Why reward and recognition isn’t optional
Employee recognition is essential for reinforcing desired behaviors and making staff feel valued—it’s not optional or just a nice-to-have benefit. Traditional approaches like Employee of the Month often backfire by creating division, so personalized, meaningful recognition tailored to individual preferences works better across organizations.
The taboo of discussing pay – a good or bad thing?
Pay secrecy remains common in workplaces, but changing workplace dynamics are challenging this taboo. While businesses argue confidentiality prevents disputes and competition, critics contend it enables pay inequality and obscures gender wage gaps.
Do highly paid CEOs make terrible decisions?
Research from the University of Utah suggests highly-paid executives may harm their organizations through overconfident decision-making, leading to aggressive mergers, risky investments, and poor long-term financial outcomes despite their higher compensation.
Why Generation Y is changing your reward strategies
Generation Y now comprises a third of the global workforce and will make up 75% by 2025, fundamentally changing how organizations approach rewards and recognition. This tech-savvy generation prioritizes purpose, flexibility, and frequent feedback over traditional career progression and annual appraisals, forcing employers to rethink compensation strategies and pay frameworks.
News: Firms predict pay increases of 2.5 percent
Private sector employers plan median pay increases of 2.5 percent over the next year, according to XpertHR survey research. While 76.4 percent of firms will give raises, basic pay increases are expected to average just two percent, falling behind inflation.
Redundancies on the up – but so are salaries.
UK organizations anticipate increased redundancies in 2013, with over a third planning cutbacks, yet simultaneously expect healthy salary increases averaging 3%. The mixed outlook reflects efforts to maintain competitiveness while retaining top talent despite economic uncertainty.
Woman crack the boardroom, but not the pay gap
Women have increased their presence on European boards to 17% of director roles, but the gender pay gap has widened significantly, with male directors earning 9% more than female counterparts in 2012, according to a Hay Group report.
Blog: why meaningful work is as important as compensation
Meaningful work matters as much as pay when it comes to employee engagement and retention. Research shows that employees, especially millennials, are motivated by job fulfillment and organizational purpose rather than compensation alone, making it critical to help staff understand the value and impact of their work.
News: ‘Sign up to ethical code or quit,’ Barclays’ CEO warns staff
Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins issued staff an ultimatum to either sign up to a new ethical code of conduct or resign, as the bank attempts to rebuild its reputation following the Libor rigging scandal. Performance will now be judged on five ethical standards: respect, integrity, service, excellence, and stewardship.
News: UK’s top gay-friendly employers unveiled
Accenture, Gentoo and the Co-op have been ranked as the UK’s top three gay-friendly employers by Stonewall’s 2013 Index. The annual rankings recognize organizations for their LGBT workplace policies and practices, based on surveys of thousands of employees and various equality measures.
News: Banks angle for tax-efficient bonuses amid change to police and teachers’ pay
Banks attempted to defer bonus payments to exploit a forthcoming tax cut from 50p to 45p, prompting warnings from the Bank of England governor. Meanwhile, police officer starting salaries were cut by more than a fifth, marking the first major pay overhaul in over 30 years.
News: What to do when it snows?
When snow disrupts UK travel, employers must check employment contracts to determine if staff are entitled to pay for missing work. Employers can choose to pay anyway for morale benefits, but should apply policies consistently across all employees to avoid discrimination claims. Planning ahead with flexible working options and clear weather policies helps manage future disruptions.
Legal Insight: The potential impact of employee shareholder schemes
The government’s proposed employee-owner scheme would grant workers shares worth £2,000-£50,000 in exchange for waiving unfair dismissal rights and redundancy pay. Despite the initiative’s inclusion in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, a consultation revealed 92% of respondents viewed the plans negatively, citing low expected uptake and administrative burdens for businesses.
Blog: Punk Rock HR – Christmas countdown part 2
Explore six HR lessons inspired by punk rock, covering fair compensation, union relationships, and workplace happiness. This countdown series uses iconic punk and new wave songs to challenge conventional HR thinking and offer practical insights for people management.
News: Investment manager loses £1.7m bonus over poaching lunch
An investment manager has lost a £1.7 million bonus claim after the High Court found he breached his employment contract by attempting to poach a colleague over lunch while employed at RBC’s Bluebay Asset Management.
News: 1/3 of workers sleep with colleagues at the Xmas party
A survey of UK workers reveals that nearly a third have had sexual encounters at Christmas parties, yet 75% would prefer to skip the event entirely this year. Employees cite financial contributions, lack of employer funding, and preference for family time as reasons for avoiding workplace celebrations.
Talking Point: Will shared parental leave work?
The UK government introduced shared parental leave proposals set to take effect in 2015, aiming to give parents greater flexibility in how they divide childcare responsibilities. However, success will depend heavily on whether fathers actually use their entitlement, making payment levels crucial. Evidence from Sweden shows that generous state support can normalize shared parenting over time.
Talent Spot: Community blogger, John Sylvester
John Sylvester is an executive director at motivation and performance improvement agency P&MM and a community blogger specializing in employee engagement. Once described by his sons as a “spy” due to the complexity of explaining his work, Sylvester has spent over 24 years helping organizations design and implement effective motivation programs that benefit both business and employees.
Christina’s Counsel: How can I tackle my team’s habitual negativity?
A new manager discovers his team has developed a culture of habitual negativity and complaints. Learn practical strategies to address the negativity head-on while building a positive team culture through one-on-one conversations, reframing communication, and celebrating success.
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.
