HRD Insight: McDonalds’ head of people on staff engagement
McDonalds’ decision to make its people strategy part of its business strategy has not only polished up a previously tarnished employer brand but also seen staff engagement levels leap. The rationale behind integrating rather than aligning the two policies was a simple one, however, said Jez Langhorn, vice president of people for the UK and […]
Does management by metrics work?
On the frame of my kitchen door are marks of the heights of my children, and now grandchildren, with names and dates written down over the course of years. They were all proud to stand there from time-to-time in order to check how much they had grown. We did not, of course, manage their height, […]
Blog: Engagement taskforce update – part two
Hello again – a couple of weeks ago, a bunch of us met with David MacLeod, Nita Clarke et al to continue encouraging the engagement taskforce. What follows is part two of a transcript of the conversations that I heard. If you haven’t already read it, part one is here. Here goes anyway: Part two […]
Blog: Engagement taskforce update – part one
Hi folks – a couple of weeks ago, a bunch of us met with David MacLeod, Nita Clarke et al to continue encouraging the engagement taskforce. What follows is a transcript of the conversations I heard. I’ll issue part one now and part two tomorrow. Here goes: Part one In groups we were asked […]
Customer service staff paid 34% below national average
The number of people working in the UK’s customer service sector has increased threefold in the last eight years, but pay remains 34% below the UK average. A new study by the Institute of Customer Service, published to coincide with the launch of National Customer Service Week (3 – 9 October), shows that the industry […]
Navigating the choppy waters of cultural difference
What is considered polite in one culture may be considered impolite in another. But as travel and communications become ever easier, HR directors working in multi-national companies would be well advised to acquaint themselves with at least some of these cultural differences and to understand how they can affect the way that employees conduct business. […]
Creating a sustainable people strategy
When it comes to creating an environmental or sustainable policy, it seems that businesses are making the same mistakes that they did when the internet first arrived. At that time, everyone rushed to create a web site and packed it full of information. But they failed to either develop a suitable strategy or appreciate that […]
Case Study: LV= focuses on feedback to become destination employer
LV= has introduced a survey process for new joiners and leavers with the aim of gathering staff feedback as part of its bid to become a destination employer. The organisation, which sells mutual insurance, retirement and investment schemes, is investing heavily in trying to increase the engagement and retention of its 4,500 staff. David […]
How to avert a ‘micro maternity’ trend
Current employment legislation enables women to take up to year off after they have had a baby. But a recent Daily Mail report suggested that there was a growing number of women taking so-called ‘micro maternity’ leave and returning to the office just a few months after the child was born. The trend is apparently […]
Blog: Company success entirely depends on your culture
Recognise This! – Company culture is ignored to the peril of the organisation as a whole. Yesterday I wrote about my passion for employee recognition in the workplace. Another topic I’m passionate about is company culture. Too many leaders think company culture is something that “just happens” and is beyond their control. Or perhaps a […]
US White House launches Fellowship scheme to woo top IT talent
The White House is trying to tempt top computer science post-grads away from high-paid jobs in the private sector by creating the special new job role of Technology Fellow. The aim of creating the fresh category of positions that are due to last for two years is to increase the US government's pool of “qualified […]
Case Study: Speedy Services has ‘Big Ideas’ for boosting staff engagement
A ‘Big Ideas’ initiative combined with a complementary scheme to reward innovation has resulted in staff engagement and productivity leaping at Speedy Services. The Merseyside-based company, which provides equipment and support services to the construction, manufacturing, industrial, rail and other related industries, introduced its ‘Big Ideas’ programme towards the end of 2008. The move […]
Blog: IT can be HR’s best friend
The IT organization and HR have always had a mostly adversarial relationship as IT rarely sees HR as a true IT consumer, more as a clueless and demanding relative. Most HR departments for their part are usually very under informed when it comes to HR and IT’s role in supporting the business. But listen up it’s time […]
Blog: Lessons from Yahoo – where was HR?
“I am very sad to tell you that I’ve just been fired over the phone by Yahoo’s Chairman of the Board,” Carol Bartz wrote to her company’s workforce. “These people f***** me over.” “Why don’t you have the balls to tell me yourself?” “The board was so spooked by being cast as the worst board […]
The downside of nepotism
Prominent leadership appointments are under more scrutiny than ever before. At the same time as the concept of ‘jobs for the boys’ has become less socially acceptable, today’s sceptical public is taking more and more interest in the appointment of prominent leaders working in both public and private sector organisations. Trust in public figures […]
Analysis: Private sector fails to offset public sector jobs cull as unemployment soars
Unemployment has experienced the largest quarterly hike since August 2009, driven by a faster than expected public sector jobs cull that a slowing private sector is failing to offset. According to official labour market figures published by the Office for National Statistics, unemployment stood at 7.9% or 2.51 million for the three months to July, […]
Blog: How HR can speak the language of the top table
I’m taking Derek Irvine up on his offer to respond to his blog (What are you bringing to the top table? 01.09.11), which I read with great interest. This is certainly a question that the HR community has been and should continue to ask themselves. The question is how do they get and keep the […]
Cap is not damaging economy, says immigration advisor
Although there is “no evidence” that the immigration cap is damaging the UK economy, it is creating an employment “dilemma” in the public sector, the government’s chief advisor has warned. Professor David Metcalf, who chairs the Migration Advisory Committee, pointed to the fact that, although the cap on skilled migrants from outside of the European […]
Legal Insight: Preparing for the Agency Workers Regulations
The controversial Agency Workers Regulations hit the headlines again this week, after David Cameron intimated that he was seeking legal advice on how to dilute them, only weeks before the legislation is due to come into force on 1 October. According to the Daily Telegraph, the Prime Minister became concerned that the new laws could […]
Blog: Less than 24 days to go! What do you think about the Agency Regs?
In less than 24 days time, the Temporary Agency Regulations (Regulations) come into force. If reports in the national press this week are correct, the Government is yet again wavering over whether the legislation should be implemented in its current form. This time though, the deadline is so tight that commentators are speculating whether this is […]
