Blog: Four ways to cope with a busy workload
Learn four practical strategies to manage a busy workload without burning out. Set realistic daily goals, establish time limits for tasks, take regular breaks, and move on quickly to maintain focus and productivity throughout your day.
Blog: Three reasons staff lie to get time off work
Employees sometimes lie about needing time off work due to unmet mental health needs, workplace competition for preferred dates, and poor office cultures. Understanding these underlying reasons helps managers create supportive policies that reduce dishonesty.
Putting the Games plan into practice
Cisco, a technology partner for the Olympics, is implementing flexible working policies and employee engagement programs to manage Olympic-related disruption while building staff morale and community spirit during the Games.
Let the Games commence – But make sure you plan for them
As the Olympics approach, businesses face significant challenges from travel disruption, staffing shortages, and holiday requests. Planning ahead is essential to minimize impact, with research showing companies that prepare effectively can boost revenues and employee morale.
Blog: Debunking 5 employee performance myths
Discover the truth about employee performance management. This article debunks five common myths, from the ineffectiveness of mission statements alone to the importance of translating company vision into individual performance goals and acting on employee engagement survey results.
Talking Point: What’s happened to business ethics?
Recent corporate scandals at Barclays, News International, and GlaxoSmithKline reveal deeper issues with business ethics and management standards. Rather than simply replacing executives, organizations must address weak management structures, poor ethical leadership, and lack of professional accountability that enable misconduct throughout companies.
Legal Insight: Playing the Games within the letter of the law
Employers should begin planning now for Olympic and Paralympic Games disruption, including managing transport issues, flexible working arrangements, and holiday requests. Key steps include staggering work hours, enabling remote work where possible, and reviewing policies for data protection and health and safety.
Case Study: Medtronic introduces global well-being scheme to cut absenteeism
Medtronic launched a global well-being programme to help employees address health issues like obesity, stress, and smoking while reducing absenteeism. The initiative uses confidential health assessments and personalized coaching to identify high-risk individuals, with early results showing significant improvements including a 15% reduction in smoking rates.
News: One million UK workers drugged up at work
Nearly one million UK workers have illegal drugs in their system at work, with positive drug tests jumping 43% over five years to 3.23%, according to a new report analyzing over 1.6 million workplace drug screenings.
Ask the Expert: Can changes to employment terms be imposed without discussion?
Employers must consult employees before making changes to terms and conditions of employment. If an employer imposes changes without discussion, employees can raise a grievance or potentially claim constructive dismissal, depending on their contract terms and length of service.
Blog: Dealing with summer absences
Summer months see higher rates of employee absence due to increased injuries from physical activities and stress-related issues. Employers can manage these absences through careful leave planning, safety recommendations, and support services while maintaining duty of care.
News: Northumbrian Water wins award for health and well-being initiative
Northumbrian Water has won the Business in the Community Workwell Award for its health and well-being initiatives, which reduced sickness absence rates by 3.1% and cut musculoskeletal disorder absences by 40%. The company introduced RehabWorks and NWLsupport schemes to provide employees with early access to physiotherapy and confidential counselling services.
Dealing with the stress factor
Stress has become the leading cause of long-term sickness absence for the first time, surpassing physical injuries, according to new research. Economic pressures, redundancies, and pay freezes are driving mental health problems in the workplace, while presenteeism—working while ill—signals rising organizational stress levels.
Expert voice: reaping the value of soft benefits
When budgets limit salary increases, organizations are turning to soft benefits like gym memberships, wellness programs, and on-site massages to boost employee satisfaction and retention. A survey found 88% of workers want more health and wellbeing support, with 45% willing to switch jobs for better benefits packages.
Blog: how to comply with fire safety at work
Businesses in the UK with five or more employees must conduct a written Fire Risk Assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. A comprehensive fire safety plan includes clear escape routes, employee training, effective alarm systems, and a designated responsible person to ensure compliance and safe evacuation.
Expert Voice: How to get your life balance right
Life balance requires juggling five key areas—work, family, health, friends, and personal fulfillment—but treating only work as recoverable while the others are fragile. Since work now defines much of our identity, achieving true balance demands personal strategies tailored to your circumstances, not generic solutions.
Blog: 3 Tips to Build and Sustain a Strong Company Culture
Building a strong company culture requires intentional focus and deliberate hiring practices aligned with your organizational values. Learn three key strategies: prioritize culture as a central business focus, hire candidates who fit your values, and embed those values into daily operations to drive engagement and performance.
Blog: Are you paying enough attention to staff health and well-being?
Employee health and well-being remain undervalued by many employers despite clear evidence that staff struggle with personal problems and lack adequate support. Surveys show inadequate access to flexible work arrangements and counseling, while poor working conditions can have serious consequences for worker safety and productivity.
In a Nutshell: Five top tips for staying stress-free
Stress is the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in UK workplaces. HR experts recommend five practical strategies to manage workplace stress: address changeable issues, talk to your manager about workload, use employee support programs, delegate tasks, and maintain healthy habits like exercise and good nutrition.
News: Govt dismisses ‘exploitation’ of unpaid Jubilee stewards as “one off”
The government dismissed complaints about unpaid jobseekers sleeping under London Bridge during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee as a “one-off incident,” despite claims a security firm exploited cheap labour. Former deputy PM Lord Prescott urged an investigation into whether employment standards were breached.
