belief. Prior to the Act coming into force, the Government made it clear that the Act was not intended to cover political beliefs. However, a recent Employment Tribunal decision has cast doubt […]
HR thought diversity – different people, different approaches
We conducted a study on the thought diversity of 2,195 HR professionals. Thought diversity refers to the different ways a person can approach an issue. The perspective they use to approach the issue determines how they understand that issue and the possible range of their response to the issue. For example, a person focusing on […]
Engaging the Millennials: one HR director’s modern approach to technology
Businesses have found themselves grappling with a workforce that has increasingly become saturated with millennials, or Generation Y. While preconceptions, whether accurate, positive or otherwise, have been assigned to this group of workers, the certain thing is that they aren't going away – in fact, they'll only increase in number for the foreseeable future. The […]
A new workplace approach to dyspraxia
The Dyspraxia Foundation is the only charity dedicated solely to helping those living with dyspraxia; a condition that impacts on the lives of children and adults on a daily basis. The charity supports an adult group answering queries, producing factsheets, organising events and facilitating an adult Facebook page. A recent award from the Big Lottery […]
How to foster female talent
In December 2013 it was announced that Mary Barra will become the first female Chief Executive of General Motors. This move signifies an important change in corporate attitudes towards women in business, but why is it that the appointment of women in senior positions seems to remain the exception rather than the norm? One factor […]
Vaping in the workplace: employers go full steam ahead
Ever since the smoking ban came into force in 2007 the number of those turning to alternative means to keep their nicotine cravings calm in public spaces has been on a steady increase. However, more recently many are ditching the patches and gum in place of picking up pen-like devices known as e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are […]
Interview: Ann Francke, Chief Executive, Chartered Management Institute
Why is the pay gap still prevalent when more and more women are in the workplace? In this practical report, Cherie Blair CBE and Ann Francke explain why and – more importantly – what you can do about it. 1. How are employers’ expectations of managers changing? One of the biggest expectations of managers today […]
Germany pushes forward with forced female boardroom quotas. Will Europe follow suit?
As we approach 2014, equality issues continue to dominate the headlines because, unfortunately, women are still under-represented at the highest levels of management in organisations. The debate has raged on for well over a year now, with many European countries investigating different options for tackling the problem. However, despite a plethora of edicts, orders, policies […]
The easiest way to increase female speakers at conferences
A new study suggests that having just one female as a conference organiser will increase the number of female speakers. The study comes from researchers at Yale University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University and was published in the journal mbio. Study co-author Arturo Casadevall said: “Put at least one woman […]
Why Generation Y is changing your reward strategies
Generation Y currently make-up around a third of the global workforce; by 2025 it will be 75%. Each new generation grows up thinking they are different from their parents and the generation before but, in the case of Gen Y it’s certainly true. They have grown up as tech savvy global citizens with debt and […]
Highly Sensitive People in the workplace – from shame to fame
This article was written by Janine Ramsey, founder of Sensitivity Style, a new model supported by scientific research that's designed to help people with differing levels of sensitivity live and work together more respectfully and successfully. Her article is a follow-up to our interview with Elaine Aron, who pioneered the concept of Highly Sensitive People […]
Generation Y can cause headaches for HR so is it time for a new approach?
Generation Y – the young, (born between the late 70s and mid 90s), the over-expectant, some say. But one aspect that’s generally agreed upon is that they’re tech-savvy. However, new research is showing that this perception may only be applicable to their own ‘personal brand’. Security company ESET has said that Gen Y’s lax attitude […]
Are the parents on your side?
Companies keen to support parents, create a legacy that lasts and engage their workforce can sign up for our free webinar on 4th December. When HR debates parenting it has tended to be about maternity/paternity leave and flexi-working. It’s time the debate moved on. Whereas most employers seem to behave as if parenting stops when the […]
An incomplete revolution: is a gender equal workforce a realistic prospect?
In June earlier this year the Women’s Business Council (WBC), established by the Home Office to tackle barriers to female success at work, published a report making the business case for a gender equalisation of the workforce. The WBC argued that equalising the labour force participation rates of men and women could increase economic growth […]
Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP)?
Highly Sensitive People are not people who are shy. Or people who are introverted. Or people who lack social skills. High sensitivity is an evolved trait that can be found in 20% of the population, and in over 100 animals. So why haven’t we heard of it? We spoke to Elaine Aron, who pioneered the […]
Germany to have forced female boardroom quotas at public companies
The two parties most likely to form a German government at the next election have reached a compromise over quotas for women in the boardrooms of quoted German firms. The legislation, known as Frauenquote, will from 2016 require companies listed on the German stock exchange to have at least 30% women on their supervisory boards. […]
The Age of Individualism – meeting the 21st century’s big HR challenge
The world of work is evolving rapidly and the companies that understand the changes that this brings will be the winners of the future. The way organisations think about how employees are engaged with the aims of the organisation has changed radically in the last 50 years after remaining essentially static for the industrial age […]
The Art of Communication – supporting those nearing retirement age
If there is one thing in life we can all be sure of it is that we age – hopefully gracefully, but we cannot escape the inevitability of growing older. For one so widely recognised, this fact can often be surprisingly difficult to accept. Employees in particular can often struggle to come to terms with […]
HR officers are ‘beta-male chimpanzees’
The former head of HR at Dutch bank ABN Amro, Kilian Wawoe, posed a rhetorical question in a recent interview: “What can of animal is the HR officer?” His response: “I would say we are the beta-male chimpanzees: there to make others achieve their goals.” He also offers a thought-provoking definition of the glass ceiling: “It's […]
