Personality profiling – a pigeon hole in disguise
There are few activities in the learning and development world that have a more consistent and broad appeal than personality profiling questionnaires or psychometric tools. The profiles of which reveal how we engage, communicate and manage. The results come in different forms. Belbin Team Role, for example, uses labels such as Shaper or Team Worker, […]
The HR of today v the HR of tomorrow
This article is based on submissions to a new academic journal, the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, by Paul Sparrow and Cary L. Cooper. The journal is published by Emerald Group Publishing and provides insight into best practice and how HR can add value in a sustainable way. The journal covers a range of […]
Corporate psychopaths and mental health
This article was written by Clive Boddy and Derek Miles. Clive and Derek are, respectively, Professors in Leadership and Human Resource Development at Middlesex University Business School. You can email them at c.boddy@mdx.ac.uk or d.miles@mdx.ac.uk. In relation to a previous article in HR Zone on how corporate psychopaths influenced the workplace, one commentator on the […]
How to make Happy Hour from 9-5
What is the ultimate role of HR? Is it all about benefits, processes, perks, hiring and firing? I say NO – the ultimate role of HR is to create a happy workplace. And while this may seem like a Pollyanna daydream, it makes a ton of business sense. Happy employees are not simply in a […]
Stress is helpful – but if you think it’s not, it’ll mess with your head
Stress seems to be something we are all subject too. In a recent survey by ThoughtLeaders 83% of people said that they had experienced stress that affected their performance at work. We mostly talk about the negative impacts and whilst they are many there is some interesting research that may have us thinking differently about […]
Which jobs make you happy?
The BBC has a story covering Cabinet Office research on the jobs most likely to make you happy and the jobs most likely to leave you miserable. The research is part of a wider move towards including notions of wellbeing and happiness on the public policy agenda. Top five jobs Clergy Chief executive/senior official Agriculture […]
UN International Day of Happiness – what does it mean to be happy at work?
Did you know there’s a dedicated word in the Scandinavian languages for the concept of being happy at work? In Danish, the word is: arbejdsglaede. Wonder what this says about the working culture of the Danes that they have such a word and we don’t? Today is the United Nations International Day of Happiness, an […]
Mental illness at work – a manager’s guide
Mental health literacy is the extent to which lay people are able to recognise mental illnesses in people that they meet in daily life. Whilst we know that people are pretty good at spotting stress or even depression they are much less able to recognize schizophrenia or identify a personality disorder in a colleague. Improving […]
Eight strategies to improve quality and balance in life
Regularly we read news stories about how many hours staff work beyond those they are contracted for. It’s claimed that one in five employees in the UK regularly worked unpaid overtime last year, worth over £33bn pounds to the economy. There’s even a day dedicated to working your proper hours, which this year was February […]
Wellbeing at work – new report looks at how far we’ve come and where we’re going
What are leading companies doing on employee well-being and health at work? What have been the key developments in the last year on important topics such as employee engagement and mental health? These questions are answered in the latest report from Good Day at Work, who each year compile in-depth analysis and insight from some […]
Global business growth jeopardised by lack of adaptability
The results of Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2014 were just released. The main finding is a significant gap between the talent and leadership challenges that organisations face and their readiness and ability to respond. A majority (86%) of the 2500 business and HR leaders surveyed recognised the need to take action on critical issues […]
Workplace harmony – how to improve it
Disharmony at work can be an unfortunate fact of life. Whilst every organisation will vary, as an overview, the key causes are: Poor communication and consultation Absence of shared vision (in the big picture or within a team or project) Mistrust leading to interpersonal conflict Poor leadership Lack of emotional intelligence If you’re looking to […]
Mental health in women – greater incidence or more likely to report problems?
“Mental health is inextricably linked to our status in society.” New figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre suggest that women – and especially those under 50 – are the group at the greatest risk of suffering from mental health problems. But is this a case of greater reporting of problems by women, […]
Take regular walks at work – but don’t relax
Who is Dan Pallotta? Dan rose to prominence after an highly-viewed TED talk criticising the fact that charity donors pile pressure on charities to give 100% of their donation to the cause, which prevents them building essential infrastructure to be more effective. Harvard Business Review is carrying an interesting story from Dan Pallotta. Dan advocates […]
There are three types of burnout. Which one affects you?
New research suggests there are three different types of burnout, each of which is related to a specific detrimental coping strategy. Overload burnout – the ‘always-on’ employee who never gives up and works toward success until they become exhausted. The coping strategy is emotional venting. These people will complain about organisational hierarchy, inefficient processes etc […]
How can I support my partner when they’re stressed with work?
Work stress can affect our personal lives and our relationships, particularly if both partners are under significant stress. But learning to support each other in productive ways can strengthen the relationship, reduce stress and improve mood. Research suggests that couples who actively manage stress together improve their relationship durability over time. Listen and support: Questioning, […]
State of wellbeing and productivity in the financial sector
New research produced by the Bank Workers Charity in partnership with Robertson Cooper has identified that the financial sector need to recognise and prioritise the impact that non-work pressures are having on employees and in turn on the organisations themselves. The findings show that financial worries, caring responsibilities and concerns about the future are all […]
Night work ‘throws body into chaos’
Researchers have warned that night shifts throw the body ‘into chaos’ and could cause long-term damage. Scientists at the Sleep Research Centre in Surrey said that the scale, speed and severity of damage caused by wakefulness at night was a surprise. They said that night work has profound effects on the body, altering everything from […]
29 tips to help keep staff healthy in 2014
When it comes to making healthy choices, there are many habits that busy individuals fall into over the years. We make decisions on how best to get through each day, but just because these decisions are appropriate at a specific time doesn’t mean they’re the choices that bring us optimum performance for the long-term. Think […]
Companies cannot ‘unquestioningly’ accept OH if they say a worker isn’t disabled
A judgment this week from the Court of Appeal in the case of Gallop v Newport City Council held that employers cannot simply ‘unquestioningly’ accept the opinion of an occupational health practitioner that an employee is not disabled. This case reminds employers that, although at the end of the day only an Employment Tribunal can […]
