News: End of “Olympics effect” could see unemployment leap by year end
UK unemployment fell to 8% in June due to temporary Olympic jobs, but economists warn joblessness could jump 0.3% by year-end as the Games conclude and 100,000 temporary workers face redundancy in a weak labor market.
News: Google’s 10-year “death benefits” have legal implications, warns lawyer
Google’s 10-year death benefits program—paying surviving spouses 50% annual salary and providing stock vesting and child support—raises legal concerns for employers considering similar policies. Legal experts warn companies must ensure equal treatment across all employee groups to avoid discrimination claims and should formalize such benefits as contractual obligations.
Blog: Recommended reading on HR, culture, recognition and engagement
Explore curated book recommendations across HR, management, company culture, recognition, and employee engagement. This collection includes essential reads like “First, Break All the Rules” and “Drive” to enhance leadership skills and organizational performance.
Blog: Are your staff proud of where they work?
Only 40 percent of UK employees feel proud to work for their employer, according to new research. The drop in job satisfaction is particularly affecting women and younger workers, with engagement declining due to economic pressures and lack of managerial support.
Blog: Should we name and shame bad managers?
Bad managers significantly damage employee engagement, with research showing single-digit engagement levels under poor leadership. Should organizations publicly name and shame underperforming managers, or does this create unfair career-long consequences? This article explores the debate around accountability versus redemption.
News: HMRC to recruit 1000 call centre agents amid low staff morale
HMRC is recruiting 1,000 call centre agents and investing up to £25 million to answer 90% of calls, following a report revealing critically low staff morale with only 18% recommending it as a great workplace.
In a Nutshell: Five ways to make the most of your older workers
Employers can maximize the potential of older workers by treating them as individuals, building trust, keeping their roles engaging, and leveraging their experience. Five practical strategies help address ageism while ensuring both productivity and job satisfaction across all ages.
Blog: Punk rock HR – Reasons to be cheerful, part 3: Good job design
Good job design is key to workplace happiness. Applying Hackman and Oldham’s principles—skill variety, task identity, significance, autonomy, and feedback—creates more motivated employees than typical HR initiatives. Companies like Pret A Manger succeed by designing work that lets people use diverse skills, see whole tasks, and understand their impact.
Blog: Lessons from Mars – How to prevent staff burn-out
Learn from NASA’s Mars mission success to prevent workplace burnout. Discover three key strategies to re-engage employees: establish healthy work-life boundaries, acknowledge employees’ dedication while protecting their downtime, and listen to constructive feedback from engaged staff who care about your company’s culture.
Case Study: LV= focuses on staff enagement to negotiate change
LV= prioritizes staff engagement to manage rapid growth and organizational change. The car insurer uses comprehensive recruitment, reward systems, recognition programs, and leadership development to maintain employee morale and navigate expansion from 2,000 to 5,600 staff members.
Blog: Entertainment, media and tech are HR hiring hotspots
Entertainment, media, and tech sectors are seeing strong HR hiring growth despite economic challenges. High-end retail and digital companies, particularly in London’s Tech City, are actively recruiting HR professionals for strategic roles in talent acquisition and employee engagement.
Blog: Do you have an employee value proposition?
An Employee Value Proposition defines “the deal” between employers and employees—encompassing compensation, benefits, and workplace culture. With many organizations experiencing significant changes to employee benefits post-recession, HR leaders and communicators should formally define their EVP to attract and retain talent effectively.
The HRZone Interview: Dr Cary Cooper on well-being at work
Dr. Cary Cooper, organizational psychology expert at Lancaster University, discusses workplace well-being challenges including work-life blurring caused by technology, the critical need for managers with strong interpersonal skills, and how poor management drives employee turnover and disengagement.
News: FTSE 100 firms to be ranked on staff wellness and engagement
FTSE 100 companies will be ranked on staff wellness and engagement reporting through Business in the Community’s Workwell pilot project launching this autumn. Research shows firms with robust HR reporting processes outperform peers by 10%, highlighting the critical link between employee engagement and organisational performance.
Blog: The 10 most effective ways to lose your team’s respect
Learn the ten critical leadership mistakes that damage team morale and undermine your credibility as a manager. This guide reveals common poor leadership habits—from overreacting and taking undue credit to punishing publicly and breaking promises—that erode respect and motivation in your organization.
Blog: Seven reasons to employ a pregnant CEO
Employing a pregnant woman in a senior leadership role challenges gender bias in corporate decision-making and creates significant organizational benefits, from increased employee loyalty to improved meritocracy and valuable stretch opportunities for teams.
Blog: Are employers offering fathers enough support?
Research reveals that many fathers feel insufficient support from employers, with 54% of fathers with children under one feeling they don’t spend enough time with their kids. New studies show fathers who lack work-life balance policies experience low engagement, high stress, and reduced job motivation, suggesting organizations could benefit from implementing stronger parental support policies.
News: Employers delude themselves over staff engagement levels
A new survey reveals a stark disconnect: while most employers claim positive workplace relations, only 36% of employees trust senior leaders and 58% feel indifferent about their work. The gap highlights the erosion of trust and the urgent need for organizations to improve corporate culture from the top down.
Blog: Three reasons staff lie to get time off work
Employees sometimes lie about needing time off work due to unmet mental health needs, workplace competition for preferred dates, and poor office cultures. Understanding these underlying reasons helps managers create supportive policies that reduce dishonesty.
Putting the Games plan into practice
Cisco, a technology partner for the Olympics, is implementing flexible working policies and employee engagement programs to manage Olympic-related disruption while building staff morale and community spirit during the Games.
