Blog: Gamification – silly name, but it could help engagement and innovation
At the end of the 80’s, Action Man was ‘Toy of the Decade’. Before the age of video games millions of kids used Action Man in real games, and the fantasy they created was as vivid and involving as pressing buttons on a Play Station. Our very own Kevin Thomson managed the ‘Action Man’ brand […]
Employers could pay millions in extra VAT recruitment charges for temp staff
Housing associations, charities and financial services companies that rely on temporary staff could pay millions of pounds more in VAT charges to recruitment agencies, after HMRC said it would disregard a tribunal ruling on how much VAT should be applied to the supply of temporary workers. In March, the First-Tier tribunal hearing involving Reed Employment […]
Blog: HR must not let uninspiring company cultures set in
Some news that shocked me last week was that which described how over 300,000 children live in homes where no-one had any experience of work. It seems strange to think that so many children could be living in an environment where work is so alien. When this type of culture becomes established it can be […]
Enterprise social media collaboration is on the up
The growing use of social media by business is popular among employees who largely support the idea that becoming a “social enterprise” is a necessity in today’s business world. But business leaders are concerned about their ability to own and manage their brand as they start collaborating more at both an internal and external level, […]
Blog: Thank God it’s Monday – what it takes for true employee engagement
Thank God It’s Monday While waiting on the bus the other morning, one of the other gentlemen at the stop started complaining about the local bus that makes the same stop as the express bus which we both catch. The driver of the local bus stops when she wants to, regardless of the number of […]
Employers must tackle poor awareness of pension changes, warns CIPD
More than half of UK workers are unaware that pensions auto-enrolment will start to be phased in next year, with knowledge of the change particularly low among young people. But because awareness of the reforms, which will be rolled out over four years from October 2012, is predominantly linked to age and managerial status, it […]
Blog: Fancy contributing to a book on corporate politics, anyone?
We’re working on a new book, which we are planning to launch later this year, on the subject of corporate politics, hidden agendas and manipulation in business. It’s a thorny topic, we know, and we believe that HR professionals are best placed to observe and comment on these activities. In the book, we cover three important […]
Blog: Workplace relationships – just like in personal life, you want a good match
“You were too aggressive and I do not like aggressive.” My wife and I laughed so hard that I almost had to pull over on the side of the road with laughter. On Friday, my wife Janetta and I celebrated 39 years of marriage. The line above was referring to when we first met […]
Demand for temporary and migrant labour is on the up
Demand for both temporary and migrant workers is on the up as employers focus on maintaining flexibility and filling skills gaps during the uncertain economic times ahead. According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s latest JobsOutlook survey of 600 employers, 83% expect that their use of agency workers will either increase or stay the same […]
Sponsoring A level leavers – finders, keepers?
The latest round of A-level results last week highlighted a growing trend. Employers are progressively not only ‘acquiring’ talent among A-level students, but also influencing the content of some degree courses. So what can they do to ensure that they are in the best position to attract – and retain – this talent that has […]
Blog: “But what if they cry…?” How to handle interviewees from hell
You may be a great interviewer, but what if the other person isn’t a great interviewee – in fact they’re an interviewer’s worst nightmare! How you deal with difficult interviewees will depend on the circumstances of the interview – e.g. whether it is a recruitment interview, a disciplinary, grievance or investigation interview etc. – but […]
Empowering call centre workers boosts morale – and the bottom line
If call centre workers are given the power to provide customers with a personalised service rather being subject to scripts or call time targets not only does staff morale rise, but the bottom line improves too, a new study has found. Researchers from Loughborough University studied operations at the Velux Company Ltd contact centre in […]
Second wave of enterprise zones to create 30,000 high-tech jobs
The Coalition Government has announced its second wave of enterprise zones, which are intended to kick-start the UK’s sluggish economy and create 30,000 jobs in high-tech industries. The first 10 zones located in English cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle were named in the spring, but a further 11 have now been added to […]
CEO Insight: Stinkyink.com’s John Sollars on staff engagement
Keeping staff motivated in the workplace can be difficult enough, but when money is tight and you can’t dole out bonuses and expensive gifts, the task can present even more difficulties. The managing director of Stinkyink.com John Sollars talks to our sister site www.BusinessZone.co.uk about his strategy for ensuring that personnel stay engaged. Over […]
HR to play vital role in managing public service change
Public sector employers must ensure that they have the right HR capabilities in place to ensure staff engagement and manage industrial relations during a period of unprecedented change, an Acas report has warned. A discussion paper commissioned by the conciliation service entitled ‘A new era of public service employment relations? The challenges ahead’ pointed out […]
Book review: The Great Workplace – How to Build it, How to keep it and Why it matters
Title: The Great Workplace – How to Build it, How to keep it and Why it mattersAuthor: Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin The Great Workplace sets out to explain how working in a “great” place adds value to business results. The book is written by Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin – founding consultants at the […]
How is James Murdoch conducting himself?
In light of the News International scandal there is an important question that all organisations should be asking themselves: Is the code of conduct an effective tool that actively helps protect your reputation, or a fig leaf whose shortcomings risk leaving you woefully exposed if things turn tricky? According to James Murdoch’s testimony before the […]
Employment downturn imminent, say experts
Conditions in the labour market are weaker than earlier in the year and evidence suggests that a renewed employment downturn is imminent, experts have warned. Although figures from the Office of National Statistics indicated that UK unemployment fell by 26,000 to 2.45 million or 7.7% of the total workforce in the three months to May, […]
Ask the expert: Am I really redundant?
This week the experts, Adam Partington and Esther Smith advise on whether this HR practitioner is being made redundant fairly. The question: Am I really redundant? I have worked for my current employer for 19 years as their HR/Payroll & Benefits Manager. Four weeks ago I was called into a meeting with the […]
Creating calm after the storm: employee engagement best practice following major organisational change
A disenfranchised workforce poses a significant problem to an organisation. In the HR industry it has been widely recognised that employees who are no longer engaged in an organisation are less likely to be flexible, work overtime or take on additional work or responsibilities. This can then have a knock-on effect on an organisation’s overall […]
