Blog: Why is staff engagement in decline globally?
Global employee engagement has declined significantly across six major economies, according to recent Kenexa research. The data reveals engagement peaked in 2009-2010 before dropping sharply, likely due to unfulfilled employer reinvestment expectations following economic recovery. Leaders can reverse this trend by prioritizing work-life balance, developing better leadership skills, and investing in employee training opportunities.
Remote working: How to get started
Remote working is increasingly common in UK workplaces, offering benefits like improved work-life balance and higher productivity. To successfully implement remote work, organizations should secure management support, provide technology training, establish clear policies, and stay informed on flexible working legislation.
London 2012: 02 staff pilot flexible working options
O2 closed its Slough headquarters and asked 3,000 employees to work remotely to test flexible working contingency plans ahead of the London 2012 Olympics. The pilot aimed to manage expected travel disruption while demonstrating mobile technology benefits to UK businesses.
London 2012: Planning for travel disruption
London businesses face major travel disruption during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with an expected three million additional public transport journeys on peak days. Organizations should develop travel demand management plans now to minimize operational impact on staff and customers during the events from late July through early September.
London 2012: Civil servants ordered to work from home during Olympics
UK civil servants will work from home for seven weeks during the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to reduce pressure on London’s public transport. The government is conducting trial runs to ensure remote working infrastructure can handle the shift for up to three million extra daily journeys expected during the Games.
Talent Spot: Dan Grant, head of HR at Dell UK
Dan Grant, head of HR at Dell UK, believes success comes from honesty and delivering on commitments. He has spearheaded a major flexible working initiative called the Connected Workplace, which has been adopted by 60% of the UK workforce.
HRD Insight: Dan Grant on Dell’s ‘Connected Workplace’ scheme
Dell’s ‘Connected Workplace’ scheme enables flexible working arrangements focused on outputs rather than visibility, allowing staff autonomy over when and where they work. Introduced by UK HR director Dan Grant, the initiative has been adopted by 60% of Dell’s 2,200 UK employees across various working arrangements, supported by consistent policies and technology frameworks.
Employers failing to make staff contingency plans due to Olympics antipathy
Most UK employers are unprepared for the London Olympics, with three-quarters skeptical the Games will boost their business. Few have implemented contingency plans for staffing levels or alternative transport arrangements during the event.
CIPD Conference Blog: Eight steps to enhance resilience at work
Learn the eight key components of resilience at work—including self-belief, optimism, adaptability, and emotion regulation—to help your workforce manage stress and perform better during economic challenges.
Blog: Five measures for creating an environmental impact
Human resources departments can drive environmental impact through five key measures: implementing hybrid vehicle fleets, promoting bike-to-work schemes, digitizing HR processes, enabling flexible working arrangements, and aligning workplace policies with corporate sustainability goals.
Blog: I was a vampire HR manager – does it matter?
An HR manager who was a vampire enthusiast explores whether her goth subculture hobby should define her professionally. She shares her experience gradually revealing her interests to colleagues after proving her competence, questioning if appearance and hobbies truly matter in the workplace.
Dress codes and uniforms: it’s all about presentation
Dress codes and uniforms shape how customers perceive a business, with standards varying by industry and customer contact level. Smart presentation builds professional trust and confidence, while also helping employees mentally prepare for work and serve as brand ambassadors.
Nurses’ ‘do not disturb’ tabards send out ‘wrong message’
Patient advocacy groups have criticized hospitals’ use of ‘do not disturb’ tabards worn by nurses during medication rounds, arguing the practice sends the wrong message to patients despite its intention to reduce medication errors. While nurses support the tabards as part of a wider patient safety strategy, concerns focus on whether the measure substitutes for adequate staffing rather than complementing it.
Modern Workplaces consultation: the view from payroll
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals surveyed members on government proposals for modern workplaces, including flexible parental leave, flexible working rights, and equal pay measures. Payroll professionals raised significant concerns about administrative burdens, fraud prevention, and the challenges of organizing staff cover under more flexible arrangements.
Want wellbeing? Time to be flexible
Flexible working policies boost employee wellbeing and productivity, with 27% of UK workers already benefiting from remote work and flexitime arrangements. Implementing proper workforce management systems helps employers maximize these benefits while reducing costs and administration time.
Flexible working is for senior staff only, say some
Despite 83% of UK employers offering flexible working, nearly two in five restrict it to senior staff only. Research shows flexible working reduces costs, boosts productivity, and improves motivation, yet some companies limit access due to trust concerns.
HR not ready for future workforce headaches
Most HR departments lack awareness of upcoming workforce challenges, including differing needs of younger and older employees, increased remote working, and shrinking office space—issues that will intensify as workers extend their careers beyond retirement age.
Managing remotely – hands on, but hands on what?
Effective virtual team leadership requires adapting your management style to communicate through technology-mediated channels while building trust and engagement across dispersed teams. Success depends on understanding how reduced face-to-face contact affects team dynamics and maintaining regular dialogue despite physical distance.
Flexible working has the HR stamp of approval
HR professionals overwhelmingly support flexible working policies, with 98% backing government initiatives to promote remote work and reduce transport congestion. A survey found 36% of organizations already offer five or more flexible working policies to their workforce.
UK loves flexible working – but not managing productivity
UK businesses overwhelmingly support flexible working, with 98% of HR professionals in favor, yet 46% lack time and attendance systems to manage productivity effectively. This technological gap risks undermining the benefits of flexible policies and impacting the bottom line.
