Time for a fresh start?
There’s a definite whiff of sharpened pencil in the air as the summer holidays draw to a close and the children head back to school. September is often a time for new beginnings in the workplace too, as people return […]
How to Manage Difficult Conversations – 8 Top Tips
No-one likes having difficult work conversations – but as a manager, it’s inevitable that at some point an issue will arise that has to be addressed. It may be that an employee’s performance is under par, a project has gone […]
The missing middle
Middle managers are a crucial cog in the wheels of any business. Their day-to-day dealings with their team have a ‘make or break’ impact on the way people feel about work and the effort they put into their job. Developing […]
Making the case for HR Software
There was a real buzz at Olympia this week as HR people descended in their droves on the CIPD’s annual HR Software Show. SMEs were well represented among the throng – and it was clear from the conversations and presentations […]
Low cost staff learning
When budgets are tight, staff learning and development activities are often the first to come under the axe. Only recently, an Accenture survey has shown that despite continuing concern over skills shortages, nine out of 10 European employers have cut […]
100 days and counting until the London Olympics
In case you missed the endless alerts earlier this week – there’s only 100 days to go before the London Olympics (well 97 days actually at the time of writing). If the latest press reports are to be believed, there […]
Pulling a rabbit out the Hat: Curing chronic boredom at work
This might sound like a bit of an odd question – but how many of your colleagues have you seen eating chocolate today? Is there a stash of Green and Black’s in your PA’s desk drawer? Or is the person […]
Are you a great company to work for?
There are no doubt some happy faces at the clutch of SMEs who’ve made it onto the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For. The run-down of successful contenders makes interesting reading. There’s a real variety of businesses, with everything […]
Let’s talk about your staff’s performance…
There’s been much debate among HR folk about the Government’s consultation on ‘protected conversations’ when it comes to staff performance, announced amidst a raft of other legislative changes last week.
Poor management costs business dearly
How much is poor management costing your business? According to research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), it could be quite a lot.