Workforce analytics: data storytelling and why you should know your audience
I had a debate recently with someone who believed that, when working with complicated analytics, it was important to explain the process and statistical methodology to add credibility to the storyteller and the message. His view was that this was important to all audiences, since credibility was the most important facet to portray in storytelling. […]
Employee rewards: why bonus culture can be corrosive
In almost all job roles, financial bonus schemes are used to incentivise and motivate employees. Whether it is the large bonus packages given to CEOs every year for strong company performances, bonuses given to sales people for obtaining new leads, or financial bonuses given to office workers who hit all their KPIs in a year […]
Boring to brilliant: empowering your employees to understand their pension
It goes without saying that a good company pension scheme is one of the best benefits a company can offer its employees. Despite this, many employees still aren’t aware of the value of their company’s pension benefits. In fact, pension schemes often trigger a range of emotions, with financial planning and retirement regarded as complicated, […]
Business after Brexit: the changing needs of UK employees
Ahead of the uncharted waters of Brexit, the UK labour market appears to be continuing to shrug off the wider signs of economic doom and gloom. According to Office of National Statistics data, the UK labour market has charted its strongest earnings growth in 11 years, with annual growth in average weekly earnings for employees […]
Flexible working: the four-day working week in the eyes of four generations
Working four days instead of five every week? While earning the same salary? That would sound amazing for employees – but is it? Would all employees want a four-day working week? What about employers, would they be willing to accept such an arrangement? To help answer these questions, Henley Business School has published a white […]
Why ‘investors’ (not ‘savers’) are the secret to a high-performing company culture
There are organisational cultures that deliver great performance, and then there are organisational cultures that not only deliver great performance, but crucially, ensure that performance is sustained: next week, next month, when things get tough, when leaders change. Whatever is thrown at the culture, it copes and is exceptionally resilient yet, at the same time, […]
Managing employee stress: a vital technique for protecting workplace mental health
HR professionals have many roles within an organisation. They’re there to design, shape and implement workplace policy. They shape recruitment processes, make key organisational decisions and – perhaps most importantly – protect the wellbeing of their employees. When it comes to mental health, more often than not, we can see the focus shift towards people […]
Performance management: time to ditch the annual appraisal
HR professionals are starting to harness new technology to streamline their processes and improve employee experience. Performance management is an integral part of the role of HR departments, yet current practices often involve laborious annual appraisals – dreaded by all those involved. Performance management processes, like a lot of things in the sector right now, […]
HR hygge: three culture lessons from Scandinavian business
According to the global 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey, younger generations are feeling disillusioned with traditional businesses motives. The survey uncovered a rise in feelings of pessimism and unease when it comes to social and economic progress and the role of millennials in the world. In this climate of increased anxiety in the workplace, companies are […]
The five biggest mistakes in employee engagement
Leadership teams often think their employees are engaged, without really understanding if this truly is the case. Here’s how to really understand what’s happening on the ground – and make sure your team is fully engaged. In our work with cultural transformation, I am fortunate to meet many executive leaders and gain insights into companies, […]
Three ways to avoid the disengagement danger zone
An engaged workforce is a productive one, so how can you make sure your employees are fully invested in the business and avoid the highway to the disengagement danger zone? Engaged employees have a deeper understanding of their company, allowing them to make better decisions for their company and clients. They love what they do […]
How company values can help managers get the best from their team
In the second instalment of a two-part feature, Stephanie Evans looks at how managers can use company values as a tool to improve team performance, whilst engaging and motivating individuals at the same time. In the first instalment, I outlined why values are the foundation of company culture and how to go about growing these values […]
Values: the foundation of company culture
In the first of a two-part feature, Stephanie Evans explores how a strong company culture can make all the difference when it comes to getting the best from your team, but developing this is about more than just coming up with a catchy slogan. It’s about living those values every day. Company culture is a passion […]
Changing perspective: from employee engagement to employee experience
Employee engagement surveys only tell part of the story when it comes to understanding the needs and motivations of your staff. In order to get the full picture, employee experience is where organisations need to focus their attention. Over the past 50 plus years, organisations have conducted surveys of their employees to gauge employee satisfaction, […]
How to empower managers to truly engage their teams through data
Maintaining an engaged workforce is an effective way to improve talent retention levels and increase productivity. Discover how data can empower managers and bring teams together. If you want to survive and thrive in today’s ultra-competitive talent market, you have to be thinking in a more structured way about what your team feels. There is plenty of […]
Heatwave: how can HR take care of their employees in hot weather?
The sizzling summer has arrived, leaving many workers clammy, stifled and tired – none of which are conducive to productivity. Here’s how HR can better handle the heat for their people… You’ll be well aware that the UK is in the midst of a heatwave this week, with temperatures getting up to a stifling 37 […]
People analytics: uncovering how people really feel at work through data
Traditional people analytics methods can sometimes be flawed and therefore fail to tell you the truth. To really have an impact, HR surveys need to tap into the non-conscious part of the brain. The phrase ‘the right tool for the right job’ is a common adage, but in relation to people analytics, in many cases, traditional […]
Owning your onboarding strategy: why you need a holistic approach
A holistic pre-boarding and onboarding strategy is key to increasing employee loyalty – and it’s a long-term project, not a quick fix. As an employee, there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than starting the first day at a new job. It’s wrought with anxiety. Will your fellow colleagues like you? Will you get a clear sense of […]
How employee recognition can support wellbeing
Online tools provide employees more opportunities than ever before to recognise the efforts of their peers, which in turn can have a positive effect on morale. Everywhere we go, processes are becoming automated and we are therefore more reliant on technology than we have ever been. The world of HR and employee engagement is no […]
Workplace culture: why it’s time to bust the myth of the ‘ideal worker’
Many company cultures require people to compartmentalise their lives and prioritise work over all else, but research has proven that this is detrimental not just to employee wellbeing, but to the bottom line as well. I just got off the phone from my daughter who is travelling for work. This week she flew overnight, had […]