Blog: Employed or self-employed? How to get it right legally
HR professionals at the BBC have had a busy few weeks. The director general, George Entwistle, resigned and was controversially paid a year’s salary (twice his notice period, apparently). The director of news and her deputy were asked to “step aside” pending the outcome of an internal review into the handling of the Jimmy […]
Living Leader Learnings: How can I stay true to myself at work?
The challenge A sales executive at a telecommunications company says: "I’m doing well in my job, achieving and exceeding my targets regularly, which should leave me feeling good. But lately, I’m becoming more and more troubled by the fact that I seem to be two different people – one at home and one at […]
Blog: Why do we nearly always misread what motivates others?
Recognize This! – Money does not motivate. It compensates. What motivates us at work is ultimately a very personal and individual topic, though generalities do apply. That’s why I get a chuckle out of research study after research study showing we nearly always guess incorrectly what would motivate others. Case in point, research out […]
Lembit Opik: How to navigate office politics
I’ll let you into a bit of a secret, off the record, as they say: office politics exists. In fact, it’s everywhere. I once asked my friend and former boss at Procter & Gamble, Graham Cowley, what the smallest organisation to be influenced by politics was. He replied without a moment’s hesitation: ‘A marriage.’ Was […]
Blog: Work-life balance is a bottom line issue
"You are a great model of work-life balance, Ron. Thanks for showing me.” Last week I linked to an article titled Why the Work-Life Balance is Now More Important Than Ever. It was a UK-based article on work-life balance and it cited five countries and how each of them approaches it. The comment was based on […]
News: Institute launched in bid to improve UK employee relations
A membership body has just been set up in the UK to undertake research, offer training and provide expert advice to employers in the area of employee and workplace relations. The Employee Relations Institute’s board comprises representatives from 17 employers, employer bodies and trade unions and has appointed Jan Parkinson, former director of the Local […]
Blog: How best to protect your staff when travelling abroad
Having offices in multiple countries, our employees travel between countries with relative frequency. It got me thinking about the importance of having a good system in place for sending employees abroad. So I asked Dan Skilken of Trip Insurance to offer some advice on the business of… well, business travel. This is what he […]
Blog: Have you thought about candidate cloning?
Hiring a star performer for your business is not easy. And with the war for talent only becoming more competitive, questions are already beginning to form as the future of recruitment remains wavered. For example, what happens when the experienced talent pool shrinks? Or when the best talent becomes too costly? Perhaps your star hire […]
Talking Point: If we are what we eat, what kind of workforce have you got?
What we eat has a big impact on our performance at work in relation to everything from mental clarity and energy to stamina and productivity. This is because food governs how well both our bodies and our brains function. Food makes our mood. Yet all too many employers treat the food issue as an […]
Infographic: HR pros among most unhappy in their career
Credit: City & Guilds
Blog: US election – The need for charismatic leaders during times of austerity
“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.” My Vision by Barack Obama. In Chicago last week a rejuvenated and […]
Blog: Do you know how to be happy?
It was pitch dark and cold as we scrambled up Mount Batur at 4.30am. We were in a rush to the top of the Volcano up in the Balinese highlands to see the spectacular sunrise that greets the people who endure the vigorous climb. At full pelt, my lungs were straining to get more air […]
The HRZone Interview: David MacLeod on employee engagement
David MacLeod is co-chair of the employer-led Taskforce on Employee Engagement. He, together with Nita Clarke, director of the Involvement and Participation Association, was responsible for compiling an influential report for the government on engagement in 2009, which was followed by the launch of the Taskforce to carry on promoting and developing some of the […]
Relationship building – The power of feedback
Everyone has issues with people at work that make them angry, dissatisfied, annoyed or distracted such as a boss that doesn’t provide clear expectations or appreciation. Work can be a nightmare when relationships are in trouble. Equally, there are pleasant teams where people are kind, respectful and cheerfully collude with ideas that are ultimately […]
Blog: Dealing with tax and the contractor issue
The BBC have recently announced their intention to review the type of contract they provide to their staff following a tax review. Issuing the correct type of contract is important to avoid the heartache of tax implications for both employer and employee if it’s wrong. The BBC currently have lots of staff who are […]
How to rebuild staff morale following a crisis
There have been plenty of instances of organisations lately in which bad news can only have damaged employee morale and confidence and had a negative impact on overall effectiveness and efficiency. Cases in point include the four figure job losses experienced at Ford and the BBC’s handling of investigations into sexual abuse claims surrounding Sir […]
News: CIPD 2012 – Engage for Success movement unveiled
On Monday 12 November, three years after the publication of the MacLeod Report on employee engagement, a series of events around the new ‘Engage for Success’ campaign will be launched in a bid to make the promise a reality. For example, about 30 chief executives have signed a letter that will be published in The […]
Blog: CIPD 2012 – A view from the fringe
In recent years, the CIPD has put on a number of free mini seminars to attend, which is great for those who can’t afford to attend the ‘full’ conference. I consider this (along with the exhibition) the ‘fringe’ event, and my impressions from this were: 1. Change in emphasis Last year, I felt like […]
Redundancies and how to reduce the risk of insider fraud
Last week, UBS announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs. This week, companies as diverse as Ericsson, ING and steel group, Kloeckner, have also announced big job losses. But managing large-scale redundancies clearly presents a number of challenges for HR, not least the increased likelihood of staff fraud taking place. In fact, the latest figures […]
News: CIPD 2012 – ‘Contingency risk-based approach key to Olympics success’
One of the key reasons for the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in HR terms was the decision to take a contingency risk-based approach, which involved planning for every eventuality. Jean Tomlin, HR director for the London 2012 Organising Committee who took part in the closing keynote panel discussion at the Chartered Institute […]
