Inspiring People Development
+ CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
2021
JANUARY 2021 | VOLUME 16 ISSUE 3 A MEDIA AVENUE PUBLICATION | www.hrnetworkjobs.com
Edit At L or arg ON e:
BOA RDIN G
handle with
care COMPASSION IN REDUNDANCY:
FEATURE: Boozing while working from home
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CONTENTS
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COVER STORY With a considerable increase in UK redundancies due to the effects of COVID-19, many of which are being carried out remotely, it is critical that HR maintains the highest levels of compassion during what is a difficult period for everyone involved. Andy Moore reveals how practitioners will have had to become more “human� than ever in human resources with their skills in compassion, really being put to the test.
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CONTENTS
8
News
20 Stats Workers feel overworked resulting from the pandemic
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22 Employment Law Update Immigration – New Year, new way of working
24 Feature Two Preview of Hr NETWORK HYBRID Conference & Exhibition 2021
28 The Bookshop Latest bestsellers to be published
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30 Feature Three Most people booze when working from home!
34 My LinkedIn
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24
Ruth McEvilly, Sterling Lexicon
36 Editor-At-large Onboarding. Just like going on a first date?
40 EXTRA Carer Positive – Supporting carers in your workplace
42 Insights
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Applicant Tracking Systems, Employee Financial Wellbeing
46 Event Planner Event Updates for 2021
CONTRIBUTORS
Founder and Publisher:
SAMANTHA MACKIE
Law At Work
Lee Turner lee@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Employment Law Update: Immigration – New Year, new way of working p. 22
Senior Associate Editor: Andy Moore editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
NEIL ARCHIBALD
Former senior HR professional and freelance business journalist
Editor At Large: Onboarding – Two’s Company p. 36
Deputy-Editor: Teresa Flannigan editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
JENN STEWART
Editor-At-large:
Director & Head of Money Advice, Johnston Carmichael
Neil Archibald editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Insight: Employee Financial Wellbeing p. 42
Editor’s Assistant/Admin: Marion Robertson editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
GARY TOWERS
Talent Intelligence Director, Jobtrain
Insight: Applicant Tracking Systems p. 43
Advertising/Sponsorship: Donna Turner advertising@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
RICHARD PINNINGTON
Design:
Insight: Remote Workforce Management p. 44
Hr NETWORK now available on:
Director of Strategic Channel Partnerships, Calabrio
Media Avenue Ltd
LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/hrnetwork1 NOEL MCDERMOTT
Founder & CEO, Psychotherapy & Consultancy Ltd
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HrNETWORKNews
Insight: Workplace Return p. 45
Media Avenue Limited 18 Young Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JB 0131 625 3267 www.hrnetworkjobs.com www.mediaavenue.co.uk
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The views expressed in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) are those of invited contributors and not necessarily those of Media Avenue Ltd. Media Avenue Ltd does not endorse any goods or services advertised, or any claims or representations made in any advertisement in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) magazine and accepts no liability to any person for loss or damage suffered as a consequence of their responding to, or placing reliance upon any claim or representation made in any advertisement appearing in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) magazine. Readers should make appropriate enquiries and satisfy themselves before responding to any such advertisement or placing reliance upon any such claim or representation. By so responding or placing reliance readers accept that they do so at their own risk. © Media Avenue Ltd. 2020
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WELCOME
January 2021
O
n behalf of the entire Hr NETWORK team, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and I hope that 2021 delivers much of what you’d hoped for this time last year. 2021 is definitely a year of recovery for us from the effects of COVID-19. From a personal point of view, 2020 was quite simply the most difficult year for me in 15 years of running Hr NETWORK, losing almost 90% of our earnings with no financial support available. We are determined to get back to hosting our exciting events and bringing our wonderful community back together at the forthcoming ‘HYBRID’ Conference & Exhibition in May, followed by the annual Hr NETWORK National Awards 2021 in partnership with Roffey Park Institute in November 2021.
Hr NETWORK ‘HYBRID’ Conference & Exhibition 2021 We are delighted to announce that our Hr NETWORK ‘Strategic Workforce Planning’ & Leading Out of the Pandemic’ Conference & Exhibition, will take place in Edinburgh on Thursday 13th May 2021. We are hoping to welcome around 350 delegates to the Conference in May as well as a brand new virtual audience, for those who would prefer to attend online. Whether delegates are attending in-person or virtually, our team are promising to deliver a hugely interactive Conference & Exhibition in May 2021. Hr NETWORK Awards Nominations 2021 Nominations for this year will open on the 1st March and close on the 31st May 2021. All nominators who submitted nominations in 2020 will have the opportunity to review and refine submitted nominations in time for the end of May deadline in 2021. Hr MARKET Our exciting new networking and search platform Hr MARKET, which launched in September 2020 as part of our own strategy to pivot the business due to the effects of COVID-19, has created a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase a wide range of news & blogs, jobs, events and loads of other HR industry activity and we have some exciting plans to grow and develop Hr MARKET in 2021. We have managed to adapt the business to a new way of working and in doing so, we are more committed than ever to continuing to support the HR profession and keeping everyone updated on all the industry developments, news and activities. This Issue In this online edition of the magazine, Andy Moore looks at the rise in the number of redundancies and the
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importance of treating staff who are being made redundant, with compassion and humility, especially with many redundancy consultations being carried out virtually. Editor At Large Neil Archibald looks at the topic of On-boarding, which he discovers is not so different than meeting someone on a date for the first time. The regular sections of the magazine include: Stats, the Bookshop and Insights. I hope you enjoy your online copy of Hr NETWORK Magazine and look forward to welcoming you at our events this year!
Lee Turner Publisher
We are determined to get back to hosting our exciting events and bringing our wonderful community back together...
Contributors: Samantha Mackie, Neil Archibald, Mark Hall, Jenn Stewart, Gary Towers, Noel McDermott, Richard Pinnington. Hr NETWORK also available on: LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/hrnetwork1 Twitter: www.twitter.com/HrNETWORKNews YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ hrnetworkscotland
NEWS
Discrimination results in higher rates of unemployment and lower pay for transgender people
“Many transgender persons not only experience mistreatment, harassment and abuse in their day-to-day lives but they may also experience negative labour market outcomes when compared to equivalent non-transgender persons. Research in transgender labour market outcomes is often overlooked due to the lack of appropriate data, but it may be useful for appropriate public policy to reduce discrimination, improve individual life satisfaction and socioeconomic outcomes”. says Dr. Klavs Ciprikis, Assistant Lecturer in Finance at Technological University Dublin.
Transgender people are less likely to be employed, and they are more likely to receive lower wages compared to non-transgender people, according to new research from Trinity Business School and Technological University Dublin.
Dr Ciprikis added: “Although public’s awareness, understanding and acceptance of transgender people has increased over the years, stigma surrounding transgender people still remains. Transgender persons consistently report harassment, abuse and discrimination in the labour market due to their gender identity. However, the extent to which discrimination may affect employment and wage outcomes of transgender persons has not received much attention. Our study fills this gap in the literature and provides important public policy implications to be considered in the future.”
The researchers utilised a sample from the ‘Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System’ of 440,000 individuals in the United States to examine to what extent differences in important employment and wage related characteristics, such as education, family and health related productivity characteristics, explain the difference in employment gaps and wage gaps. The research reveals that on average transgender persons are 11.7% less likely to be employed than equivalent non-transgender persons and that as much as 64% of the transgender employment gap may be due to discrimination. When in employment, transgender persons on average are 11% less likely to work for higher wages than non-transgender persons and that 43% of the wage gap may be due to discrimination.
Better understanding of cancer prehab could save employers more than £60 million every year Forty-five percent of those diagnosed with cancer each year will need to undergo surgery, with it being highly likely they will face complications, and according to a leading cancer surgeon, employers could benefit significantly from enabling employees diagnosed with cancer to access prehab. Complications lead to extended recovery and as a result to both a significant financial cost to employers and reduced productivity from employees. With around 367,000 newly diagnosed cases in the UK each year, Krishna Moorthy, co-founder of Onko – a digital cancer care app that provides health improvement programmes for people preparing for, undergoing, and recovering from cancer treatment – says employers
could save more than £60 million if the benefits of prehab were fully realised. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as research shows that 25-30% of cancer patients don’t go back to work post treatment, so employers are likely to make further losses, owed to the cost of retraining. Prehab enables people with cancer to prepare for treatment more effectively by promoting healthy behaviours and prescribing exercise, nutrition, and psychological interventions appropriate to the individual’s needs. Moorthy says prehab is vital to cancer treatment and should be given far greater emphasis and that better knowledge around prehab could result in thousands of cancer patients recovering from surgery far more quickly.
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“Around 40% of people undergoing cancer surgery will have some sort of complication post-op. Firstly, complications prolong the patient’s hospital stay, but the main issue to employers is prolonged recovery and increased time on sick leave,” he says. “People who experience complications have a poorer quality of life and take much longer to recover. On average, people go back to work around three months after cancer surgery, but if they’ve suffered complications, this could add another three months to their time off.” With fewer complications, employees are likely to take an average of three months off work rather than six and thus employers could save £62.6 million in savings on statutory sick pay.
NEWS
Heightened stress and remote working lead to increase in cybersecurity challenges for businesses
The report found that stress affects different personality types in different ways, meaning that each individual employee has their own specific blind spot when it comes to cybersecurity. Research highlighted that nearly half of respondents were concerned about their ability to manage stress during the pandemic, and over two thirds of consumers were concerned about their cybersecurity but didn’t know what to do about it. When stress levels are heightened, staff members may be more likely to panic and click on a malicious link or fail to report a security breach to the IT team, depending on their personality type. The paper therefore encourages businesses to implement a holistic cybersecurity strategy, devised by both HR and IT teams, that takes individual personalities into account.
Heightened stress and remote working have led to businesses experiencing an increased cybersecurity risk due to human factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is according to Cyberchology: The Human Element, a new report that explores the role employees and their personalities play in keeping organisations safe from cyber threats. Cyberchology research investigates the attitudes of 2,000 consumers and over 100 Chief Information Security Officers in the UK, with psychological research examining the link between cybersecurity, personality, and stress in a virtual world.
Financial wellbeing solutions. Helping you support your people. We understand how life can throw a curveball and it can quickly feel as if your ďŹ nances are getting out of control. At Johnston Carmichael, we are here to help your employees get back on track and gain peace of mind. Find out more on our website:
jcca.co.uk/money-advice/employers 9
NEWS
Turnover of staff can be reduced by 25% through good communication Good communication reduces personnel turnover in retail shops by up to 25 per cent, according to new research by the University of Cologne and ECONtribute. The research, conducted by Professor Matthias Heinz, found that employee turnover can be reduced by simple communication between upper to middle management and from store managers to employees. In a long-term field experiment, the researchers analysed the quit rate in shops after the CEO wrote a letter to half of his store managers asking them to ‘do what they can’ to take better care of the employees.
As a result, in the following nine months, store managers who received the CEO’s letter spent more time with their employees (an average of 20 minutes a day), while nothing changed in the remaining shops. Employees of the contacted store managers resigned less frequently. The CEO then reminded managers again of the goal and turnover rates dropped again to the same extent. “The research emphasises the importance of choosing good managers. In principle, they should be able to communicate and interact well with people in order to keep quit rates as low as possible. However, even the uncommunicative, poor
leadership style of some managers can be positively influenced by a simple request from the executive floor,” says Professor Heinz. The research highlights that given limited resources of top managers, it is the middle managers who connect top managers with the operational level, supervisors, and workers. For this reason, the researchers add that learning more about how middle managers can be influenced to use their time, in a profitable way that also benefits workers, may be of greater importance than realised. Before the experiment, an average of 80 per cent of the 5,500 employees quit their jobs each year.
GEODIS pledges a firm commitment to Gender Diversity On the occasion of the Global Women’s forum in November, GEODIS announced an agreement with Bureau Veritas to recognise its commitment to gender equality in the workplace. The aim is to achieve a recognised standard across 12 countries over the next 3 years.
12 of the countries in which the Group operates, starting in 2021 with France, England, Germany and Italy. GEODIS will continue this process in 2022 in Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Australia and then Morocco, the United States, Poland and Singapore in 2023. Management, the Human Resources department and staff representatives within each country will be interviewed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of gender equality initiatives.
By obtaining the GEEIS (Gender Equality European & International Standard) designation, GEODIS would establish common gender equality and diversity in the workplace standards within its various lines of business. These standards include pay, the advancement of women, skills development and diversity.
Once obtained, the label will remain valid for 4 years. It comprises 5 levels, one of which will be assigned based on the best practices and readiness of each country. Going forward, the latter will work in close collaboration with Group headquarters and the Arborus association to take ownership of the GEEIS standard. This is comprised of multiple criteria (there are 10 for level 1) related to sensitivity and training, local initiatives undertaken by the country’s Human Resources department and senior management and application of the Group’s policy.
Under the agreement with Bureau Veritas, GEODIS will have its practices audited for a 3-month period across
“This label is a way to create a common culture with regard to gender equality in the workplace internationally, and to deploy best practices on a large scale. Among other goals, it is aimed at seeing more women in management positions,” says Mario Ceccon, Executive Vice President, Human Resources of GEODIS.
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NEWS
SSE backs the workforce of tomorrow SSE has demonstrated a commitment to Scotland’s work force of the future as it backed the new £60 million Young Person’s Guarantee. The energy firm has committed to the Scottish Government initiative, which aims to ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training.
five years – creating opportunity for jobs, the supply chain and communities. The sector is already facing a skills gap and we are committed to providing a pathway for young people to join us on the road to net zero whilst developing long-term careers in an exciting and growing industry where they are very much needed. We’re proud to back the Young Person’s Guarantee and give all young people in Scotland the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus.”
The Guarantee aims to give all young people in Scotland the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus. John Stewart, SSE’s Director of HR, took part in a launch call with Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop, as the scheme was unveiled.
SSE is among the first organisations to back Guarantee alongside the Scottish Government, Cap Gemini, NHS Lothian and Standard Life Aberdeen.
He said: “We’re committed to building a sustainable, green recovery from coronavirus – investing £7.5bn in low carbon projects across the UK and Ireland over the next
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NEWS
C-Suite must continue to prioritise technology investment Investment in technology has been vital to ensuring continuity of service for businesses during the crisis – this has been recognised at all levels of the organisation and none more so than amongst the C-Suite according to James Don-Carolis, Managing Director at TrueCue. In a few months’ time, the COVID-19 crisis will reach a year of change for the way organisations have gone about their business practices. Before the crisis, digital transformation initiatives were already a major area of investment for companies, but the pandemic has supercharged efforts. According to research from KPMG, 80% of the CEOs saw transformation programs accelerate during the crisis and it is probable 67% will invest more capital in acquiring technology, than in personnel development. Much has been reported about the pace of change including rapid migration to the cloud and the move to remote working, but according to Don-Carolis, the biggest accelerant will come from organisations needing to harness
Brits twice as optimistic as French and Italians about pay rise prospects in 2021 Britons are twice as upbeat about their chances of a pay rise this year, compared to the French and Italians, research by Indeed, the world’s largest job site, has found. Indeed’s survey of thousands of workers in Europe’s biggest
data, in order to generate greater, actionable insights, as we move out of the crisis: “Digital transformation has been a key business objective for some time now, but this hasn’t always been the case. Historically, tension existed amongst the board when it came to technology investments, as it was often perceived a huge expense with questionable benefits. While much of that mindset has undergone its own transformation, there are many at board-level which would have argued, pre-crisis, that digital investment is not mission critical – COVID changed that. “Business leaders amplified their digital transformation efforts as a means economies found Brits are the second most positive about their chances of a higher salary in 2021, with almost a quarter (23.22%) of UK workers feeling optimistic about their chances of a pay rise, compared to 12.66% in France, and 12.7% in Italy. The UK came just behind the Netherlands, where 23.84% of workers rate their chances of a 2021 pay rise highly. Although lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions have been hugely disruptive for many businesses, most UK employees feel positive about the role they played in helping their employer get through 2020.
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to survive, but as vaccine roll-outs begin across the UK, many business leaders will be looking at how technology can be used to support longer term growth efforts. Economic challenges as well as the impact of Brexit will still make it problematic for businesses to plan ahead, but those making insight-driven decisions are far more likely to prosper in the new world than those making gut-driven decisions.” Throughout the crisis, business leaders have recognised the criticalness of data – but in truth – when it comes to unlocking true value, many have what is considered a low data and analytics maturity.
Three-fifths (62%) of employees believe they helped their company to weather the coronavirus storm this year, but few should expect a pay rise to reward them for their efforts. In total, 43% of employers say they are pessimistic about the likelihood of pay rises for their workforce in the year ahead. The number of unemployed Britons looking for work has hit 1.69 million, but Indeed’s analysis reveals that of those in work, three out of five (58%) are planning to stay put rather than look for a new role, creating a two-speed jobs market.
NEWS
Applications for chef roles on the rise while hospitality industry sees drop in hiring by 25%
How does the largest employer in Scotland manage its recruitment?
A new report from leading recruitment software company Occupop has revealed the major impact of this year’s COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality industry, indicating a return to pre-COVID levels of activity during the late summer months, including a surplus of applications for chef roles in the food and beverage sector.
Used by organisations across the UK and beyond, the Jobtrain applicant tracking system manages the entire recruitment and onboarding process. Our expertise and technology empowers a wide variety of organisations across Scotland, including: NHS Scotland, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen Airport, Quarriers, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership and Teleperformance.
Occupop’s new data indicates some new developments for the food and beverage sector, which has been plagued by chef shortages over the past decade. Despite continued shortages, growth in the sector was at 6 per cent in 2019, an outlook higher than the average growth rate for all occupations. Such recent signs of growth correspond with a 30 per cent increase in job applications for chef roles as reported, jumping to over 6,500 applications this year.
Based in the heart of Glasgow, we support our clients with a highly experienced and locally based team.
This increase comes amidst a year otherwise marked by anticipated industry decline, with a 25 percent decrease in overall hires for hospitality jobs due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Occupop notes an expected sharp decline in available jobs between March and June, followed by a steady increase across both hires and job applications prior to the onset of further restrictions in October.
"Jobtrain have, throughout the entire programme, shown a clear focus on delivery. With the customer at the heart and with a very positive "Can do Attitude", Jobtrain have been flexible to meet the size, complexity and scale of NHS Scotland."
In spite of the decline, Occupop’s report reveals that the impact of this year’s first extended lockdown may not be as dramatic as anticipated, highlighting a swift u-turn demonstrated by the data. With last year’s peak in hiring falling in February prior to the country’s first lockdown, the sector was left with a surplus of candidates available to work following the lifting of government restrictions.
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NEWS
CitySprint appoints new People Director and Chief Operating Officer to strengthen senior leadership team CitySprint – the UK’s largest same day delivery company – has strengthened its management team with the announcement of two new positions within the business. The promotion of Mark Footman to Chief Operating Officer and appointment of Sarah Gibbs as CitySprint’s first People Director, has bolstered its senior leadership team as it continues its significant growth agenda.
this growth. The new role highlights CitySprint’s ongoing investment in its people as part of its growth strategy. Meanwhile, Footman is tasked with directly managing end-to-end operations, fleet and property, to ensure that high service levels are maintained, and the core values of the company are delivered in the 30+ service centres across its UK network. His promotion from Operations Director follows an impressive 9 months within the organisation, which has seen further operational improvement despite the challenges posed from COVID.
In her new role, Gibbs will be responsible for driving CitySprint’s people strategy and experience to support
Wickes Retail Apprenticeship goes external Home improvement retailer Wickes, has announced that for the first time they will recruit external applicants into its entry level Retail apprenticeship programme for Customer Experience. With job uncertainty at an all-time high, a rise in unemployment, and more and more people being put into furlough schemes due to the pandemic, Wickes is rolling out its successful internal programme to the nation. The newly extended Apprenticeship Scheme is designed to provide opportunities to those in Wickes’ local communities, to help bridge the gap in unemployment. The Customer Experience programme will provide apprentices a nationally recognised Level 2 Apprenticeship in Retail to help build their careers. Training will also be carried out virtually adhering to measures put in place due to Covid.
complete, the aspiration for this version is to be offered to external applicants in 2021. Apprentices will be able to earn and learn on the course, giving them the tools to apply their knowledge to real life situations in store, without having to sacrifice their working hours to do so. The scheme will allow Wickes to continuously up-skill the workforce, maintain a high level of customer service and to give back to local communities by offering employment and training to those who want it most. Sonia Astill, Chief People Officer, at Wickes, said: “We care passionately about the future, and nurture and
To evolve it’s apprenticeship programme, Customer Experience is currently being trialled by internal colleagues who work part time, making Wickes one of the only retailers to offer this flexibility to balance home commitments. Taking up to two years to
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develop talent by developing apprenticeship programmes. We understand the pressure and hardship this pandemic has placed on our communities across the UK and we want to help give back by utilising our business strengths in a relevant, educational way. We’ve worked hard to extend our Apprenticeship Scheme externally and create a training programme that is unique to the brand yet will still provide a meaningful qualification to participants once completed. We hope this move will help offer job opportunities and training to those looking for their next step whatever life path they choose to take.”
NEWS
Edinburgh tech accessory firm looks to ease the physical strain of working in a home office space
A survey of homeworkers by the Institute for Employment Studies shortly after lockdown started, found more than half were reporting new aches and pains, particularly in the neck, back and shoulders. It described a “significant increase in musculoskeletal complaints” and its interim findings identified ensuring a home office set-up is safe and ergonomic as a key action point for employers.
A Scottish tech accessory company is offering a solution to millions of employees suffering from the aches and pains of working from home following a huge rise in physical health issues since the UK’s workforce was effectively sent home when the country went into lockdown in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Edinburgh osteopath Gavin Routledge has also witnessed a big rise in musculoskeletal complaints in recent months. Gavin commented: “I am seeing more pain in areas like neck, shoulders and lower back, plus things like repetitive strain injury in hands and wrists, as well as headaches. With lots of new and existing clients I’ve seen a clear correlation that within four weeks of beginning to work from home a lot of them are suffering, either by developing new problems or exacerbating existing ones.”
Now Edinburgh-based G-Hold has developed a kit that eases the physical strain of working in a home office space. Founder and CEO Alison Grieve said: “Not many people have a home office environment that is ergonomically optimised for working and as a result people are developing lots of back, neck, shoulder, hand and wrist problems which can plague them for the rest of their lives. Our Working From Home Kit encourages people to sit and stand comfortably and correctly, with good posture while working at their computers and tablets, or on their mobile phone or video calls.”
The Working From Home Kit includes holders for phones and tablets, as well as ‘Home Hangs’ that enable users to hang devices from any picture hook or kitchen utensil hanger to allow conference video calls to be viewed at whatever height and position is most comfortable.
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FEATURE
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FEATURE
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care COMPASSION IN REDUNDANCY:
With a considerable increase in UK redundancies due to the effects of COVID-19, many of which are being carried out remotely, it is critical that HR maintains the highest levels for compassion during what is a difficult period for everyone involved. Andy Moore reveals how practitioners will have had to become more “human� than ever in human resources with their skills in compassion, really being put to the test.
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FEATURE
I
f ever there was a time when HR had to become wise beyond its years, look no further than 2020. For many leaders, the first year in the new decade taught an unwelcome lesson in the predicament to make redundancies remotely. The redundancy rulebook was ripped up. HR managers suddenly needed to be greater masters of compassion, empathy and logistics in circumstances that even seasoned people professionals have found challenging. Sarah Hernon, principal career consultant at Right Management, says: “The compassion and sensitivity of leaders has never been more essential during these times of upheaval. Officially, redundancy processes are no different to before, but extra empathy is needed, especially when they are on the back of a massive psychological and emotional journey.” Granted, HR has had to follow legal requirements to the letter, yet early, empathic and thoughtful practices have gone a long way to helping to reduce the emotional and financial burden on colleagues. Sensitive group and individual consultations are vital during a time when employees feel very vulnerable and scared; and outplacement support has also proved essential to help individuals to take their career in a new direction.
of economic hardship, particularly by overlapping skills and expertise. Creating a more collaborative culture, where knowledge is shared, can also reduce the risk of acumen disappearing through the door with employees. Sarah believes the pandemic has presented an opportunity to review work practices – for example to value how some people can be more productive when working from home.
“Organisations that provide support and mentoring before, during and after the redundancy process demonstrate a mark of professionalism,” Sarah stresses. “HR must think about the impact the last year has had on employees, whether it’s the fear of redundancy itself, or a family member who experienced the effects of the pandemic.”
Ultimately, the situation has forced decisions of leaders who suddenly had to manage remotely – yet in many cases this showed trust and performance. It has also demonstrated openness and transparency between leaders and their teams in a way that was previously unimaginable.
Compassionate values show that employers care about their employees, and this extends to leaving the door open to those departing for example people who leave to learn new skills, develop their career and return when the economy and the employer are in a more stable position. Knowledge transfer is also important, especially when multiple roles are being reduced to fewer positions, and with employees serving their notice during very stressful periods. “Employer branding is vital. An exit from an organisation is just as important as when an employee joins,” she says. “Fair treatment of employees gives a positive reputation for organisations to attract future talent, while those leaving can shine a positive light on the employer as a caring place to work.”
Ross Fleming, a partner at Lee Hecht Harrison’s Glasgow office, reiterates that lockdowns and travel restrictions have caused redundancy processes to be conducted virtually and at scale, making the process much more challenging for HR. “There are those who have survived redundancy, lost work colleagues and face the prospect of having to do more work,” he explains. “The key is treating both employees who are leaving and those remaining with dignity and providing them with the professional and emotional support through the next phase of their career.” Ross adds that while formal legal steps are clearly signposted, and there is good information on how to implement a successful redundancy programme, there is less HR guidance on how to ensure emotional support and handling the process with care and compassion.
Redundancies also present HR with an opportunity to reorganise and streamline existing teams during times
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FEATURE
believed they could have. HR can then make the most of true hidden talents that they never knew existed.”
HR must think about the impact the last year has had on employees, whether it’s the fear of redundancy itself, or a family member who experienced the effects of the pandemic.
So, here’s to 2021, whatever it may bring. There is a hope that a slow down in redundancies across the UK, is not too far away however if they are set to continue, at least they are being conducted with the highest levels of compassion.
Handle with care tips: • Compassion and sensitivity have never been more vital during times of upheaval • Empathic group and individual consultations are essential
He believes that organisations with strong empathetic values that offer outplacement may find that their future talent search initiatives will shorten as employee confidence rises and cost per hire begins to decrease.
• Strong values demonstrate that employers care about their employees
Until now, some organisations may not have to deal with redundancies and now is the time to review polices in a caring yet least official-sounding way.
• Employer branding and knowledge transfer are also important
Delegating or sharing the task with line managers across the organisation may also engender difficult yet worthwhile conversations, and when practitioners face redundancy themselves.
• There are opportunities to better prepare and streamline existing teams • Think about the impact on employees, the fear of redundancy or a family member experiencing tough times
Sarah Hernon sums up: “One aspect we can look forward to is the resilience and strategies individuals have demonstrated during this time. A highly valuable skill is adaptability and nurturing those who have delivered way beyond what they
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STATS
Workers feel overworked as a result of the pandemic HARDWORKING professionals are feeling the effects of longer working days and unpaid overtime, according to new research. A new study by Wright Hassall, found that the average worker is performing 9 or more hours of overtime in a given week, which totals more than one working day, compared to just 3 or more hours before the start of the pandemic. The research also found that more than half (52%) are actually doing so without being paid for this. The survey conducted by the firm reveals that 48% of business professionals cite lockdown as the main reason for their extended working day, as 41% say they are working extra hours to help support their company during an extremely challenging time. Remote working has also had a significant impact, as 34% struggle to log off on time, while 29% say they feel under pressure to perform due to a lack of job security.
The data says this is having a damaging impact on workers’ loyalty, with almost 28% saying this has negatively impacted their future commitment to the company, while 1 in 4 say they simply want a better work life balance and the same number say they want to feel supported. Unpaid overtime is having a knock-on effect in terms of workers’ mental health, with as many as 34% saying they feel more anxious, 31% feel more stressed, while 1 in 4 struggles to switch off. More than 1 in 5 (22%) say they have trouble sleeping, while 17% have lower job satisfaction as a result of longer working days. In addition, the data revealed that 18% feel concerned that unpaid overtime will become the norm of their business even after lockdown ends. In addition, the research also suggests workers are not feeling supported by their employers, as 49% say their employer does not offer any form of mental health support, while of those who do, 23% say the support is inadequate and 19% are unaware how to access it.
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Tina Chander, Head of Employment Law at Wright Hassall, comments: “Not only has lockdown had a significant impact on businesses who are struggling financially, but it has also had an impact on their employees, many of whom are working extended hours trying to keep businesses afloat. “It can be emotionally and physically draining to work extra hours for no additional pay, and even more concerning if you’re not receiving the right level of support from your employer when overtime starts to affect your mental health. It’s important to raise any concerns with HR or your supervisor, to ensure you don’t suffer in silence.”
International Enterprising Impactful Leading Strathclyde The final word in business education
Our Masters programmes are consistently ranked among the best in the UK – and around the world. Our department of Work, Employment and Organisation is Scotland’s leading centre for research, knowledge exchange and professional education in human resource management and employment studies. As HRM experts, we understand the importance of providing high quality education that fits around your career: We offer: • A part time MSc/PGDip Human Resource Management programme which is completed in two years with classes from 1–7pm once a week. • CIPD* approved postgraduate qualifications leading to Associate Membership. • Constructive external engagement with policy makers and practitioners. Make Strathclyde your destination.
www.strath.ac.uk/business
* CIPD is the professional body for HR and people development. SBS are proud to be offering programmes in conjunction with CIPD (previously IPD and IPM) for almost 70 years.
BULLYING & HARASSMENT
DATA PROTECTION
DISABILITY
DISCIPLINE & GRIEVANCE
DISMISSAL
EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS
EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE
Immigration: New Year, new way of working By Samantha Mackie, Law At Work Requirements changing – Post Brexit Immigration point based system The transition period closed on 31st December 2020 and with it, ended the free movement of people. From 1st January 2021 employers should be prepared to review their right to work processes, revise offer letters and consider their approach to recruitment with the new immigration points based system in mind. We have put together a short need to know guide that answers the common queries faced by our clients about their business in the lead up to Brexit. What is it the points based system? The post Brexit immigration system requires any new European or EEA migrant to have a visa before entering the UK. To employ any new talent from Europe, employers must hold a sponsorship licence. The current Tier 2 visa routes will then be replaced by the new skilled worker and Intra Company
Transfer route. To be granted a visa, their eligibility will be assessed using set criteria that each carries a prescribed number of points. Is using points as the basis of visa eligibility a new requirement? The Immigration points based system is already in operation around the world in countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Using points as a basis of visa eligibility is also not a new procedure for the United Kingdom. Until the new system goes live in December 2020, the current system is still in effect. The current system entails international applicants to be assessed on a points basis, before being granted right to work under the Tier 2 route. What are the applicant requirements under the new system? To be granted a visa the applicant must attain 70 points. The current annual visa limit of around 20,700 visas
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EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE
To be successful in their application, an applicant must meet all three of the mandatory criteria: • Have a job offer from an authorised sponsor20 points
• Evidence English language skills at B1 level 10 points The final 20 points are achieved by one of the following requirements, which largely centre on the applicant’s salary. We would recommend employers consider if the visa financial requirements suit their budgeting and resourcing before beginning the process. • The job is in a shortage occupation and the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for SOC code • The applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both £25,600 and the ‘going rate’ for the job’s SOC code
As this is one of the more complex aspects of the process, employers are encouraged to seek advice. If the proposed role for sponsorship is deemed as falling within a UK skill shortage some of the more rigorous financial requirements need not apply. Employers should note that the salary requirements for ‘new entrants’ differ from any ‘experienced worker’. Under the new skilled worker visa, the decision was made to drop the salary requirement from £30,000 to £25,600 for the experienced worker to attract talent to the UK market.
What can I do to mind my business post Brexit? We would encourage employers to consider any recruitment that they may wish to carry out over the next year and assess the likelihood of the need for a licence. Although an initial outlay in the midst of a pandemic, the skilled worker licence could become a useful tool to fill internal skills gaps and maintain full service delivery with the retained ability to access the full candidate pool at a crucial time for business. As a bottle neck of applications to the home office may be initially expected, this may cause delays in licence and visa outcomes which may have a domino effect on securing the best talent for roles. To avoid this, employers are encouraged to recruit now where possible. Other considerations
WORKING TIME
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TUPE
The post Brexit immigration system also largely amends the rules on ‘switching’, which allows potential candidates to be sponsored if they already have their own right to work from a different visa. Caution should be exercised as common visa routes such as visitors and short-term students are excluded from switching. The rules relating to the popular intra company transfer route have also been widened, lowering the length of service that a graduate or employee may require before being eligible for international mobility. Employers are always encouraged to seek advice on whether eligibility requirements may be met before spending time and resources on recruitment planning.
TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
• The applicant has a PHD in STEM subject relevant to the job and the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both £20,480 and 80% of the going rate for the SOC code
Considering the potential salary requirements in conjunction with the skills and Standard Occupational Codes applicable, the hospitality, agricultural and care sector may be adversely affected by the new changes. Organisations within these sectors are encouraged to bolster their recruitment practices now to help ease the pressure of any potential shortages that may initially occur. The government have indicated that they may amend the tradeable points to support sectors if there is a widespread impact on labour but until that happens, we would encourage those employers to prepare and act now.
REDUNDANCY
• The applicant has a PHD in a subject relevant to the job (the sponsor must provide a “credible explanation” as to how it is relevant) and their salary equals or exceeds both £23,040 and 90% of the going rate for the SOC code
The introduction of the post Brexit point based system is one of the biggest overhauls of sponsored migration since the original points based system was created 12 years ago for international residents. It is likely that it will revolutionise recruitment practices, increase diversification pools within the workplace and provide sponsorship opportunity with more eligible roles than before. Although the new system increases prospects of eligibility, there are some sectors that are feared, to be left behind.
MATERNITY & PARENTAL RIGHTS
• The role to be sponsored is at the appropriate skill level 20 points
What does this mean for UK businesses?
HEALTH & SAFETY
per year has been suspended for the foreseeable future and provided that the potential employee meets the criteria, their visa should be secured.
FEATURE
THURSDAY 13TH MAY 2020
1
‘Strategic Workforce Planning’
&
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‘Lea Out Pan
FEATURE
SAVE
£50
ON EARLY BIRD & BOOK ONLINE
NOW!
T
he Hr NETWORK ‘Strategic Workforce Planning’ & ‘Leading Out of COVID’ Conference and Exhibition will take place on Thursday 13th May 2021 at the Grosvenor Hotel in Edinburgh’s West End.
In this preview feature, the organisers of the Conference provide a preview of the main theme and supporting topics, which will feature as part of this hugely anticipated event and they encourage delegates to secure their bookings as soon as possible, as places are limited.
ading t of a ndemic’ 25
FEATURE
The organisers are delighted to announce that this ‘HYBRID’ Conference & Exhibition is designed for a ‘live’ physically attending audience and also an online audience who can take part in the Conference interactively during the day and will have up to 28 days to visit the Conference & Exhibition online, as part of our new festival format.
Speakers from a range of award-winning organisations who have successfully lead their employee’s out of COVID-19 by implementing a sustainable strategic workforce plan to mitigate the current impact and any future threats from a new pandemic will discuss significant organisational benefits that have led to increased productivity, enhanced job satisfaction and gained a clear competitive advantage, despite the challenges of the pandemic.
Strategic Workforce Planning & Leading Out of a Pandemic
Whilst this is principally a one day conference taking place at the Grosvenor Hotel in Edinburgh’s West End on Thursday 13th May 2021 in Edinburgh, with 6 ‘live’ Keynote speakers, online delegates will have the option to view a wide range of pre-recorded breakout sessions during and up to 28 days after the Conference has concluded as part of the festival format, which is designed to ensure that all delegates, whether attending the Conference in person or online, will be able to access the full speaker programme.
The strategic workforce planning process sets out important information on a wide range of key people development areas such as talent attraction and recruiting the best talent, area’s of productivity, attrition and other risk factor’s and creates a environment where people can thrive in line with the business’ success.
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FEATURE
Keynote Speakers
ATTENDING IN PERSON
The 2021 Conference will now feature six keynote speakers, throughout the day with a range of pre-recorded breakout sessions where delegates, in-person or online will be able to take in all sessions for up to 28 days after the Conference:
*Early bird discount available until Friday 26th February 2021. From 1st March 2021 onwards £175+VAT. **Early bird discount available until Friday 26th February 2021. From 1st March 2021 onwards £225+VAT.
ATTENDING ONLINE
• Developing & Building Workforce Capability
*Early bird discount available until Friday 26th February 2021. From 1st March 2021 onwards £75+VAT.
• Creating a Positive Culture for Change
Please note that this is a sample of sessions’ themes available and the full speaker programme will be published on the Hr NETWORK website very soon!
• Exploring The Four-Day Working Week • Employment Law for the Future Workforce • Generational and Future Talent Planning
ATTENDING DELEGATE package includes:
• Engaging, Retaining and Rewarding the Workforce
• 6 Keynote Sessions
• Analytics: Performance, Measurement & Improvement
• 8 pre-recorded breakout sessions (via online for up to 28 days in festival format)
• Creating a Digitally Enabled Workforce
• Access to Exhibitor & Networking area
• Defining Workforce Potential for the Future
• Lunch and Refreshments during the day
• Providing a Healthy, Happy and Harmonious Workplace
• Delegate Bag including merchandise and goodies
ONLINE DELEGATE package includes:
plus much, much more….
• 6 Keynote Sessions (via online ‘live’ and for up to 28 days in festival format)
ATTENDING IN PERSON – Early Bird Delegate Costs:
• 8 pre-recorded breakout sessions (via online for up to 28 days in festival format)
HR Practitioner (non commercial) – *£125+VAT
• Access to Online Exhibitor & Networking Area
Others (including: Consultants and independent advisors) – **£175+VAT
‘Early Bird’ booking discount available until Friday 26th February 2021
ATTENDING ONLINE – Early Bird Delegate Costs:
To avoid disappointment, the early bird booking for attending in person is strongly recommended as the venue for the conference has limited capacity, which makes this event extremely popular.
HR Practitioner or Other – *£55+VAT Group bookings available – Details available on request Please note that costs include full access to the Keynote sessions, Breakout sessions and exhibitor areas plus lunch and refreshments on the day.
Please note that the Conference & Exhibition is being organised as a ‘HYBRID’ event to cater for attending in-person delegates as well as online delegates to the conference and exhibition. In the event that the conference & exhibition is moved to online only, delegates who have paid to attend in person will attend as an online delegate and nominate a colleague or friend to attend the conference also, at no extra cost. No refund will be given.
For further information on sponsor and exhibitor options or to book your delegate place, please contact the Conference Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: subscriptions@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk www.hrnetworkjobs.com
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THE BOOKSHOP
BETWEEN the LINES A Promised Land
Leaders in Lockdown
By Barack Obama
By Atholl Duncan
An extraordinarily intimate and introspective-the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.
Leaders in Lockdown is a unique insight from the women and men who were on the front line of leading the business world’s fight against COVID-19. From New York to Singapore to Hong Kong to the City of London, it captures a remarkable moment in time – when the global economy was brought to a shuddering halt in the struggle to contain a deadly pandemic. These firsthand accounts of 100 days of lockdown tell stories of leadership in a crisis. They also share the wisdom of some of the world’s most thoughtful business leaders as they predict how the world will change because of COVID-19.
Jacinda Ardern – A New Kind of Leader By Madeleine Chapman New Zealand’s prime minister has been hailed as a leader for a new generation, tired of inaction in the face of issues such as climate change and far-right terrorism. Her grace and compassion following the Christchurch mosque shooting captured the world’s attention. Oprah Winfrey invited us to ‘channel our inner Jacindas’ as praise for Ardern flooded headlines and social media.
I Am Malala By Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price when she was shot in the head at point-blank range. Malala Yousafzai’s extraordinary journey has taken her from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations. She has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and is the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person’s voice to inspire change in the world.
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Prince Philip Revealed By Ingrid Seward In Ingrid Seward’s brilliant new biography, we see how such a man of action coped with having to spend the next seventy years of his life walking two steps behind his wife. His reaction was to create a role for himself, modernising the monarchy, campaigning to protect the environment, supporting the sciences and engineering, and inspiring the young through the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. But, above all, he proved himself to be the Queen’s most valuable and loyal companion throughout her long reign.
FEATURE
90%
ADMIT TO BOOZING WHILE WORKING FROM HOME By Mark Hall
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FEATURE
A
ccording to research carried out by health and safety software company Protecting.co.uk, 90% of employees admit to boozing while working from home and this brings all sorts of problems such as worker health, the quality of work, as well as deeper ethical issues. Here, Mark Hall from Protecting.co.uk offers some guidance and advice to help ensure workers put the bottle down while working from home.
To say that 2020 was a tough year is an understatement, and it appears that there has been an increase in the amount of alcohol being consumed at home since the pandemic began. But the worry for many employers is that staff, are drinking on the job while working from home, and our research has found that 90% of workers will admit to drinking alcohol while on the clock. The freedoms of working from home have allowed workers to behave in ways they wouldn’t dream of in the office. Just because you are in your own home, alcohol and substance abuse policies still apply.
‘Just one drink won’t hurt’ Drinking has always been a part of UK culture, with 29% of people saying they would go to the pub for after work drinks. However, with huge numbers of the UK workforce having been on furlough or working from home this year, the opportunity to unwind in the pub with colleagues at the end of a long week has all but disappeared.
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FEATURE
But this doesn’t mean people have stopped drinking. In fact it’s quite the opposite – 26% of people in UK saying they increased their alcohol consumption between March and June when pubs were closed during the first lockdown.
And drinking on the job isn’t the only naughty habit people have admitted. There was a 20% increase in adults seeking help from addiction services about substance abuse in April 2020, and a whopping 58% admitted to getting down and dirty during working hours.
Now a phone poll we have carried out finds that nine out of ten people have admitted to drinking while working in the comforts of their own homes this year.
“It’s alarming to employers to hear that staff feel like they can get away with all kinds of behaviour while they are out of office. It’s going to be a hard habit to break once this is all over.”
It ranges from just a glass for two with lunch, to getting through a whole bottle of wine a day, but the health implications are clear. Not physically being in the office has changed the way people view work this year, and it feels like all the rules have gone out the window, and Protecting fears the lack of structure that comes with home working has left many blurring the boundaries between home and work life.
Many may not realise they are breaking the rules Protecting.co.uk spoke to 1300 people who are all working at home due to Covid 19 • Have you had a drink during working hours while working at home: 90% yes • Have you had a drink while working from home on more than 1 occasion: 87% yes • Do you drink while working from home more than 2 times a week: 83% yes • Have you consumed more alcohol during the pandemic than you did previously? 93% yes
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FEATURE
What can employers do to stop drinking on the job?
• Set regular working hours – Be clear about what hours you expect home working to be done, so staff are able to define when they are on your time, and when they are off the clock and can have a drink
Most workplaces will have a robust alcohol and substance abuse policy to keep staff in check when they are at work, but with so many people admitting to drinking while working from home, it’s clear that the rules are not being followed.
• Offer support – It has been a tough year, and more vulnerable workers may be feeling the temptation to drink more than others, so be sure to let them know if they reach out that help is available
Unfortunately for employers, even if there are policies in place against alcohol use, it’s difficult to police what your staff are up to at home during work hours.
• Substance testing – The more extreme option is to send your employees home testing kits and ask them to test themselves before work to make sure they are able to work
But all is not lost. We have come up with some advice to help ensure workers put the bottle down while working from home:
The best approach is to talk to your employers and help them to understand why it is important to you and your business for these rules to be followed, but to also support those who may be struggling.
• Talk to your employees – Keep communication open and regularly check in with your staff to see how they are getting on • Remind them of employment policies – Be clear to remind them about terms in their contracts about adhering to policies and follow this up with a clarification on what the policies actually mean
We all have our guilty pleasures and vices, but this should not impact our ability to work professionally, and if you find yourself unable to cope there are plenty of resources available.
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MYLINKEDIN
Ruth McEvilly
Client Management Executive Current: Sterling Lexicon Education: The University of Huddersfield Connections: 500+ Location: Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
About:
Education:
A global mobility professional with 8 years industry experience, my focus is working closely with clients developing strong relationships, listening to their relocation needs to provide tailor-made solutions. A bespoke service helps provide the right support to help relocating employees smoothly transition into their new roles and settle happily.
The University of Huddersfield
Volunteer experience: Chairperson North East Open Studios January 2017 – October 2018 Arts and Culture North East Open Studios (NEOS) is the largest open studios event in Scotland, its purpose is to showcase the artistic and creative talents of the North East whether professional or amateur with around 300 members. It is solely run by volunteers who were recognised in 2020 with the Queens Award. NEOS adds to the strong cultural heritage of the area.
Experience: Sterling Lexicon 8 years 4 months Client Management Executive Sterling Lexicon January 2020 – present Senior Relocation Consultant Sterling Lexicon May 2016 – March 2020 Relocation Consultant Sterling Lexicon September 2011 – April 2016 Head of Design Alexanders of Edinburgh May 2001 – April 2011
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FEATURE 3
RECOGNISE
ACKNOWLEDGE
REWARD
SAVE THE DATE! NATIONAL AWARDS 2021
in partnership with
Gala Dinner, Glasgow Hilton, Thursday 25th November 2021 For further details contact the Awards Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk www.hrnetworkjobs.com 35
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Onboa
TWO’S CO
First day on the Is there much of a d how the two scena
By Neil A
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EDITOR-AT-LARGE
arding:
OMPANY
job? A first date? difference between arios are arrived at?
Archibald
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EDITOR-AT-LARGE
I
t’s a love match of sorts when someone chooses to join an organisation. The two parties have met at least once and have got something in common upon which to develop a relationship but are they going to get on, is there enough in common to make it work long-term and what was that initial attraction again that made them appear compatible?
KHA, a provider of housing and support services and an employer of 500, has recruited almost 20% of their workforce since March which has meant their already well-developed induction programme has been made good use of. Individuals have been recruited across a spectrum of jobs with standard onboarding processes only needing a slight tweaking. Andrew Latto, Interim Director of HR, commented: “The vast majority of our induction material was already online but some changes were made to paper-based processes supported by our well-developed digital infrastructure.” Following government advice, many staff have been working from home for months which also applied to some new recruits. However, a potentially complicating factor was that some new trade-based employees and those that supply direct support and care to individuals had to carry out their duties in people’s homes. This necessitated some elements of their induction process needing to be carried out on in person such as manual handling training.
Unlike the flirtations and mostly short-lived relationships portrayed on the popular C4 First Dates programme, gaining an employer as a new partner needs a structured approach to avoid this particular flirtation ending before it’s begun. In normal times the value of an effective and robust induction/onboarding process focusing on not just administrative and compliance issues but also taking account of organisational values is a crucial stopping off point in an employee’s journey with an organisation. Add the pandemic ingredient to the mix and the necessity becomes even more important especially with recruitment continuing apace as has been the experience this year of Fife-based Kingdom Housing Association (KHA),
To help overcome this potential barrier, Latto’s H&S team developed working protocols in conjunction with managers whose staff could not be home-based. Latto added: “To ensure the continued provision of our services, risk assessments were undertaken and solutions instigated such as forming bubbles of tradespeople where we needed them to work together.”
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EDITOR-AT-LARGE
It’s a well-established fact that unless people feel part of an organisation they will vote with their feet. A survey conducted by Hays, a provider of recruitment and HR resources, reported that 43% of people leave due to organisational culture. A positive introduction to this is vital in the opening days of an employee’s tenure with a new employer but it has to be there in the first place to be able to showcase.
that he proactively sat at various tables which he saw as an opportunity to get to know colleagues. Latto, keen to improve the social aspect, added: “Our intranet wasn’t up and running before the pandemic but this was accelerated to keep staff informed and to use as a communication tool. We have encouraged new recruits to put a pen portrait of themselves up to help them integrate as quickly as possible given they are not able to meet colleagues in person and may not for a while yet.”
KHA’s Latto reports the organisation works hard at this in order to be an employer of choice in a sector which is constantly recruiting. New staff working remotely will have experienced online workstation assessments as well as constant interaction with their new line managers who have been encouraged to maintain regular contact with their team.
KHA have worked hard to make newcomers welcome by building on their existing induction procedures which includes a virtual coffee shop. They appear to have been successful with the staff engagement score in a recent survey showing a 20-point increase over their 2017 result. Communication during any change-related process is critical to ensure its success but as part of an induction programme it’s vital. The whole point of effectively onboarding people is to ensure a seamless integration of the new employee into the company and its culture, as well as providing the new hire with the tools and information needed to become a productive member of the team.
Latto reflected: “We’ve continually impressed on line managers the importance of keeping in touch with their teams during the pandemic making it clear that as well as regular 1:1s they must also focus on the pastoral care aspect.” Good people-practice sees the onboarding process begin even before someone is hired and continuing once that person is in place. This has been the experience of Ken Tudhope, the recently recruited Director of Finance for KHA who, for the first few weeks of his employment, was inducted online and who didn’t get to personally meet a single team member until a few weeks in.
It’s a well-established fact that unless people feel part of an organisation they will vote with their feet.
Stuart Crozier’s experience of joining his new team in September with a major Glasgow-based investment bank, was made all the easier with clear, constant and unambiguous communication. The Stirlingshirebased Infrastructure Architect had interviews conducted online as was the case with his entire induction process including having to learn to use complex IT systems. Crozier said: “It is the first time in my working life I’ve not met my line manager or colleagues in person as part of joining a company which is strange but which has been helped with a constant information flow from everyone involved in my recruitment.”
He said: “The reading material supplied to me before I joined the organisation helped me get up to speed with what was going on. Although I had to get to grips with a new system I hadn’t used before, it was easy enough to pick up by arranging quick video meetings and sharing screens with colleagues.”
Such an experience is unfortunately probably not representative of many individual’s first impressions of their new employer borne out by the CIPD’s May 2020 resourcing and talent planning survey suggesting as many as 42% of organisations are improving their induction process to, amongst things, enhance retention.
Tudhope acknowledges that without face-to-face meetings it could have been more difficult to get to know the team but he reports no downside to this way of being inducted. He reflects: “It’s possibly helped being introduced into the organisation in this manner as it’s potentially easier to contact people when they are at home and not out and about at meetings. You also don’t have trouble remembering names when they are displayed on the screen in front of you!”
There’s nothing like a pandemic to make employers sit up and take notice of something that should be an organisation’s bread and butter and not just seen as something on the side, such as they might do in the First Dates restaurant!
The one aspect Latto reports that has been lacking as part of the recent induction process is the lack of social interaction. As part of a recently introduced initiative, a virtual staff conference was held and Tudhope reports
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EXTRA: CARER POSITIVE
PREPARING YOUR ORGANISATION FOR 2021 AND BEYOND:
Supporting carers in your workplace
T
he sudden emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 brought about an unprecedented and challenging year for Scottish businesses. With a vaccine being rolled out across the country, employers and staff members alike are now keen to establish what the future of working life will look like in Scotland.
for people who may be vulnerable, or shielding. Normal care services may have been withdrawn and caring demands intensified; and that part of life away from caring, with the chance for social interaction with colleagues removed. However it also shone a light on the opportunities created by the need to adapt to different working models. Flexible working has long been recognised as beneficial, not just to working carers and their families, but in translating those better work-life balances to the overall resilience of organisations. And whilst the right to request flexible working has been strengthened in statutory terms in recent years, reservations and practical challenges often stood in the way of many staff benefiting from this provision.
Employers may be increasingly aware of the growing numbers of employees juggling work with caring for someone who may be older, frail, ill or disabled. The pandemic saw the number of carers in Scotland rise by 400,000 to stand at a now estimated 1.1 million people. Over half of those new to caring as a result of the pandemic have been working carers, added to the existing 270,000 combining work and care.
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown restrictions saw a sudden and drastic shift in this, with employers forced to act quickly to enable remote and flexible working in order to continue operations.
Lessons learned from 2020 The speed of the move to home working has been impressive. People have adapted quickly and gained new skills, allowing allow teams to collaborate remotely and
Managing these roles has always been challenging, but working carers have had the additional concern of caring
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EXTRA: CARER POSITIVE
Case Study: Historic Environment Scotland
meet work commitments in new ways. Furthermore, it has confirmed to employers that flexible working can be entirely viable. Employees have also reported that increased flexibility has enabled them to organise their working hours more effectively and productively.
Over 200 organisations have been recognised as ‘Carer Positive Employers’ in Scotland. Most recently, Historic Environment Scotland with 1,400 employees was awarded in November 2020. HES has been increasingly aware of the challenges faced by employees who are carers, particularly highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic, and has been keen to reach out to and support staff with caring responsibilities.
Embracing on-line communication platforms has perhaps been the revelation of 2020, bringing new opportunities to maintain and even widen existing networks, attend meetings more easily, connect staff in new ways and provide health and wellbeing support through innovative online outreach models.
Led by the organisation’s Wellbeing team, and working closely with local carers centre VOCAL (Voices of Carers across Lothian), HES has developed a range of activities to encourage carers to identify themselves and seek support from line managers and the HES Wellbeing group. Flexible working options and monthly awareness campaigns also help signpost carers to relevant information and advice. Looking to the future, HES plan to launch a new Carers Policy, training for managers, and a staff Carers Network in 2021.
As we begin 2021, we urge employers to be aware of the challenges faced by staff with caring responsibilities and to consider how they reach out to and identify those employees...
Angie Hamilton, Head of Wellbeing at Historic Environment Scotland commented: “HES is delighted to be recognised as a Carer Positive employer. We are committed to supporting working carers within HES and we will continue to develop our wellbeing support and services to carers within our organisation.”
Becoming a Carer Positive Employer Carer Positive is a Scottish Government initiative, delivered by Carers Scotland. Participation is entirely free and provides access to expert advice, resources, testimonials and networking events.
Transitions to remote working of course have also presented challenges and have not been possible for many organisations and front-line staff. Some systems and technologies may have been ill equipped to adapt, and remote geographies particularly subject to limited broadband accessibility. The overwhelming message however is that homeworking works – and the challenges that remain will continue to be ironed out in recognition of its growing potential within future, possibly more blended models of working.
Becoming recognised with a Carer Positive Award sends a strong supportive message to both existing and potential new staff, as well setting an excellent standard as an employer in Scotland. Our award scheme is recommended within the Scottish Business Pledge and linked in the Scottish Government’s recent ‘Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidance for Homeworking’.
Looking Forward: 2021 and beyond
For more information on becoming a Carer Positive employer: www.carerpositive.org
As we begin 2021, we urge employers to be aware of the challenges faced by staff with caring responsibilities and to consider how they reach out to and identify those employees, how they support them, and how this is reflected in workplace culture and policies. Carer Positive works with employers across Scotland to do just this. They can also gain recognition as ‘Carer Positive Employers’ through our multi-level awards programme.
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INSIGHT: EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL WELLBEING
The IMPACT OF DEBT on the trio of wellbeing – MENTAL, PHYSICAL, and FINANCIAL
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s the COVID-19 crisis progresses towards the recover and reshape phases, many organisations look at new ways of addressing their employees’ changing social, emotional, physical and financial needs. Here, Jenn Stewart, Director & Head of Money Advice at Johnston Carmichael offers some key tips in supporting and maintaining the financial wellbeing of employees.
stress and anxiety, poor financial wellbeing can also influence productivity at work, which can ultimately have an impact on your bottom line. In cases we have assisted with, many of the employees have said that the worry of debt was a regular distraction from their work and as a result, they felt their performance suffered. Some also mentioned taking time off work due to stress. Personal debt is a sensitive topic and as an employer you may feel it is a difficult one to tackle directly. Which is why having access to an external resource providing an empathetic ear and trusted, confidential advice is invaluable. We know that January tends to be the toughest financial month for many people – especially those who opted to put the cost of Christmas festivities and gifts on their credit or stores cards. The bills land on the doorstep, start to pile up, and that is when it begins to feel overwhelming. And that’s why the start of the year is a good time to incorporate financial support and education into your employee wellbeing programme.
One of the biggest challenges for businesses that have moved to a remote working strategy in response to COVID-19 is how to support their employees’ wellbeing. While there are many potential upsides to working from home, the end of the commute and more control and flexibility over the working day, there can also be downsides including insecurity, isolation and anxiety.
Our team has dealt with personal debt problems across all areas from council tax and mortgage arrears, to credit card debts and payday loans. No debt problem is unsolvable, but the earlier people act, the wider the range of options available. 2021 is hopefully going to be the year of progress and good change for many, so why not pop one more thing on to your new year’s resolution list – incorporating financial support and guidance into your employee wellbeing programme.
Your employees are the lifeblood of your business. They help you achieve your goals and they often are the reason you stand out from your competitors. We know that happy employees tend to be more productive, but did you know that personal debt and its impact on staff wellbeing has become a key issue across the UK? During this difficult and unexpected period, our employees are likely to have experienced more financial stress than usual. They may have been worrying about job security, a reduction in income into the household, the inability to meet priority and non-priority debts. Perhaps someone in the household has been made redundant or subject to a wage reduction. There could even be concerns about whether their pensions will be enough for retirement if they make a reduction in payments due to debt related issues. Financial wellbeing is about having the confidence and peace of mind to make personal financial decisions. A number of money worries can affect financial wellbeing at any stage of life, from worrying about paying debts to concerns about saving for the future. As well as causing
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INSIGHT: APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM
HARDWIRE your culture into your RECRUITMENT TECH!
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f your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is wearing your best outfit and busting your best moves on the dance floor to attract someone you like, then candidate engagement is the first few dates, upon which a lasting relationship will depend. Here, Gary Towers, Talent Intelligence Director at Jobtrain offers some important tips for securing the perfect match through ATS, (Applicant Tracking System) for a lasting relationship.
Use them to replace other elements of your process, such as parts of the application form or telephone interview.
Blind dating Online assessments or psychometric tools can measure ability or aptitude. But use behavioural/situational questions, built into your ATS, to help assess cultural fit and capability. More relevant assessments, as with the practice of blind shortlisting, promote fairness of decision making and promote meritocracy.
Dinner, coffee or walk in the park? Shape your process to empower the candidate to show the very best of themselves. They will appreciate it, and you will gain greater insight and make more informed choices.
So do you live up to the reputation you’ve built for your organisation or the proposition you’ve outlined? Candidates will realise if there is no substance behind it, so you must strike a balance for mutual success.
Fortune favours the bold Good candidates are snapped up quickly. Automated notifications should be set up to prompt recruiters to take actions if they forget or fall behind. Automated communications to candidates can keep them warm and informed of progress. Maintain the tone and language of your culture consistently, but give them the feel of a human hand. Ask yourself: “If I received this email, would it keep me keen?”
The outfit Application forms should reflect the tone and language of your culture. Candidates will appreciate it if you give them tools within your ATS to make it easier, such as CV parsing. A two-stage application feature allows candidates to assess you (and you them) before too much commitment is demanded.
Don’t get jilted at the altar! Don’t lose focus at offer stage. It’s too easy to kick back and think ‘’job done’’. Not at all, this just marks the end of selection and the start of onboarding. An ATS that offers digital contracts and offer packs, and an online reference portal for referees, will help reduce the time (and risk) between offer and start. An online ‘green room’ onboarding experience will seal their decision and trust and keep them committed and excited about joining.
The dance Video interviews can give an alternative method of expression for candidates, that allows their passion and personality to come through, and thus greater insight for recruiters.
Little black book It’s easy to focus on the one, but what about the others that didn’t work out along the way? Make your rejection communications friendly and personalised. Use information from your shortlisting or interview notes, stored in your ATS, as specific feedback for the reason for rejection, and to reference what positives you recorded about them too! After all, you may cross paths again in the future, perhaps as a future hire, a future colleague or peer, or even as one your organisation’s customers.
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INSIGHT: REMOTE WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
Survive to THRIVE
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any team leaders have become ‘mother hens’ to their work-athome agents, caring for their wellbeing and motivation. However, those organisations reluctant to let go of their on-premise infrastructures have struggled to cope with a massive influx of calls, channel shift, heightened customer expectations and disruptions to team availability. Here, Richard Pinnington of Calabrio discusses how workforce management means so much more in challenging times.
flexibility remains key. Are agents in the right place at the right time? Are they scheduled against a constantly changing forecast? Do schedules build in extra time for agents to take care of family or other domestic issues? Are you adding a higher shrinkage to forecasts to compensate for larger numbers of technical issues as agents transition to homeworking or physically move between shifts after workstation deep-cleans? The perfect business case and the perfect time for WFO – in addition to adding agility to scheduling and forecasting, deploying an automated WFM solution that encompasses the full range of workforce optimisation (WFO) capabilities can address the key operational and engagement issues for virtual and office-based teams. By Calabrio’s own calculations, organisations can expect to achieve tangible ROI from a WFM implementation in less than 6 months. Some customers have achieved savings in excess of 30% through accurate scheduling, while results in excess of 95% schedule adherence are commonplace. Other customers have reported an 18% average reduction in contact centre agent churn where flexible shifts are in place, while overtime costs can be reduced by as much as 20% when scheduling staff to their preferred hours. Workforce Engagement Management (WEM) for greater agent wellbeing – at Calabrio, we have seen how 2020 has emphasised a transition in the use of workforce optimisation (WFO) tools, such as WFM, call/screen recording, speech/text analytics, quality and performance management and advanced reporting that are often associated with maximising the productivity of frontline staff. These applications now include features and functions that recognise the value and wellbeing of employees, as well as the associated impact on customer experience (CX). It’s an evolution of WFO to WEM.
Workforce Management (WFM) has come to mean so much more in 2020. Despite a wealth of business continuity and disaster recovery plans, the current health crisis has revealed just how much some businesses have overlooked the importance of the planning function. WFM for flexibility in uncertain times – contact centres today need to strike a balance between managing their virtual teams and preparing for agents who wish to return to the office. This brings a new set of challenges. Workstations have to be cleaned down between shifts, staggered start-times are critical to ensure there is no gap between shifts ending and new ones beginning. There is also the new concept of ‘work support bubbles’, which mean that if there is positive COVID test in one of the bubbles, contact with other team members (and shifts) can be limited and properly controlled without impacting service levels.
Paying attention to the emotional health of frontline staff is a top priority. Although home working is here to stay, the simple truth is that many contact centre agents don’t have a home environment that is conducive to work and being natural communicators, many miss the human contact of the office. Fortunately, the latest WEM solutions cover the complete employee lifecycle from recruitment to on-boarding, coaching to e-learning, team communications to interactions, task assignments to performance targets, gamification to acknowledgment and reward. Make the most of WEM capabilities to engage and motivate agents through self-service technology that helps puts people in control of their working lives and with flexible schedules that accommodate the stresses of remote working.
One positive outcome of the pandemic is that contact centres are being more creative with scheduling. Planners are experimenting with new types of shifts such as microshifts that are great for home working. Mid-day humps or overlap with day/night shifts are easier to avoid. However,
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INSIGHT: WORKPLACE RETURN
How to COPE with the challenges of RETURNING to work in 2021
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t is vital that employers support the emotional wellbeing of their staff post-pandemic and employees and employers alike must be aware that this is for the long run and long-term strategies are needed. Here, Noel McDermott, a Psychotherapist with over 25 years’ experience in health, social care, and education provides tips for workers and business on how to cope with some of the challenges of returning to work.
• Understanding signs of emotional struggle and when to ask for help: bad sleep patterns, appetite changes, losing interest in activities and friends, losing temper a lot, not being able to stop worrying, developing a sense of dread about life or the future, excessive tiredness, increased drinking, relationship struggles • Be aware this is for the long run, this isn’t over quickly, long term strategies are needed
Advice on how to cope with feelings of increased anxiety: • Take a deep breath and practice having faith in the future, tell yourself it will all be ok in the end and if it’s not ok at the moment it’s not the end. Telling yourself positive internal stories reduces stress significantly
There are many questions for HR managers to answer during this time in regard to working conditions, phased return and reasonable adaptations for staff returning who may have been ill, those who have suffered a bereavement of a loved one to the pandemic or are experiencing mental health issues as a result of the crisis. Many workers will be extremely anxious about being in the workplace or travelling there. Organisations must continue their support for physical and mental health and its current thinking about remote and flexible working.
• Helping others helps ourselves. Make time in your day whether on the way to or from work or in the workplace to do something kind/helpful for someone else • Take a challenging situation and find deeper meaning from it; moving into the bigger picture to explain our challenges to ourselves as purposeful reduces fear and depression • Make attachments to beliefs and ideas that express something more transpersonal, whether that is traditional spiritual or religious beliefs or believing in the power of love or nature is not important but having a sense that something bigger is at play is helpful in developing a growth mindset • Put the oxygen mask on yourself (not just the face mask) as if you are not meeting your own needs you will not meet any other needs. These basic needs are self-care, regular exercise, sleep/rest, hydration, social and emotional support
How Businesses Can Support Employee Wellbeing • Develop a pandemic mental health return to work curriculum
Top tips for those employees returning to work:
• Use this opportunity to re-evaluate in house mental health services
• Accept these are challenging times and change your lifestyle accordingly
• Create a culture of openness around mental health problems
• Adopt mentally wealthy approaches to life by ensuring core health strategies in place – good sleep hygiene, eating healthily, exercise, strong support networks, giving up or reducing almost to zero alcohol
• Develop asset based mental health approaches to retain staff
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EVENT PLANNER
Welcome to our Events Planner Page. We are delighted to announce new dates for events taking place from May 2021 and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back! Here are some of the forthcoming events being held in 2021 by Hr NETWORK in partnership with a wide range of partners and supporters.
Forthcoming events: Hr NETWORK Leaders Dinner 2021 Hr NETWORK will host the annual Leaders Dinner in Edinburgh at the Grosvenor Hotel on Wednesday 12th May 2021. Details regarding the after dinner speaker will be announced in due course however if you would like to attend the Leaders Dinner, please contact the Conference Planning Team – details below. If you would like details about sponsoring the Leaders Dinner or hosting a Table of 10, please contact the contact the Conference Planning Team on: 0131 625 3267 or email: subscriptions@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Hr NETWORK Conference & Exhibition 2021 The Hr NETWORK ‘Strategic Workforce Planning Conference & Exhibition 2021 will take place at the Grosvenor Hotel in Edinburgh’s West End on Thursday 13th May 2021. Details relating to the speaker programme, including the keynote presentations, will be announced in due course. If you would like further information on exhibiting or sponsoring at the Conference, please contact the Conference Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or Email: subscriptions@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Hr NETWORK Awards Gala Dinner 2021 The Hr NETWORK National Awards & Gala Dinner 2021 in partnership with Roffey Park Institute will take place at the hugely impressive Hilton Glasgow on Thursday 25th November 2021. If you would like further information on sponsorship or hosting a table of 10 at the Gala Dinner, please contact the Awards Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworrkscotland.co.uk
If you have an event you would like us to promote or review, please contact the events planning team – email: editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
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INSIGHT: APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM
‘Strategic Workforce Planning’ Conference & Exhibition 2021 Hr NETWORK Leaders Dinner 2021 Wednesday 12th May 2021 THURSDAY13TH 14THMAY MAY2020 2020 THURSDAY
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Prime your Future. Design your Change. Transform your People. Roffey Park Institute primes organisations to build skills for everyone, everywhere. We provide distance, digital, blended and face-to-face programmes, coaching, diagnostics and research services around the world to develop individuals, teams and organisations. Our work is driven by our core principles of breaking down barriers within organisations, making workplaces the best they can be. Delivering high impact learning in leadership development, management development, change and resilience, organisational learning, organisational development, and HR, we offer open programmes and conduct international research both for our clients and to fulfill our charitable purpose. We help your people understand, create and perform better, together. Connect with us and start your journey.
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