Writer and Communications Consultant
Erika Lucas is a writer and communications consultant with a special interest in HR, leadership, management and personal development. Her career has spanned journalism and PR, with previous roles in regional press, BBC Radio, PR consultancy, charities and business schools.
UK productivity has dropped yet again, with the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) report showing output per hour has gone down a further 0.5 per cent. Given the amount of turbulence going on in the wider political and economic […]
Earlier this week, as I was driving to a meeting, I pulled over to help an elderly gentleman on a mobility scooter who was struggling to get past a fallen tree that was blocking the pavement. With the assistance of […]
Why we need to see stress differently in summary: In this blog, we aim to challenge the traditional perceptions of stress, advocating for a shift in mindset towards viewing stress as a potential catalyst for growth and resilience. It discusses […]
There’s a definite scent of new notebooks and sharpened pencils in the air as everyone gets back to work after the Summer break. The fresh-start vibe that comes with September gives HR the chance to take stock and think about […]
In a fascinating article in Harvard Business Review, author Celia Swanson describes how she fired a valuable and high performing employee, after discovering the individual in question was causing negativity and upset in her team. It’s a situation that will […]
Being a leader ain’t what it used to be. Today’s managers are negotiating unchartered territories, with technology disrupting markets, often almost overnight, intense competition and an increasingly global work environment, complete with all the cultural and communication challenges it brings. […]
There’s a real buzz in the world of performance management right now around the use of regular ‘check-ins’ between managers and their teams. A growing number of companies (Adobe, IBM and Deloitte to name a few) have switched on to […]
Sickness absence may be at its lowest ever level in the UK, but it’s true to say that finding a fair and appropriate way to manage unplanned absences is one of HR’s trickier roles. In many organisations, senior managers view […]
One of my friends – a highly experienced and competent manager in her early 50s – has been job-hunting. Her story of a recent recruitment process graphically illustrates the out-dated attitudes held by many employers when it comes to age […]
A recent article in People Management points to the fact that it’s never been more important for HR to demonstrate commercial awareness. It calls on the profession to get more ‘business savvy’, joining the conversation about financial metrics and KPIs […]
Bean bags, ping pong tables and lunchtime sushi are not going to improve employee well-being alone. Organisations should be conducting well-being audits every year so that they can get to the root of what’s really causing stress in the business […]
Recent research from McKinsey suggests that performance management processes are not hitting the mark for employees or their managers. The majority of CEOs say they don’t find the process helpful in identifying top performers – while over half of individuals […]
