“We hire people who want to think for themselves, who want to be a force for good.”

OVO is a fast-growing energy company based in Bristol, already making a name for themselves both as a challenger within the industry and for having strong focus on company culture and values, having grown from a handful of employees seven years ago to over 1,200 today. We headed over to their foliage-filled office to take a look […]
Analysing the potential of psychometric fingerprints

Forensic scientists have been scouring crime scenes since the late 19th century, for one very good reason: our fingerprints are unique. They mark us out and make us identifiable. Psychologists have now discovered that the way we process information and respond in assessment tests is as individual as the ridges on our fingertips. This makes […]
Blind recruitment: A small step forward, but how do we make the leap?

The CBI’s recent call for the removal of names on CVs is one example of ongoing attempts to combat prejudice in the world of recruitment. A number of big name employers, including BBC, NHS and Virgin Money have jumped on the bandwagon too by incorporating so called ‘blind recruitment’ into their hiring process. But, while […]
Hiring for cultural fit: the diversity equation

How does your recruitment programme work? Do you look for personal qualities or abilities, qualifications or past experience? Do you skim application forms, ticking off criteria against a preset list; or do you search for that special something which may enrich the organisation? It’s difficult isn’t it, particularly for those jobs where you’ve had hundreds […]
Coffee Break: ‘Unsick days’, workplace excellence and how to recruit using Instagram

Another week has gone by, and we've been busy scurrying around the internet looking for the best HR articles and blogs for you to peruse in your break time. Let us know what you think of the pieces we've shared, and tell us what you've enjoyed reading too! Recruitment – How to source and engage […]
Six recruitment challenges that retailers must conquer

It's HR in Retail month on HRZone! We're focusing on all things retail – check out our HR in retail hub to read all our great content! Job seekers have always been attracted to the retail industry because it offers opportunities, variety and flexible working. However, recruiting and retaining the right staff is often tougher in retail […]
Five minutes with Alexander Snelling, HR Director, Cath Kidston

It's HR in Retail month on HRZone! We're focusing on all things retail – check out our HR in retail hub to read all our great content! We caught up with Alexander Snelling, HR Director at Cath Kidston, on the challenges and opportunities in the retail sector, and what Cath Kidston are doing to innovate their people […]
“As in-store experience becomes ever more important, the need for improved service skills grows.”

It's HR in Retail month on HRZone! We're focusing on all things retail – check out our HR in retail hub to read all our great content! We caught up with Tony Gilbert, Head of Executive and Strategic Reward at KPMG UK, about the challenges in recruiting and rewarding retail staff. Tony has been at KPMG UK since […]
Coffee break: Humility, robot ethics and the harm of fancy job titles

Time to take five minutes for yourself and sit yourself down with this week's round up of HR news, opinion and associated tidbits. Let me know what you think in the comments below! Leadership – Is removing ratings the answer to better performance? (Jan Hills, LinkedIn) – The humility-confidence seesaw: The untold secret of great leaders (Buffer […]
Coffee break: Leadership training, cultural fit and a new way to tackle racism in the workplace

Stop what you're doing, and allow yourself five minutes of down time – here's our round-up of the week's best HR news and opinion, curated especially for you. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, and what you think about the articles we've shared in the comments below. Culture – The secret to […]
What exactly do we mean when we talk about an ‘efficient’ hire?

Steve Smith is Director of Sales for background screening company Sterling Talent Solutions, where he has primary responsibility for engaging businesses throughout the UK and EMEA in discussions around the outsourcing of background checks. Steve will be appearing on an upcoming webinar on 5 Tips To Improve Your Hiring Efficiency on September 22nd. If you're looking to hire better and […]
Where’s your next HRD coming from?

We’ve all heard how ‘HR needs to change’ – both as a discipline in its own right but also in terms of the type of people it attracts. The consensus seems to be that if HRDs are to truly become boardroom equals, they must be fluent in the language of the CEO or FD – […]
Coffee break: Dream offices, Skype and keeping your job in the age of the robots

Get comfy, because it's time for us to proffer this week's selection of HR news, opinion and cultural crudites for your delectation. Feel free to tell us what you think in the comments below, or send us your own recommended reading for the week. Recruitment – To make a good first impression on candidates, do these […]
Coffee break: Cubicle living, the ageless workforce and generationalisationism

Ready for a break? Go make yourself a cuppa and sit down with this week's round up of HR news and opinion. Don't forget to tell us what you've been reading this week, and what you think of the article shared below. Culture – Employees are more likely to cheat on their way out the […]
Coffee Break: Transparency, bias and the impact of Google on your career

Here is your weekly list of news, opinion and interesting blogs from across the HR world. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, and what you think of the pieces we've picked out for you! Performance – Technology never sleeps (The Future of Work is Human) – Surprising ways music can affect work […]
The potential of computer-aided applicant pre-screening

There's so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics' Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Get connected to the academic sector through Academics’ Corner and […]
“Encourage young talent into the business by sharing inspiring success stories”

Making those first few tentative steps into the job market is a daunting prospect. With more focus being put on apprenticeships and full time work as an alternative to university, there is more need to prepare those leaving education for the workplace. There is also a growing responsibility for employers to demonstrate their value to young […]
Case study: How an overhaul of Nationwide’s careers website reduced cost to hire from £3,000 to £69

Attracting and retaining talent is harder than ever. We live in an age of increased complexity – where power has shifted from producer to consumer and employer to employee. With the proliferation of digital devices, platforms, channels and apps, all of this “stuff” means brands need to act smarter to cut through the noise and […]
Five questions and answers to a better graduate programme

Alan Price is Employment Law & HR Director at Peninsula, recently awarded the Best Place to Work for Graduates 2016 award. In this interview Alan talks about honing graduate soft skills, the benefits of graduats in the workplace, and the common ways that businesses mismanage graduates. Jamie Lawrence, Editor, HRZone: Graduates are often intelligent but unprepared for working in a commercial […]
Coffee break: Credibility, Lego offices, and why we’re all responsible for a bad culture

It's time for another round up of HR news & opinion for you to enjoy over your coffee break or mid afternoon slump. We've been sifting through our favourite articles this week, and here are the ones we've selected for your perusal. Enjoy! Culture – The destructive brotherhood (Tim Sackett) – When culture goes bad […]