Employees don’t get the benefit of not being 9 to 5
HR professionals need to better communicate flexible working’s personal benefits, as most UK employees wrongly believe it’s primarily a cost-cutting measure for employers rather than an opportunity to improve work-life balance and reduce commuting time.
Blog: What’s your communication style?
Discover your natural communication style and learn how to adapt it for different situations. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses in communication is key to building confidence and avoiding misperceptions that could undermine your message.
Blog: Seven ways to ensure your wellness initiatives are sustainable
Discover seven essential strategies for maintaining long-term wellness programme success. Learn how to sustain employee engagement through strategic planning, advocacy, flexible approaches, and consistent communication to ensure your wellness initiatives remain integral to company culture.
Blog: Shared parenting leave – Is it really a win-win?
Government proposals to allow parents to share maternity leave from 2015 aim to create a family-friendly workplace. However, potential downsides include companies restricting enhanced pay packages and difficulties finding temporary staff for shorter periods.
Blog: Work-life balance is a bottom line issue
Work-life balance isn’t just good for employees—it’s a business priority. When managers address individual needs with flexibility and empathy, like asking “what do you need to make this work?” instead of enforcing rigid policies, both people and organizations benefit.
News: Flexible parental leave branded an “administrative nightmare”
Government plans for flexible parental leave in 2015 will let parents share up to a year off work, but employers have called the system an “administrative nightmare” due to complex scheduling requirements and uncertainty about leave timing.
News: Impact of flexible working extension will be “limited”, says lawyer
A lawyer warns that the government’s plan to extend flexible working rights to all employees may have limited practical impact, since employers can still refuse requests on various grounds. While the government projects significant economic benefits and increased female workforce participation, existing employer discretion and high childcare costs could hinder real-world implementation.
Blog: Family-friendly law – The debate continues
The debate over family-friendly laws in the UK intensifies as critics argue that paid maternity leave burdens businesses and hinders women’s career advancement, while others defend protections that prevent workplace discrimination and support working parents.
News: Met’s tattoo ban could be “indirectly discriminatory”, warns lawyer
The Metropolitan Police’s ban on visible tattoos could be indirectly discriminatory in certain circumstances, according to a lawyer, particularly if tattoos represent religious beliefs. The policy, which requires officers and staff to cover visible body art or register face, neck, and hand tattoos, has drawn criticism from the Police Federation over concerns it may unfairly affect former soldiers.
News: Childcare costs biggest employment barrier for single parents
Childcare costs are the biggest barrier to employment for single parents, according to new research by Gingerbread. The charity found that 16% of single parents with children over 12 face long-term unemployment, and many struggle to maintain work due to insufficient flexible jobs and low wages.
Blog: Working Families Conference – How to achieve true flexible working
At the Working Families Conference, Matt Dean facilitated a discussion on achieving true flexible working, exploring why traditional career paths and long work hours persist. The session identified nine key ideas for creating flexible careers as a “voyage of co-discovery” between employers and workers, challenging outdated assumptions about advancement and ambition.
HRD Insight: Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Leigh Lafever-Ayer on flexible working
Enterprise Rent-A-Car discovered that home-working for call centre staff reduces costs by £3,500 per employee annually while improving productivity and reducing absenteeism. The company piloted the flexible working programme at its reservations department and plans to expand it into a long-term initiative.
Talking Point: Could HR and internal comms make happy bedfellows?
HR and internal communications professionals must collaborate to help organizations navigate future uncertainty and build trust with increasingly diverse workforces. Both functions are essential to fostering organization-wide understanding and engagement during periods of significant change driven by technology, economic shifts, and generational differences.
Blog: The art of mobile motivation
Managers must adapt staff motivation strategies for mobile-first workplaces by creating content designed specifically for mobile devices and social media platforms, while balancing constant connectivity with employee well-being to avoid burnout.
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.
News: Tower Hamlets implements ‘Smarter Working’ initiative
Tower Hamlets Council implemented a ‘Smarter Working’ initiative enabling 4,000+ staff to work remotely using Citrix virtualization technology. The move aims to reduce carbon emissions by over 300 tons annually, cut annual overhead costs by £7 million, and achieve full return on investment in under two years.
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.
Blog: The crucial role of line managers in beating employee stress
Line managers play a crucial role in reducing workplace stress, which is now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in the UK. Early intervention and support from HR enable managers to identify warning signs and implement solutions like flexible working and workload management.
Blog: How family-friendly is your organisation?
Organizations that support employees through maternity and parenthood see significant returns, including increased retention rates and higher return-to-work numbers. Targeted workshops for expecting parents, returning mothers, and their managers can improve confidence, workplace relationships, and long-term employee loyalty.
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.
