Company Culture is so easy to destroy … That moment when your success is the very thing that threatens to destroy your business comes as quite a surprise and this is a common theme with my clients. I was having a catch up coffee with one of my strategy clients to review last year’s successes and got talking about this very subject. For him, ‘that moment’ hit him like a big slap in the face and it was the reason he came [...]
‘Twas a few weeks before Christmas and the company party was being discussed…. Everyone was excited until HR made a fuss! The Company Christmas Party – always a subject of contention! Whilst many would agree that a Company Christmas Party can boost morale and be a good way to celebrate success, it can also bring managers and HR many headaches (not just ones from overindulging!) So without wanting to be a Christmas Grinch, let’s look at some ways to make your [...]
I really wish that recruiting managers (and recruiters) would treat candidates with more respect. Business owners wonder why candidates don’t turn up to interviews and when they do, they seem disinterested and lack motivation. If you’re in that position – perhaps ask yourself what you did to attract these candidates, how you engaged with them and how you sold your business to them. At some point, your employees bought into you as a brand and somewhere they wanted to work. You [...]
Let’s look at the workforce generation gap and dispel the myth that having a workforce with multiple generations is a nightmare to manage. I will give you a brief outline of each generation and what motivates them and then offer my top tips to management and owner/managers on how to get the most out of each generation and create a cohesive and harmonious workplace. The ‘generation gap’ or ‘intergenerational divide’ (if you want to sound posh) has become an interesting [...]
“Do you have a minute?” I was talking to someone last week who had recently introduced an ‘Open Door Policy’, I raised an eyebrow and asked how that was working out for him. He said it was a nightmare. I had to chuckle. Open Door Policies are a total waste of everyone’s time, quite literally. I asked the chap what was happening since the policy had been introduced. He said that he was getting interrupted all the time by staff bringing problems [...]
Winter is coming! You may be wondering about your rights and responsibilities as an employer during adverse weather? Firstly, employees should attempt to come to work as normal where reasonably possible. If for example, driving to work would cause unnecessary risk, then alternative methods of transport should be considered. As a responsible employer, you may decide to be flexible with hours of work to reduce the element of risk at peak traffic times. It is always best to have a policy [...]
Managing employees can be frustrating at times but also incredibly rewarding when you’re all working to the same vision. I often get calls from business owners and managers asking me to ‘get rid’ of an annoying person in their business or team. Whilst I can certainly help with that process, it can be really time-consuming and damaging to the business. I’d like to help prevent you getting to the end of your tether by providing you with a different [...]
Who thinks HR and Marketing should be separate business functions? I don’t! In this new world where people want to feel more connected with the business they work for, HR and Marketing should be very much dependent upon each other, especially if you’re looking to grow your business. Here’s why your HR provider should have a fundamental understanding of marketing. I’ve always said that; A successful marketing strategy + good people strategy = sustainable growth Obviously, a good marketing strategy will help you build [...]
One Director’s journey on turning his toxic workplace into a thriving, and profitable business with a now engaged and committed team The company referred to in this case study is an established company in the digital/creative industry. They have been providing web design, marketing and digital services for the past 8 years. The company initially grew quickly and had been profitable. They had grown from an initial 5 employees to 35 in just 3 years to keep up with customer [...]
Do you dare to ditch the interview? Did she just say “ditch the interview”? “Is she mad?” Yes! I did say ditch the interview and no I’m not mad, bear with me on this one and I’ll explain why traditional interviews are essentially a waste of YOUR time! I’m going to go on a quick tangent … So, the world of recruiting is moving on (if you don’t know this, you need to catch up!) Social recruitment is the new buzz word [...]
