What are the regulations regarding annual leave entitlement?
Under UK Working Time Regulations 1998, employees are entitled to 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave per year. Part-time workers receive pro-rata entitlement, and leave accrues monthly even during sick leave, maternity, or paternity leave. Employees must take at least four weeks annually, though excess leave may carry over with employer approval.
Josh Bersin: “HR must stop being order takers.”
Josh Bersin argues that HR must stop acting as order takers and embrace strategic talent management that reflects modern work dynamics. He identifies nine key areas where companies need to reinvent HR practices, moving beyond integrated systems to address culture, leadership development, and evolving employee expectations in today’s transparent, mobile workforce.
What can be learned from being a mutual company?
MyCSP, the UK’s first Government mutual joint venture, demonstrates how mutual ownership structures can improve employee engagement and service delivery. With 680 employee partners owning 25% of the business, the organization learned that successful mutuals require explicit communication about organizational changes, clearly defined mutual principles, and meaningful employee voice in decision-making processes.
Interview: John Timpson, Chairman, Timpson
John Timpson, Chairman of the Timpson shoe repair chain, discusses his “upside down management” philosophy that prioritizes trusting employees and simplifying their roles rather than imposing rules. He believes great customer service depends on hiring the right personalities and removing obstacles, allowing staff the freedom to work creatively.
Engagement myth #3: it’s solely about the individual’s link with the company
Employee engagement extends beyond the individual-company relationship across five distinct spheres: the company itself, the work, the team, professional networks, and society. Understanding these multiple dimensions reveals that engagement is a more complex organizational challenge than happiness surveys and away-days alone can address.
Are you dreaming of a compliant Christmas party?
Christmas parties can trigger unexpected tax costs if you’re not careful. HMRC allows £150 per employee annually for staff events, but exceeding this limit can double your costs through tax obligations. Learn how to keep your celebration compliant and budget-friendly.
Get comfortable with changing the world of work – now’s the time to act
Transformational workplace change empowers employees to take ownership and drive results. When organizations clarify their aims and grant autonomy in how work gets done, people become self-motivated problem-solvers who respond faster to opportunities and customer needs. Early signs of success include increased employee engagement, positive employer reputation, and people confidently making decisions aligned with organizational goals.
Engagement causes high performance, or vice versa?
Finance professor Alex Edmans discusses how research techniques can establish causality between employee engagement and firm performance, addressing a decades-old management question. He challenges common assumptions about executive pay ratios and explains how job satisfaction drives value through recruitment, retention, and motivation.
Are you creating purpose for your employees?
Purpose-oriented workers—those who define work as a source of personal fulfillment and helping others—represent 28% of the US workforce and consistently outperform their peers in retention, engagement, and impact. Research shows these workers stay longer, experience greater job satisfaction, and build stronger workplace relationships, while earning comparable salaries to less purpose-driven colleagues.
If you’re a reward manager, no news is good news
Reward managers should aim for minimal fuss around pay decisions, using clear philosophy, market data as guidance rather than rules, and performance-based bonuses tied to sustainable business results. Avoiding controversy requires transparent communication with employees and stakeholders about pay rationale and expectations.
How to include every one – without involving them
Creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t require involving everyone in every project. True inclusion means fostering psychological safety where diverse perspectives are valued, while strategically selecting contributors based on merit and communicating those decisions transparently.
Multinationals: How managers can engage employees
Immediate managers are key to employee engagement in multinationals. Research reveals that effective managers share three traits: motivating ability, strong feedback skills, and recognition of employee development. Yet only 51% of multinational employees feel sufficiently motivated and 46% receive regular positive feedback from their managers.
What can we learn from Denmark on happiness at work?
Danish workplaces consistently rank among the world’s happiest, thanks to strong work-life balance, shorter work weeks, generous leave policies, and a cultural shift away from overwork. Discover what other countries can learn from Denmark’s approach to employee wellbeing and workplace satisfaction.
Book review: Connecting People by Kate Davies
Kate Davies’ “Connecting People” offers practical guidance on creating engaging work environments through capability, control, and purpose. Designed for new line managers, the book emphasizes how individual, team, and organizational factors must align to foster genuine employee engagement.
Employee engagement lessons from Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment won the 2015 Wellbeing Employee Engagement Award with 90% wellness programme participation, credited to transparent communication about programme benefits and tangible financial incentives that align employee health improvements with company cost savings.
Millennials at work: are we subscribing to a fantasy?
Millennials seek flexible work, meaningful careers, and rapid advancement, but new research reveals they prioritize career progression over ethical concerns and are highly competitive with peers, challenging popular stereotypes about this generation’s values and workplace expectations.
Five minutes with Hyatt Hotels’ CHRO Robb Webb
Robb Webb, Hyatt Hotels’ CHRO, discusses the role of culture in talent retention, employee engagement as an emotional experience rather than a program, and the importance of authentic corporate communications and meaningful CSR initiatives that genuinely engage employees.
“We have unbelievable support from the leadership.”
Ford Motor Company won the 2015 US Employee Engagement Award due to strong leadership support for communications initiatives and broad, consistent engagement efforts. Manager Sara Tatchio credits the company’s focus on timely, relevant messaging and connecting employees with company products as key factors in their success.
Engagement myth #2: engagement is only about emotional connection
Employee engagement goes beyond emotional connection—it requires helping employees understand company strategy and decisions. While emotions matter, true engagement means treating employees as adults by clearly communicating the reasoning behind workplace changes, not just hoping they’ll feel good about them.
What is the management culture like in the most engaging organisations?
Top performing organisations like Cancer Research UK and Henderson Global Investors share a key engaging practice: management structures that balance autonomy with development. Managers empower employees by building trust, allowing teams to decide how they deliver results, while providing support and recognition for great performance.
