Interview: Amy Wilson, VP HCM Product Strategy, Workday

1. How is the vendor landscape changing and where do you see it in three years’ time? The HR and finance vendor landscape has gone through a dramatic change and will continue to do so due to the increasing demands on businesses to evolve, grow, and make strategic decisions quickly. In addition, pressures on business users […]

Interview: Richard Anderson, Commercial Director, Cascade HR talks HR tech

Cascade HR offers up a range of HR and payroll solutions and services, but its core software focuses on the user, and what they need to see or access. Richard Anderson, Cascade HR’s commercial director spoke to HRZone about the companies technology-focused approach to HR, and how emerging platforms like the cloud has affected their […]

Mobile recruiting strategy: why you need one and how to build it

It wasn’t that long ago that the only way a candidate could find a new job was by flicking through newspaper ads, searching through job boards or speaking to a recruitment agency. Likewise, businesses looking for new talent used to rely heavily on the luck of the draw, having only a limited pool of active […]

Interview: Phil Merrell and Nicola Cull, Directors at Towers Watson

Phil Merrell and Nicola Cull are Directors in Towers Watson’s Communications and Change Management practice. 1. Change is not a new process – there’s been a lot of progress in how companies streamline other processes, such as technology delivery and onboarding, but change seems to be lagging behind. Companies still seem to struggle, often with […]

Interview: Alistair Rennie, Managing Director of Foosle.com

Is recruitment going through a crisis and if so, why? There is a crisis but it’s nothing new. For a long time, the recruitment industry has failed to evolve in line with the on-going challenges faced by employers and candidates.  The industry has been sluggish about dealing with the frustrations employers have had for years: […]

Interview: Brian Bowden, Director of HR Operations at Aer Lingus

1. On your LinkedIn you mention part of your role has been ‘re-positioning the HR function.’ Can you elaborate on this? Where was it before and where do you want it to be? Our transformation has sought to reposition the HR function so as to focus on strategic HR activity and standardise and systemise our HR […]

How to find real value in graduates

Creating a company culture is one way of driving success. However one thing the majority in HR and wider business will agree on is that without the right people you cannot build or maintain a culture. The general consensus is that it is harder to instil a culture in those who move from another company […]

New research highlights most common CV ‘mistakes’

Common CV mistakes and a lack of attention to detail are holding job hunters back, according to new research. Close to 80% of advisers from the National Careers Service said that the most common mistake (more of a strategy really) was sending generic CVs to employers. A further two-thirds (66%) said this mistake was most […]

Death of bank intern raises concern over working hours

A 21 year old intern working at Bank of America in London was found dead after reportedly working 72 hours in a row. Moritz Erhardt, an exchange student from Germany, was found collapsed in his shower following several days of working until 6am. He is said to have suffered from epilepsy and was pronounced dead […]

How exactly do you get volume recruitment right?

Recruiting the right people can be a major headache for any organisation. But when you need to recruit large numbers of frontline sales, service and support staff every year – as employers do in sectors such as retail, call centres and hospitality – that headache is multiplied many times over. Volume recruitment demands two things […]

Talent Management in practice: WDS seeks global alignment for talent

WDS is part of the wider Xerox Company and positions itself as a provider of customer experience management expertise to the wireless industry, helping both service providers and end-users get the most from their wireless products and services. Its approach is to focus attention away from ‘managing’ customer experience problems and towards resolving the cause […]

News: Pay gap influenced by low applications, says research

Women are underrepresented in high-paying jobs because they don’t apply for them, according to new research. Workplace discrimination at the point of hiring is a factor but many women choose not to apply for higher-paying positions because of ‘preconceived notions’ of job roles. This research came from Professor Roxana Barbulescu of the Desautels Faculty of […]

News: Video recruitment on the increase, say UK HR Directors

HR Directors across the UK are increasingly relying on new technology to support recruitment processes, according to new research from recruitment consultancy OfficeTeam. Close to nine in 10 (89 percent) of senior executives labelled it ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ challenging to find skilled professionals. Small (91 percent) and medium-sized (90 percent) businesses find it most difficult. […]

More hoops for job seekers to jump through

Job hunters must jump through more hoops – and higher – plus endure longer interviews to land a new job, research has found.   Post-recession employers can afford to be choosy and are grilling candidates for their long-term potential as well as their ability to do the job advertised, according to research by recruitment firm […]

The rise of the stunningly mediocre

Sir Alf Ramsey is quoted as saying that: “The best team is not necessarily made up of the best players.” Despite this wisdom from an acknowledged authority on succeeding at our national team-sport, there are still many flat-earth recruiters and talent managers who believe that appointing ‘the best individuals’ will always lead to success. Many […]

Best practice: Staying mum at Merrill Lynch

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is spearheading an innovative campaign to help stay-at-home mothers and carers get back into the workplace.   The ‘Returning Talent’ programme offers practical advice to people hoping to re-enter the workplace after three or more years caring for their family. It is aiming to attract middle to senior-ranking professionals from […]

Best Practice: Royal Mail delivers better recruitment

Royal Mail Group has overhauled its recruitment process in a bid to pinpoint postmen, drivers and other operational staff that better fit the organisation’s sharpened customer focus. Each year, Royal Mail hires about 10,000 people for operational roles, whittled down from 170,000 applications and 22,000 interviews. These positions not only include front-line staff delivering mail, […]

Tweeties sweeties, tweeties!

Mars UK has launched a world first for recruitment as the Mars Tweet Shop tours universities around the UK, offering free treats and information on the company’s graduate scheme in exchange for Tweets.   The Mars ‘Tweet Shop’ will be visiting nine universities across the UK this month to encourage students to swap Tweets for […]

Ask the Expert: can you refuse to interview an unsatisfactory former worker?

Question:  Can you refuse to interview an unsatisfactory former worker?    What is the legal position if a former employee who had a poor performance/attendance record but left of their own accord rather than having formal action taken against them, applies to work for your company again?    I can’t seem to find any guidance relating […]

Job confidence tumbles?

Job confidence has tumbled 5% as the New Year brings fresh worries about job security.   Just under three quarters (73%) of UK workers believed their job was secure, a 5% drop from October 2012 and a 2% slide since January 2012, according to the latest Legal & General Job Security Index. Those fearing redundancy […]