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.
A fascinating article in this month’s Human Resource Executive looks at how American fast food chain Taco Bell has tackled a crippling staff turnover issue. Working with consultancy Mercer, Taco Bell embarked on what is described as an “analytics fuelled […]
If ever we were seeking an example of why companies need an automated system to manage holiday entitlements, we need look no further than the current Ryanair debacle. According to a BBC News report, a backlog of staff leave is […]
How many steps have you walked today? Are you feeling smug having already clocked up the recommended 10,000 by lunchtime, or are you among the majority who only manage an average of 3-4,000 a day? The health benefits of walking […]
I’ve recently been involved in helping to organise an event which is being put on at extremely short notice. It will probably be alright on the night, but it’s been a stressful and not particularly enjoyable experience. All other work […]
There’s a lot of advice out there about what HR people need to do develop the ‘rising stars’ of the future – but much less talk about how to deal with previously promising executives who have lost their sparkle. So […]
The World Athletics Championship has brought the subject of succession planning into sharp focus, with some big names bowing out and several up-and-coming competitors finishing higher than ranked or expected. The resulting debate about the need to ensure a strong […]
Two contrasting posts on my LinkedIn feed this week highlighted the importance of making sure that departing employees leave your business on a positive note. One was from an employee who was chuffed to bits that a senior executive had […]
My social media feed this week has been full of people seeking suggestions for holiday reading. No doubt you’ve already downloaded the latest blockbuster onto your Kindle (or if you’re old-school like me, you’ve been to Waterstones). But what about […]
Flexible working is back in the HR headlines – this time with a report from insurance firm Aviva that suggests more than one in five UK private sector workers are afraid to discuss the issue with their boss. The recent […]
Worrying news this week in the shape of a survey from Unit4 which suggests employees in the UK are wasting almost a third of the working year on repetitive, administrative tasks. This kind of unproductive working is costing companies dearly […]
HR are often the first to notice when a manager is struggling with their role. There’s an unusually high turnover of staff in their team. Absence levels in the department are going through the roof. Project deadlines are slipping and […]
Look up from your desk for a moment and survey the people and the atmosphere around you. Are employees happy and smiling? Getting on with their work, but finding time to exchange pleasantries or enjoy the odd joke with colleagues? […]
