Walking meetings at work: how, what, why, when
The idea that staying physically fit is good for our bodies, minds, mood and performance is as old as the hills. In the distant past, our very survival depended on our fitness and it was as early as the 1830s when the first gyms resembling our modern day equivalents began to take shape in an […]
How far up your list of priorities are you putting yourself?
I have recently been conducting research for my next book about stress. It’s certainly a fascinating topic and I have been involved in lots of interviews, with an eclectic mix of people, attempting to establish what tips people into a state of distress. Of course we are all unique, and like snowflakes everyone is different. […]
Tackling health and wellbeing: why we created the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work
Professor Sir Cary Cooper CBE is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Alliance Manchester Business School, President of the CIPD and Co-Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work. We asked him to tell us more about why the forum was set up, and what it hopes to achieve. A […]
Is the power pose a fake? Re-analysing Amy Cuddy’s work
Mental health in the workplace – it's time to end the stigma and discuss this massive topic. This post is part of our mental health focus! Take a look at everything we're offering, totally free, here. Back is September 2014 HRZone did an extensive article on Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk "Your body language shapes who […]
My eight-year-old’s workload warning led me to a healthier balance
A few years ago, my daughter, who was eight at the time, took it upon herself to have a chat with me about my workload. I was running a business and renovating the family home whilst single-handedly bringing up my two children. My daughter pointed out that I was trying to do three jobs, and […]
Round-up: 7 things we’ll cover in mental wellbeing month
March is mental wellbeing month on HRZone. We'll be highlighting lots of content around all aspects of mental wellbeing in the workplace, taking a holistic look at how we can create the right conditions for psychological warmth and health at work and at home. Here are 7 things we'll be covering during March: 1. Presenteeism […]
“There are four big obstacles leaders encounter when trying to learn mindfulness.”
This is an interview with Martin Boroson, a mindfulness thinker, writer, speaker and coach. He has developed a technique called One-Moment Meditation® to help executives use mindfulness throughout their daily work lives. Martin will be speaking at Mind & Matter 2017, the Mindfulness at Work conference, which is taking place in Central London on April 27th […]
A review of bright light therapy lamp Lumie Brightspark
The BrightSpark is a freestanding lightbox, designed to help stabilise your natural bodily rhythms in the winter months when there’s little sunlight. Recommended for sufferers of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as part of a treatment called bright light therapy, it’s sold by Lumie, a Cambridge-based company known for its ‘natural wake up lamps.’ It retails […]
Round-up: pizza woes, EU-protected flings and cocaine-laden roses – three Valentines Day stories for you
Another year, another wave of Valentines Day stories about what percentage of people think office flings are acceptable or not? Yes, although we've tried to avoid them and only bring you some of the fresher stuff. Here are three stories that stood out, for various reasons… 1. "If an employer frustrates your office romance and […]
Why HR must support the development of a code of ethics
The rapid increase in the power and prevalence of digital technologies is radically changing the nature and scope of ethical issues seen in the workplace. There is currently no ‘gold standard’ template to follow when producing a code of ethics relating to these emerging technologies. Hence, HR is in a key position to i) facilitate […]
Employee engagement at RHP Group
Chloe Marsh is Head of Engagement at RHP Group. Jamie Lawrence, Editor, HRZone: Why do you think you appeared on the Great Place to Work Best Workplaces list? What makes you stand out? Chloe Marsh, Head of Engagement, RHP: If I had to pick one thing it’d be our unique culture. We’ve worked hard to create […]
Social media: working for the wellness of workers
I am one among the 22% of UK adults who do not actively use Facebook. It worries me that amongst the HR profession that minority may not be so small, behind a continuing explosion of social media penetration. It may of course just be me. But love or loathe LinkedIn, friend or foe of Facebook, if […]
How the UK can resist the threat of ‘karoshi’ culture
The health of around a fifth of all employees in Japan is estimated to be at risk from going to work. Not accidents or mental health issues, but death. It’s known as ‘karoshi’, a sudden heart attack or stroke as a result of overworking and the pressure of workplace conditions. Despite growing awareness, the problems […]
Incivility, onboarding lessons and why we should all work less
Are you up to date with the latest developments in HR? Worry not, we've spent the week rounding up our favourite articles and blogs for you to read whenever you get a spare five minutes on the bus or at your desk. Let us know what you think of the articles we've shared, and tell us […]
How to negotiate for family-friendly work habits
Flexibility is a key consideration when returning to work. We talk you through the best ways to get the accommodations you need at work – from asking for a trial period to finding solutions to staffing issues. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. The right to request flexible working has been a welcome innovation for […]
What mothers want: What women say about how they can be best supported in the workplace
Discrimination can begin before a woman even steps foot in the office. This is how you can ensure that all women are supported in the most effective way possible. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. When thinking about mothers in the workplace, ‘flexible working’ comes up constantly; it seems, too, that the options for and benefits […]
Going back: what fears and hopes do mothers have before returning to the workplace?
From being there for your kids to coping with the stresses of working life, Mumsnet users share their thoughts on returning to work after having children. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. Above and beyond the important stuff like HR policies and procedures, mothers’ fears and hopes on returning from maternity leave are often focused […]
Beyond the nappy zone: Why older people and carers need flexibility too
It isn't just the parents of young children who need flexible leave – older people and carers also need the chance to work flexibly. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. Flexible working is an idea constantly associated with parents of young children, and (things being the way they are) specifically with mothers. Of course, […]
Achieving gender balance – the practical stuff
This is part two in a two-part series on achieving gender diversity. The first looks at why we need to focus on men, not women. When I first talk to organisations about their gender issues, the conversation usually starts with an explanation of their issue, for example, maternity non-returners or lack of female progress from […]
Achieving gender balance is about men – not women
This is part one in a two-part series on achieving gender diversity. The second part looks at the practical steps organisations can take. Why is it that whenever anyone talks of gender equality, the immediate thought is about women’s rights, feminist chants of discrimination in the workplace, pointing the finger at male leaders creating barriers […]