How to… break the sickness cycle
‘Tis the season to be sniffly – if the number of people who’ve been ‘off sick’ when I’ve tried to contact them this week is anything to go by. Now of course it’s not uncommon for employees to succumb to […]
performance
How telling stories can help your business grow
Story-telling is probably not a technique that immediately springs to mind when it comes to managing a growing SME. But it was the ability to capture compelling stories that helped propel Fittleworth Medical to success in the recent People Management […]
HR for SMEs: time to get strategic?
It’s probably fair to say that HR strategy isn’t at the top of the agenda in a busy SME. With a limited number of staff to go round – and particularly at a time when economic conditions are tough – […]
Employee rewards: is it better to give than to receive?
The whole issue of pay, performance and employee rewards is very much in the news this week with RBS chief Stephen Hester bowing to public and political pressure and agreeing to waive his £1 million bonus. Now most of us […]
Back to the grind: improving employee engagement after Christmas
An email popped into my in-box yesterday afternoon, just as I was slowly cranking my brain into gear and trying to summon up some enthusiasm for work after the festive season.
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.
Have you got true grit? What really determines employee performance?
Let me ask you a question: How would you rate your own employee performance today? And just how productive have you really been?
Motivating employees without spending money
More gloomy predictions about the economy this week, with figures showing that people in the UK are borrowing more on credit cards, overdrafts and loans than at the height of the 2009 recession.
One Too Many? The impact of extended drinking hours on workplace absence
Extended drinking hours in England and Wales have led to a significant rise in workplace absence, according to a report in this week’s People Management magazine online.
How a good laugh can do wonders for workplace cultures
Recent research has proved that laughter really is the best medicine when it comes to positive workplace cultures. According to a University of Oxford study, people actually feel less pain after a good laugh, because it causes the body to […]
Employees under pressure: Workplace stress is a top cause of absence
Confirmation from the CIPD, should we need it, that the UK workforce is under more pressure than ever before. Its latest research survey puts workplace stress as the top cause of long-term absence, overtaking the previous contenders (musculoskeletal disorders and acute […]
Happy Days? How happiness at work is key to productivity
What are your levels of happiness at work? Did you bounce into work joyfully and end the day with the warm glow of a job well done? Or did you turn in reluctantly, fritter away your time and not really […]