Trends 2012: Modern life skills
The demands and challenges that HR professionals face at the moment are becoming increasingly complex. Stress-related illness and mental health problems have a huge impact on staff morale, not to mention their effect on productivity and, therefore, business success. The cost of absenteeism is huge and the issues surrounding presenteeism are both time-consuming and […]
Is homophobia still an issue in the workplace?
When discrimination at work against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people was finally outlawed in the UK in 2003, few predicted how rapidly full LGBT rights would come to be seen as the norm. Even in 2007 when discrimination outside the workplace was likewise banned, homophobia and transphobia still seemed very live issues. This […]
Blog: Forget employee surveys – Social ‘sentiment’ is where it’s at
At the beginning of June I attended the Inspire Conference, London, a great event organised by a the very smart and thoroughly charming Adil Mohammed, whom I have the pleasure of working with of late. It was a great day that lived up to its name. There were many great presentations but one that stood out […]
The Bribery Act: Goodbye to the gravy train
The UK Bribery Act 2010 is ushering in a new era of tighter control over corporate hospitality and employee entertainment. For any business built on wining and dining customers and business partners, the introduction of the Act this July will have a significant impact on its behaviour. To ensure they comply with the law, […]
Blog: Social media and the workforce – Can you hear me now?
Can you hear me now? That ubiquitous phrase made famous by Verizon became quite apropos at the end of 2011. After the most embarrassing debacle in history of marketing/pricing, Verizon was forced to backtrack, put their tail between their legs, and somberly walk away from what they thought would be another revenue steam. Netflix […]
Book Review: How to be good at performance appraisals by Dick Grote
I must say that I approached Dick Grote’s book with some misgivings. Since designing and helping clients to install performance appraisal systems and advising on possible approaches to management development, I have become rather cynical about their usefulness after they have been around for a couple of years. This is not least because of […]
Talent Spot: Darren Hockaday, HR director at London Overground
“I’ve made it my business to get as close to the business and operations as possible. As an HR director, it’s not desirable, it’s essential that I know every role in the organisation and that I’m out there speaking to people and knowing how things are done,” says Darren Hockaday, HR director at London Overground […]
Survey: Do you engage in training and if not, why not?
Just under two thirds of practitioners regularly or occasionally undertake training, work towards qualifications or carry out any form of continuing professional development, according to a recent poll by The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals. But while the figure appears promising, the Insitute, which is focusing on CPD this year due to the introduction of […]
Update: Public sector job cuts ‘only just beginning’
A huge 710,000 public sector job losses are expected by 2017 and will hit the poorest areas of the UK hardest, according to the TUC. The job cuts, which were originally expected to number 400,000, will have a "devastating" impact on regional labour markets in the North East of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, […]
HMRC staff stage series of lightning strikes
Around 20,000 HMRC call centre staff and enquiry officers held a half-hour walkout this morning over alleged moves towards privatisation – a charge strongly denied by HM Revenue & Customs. Tax officers did the same this afternoon at 4.30pm and those on late shifts plan to leave half an hour prior to their usual 7pm finish. […]
NHS spends £7m on management training after axing 2,000 bosses
NHS London has reportedly paid consultants as much as £7 million to train GPs in management skills after losing up to 2,000 bosses during 2010/11 as part of a Government-backed drive to axe managerial positions. The Guardian said it had seen an internal NHS London document, which showed that, as of 28 November 2011, contracts […]
Blog: Alternative benefits to give you a hiring edge
As we move forward, it has quickly become common for the modern workplace to relax in order to stay competitive. In a world now dominated by startups and “Google” environments, things like allowing a relaxed dress code and being able to enjoy the occasional beer at work are the new norm. So what are […]
The emerging practice of strengths-based recruitment
There are greater numbers of candidates and more people with high potential on the market than ever before. As a result, it is vital that HR professionals think differently about recruitment and approach interviews in a new way in order to ensure that the right candidates are chosen for the right roles. Although the […]
Talent Spot: David Arkless, president of End Human Trafficking Now!
David Arkless, ManpowerGroup’s president of global corporate and government affairs, constantly criss-crosses the globe advising on labour issues, talking to governments and spearheading a campaign against human trafficking. It’s an impressive and worthy remit that more than fulfils his modest childhood ambition: “I grew up in a very, very working class family in a council […]
Trends 2012: Health and wellbeing
Coming up with wellbeing trends for 2012 during a period of such uncertainty seems like something of a poisoned chalice. But a number of themes that started to emerge during 2011 are likely to gather momentum over the coming year and, therefore, are worthy of mention. Not only were such topics talked about by […]
Blog: Tackling organisational career management
Organisational career management is a tricky area for HR. Many managers worry that asking about career intentions may unsettle staff or even make them leave. But, in reality, the evidence shows that when managers take an interest in and show support for career issues it makes employees more committed to the organisation and also more […]
Communication key to morale in face of ongoing pay restraint, advises CIPD
With 2012 set to be marked by constrained and frozen pay, employers must find more effective ways to communicate the rationale behind their decisions to staff in order to keep them motivated, an HR body has warned. According to a survey among 3,056 working adults across all sectors undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel […]
Talent Spot: Helene Speight, head of HR at Endava
“My experience on ‘The Apprentice’ didn’t teach me anything about business, but it did teach me about the media and it also taught me a lot about myself,” says Helene Speight, group head of talent management at nearshore IT outsourcing services provider, Endava. And having self-awareness and an understanding of one’s own strengths and weaknesses […]
Self-efficacy: Limiting the damage of redundancy
Christmas is a time for giving. But some presents are less popular than others – and that includes the dubious gift of redundancy. Sadly, however, Christmas is a depressingly common time for workers to be handed their notice – Virgin Megastores went into receivership on Christmas Eve, 2008; Woolworths closed the last of its stores […]
Blog: Quiet optimism for 2012 HR budgets
The economic world remains in a state of flux as we watch and wait for a resolution to the debt crisis. And, after using our veto, the UK is very much a spectator in this process. The uncertainty surrounding the Euro and a flat economy suggests a tough year ahead. But I was buoyed to […]
