Tales from the Hinterland

Superb insight into inspiring leadership from Simon Sinek...

2011-11-28T15:18:00.004Z

With over half a million youtube hits I can hardly claim to be an early adopter of this one - but this is fascinating stuff, and even captured the full attention of my Uni students last week...

"people buy not what you do but why you do it"

Well worth investing 18 minutes in...

Some interesting findings from the Forum for In-House Recruitment Managers

2011-10-24T14:47:00.002+01:00

Top line thought -

Those corporate recruiters who share my crusade foo "direct hiring strategy" - i.e. people like the FIHRM - are now on the social media agenda (98%!)

Many recruiters might not quite know what to do with it as yet - but it is heartening to see the King Canute era is at least over - and that engaging with talent pre/during/post recruitment is indeed the future...
-------------------------------------

386 members took part providing, 344 completed surveys, and 42 part completed responses.

Key findings were:

The top 3 priorities for recruiters this year are

sourcing great talent (91%),
cost reduction (59%)
talent pooling (53%)

54% expect their level of recruitment to increase compared to last year

25% expect to recruit for over 1,000 vacancies in 2011

50% have an average time to hire of 4 - 8 weeks

27% have an average cost per hire of under £1,000 *Attraction and Selection costs only - RPO costs excluded.

60% have a recruitment budget for 2011 of £501,000 or more

78% do not currently use PPC (pay per click)

42% say that they already use SEO

98% of respondents use or intend to use Social Media

29% have had no change in their use of offline advertising
Some really interesting findings here, but obviously the stand our statistic is 98% of respondents use or intend to use Social Media

A little bit of nostalgia from 15 years ago...

2011-09-09T12:08:00.002+01:00

First time I'd been to an awards do in Rec Comms, at the end of the evening we had cleaned up & won the overall prize in the days when innovation was a full page ad in the Evening Standard....

http://www.radawards.com/radawards2012/best-work-of-the-year-macmillan-davies-hodes-adams-childrenwear-ltd

"Neat" little video serves as a good intro to social recruiting...

2011-08-19T15:57:00.003+01:00

Game has moved on quickly, it's not if it's how...

Men do not have advantage in workplace it says here...

2011-08-05T12:42:00.000+01:00

More than three-quarters (78%) of HR directors believe that men do not have an advantage over women in the workplace.

This is according to a survey of 180 HR directors carried out by recruitment consultancy Robert Half, which also found that half of those who did think that there was an imbalance between males and females at work believed that family commitments were responsible for this difference.

Respondents also identified a lack of promotion opportunities (42%) and the desire to maintain a good work-life balance (36%) as key factors behind the difference in men and women's professional development.

Phil Sheridan, managing director of Robert Half UK, commented: "While it is encouraging that over three-quarters of HR directors don't view men as having an advantageous position over women in the workplace, more needs to be done.

"Companies should regularly review their succession and remuneration plans to ensure that women are treated fairly and equally, with policies to take into account their family and personal commitments."

The findings of the Robert Half survey are significantly more positive than those of recent research from financial products and services provider Friends Life, which found that the majority of working women see "no end" to obstacles to their advancement in the workplace.

The Friends Life survey found that more than half (55%) of women believed that there would still be a significant pay gap between men and women in 2020 and a similar proportion (53%) thought that they would still be facing more barriers than men to secure senior roles.

Business secretary Vince Cable and home secretary and minister for women and equalities Theresa May recently urged FTSE 350 firms to sign up to voluntary targets for the number of women on their boards by a September deadline, in an effort to increase gender diversity at the top of big companies.

The rise and rise of linkedin

2011-07-13T18:10:00.006+01:00

Those of you who know me have heard me banging on about linked in for over 4 years now...

Its influence continues to grow - and the site has hit a significant landmark in the US this week.

If you need any help getting to grips with a vital tool for both candidate or hiring organisation, do get in touch...

http://thefranchisehound.com/2011/07/12/linkedin-becomes-2nd-most-popular-social-networking-site/

Direct sourcing and social media take a step forward.....

2011-06-29T10:39:00.004+01:00

Jury's out on how BeKnown (the new Facebook app from Monster) will fare, but the 'big beast' in the field - linkedin - is upping the ante with this tool..

Question remains, will the corporates pick up the baton, or will the Rec Cons stay ahead of the curve when it comes to candidate sourcing?

LinkedIn tools could shift recruitment landscapeBut research shows limited current take-up

The debate over the business uses of social media is set to be reignited amid news that professional networking site LinkedIn is about to unveil a set of tools to push it even further into the recruitment world.

An enhanced “recruiter tool” for employers – which includes an engine for users to refer contacts for a job and a function for recruiters and managers to exchange and give feedback on candidate profiles – is in testing phase. Meanwhile a direct plug-in for employer websites, where LinkedIn members would effectively use their profiles as CVs in job applications, is also rumoured to be in development.

LinkedIn has now passed 100 million users globally, and is used by many employers searching for potential hires on the network – including “passive” users who may not be actively seeking a role change. So is it now becoming a game-changer for recruitment?

“LinkedIn is a living database and allows companies to connect with top talent and be more conversational,” says Matt Alder, director of strategic recruitment consultancy MetaShift, who is an advocate. “Employers that don’t understand how these platforms work will be at a real disadvantage.”

Global engineering and project management firm CH2M HILL is one company that has turned to professional networks to fulfil specialist roles.

David Mason, its international talent acquisition director, told PM that 10 per cent of the company’s hires in the past 12 months had come through LinkedIn, and it was typically using the platform as a sourcing stream for highly skilled roles, commanding salaries of £50,000 upwards.

He said that contributing to member groups and building an alumni community was an important part of the firm’s LinkedIn strategy.

“The big change is that we tend to focus on 10 people who match our job profile very quickly, and can invest time in managing expectations, while letting unsuccessful candidates down in a way that leaves them with a positive view of the company,” explained Mason.

He added that the ongoing challenge for HR professionals was fitting their approach to “a rapidly developing online space into their overall recruitment strategy.”

But widespread corporate use of these online channels could be overestimated, according to the CIPD’s latest Resourcing and Talent Planning survey. It found that currently 16 per cent of organisations use LinkedIn to attract applicants – a 2 per cent rise on last year.

“Our survey found the use of LinkedIn is much lower than you would expect; it doesn’t seem to be following the hype,” said Claire McCartney, the CIPD’s resourcing and talent planning adviser. “But Generation Y will increasingly look to social media and professional networks for jobs, and I think organisations need to respond and look at the positives they bring.”

McCartney added, however, that she saw such channels as being supplementary to traditional recruitment strategies, and firms “should be wary of investing all their resources in one route to generate candidates”.

LinkedIn may not be the most suitable social media conduit for hiring graduates with a limited career history, while not every experienced professional will be signed up to the network.

“Organisations need to be fishing in a really diverse pool and you will only get a certain type of person on LinkedIn,” said McCartney. “Employers need to ensure they are not preventing applications from different demographic groups.”

The emergence of social media networks as talent sourcing channels could be seen as a direct threat to recruitment consultancies – which the CIPD survey showed are still the second most popular method of attracting candidates after a company’s own corporate website.

But this is not necessarily the case, according to Julie Waddicor, managing director of Hays HR, who says the recruitment firm is actively embracing social media.

She said networks such as LinkedIn “added value for the HR community”, but cautioned against assuming that such digital techniques would be less labour intensive than traditional methods.

“To use LinkedIn effectively, firms will have to invest time in trawling through the network. And you can’t recruit above a very low level without interviewing,” said Waddicor. “But, although there are far quicker ways of attracting candidates, I can think of several roles where we’ve sourced a shortlist from LinkedIn because it has been such a niche job.”

Another company exploring the social media space is the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which as well as building the profiling abilities is of its own global careers website, is running pilots on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

This move has been with a view to “gaining an understanding of what candidates are saying about RBS as an employer brand,” said Nimai Swaroop, group head of employer branding and marketing at the banking giant.

“With increased candidate awareness and information available 24/7, our employer brand needs to respond – otherwise we could lose out on the large population currently on those networks,” he continued.

“They foster competitiveness because everyone else is online providing similar message. It is becoming increasingly important for customer and employer brands to be clear, specific and consistent about what they are actually offering.”

Red faces at Orange...

2011-04-19T19:04:00.002+01:00

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/telecoms/8459130/Orange-tells-call-centre-workers-they-can-keep-their-jobs-if-they-relocate-to-the-Philippines.html

Great HR slogans of our time

2010-10-01T11:51:00.001+01:00

Thanks to my colleague JOn for spotting this one:

is "Think HR. Think again" really what the CIPD had in mind??

ttp://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-careers/default.htm?wa_src=vanity&wa_pub=various&wa_crt=thinkhr&wa_cmp=mem_careers

Employer Branding summit coverage from ri5....

2010-09-24T09:28:00.001+01:00

The lofty aim of the Employer Branding Summit 2010 was to provide practical advice on the implementation and refreshment of an employer brand, thereby improving the internal and external perception of an organisation. This was to be achieved in a day at the Canary Wharf Hilton in London's Docklands. Here, on Thursday 16th September, around sixty delegates from HR, recruitment and employment marketing gathered to listen and contribute to a whistle-stop series of nine enthusiastic presentations from leading employer branding professionals.

Dr Graham Dietz, lecturer in HR management at Durham Business School, who chaired and introduced the summit, said that ultimately the employer brand (EB) is about the covenant of trust between the organisation and the employee. A key point, he said, is that the personality traits of the organisation, including those of its employees, are decisive in attracting and retaining talented people.

Esther O'Halloran, HR director of French bakery and patisserie Paul UK, had a novel approach, offering chocolate bars to those who asked questions. She explained that understanding the employer brand is key, demonstrating how branding their company as very French, quirky, and ‘famille'-oriented has enabled them to align their employer and consumer brands and recruit good people, despite very low initial wages. The attitude, personality and culture-fit of staff are as important as their skills. Having a strong EB has led to a 69% reduction in staff turnover in the last year, yielding substantial savings in recruitment and training costs. The company no longer uses recruitment agencies and spends very little on recruitment overall, with most new joiners resulting from referrals.

Next up was Craig Pattison, senior HR business partner at Lloyd's, who spoke on transitioning the brand into an employee value proposition (EVP) to create a hook to attract and keep the best candidates. His company is a prime example of a brand being misunderstood, as Lloyd's is frequently confused with Lloyds TSB or Lloyds Pharmacies. Much of the work that goes into an employer brand is general common sense and, while it requires a dedicated budget, the cost need not be huge. An EVP can be used to create the voice of the organisation. Much needs to be done before implementation, however, including definition, discovery, research to understand the master brand of the company and perceptions of it, and planning and benchmarking.

A number of questions arose from the first three presentations concerning, among other things, the communication of the EVP, and measuring its KPIs. Suggestions here were to keep it simple, and to use a handful of key measures such as retention, reduction in cost per hire, and overheads. Delegates were also urged to engage with marketing colleagues to ensure that EVPs and an organisation's master brand are in tune.

Helene Williamson, head of resourcing at Monsoon Accessorize, kicked off the post-coffee session by saying that you cannot create an EB, because you already have one. What you can do is research what your brand is, fix any problems, shape the brand by creating an EVP (or more than one), track its impact, and identify brand ambassadors amongst your existing staff. Employer branding should not be viewed as a project, but as a long-term commitment that needs constant care to keep it real and alive. The role of recruitment is to provide the foundations of the brand, and to fish for the best possible people in the right pools, so that they fit the organisation. Often recruiters are guilty of completing an EB project and moving on, without ensuring that brand ambassadors and their line managers have the right support and information.

Honest and open communication between employer and employee is key to keeping employer branding on the right track, according to Simon Russell, director of consulting at Work Group plc, who talked about ‘the discreet charm of the EVP'. An organisation can never be in total control of its EB - just look at BP; all the more reason why it should be investing in its brand, using the EVP as a frank and honest engagement with prospective employees. Employers need to put the candidate first and ask themselves why the person they want to employ should choose to work with their organisation. Recruitment messages should be based on the true culture and spirit of the business. Building a sound EVP will help supply the honest information needed to underpin such realism. Finally, Simon emphasised that all this takes courage - you can't win by doing the same as everyone else, you must be yourself, follow your instincts and not try to hoodwink people.

Martin Cerullo, director of resourcing communications & innovation at Alexander Mann Solutions, picked up the reins from Simon by explaining how to develop a measurable EB experience. After emphasising that measurement starts with your business case, he said that there should be a strong partnership between employer branding and other facets of the business, such as recruitment, HR, sales and marketing. HR's role is to provide data, cut attrition and put a cost on losing people, working closely with marketing. The EB should be looked at from a consumer marketing point of view - he likened buying a new car to the recruitment process, with the candidate as customer. During the Q & A session, Martin said that getting marketing to enter the HR arena and become more involved in both the recruitment process and EVP was quite a challenge, but that it is starting to work in several large blue-chips, such as Shell and Unilever.

After lunch, the sessions became more interactive, including a ‘knowledge sharing networking session' among the delegates on each table. Matthew Jeffrey, head of global talent brand at video games company EA (whose company now makes 65% of its global hires through social media) led a workshop on social media and the employer brand. Social media is an interactive, two-way process, claimed to be different to "old" recruitment advertising methods. The employer brand exists within the organisation, it cannot be created, but an emotional attachment can be built using Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, Twitter, blogs and the like. Many delegates were already using social media for recruitment and some have hired people for this specific purpose. The downside is that a disgruntled employee can have a devastating effect on a company's reputation from just one blog - Matthew's advice was to let it go, don't try and hit back; other employees from your online community will often come to your defence. The community becomes self-regulating and it is a matter of trusting your employees not to spend too much time on social media. Matthew concluded by saying that the old ‘post and pray' recruiters have had their day.

Marc Campman, marketing director of social media software company Webjam, spoke on Enterprise 2.0 and how businesses can use internal social networks to support the employer brand and communicate from the bottom up. Enterprise social media leads to more efficiency, innovation and openness. From the employer's point of view, it unites colleagues worldwide and helps improve and expand the business. He cited the somewhat bold predictions by technology research company Gartner that, by 2014, social networking services will replace email as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20% of business users; and social network analysis will be used routinely by 25% to improve performance by 2015.

The final ‘graveyard' slot fell to Graham White, HR director at Westminster City Council, who brought proceedings to an entertaining close with a presentation on using EB for engagement, featuring videos of many terrible TV ads. Key messages were that companies need to understand their employees as well as they understand their customers. In terms of engagement, information is not power if it is not shared.

Overall, a key message of the day was that employer branding is not the remit of any one part of the organisation. The employer brand must fit with the overall consumer or marketing brand of the company, and HR, recruitment and marketing need to work together on this. Another repeated theme was that a successful EB need not be expensive - indeed, if successful, it can achieve substantial savings on recruitment agency costs and other methods. Lastly, authenticity and openness are key in designing your brand.

if you can't beat em - join em....

2010-09-05T13:28:00.000+01:00

CIPD awards
Telefónica O2 UK
performance & reward

The O2 people promise is to create a place where “happier people perform at their best and are more loyal”. One element of that, “thanks for a job well done” links directly to reward. In May 2007, a review identified a lack of communication, with staff not appreciating the rewards on offer. In partnership with Penna Barkers, the firm developed O2rewards.com - an interactive portal clearly identifying the elements of the reward package; individualised total reward statements; and interactive tools to help staff choose benefits.

To spread the word, HR used methods such as roadshows, cascading and publicising the portal on plasma screens in prominent locations. More than 13,000 visitors accessed the portal in the two months after its launch in 2007. And 2,254 people enrolled in the flexible benefits scheme last November, up from 2,095 during the last enrolment.

Judges’ comment: “Good use of communication channels across the business to raise awareness.”

HR market suggests upturn

2010-08-02T16:10:00.002+01:00

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2010/07/22/56312/hr-jobs-market-buoyant-as-firms-look-to-recovery.html

let's all hope the large axe currently being wielded at the public sector doesn't tip the balance back the other way....

going up

2010-07-19T13:44:00.001+01:00

(RTTNews) - Online job opportunities in Europe increased in June for the fifth consecutive month, suggesting the overall industry is on a path of gradual recovery, Monster Worldwide Inc. said on Tuesday. Opportunities climbed 12% compared to June 2009 and their highest level since February 2009.

The Monster Employment Index Europe rose to 114 in June from 112 in May. Online job availability improved the most in production, manufacturing, maintenance and repair, from both a monthly and annual perspective. Among major nations, Germany recorded the sharpest monthly increase, while Sweden continued to exhibit the most positive long-term trend.

“The slight improvement in June is yet another encouraging sign for current job seekers,” said Andrea Bertone, head of Monster Europe. “Whilst both consumer and business confidence remained static between May and June, we have seen positive trends emerge in sectors such as manufacturing and transport and are optimistic about the level of opportunities that are emerging throughout the year,” Bertone added.

The Monster Employment Index Europe is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards across Europe.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

Copyright(c) 2010 RTTNews.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

end of an era for Personnel Today

2010-06-17T16:33:00.002+01:00

sign o' the times folks
still - was always good to have news update in handy newspaper format

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=45597&c=1

the talent squeeze is still on...

2010-05-17T12:18:00.001+01:00

Employers fear they will not be able to find enough people with skills as demand for talent intensifies post recession, a new study has revealed.

Half of employers (51%) are concerned they will not be able to fill posts requiring the right graduate level or higher skills in the coming years, and a third (32%) don't believe it will be possible to fill intermediate level jobs, requiring skills equivalent to A level. A third (30%) of employers predict the need for lower-level skills will decrease, while just 17% say it will increase.

The survey which formed the CBI report, Ready to grow: business priorities for education and skills, sponsored by qualifications awarding body EDI, was answered by 694 employers, which together employ over 2.4 million people and represent companies of all sizes and sectors.

The survey asked employers to name their top priority for the new government on education and skills. The majority of employers want the government to ensure all young people leave school (70%) or university (81%) equipped with the employability skills they need to succeed in the workplace. These include the ability to communicate, work in a team, solve problems and apply basic knowledge learned at school, such as literacy, numeracy and IT, in a real world setting.

Asked how satisfied they were with school and college leavers' employability skills, two-thirds (68%) of employers were dissatisfied with levels of business and customer awareness, over half (57%) were unhappy with self-management skills, and over two-fifths (44%) with young recruits' ability to solve problems.

Despite the recession, nearly half of employers (45%) say they are already having difficulty recruiting staff with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), with manufacturers and science-related businesses having the most difficulty finding highly-skilled people to fill their posts. Even more companies (59%) expect to have difficulty finding STEM-skilled people in the next 3 years.

Businesses also say they have a role to play to encourage more young people to study STEM. Most (71%) agree that providing high-quality placements is a good way to do this, and two-thirds (67%) say businesses should engage with schools to help to enthuse pupils about science.

But companies recognise the importance of training during the economic downturn, with two-thirds (63%) seeing investment in skills as very important to their strategic objectives and future growth. Even during the fragile recovery period most employers (72%) plan to maintain or increase spending on training and development - only 28% plan to cut training budgets, most plan no change (58%) and some even plan to increase spending (14%).

Employers are concerned about the basic skills of their current workforce. The biggest problem is with IT skills, where two-thirds (66%) of employers report concern. But half of employers are also troubled by employees' basic literacy (52%) and numeracy (49%) skills.

In the past year alone, a fifth of employers have arranged remedial training for young people they have recruited from school or college, in literacy (18%), numeracy (18%), and IT (22%). When it comes to the existing workforce, employers are also providing basic training in literacy (22%) and numeracy (18%), with the need for IT training even higher (43%).

More firms this year (48%) than 2009 (39%) say improving leadership and management skills is a key priority for them, and this is even higher for the public sector (73%).

Richard Lambert, CBI director general, said: "Our survey shows businesses want tomorrow's workforce to be at the top of the new government's policy agenda. As we move further into recovery and businesses plan for growth, the demand for people with high-quality skills and qualifications will intensify.

"In the future, people with qualifications in science and maths will be particularly sought after, and firms say it is already hard to find people with the right technical or engineering skills. The new government must make encouraging more young people to study science-related subjects a top priority. Businesses can help by showing that these skills lead to exciting and rewarding careers, helping to tackle the big challenges, such as climate change and energy security.

"Employers across all sectors recognise there is a need to improve the calibre of leadership and management skills, and this is particularly marked in the public sector."

And Nigel Snook, EDI Chief Executive, said: "This year's CBI/EDI Education and Skills Survey highlights the importance of creating a clear strategy for vocational education and training which links the development of basic employment skills all the way through to the achievement of high level technical, professional and managerial qualifications.

"The transition from school, college or university to the world of work is still one of the most challenging stages in many people's lives. Despite the fact that employers and government invest considerable sums of money and effort in this area, the survey demonstrates there is still work to do to more effectively harness these resources.

"In particular, there is clear evidence that more practical, experience-based teaching programmes better suit the learning styles of many young people, especially those who are likely to continue their education and development through vocational opportunities.

"The findings also suggest that there would be real benefits from improving the guidance given to young people on the options available to them, and simplifying the contribution of employers to work experience and apprenticeship programmes."

Employers were asked which A level subjects boost a young person's job prospects. Most said young people should choose subjects which improved business ability and knowledge of science and numeracy - namely, business studies (42%), maths (21%), English (13%) and physics or chemistry (9%). The A levels employers rate least in terms of employability are psychology (3%) and sociology (1%).

Studying science to degree level also helps to boost employment prospects. Many employers (42%) do not require a particular degree subject, but a third (34%) say they prefer recruiting people with a STEM-related degree. There is an immediate return to studying STEM at university, with new engineering graduates earning an average of £22,000 and new science graduates earning £21,000. This is more than those entering finance, IT, sales or human resources earn on average, and only graduate managers and lawyers earn more in their first role.

Studying STEM-related subjects opens doors to a range of exciting opportunities, and three-quarters (72%) of employers value what STEM-skilled employees bring to the business.

Companies need more people with STEM qualifications. The sectors which value STEM skills the most are banking, finance & insurance (90%), manufacturing (90%), energy & water (89%) and construction (88%).

Steps business wants the government to take to encourage take up of STEM at school and university include: promoting science and maths in schools (69%); protecting funding for STEM in higher education (52%); and enrolling capable students into all three science subjects as separate GCSEs (42%).

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intro to 'social recruiting' for CIPD branch meeting this week...

2010-04-23T15:05:00.002+01:00

Social media cipd pres

View more presentations from MIKEP67.

Key strategies for using Twitter effectively in recruitment

2010-04-23T14:18:00.002+01:00

Check out this excellent SlideShare Presentation from one of the most informed voices in social recruiting:

Key strategies for using Twitter effectively in recruitment

View more presentations from Andy Headworth.

Social recruiting presentation

2010-04-18T12:42:00.003+01:00

Just put finishing touches to a 30 minute blast on the growing importance of Social Recruiting - for CIPD North Yorks Branch meeting tomorrow.

Let's hope they like it...

More to follow...

Inspirational HR. Just a Pace away?

2010-04-14T11:02:00.011+01:00

I was preparing my weekly Uni lecture earlier this week on the subject of Performance Management, for the part-time CIPD PostGrad course at Leeds Met University.

As is my want, I was looking for an angle to help inspire the students, who have just come from half a day at work ... and aren't usually in the mood to re-enact the classroom scenes from Dead Poet's Society.

I can empathise with them - remembering well my own early career - where the strategic thinking & "big stuff" learned on the CIPD course seemed very distant from the hurly-burly of day-to-day HR Operations. For the part-time students, they're considering Egdar Schien's models of Corporate Culture... having just finished a disciplinary into a mobile phone theft in the admin dept earlier that day.

My response has been to bore them into submission by reminding them that they are indeed the 'HR leaders of tomorrow' -and that their job matters.

So onto the inspiration. It's a Yorkshire story full of symbolism - Pace: a business of the digital age housed in Sir Titus' Salt's gargantuan mill in Saltaire.

It's a story of an HR Director - with CEO backing - making a clear and substantial contribution to business success. Using all that "big stuff" to actually make a difference.

It crosses engagement. organisational change, culture, internal comms - and above all a total re-calibration of the values and behaviours of the business. All driven by HR. And it's genuinely uplifting. I shared it with the students yesterday and hope it remains with them.

At a time when certain high profile HRD's are 'dissing' HR itself (claiming they are far too business oriented for the title), Jill Ezard has gone a long way to putting that one right - whilst hopefully inspiring the next generation of HR leaders that they really CAN make a difference in their chosen profession.

It's very well worth a read... and I suspect may well end up being cited in an exam answer or two, in a little under a month's time....

http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2010/04/interview-with-jill-ezard-pace-in-the-top-set.htm

Engaging with engagement

2010-04-06T10:32:00.002+01:00

There's a reason EE won't go away..

It's at the core of what HR could and should be doing in the next 10 years.

Well versed clarion call here from a Professor at Cass Business School...

http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/993171/time-employers-engaged-employee-engagement/

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO ATTRACT PASSIVE CANDIDATES

2010-03-18T11:03:00.003Z

Some interesting thoughts in here from across the ocean...

http://vodpod.com/watch/3256904-using-social-media-to-attract-engage-passive-candidates?pod=#

The web. Quite simply the story of our age..

2010-03-12T12:49:00.004Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8562801.stm

This is a great link summarising the latest data and showing just how web growth has accelerated across the world. Well worth 5 minutes of your time.

For those of us especially interested in how social media is changing the world of candidate attraction and employer reputation - check out the sheer scale of facebook, the 25million people now linked in - and wonder to yourself how Murdoch ever spent so much money buying myspace...

It may be mind boggling in scale, but is already being harnessed to the advantage of th emost enlightened employers..

The direction of traffic is only one way: More dependence upon, expectation of and interaction with the web.

Even if your online Hiring Strategy is not yet digital - in many senses your employer brand already resides online.

It may just be that you're not yet controlling it.

Time to start shaping the conversation?

Sunday Times 100 Best Companies

2010-03-08T18:01:00.003Z

Always an interesting read each year.
Who's been investing in engagement and good HR in the downturn.. and who's slipped away?

I'll have a closer look this week and see if there's highlights to pick out...

For now just to say hats off to those purveyors of rather yummy chicken at Nando's
We ate in the Liverpool branch just prior to Xmas and the staff were indeed superb...
as was the spicy chicken...

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/best_100_tables/

the light at the end of the tunnel

2010-02-17T16:37:00.002Z

might not be the light of an onoming train after all?

This is more like the news we are wanting to see..

http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/984634/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert

When somebody loved me..

2010-01-20T19:34:00.003Z

Have a quick look at this folks...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px0j1EHF8Y0

Go on - you welled up didn't you? It's impossibe not to...

This heartbreaking scene popped into my mind today - whilst thinking about social recruiting, attending an excellent event with @petergold99 (tweet tweet)

Now... investing in innovative new platforms for attracting talent is not only the way to go - but what many of us enjoy talking about more than anything else... Indeed, seeing clients reap the benefirts of a direct hiring strategy is what I get out of bed for in the morning...

But.... let's not forget the discarded doll that is sometimes the current workforce.. If your recruitment strategy is 2.0, and your internal comms are still very much at 1.0 - then there is what I believe they call nowadays a 'disconnect' on a potentially damaging scale...

Your potential talent is crucial - your current talent ten times more so.

Look after them - invest in an internal comms strategy and engagement programme every bit as compelling as your shiny new recruitment methodology.

Result? Infinity.... and beyond

Snow costs UK plc £2.2bn Really???

2010-01-11T12:19:00.005Z

http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/976514/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert

Who adds these things up - a small retired man with a tweed jacket, box of eccles cakes and a book of log tables sitting in a potting shed?

If it's proper cost benefit analysis you're after Cyril, can you please factor in:

- The homeworking phenomenon - which will accelerate as a result of this freeze
(companies love it - it saves them fortunes - ask BT)

- The added motivation and results of those at work

- The extraordinary feel good factor the snow has brought -
smiling faces, increased incidences of saying "'Mornin" to passing strangers

- The sheer novelty of the quality and depth of the snow

- the lack of rain for a whole month

- the sledging, skiing and dare I say it.. FUN

- the health gains through walking everywhere
- with of course less petrol / aviation fumes in the air

Nobody likes the end bit when it gets slushy as here today in Yorkshire - but for Santa's sake let's remember the last 4 weeks with fondness. My bet is you'll be telling your grandchildren about Xmas09 / Jan10 some day... with a smile on your face.

Yours
(W)hinterland Consulting

Talking in a winter Hinterland...

2010-01-07T12:26:00.004Z

Just thought I'd bring you up to date with where the hinterland has taken me so far - and where I hope it will be going in 2010...

My core desire to help clients attract, retain and engage talent remains undimmed.

Despite the obvious dislocations in the labour market, my long-standing truism I think still holds true: Hiring people is easy, it's hiring the good ones that's the tough bit.

Hiring strategy is of course only half the story - it's what you do with them when you get them on board that matters. Though "employee engagement" is a regular staple in the HR press these days, few organisations have really grasped the potential of integrating attraction, internal comms and genuine engagement activity. The dividends are there for all to see - from Watson Wyatt to the major Gallup survey. And the work I've done so far in this regard has been enlightening to say the least.

Client wise, my primary focus has been with a fantastic FTSE business... helping them model and implement a Hiring Strategy fit for the Web2.0 age. The aims are largely twofold: to reduce the cost of hiring by enabling them to insource recruitment with a little help from me - and to develop a genuine platform to progress with their explicit desire to become an employer of choice in their field. The work goes on - implementation is never straightforward and the bigger challenge then begins.. But all signs are positive so far - and making it happen in 2010 will be a huge accomplishment for all of us.

Consulting back into my old world of recruitment communications has also been great fun. Despite difficult times, my most loyal client in the sector have kept on winning new business, hopefully due in some small part to the investment they make in bringing in their favourite 'pitch doctor'. (Working on and then hearing they had won a major 7 figure account was a definite highlight of 2009)Working on briefs, helping shape the thinking - and rehearsing the team down to the ad libs - it is living proof that practice really does make perfect when it comes to pitching to clients.

The "perfect pitch" training one day course has also been v well received - and again is a blast to deliver. I'm hoping to stretch this offer outside rec comms this year - the principles are all the same, any prof services business presenting to win work should consider a small investment in this regard in my humble and unbiased opinion...

The watch word with all this work is RESULTS. As long as they keep coming back for more, I must be doing something right I guess...

Placing HR talent is something I'm planning to do more in 2010. I'm meeting so many talented people along the way - and then running into senior HR managers needing a particular fit, it would be silly not to. If it's up and coming 20/30 something talent you're after, do let me know.

Can't sign off without mentioning my first foray into University lecturing. Whilst not strictly under the Hinterland banner, I have thoroughly enjoyed 'guesting' at Leeds Met Uni - and we've just agreed that I'm to carry on delivering the Employee Resourcing module on the p/time CIPD course this next semester. I had no idea whether I'd love it or hate it - and it's been a lot of hard work getting up to speed, especially theory wise. Truth is I've enjoyed it enormously, largely thanks to the energy and spark of the students, who were a pleasure to teach. It has developed my levels of understanding, has refreshed me in areas that needed it - and helped me see that the theory does actually matter alongside all the practical insights I have to hand. It's also a great means for keeping you on your mettle - the students aren't slow to let you have their feedback!(which thankfully has been largely v positive).

Enough said - here's to a steady and stable 2010 - expecting any more would be folly I think you'd agree. Or as Frasier might say: "Good HR Health... "

Here to help your business perform better when you need me...

Best

Mike

Recruiters.. Some better news - the steady improvement continues:

2010-01-06T13:13:00.000Z

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2010/01/06/53621/uk-job-appointments-see-largest-rise-for-nearly-two-and-a-half.html

On second thoughts..

2010-01-05T11:55:00.001Z

Wetherby is looking rather pretty just now....

Employee Engagement starts tomorrow....

Post Xmas Blues.. Snow Fever...Jim Royle-itis?

2010-01-05T11:53:00.002Z

whatever - we ceratinly don't want to be at work it seems.. Happy new Year to all of you as interested as I am in Employee Engagement .. it could be a challenging year ahead!

A third of UK employees (33%) say they have not felt valued by their employer during the recession and would leave for another job if they could, according to new research.

According to the poll of 950 workers commissioned by PricewaterhouseCoopers, of those respondents who said their employer had shown appreciation for them in the downturn, 41% said they had no plans to leave as a consequence of this loyalty while just 23% said they would consider leaving regardless.

Only 7% of respondents said they did not understand how their role fits within the big picture of the organisation they work for so lack of engagement seems more strongly linked to feeling appreciated than a lack of belonging.

Michael Rendell, partner and leader, human resource services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: "Workers' ambitions to find new roles could be good news in terms of creating movement and opportunities in a rather stagnant labour market and within companies - organisations will need to strike a balance between enjoying the reduction in employment costs that attrition can bring with the need to avoid overstretching existing staff.

"New Year is clearly a popular time for people to make important decisions. Rather than losing their best people as individuals resolve to make changes to further their careers, organisations need to articulate the internal options available to top performers and remind workers why they chose to work for their employer in the first place - be that a competitive salary, interesting work or operating with values that match their own.

"Some big employer brands fell down at the end of the ‘noughties' and the impact long-term of people decisions taken during the downturn is now being felt. The ways people are recruited, rewarded, retained, incentivised, trained and retired over the next few years will determine the employers of choice for the new decade and beyond."

The news follows recent findings that more employees would value a free MP3 player, digital camera or similar technology gift from their boss than would appreciate being ‘fast-tracked' for promotion.

early xmas present for you: a neat online 'to do' list

2009-12-14T11:24:00.002Z

teux deux

i'm trying it now and it's going well

worth checking out the video first

enjoy...

http://teuxdeux.com/

Video games killed any chance of getting your male staff to work??

2009-12-09T10:17:00.003Z

Ok - it doesn't scan as well as The Buggles' song title

but I was genuinely shocked to read this report.

I must be getting old...

http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/972827/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert

I don't normally do recommendations

2009-12-03T13:31:00.003Z

but here's an exception

If you are an HR professional seeking some career advice or support of whatever nature - here's your man.

Paul is a diamond.
An island of integrity and intelligence in what is often a frothy sea of waffle.

And he hasn't paid me to say it (he doesn't know about this at all)

http://www.thecareergym.co.uk/index.html

you lucky people - here's the reverse of the mailer...

2009-12-01T19:48:00.003Z

Time for a wee bit of marketing

2009-12-01T19:42:00.002Z

The postcards have arrived
Time to spread the word....

social recruitment summit NYC this week..

2009-11-20T17:33:00.003Z

http://blog.alstin.com/social-recruiting-summit-my-take-away-how-to-build-a-social-recruiting-strategy-dashboard

http://blog.alstin.com/social-recruiting-summit-favorite-take-aways

For those of you as convinced as I am that this is the way to go (i.e. go where the candidates go - not where's most convenient for the organisation):

Here are some great tips on what you could be doing to join the party...

Always here to help if you need it of course... social media is increasingly becoming part of the mix.

Bringing you tomorrow today as always folks.

HR job £40k an hour - quick!

2009-10-21T09:28:00.004+01:00

grab it whilst you can folks - must be a helluva retailer!!

http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/jobs/jobdetails.htm?ID=6718E470-A695-40B1-94C4-729626245E01&loc=1&loctxt=ls22%207yl&rad=50&sortby=SalaryUpper&sortdir=desc&slo=30000,40000,50000,60000&shi=40000,50000,60000,80000&slo2=80000&shi2=100000&salid=3,4,5,6&distid=2&xmin=359450&xmax=520350&ymin=368950&ymax=529850&xmin2=279000&xmax2=600800&ymin2=288500&ymax2=610300&ps=10&pn=1&iscomplex=False&issecsalary=False

in case they spot it, it currently reads:

HR Business Partner

Salary:

£41400 per hour

Location:

Yorkshire

Organisation:

Michael Page

Posted on PM jobs:

20 October 2009

Job Ref:

MPPX13076467

Deadline:

No deadline specified

The Recruitment Ice Caps are melting...

2009-10-20T16:59:00.011+01:00

When it comes to recruitment:

Web 2.0 (& soon to be 3.0) is polar-bear endangering climate change...compared to which the credit crunch is a mere weather front.

Recruitment may not be at the very top of many HR agendas just now - but the talent squeeze hasn''t gone away. During the noughties, candidate behaviours and expectations have changed fundamentally and for ever - regardless of the current jobs market. And that change is accelerating still...

This overview powerpoint of a recent Irish "future of recruitment conference" makes this point very well.. and is well worth a flick though...

http://show.zoho.com/embed?id=523922000000005793&SLIDE=1&P_STIME=0

Sisters are doin' HR for themselves...

2009-10-01T14:26:00.007+01:00

Twenty years ago this week I set out on my postgrad' HR Diploma to gain IPM (now CIPD) status.

It wasn't uncommon at that time for mates to ask: "Is that not a woman's career?"
I listened not - and joined another 9 or 10 blokes on a course of around 40.
I went on to enjoy (most of) the challenges of HR enormously - only needing to handle disciplinary and dismissal cases to know it was anything other than a 'soft option.'

Roll forward twenty years to the same week... and I have just completed my first evening as a part time lecturer for the Employee Resourcing module of the self same course. Bizarre enough in itself, but guess how the male / female split looks in these much more enlightened times?

Yep, not one single male in sight, out of a class of 24.

Not a scientific study maybe, but it was a pretty surprising discovery.. As was the fact most students appeared to listen to what I had to say.

More on the still surreal development of me teaching on my old course to follow....

A whole new ball game in performance management...

2009-09-18T12:42:00.009+01:00

Office Manager?

Struggling to motivate and manage your people?

Finding them listless and workshy?

Want to pep up the team's performance?

Simple...

Hire the Office Linebacker

You'll never look back

Enjoy >>>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc9dIkWGVI0&feature=player_embedded

Are 5 minute interviews the way to go?

2009-09-02T13:26:00.007+01:00

Life is short, certainly shorter than many interviews many of us have endured over the years.

Which is pretty much where Seth Godin is riffing at the moment (see post below) I like self-styled 'guru' Seth... a little left field, sometimes off the scale - but always thought provoking....

This most recent post of his cuts to the quick for many of us experienced in interviewing and selction.

For whilst all that competency / assessment good stuff is indeed a sound insurance policy against 'gut feel' hiring habits....

.... how many times out of 100 do we ever go against our initial assessment?

And how would we feel about widening the potential talent pool by a factor of 12 as he suggests?

It's very "twittery" I guess: "Please talk to us for 140 characters or less - and then send the next guy in on your way out please...."

It could equally be a blueprint for negotiating family gatherings and children's parties...

Blogpost: Two ways to hire (and a wrong way)

The wrong way first: interview someone for an hour. If you like them, have them interview three or four other people in your organization for an hour each.

You've invested five hours of your team's time, but really you only were looking for approval, because you'd already decided you liked the person enough to work with them for years.

All the evidence we've seen shows that this is a lousy predictor of future performance. And, let's tell the truth... if the first three people love the guy, are you really going to let the fourth, junior person veto him? Or is it just an annoying courtesy?

There are two approaches you can use as an alternative.

First, you can work with someone for months before you offer them a job. Your pool is smaller (freelancers, joint venture partners, interns) but the exposure to how they work is spectacularly different. You don't get the thrill of finding a pearl in the oyster, the "wow, I found the most incredible hire!" bragging rights. Instead, you get exactly what you expect. Organizing for this sort of hiring isn't particularly difficult, particularly in a down economy. Not surprisingly, I've had 100% success doing this.

Second, and with some controversy, you can admit that an hour interview is actually a five minute sniff test followed by 55 minutes of wasted time, multiplied by four colleagues. Tell the truth and switch to five minute interviews.

If you do five minute initial interviews, you can interview 12 times as many people for each job opening. This initial filtering takes precisely as much time as your wasted one-hour approach, but dramatically increases the chance you'll find someone you actually have good pheromone and body language connection with. After the screening, I can only encourage you to do the projects, reference checks and other serious diligence you're probably too exhausted to do after spending all those hours with one person...

This process takes a lot of work, but it definitely works. If you can interview 60 people in a day or two and then have the three best fits do projects, presentations and freelance work for you, you're way ahead of a company that interviewed only three people and fell in love with one.

2009-09-01T19:59:00.000+01:00

The ultimate management role model....

2009-08-21T13:41:00.004+01:00

Yes - in this of all weeks - it's big Freddie!

You can read all your Jim Collins, Tom Peters & co.. but it seems the heart of a lion matched with the thirst of a dry-throated fish is the way to go to be a great leader...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8209072.stm

Very much my kind of role model I have to say....

Hey Presto - we're all suddenly "engaged" ....

2009-08-10T15:07:00.003+01:00

A 20% rise in engagement levels in a year - heyy, everyone's become like.. totally.. like enlightened maan.

Well maybe not, for engaged - read more grateful, less likely to be surfing amazon & ebay at lunchtime - and scared to death by the monthly unemployment figures.

I'd say that's not so much engagement as understandable pragmatism in the face of tough times.

For all those employers relying on the downturn to tackle the engagement challenge .. look out when the market turns properly and the talent squeeze starts to hurt...

Madam ZaZa predicts tears and heartbreak, as the 'engaged' jilt hitherto soul mates for new and more exciting relationships...

Here's the original source material from HR magazine:

Seven out of ten employees feel engaged in their job now, compared to 50% in November 2008, according to Best Companies.

The engagement firm set out to find how employees were feeling about the recession and discovered 33% did not feel worried about the downturn and did not think their performance had been affected - down from 38% in November.

Three in ten employers are grateful to have a job compared to two in ten back in November 2008, the survey relealed.

But in order to be more engaged, men and women both agree the things that need to change in their workplace, but order them differently.

For men it is more money (59%), more interesting work (36%) and recognition for a job well done (33%), while for women it is more money (57%), recognition (42%) and more interesting work (35%).

Jonathan Austin, CEO and founder of Best Companies, said: "With the fear of redundancy ever-present and the cost of living creeping up, money is more of a motivator for people than it might have been before. But for those organisations that do not have the luxury of digging deep into their pockets there are plenty of other ways to incentivise staff, such as flexible working which our data indicates has a significant impact on engagement levels and simply saying thank you and recognising employees' efforts can really boost morale."

2009-06-26T13:54:00.001+01:00

Social media helps jobseekers says new research...

2009-06-23T09:47:00.002+01:00

Online Social Networks Boost Opportunities for Young Job Seekers

London, 18 June 2009 - A third of employers now use social networking sites to connect with potential recruits meaning it's not what you know but how you promote yourself on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn that counts.

Research by global recruitment consultants Harvey Nash and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that, in a bid to boost traditional recruitment methods and reach out to a wider pool of talent, social networks are increasingly becoming a mainstream recruitment tool.

Half of employers believe that if candidates invest time in developing a strong online brand using social networks and networking online, they are more likely to be hired.

Almost a quarter of employers routinely use sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn as part of their recruitment processes. Fifteen per cent said they would miss key new recruits if they didn't tap into to social networks.

Matthew Garratt, HR Manager for figleaves.com said:

"At figleaves.com social network sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have become absolutely critical in finding new hires. Not only do they give us access to people who we might not find elsewhere, but they are also an excellent way to understand more about the candidate beyond just their CV. Certainly for figleaves.com, job seekers who have a strong online presence do stand out from the crowd, and we would encourage more people to invest in their online 'brand'."

However, young jobseekers could be missing out on certain opportunities by failing to pick up on this trend. Although 92 per cent of online 18-24 year olds are registered on a social networking site, just one in 10 (12%) agreed they currently use these sites to get job leads or make useful career contacts.

Commenting on the potential of social networking in a tough jobs market, social networking expert, Dan Rutherford, said:

"Employers are increasingly looking for new recruits who have a strong online brand."

"A good place to start is with your Facebook profile. Use it as a personal ad detailing your skills and qualifications. You could even post your CV in hope that it catches the eye of a prospective employer. Now it's time to start working your profile. Nobody will see your CV unless you point them in the right direction. You can do this by searching interest groups and joining any that match your skills or experience. It can be a great way of making useful contacts and networking within relevant fields."

"Twitter is another great way of networking and keeping track of employers that are actively recruiting. Lots of employers post job openings on Twitter and by letting your followers know your employment situation they might be able to pass on job leads that you weren't aware of."

Rob Grimsey, Strategic Development Director of Harvey Nash, said: "As UK employers continue to face difficulties recruiting, it's staggering that 44% of employers think social networking will only become important in the future. What they need to realise is professional networking has already begun and is here to stay; just ask the one-third of employers who are successfully doing it right now."

"While real-world networking and traditional job services remain invaluable, web savvy job seekers should act now to gain the competitive edge as online networking helps jobseekers stay well connected and get career-informed"

"Peer-to-peer relationships, nurtured online and offline, are at the heart of the 'new' recruitment experience. It is essential for job seekers to wisen up to how employers are looking for candidates in order to remain competitive."

How job searchers can use their online profile to attract employers:

If you decide to use Facebook for professional networking, take a close look at your profile and decide what you want business contacts or prospective employers to see - and what you don't!
Sign-up to Linked-In if you haven't already
Track potential employers and recruitment consultancies on Twitter
Don't leave a blank or incomplete profile. A full profile gives people the best opportunity to get to know you.
Post content relevant to your job search but limit the photos you post.
Network strategically - connect to people who can help with your job search.
Think about joining interest groups which fit your field of interest.
Finally, don't limit activity to online social networks. It's useful to speak to recruitment agencies with expertise in your local labour market. You can also view Britain's largest database of job vacancies at www.direct.gov.uk/backtowork to see who's recruiting in your area.

Notes to Editors

1. Polling of 1,224 young people, across Great Britain, aged 18-24 years on their attitudes towards social networking was carried out online by YouGov between 22nd and 26th May 2009 combined with a joint DWP and Harvey Nash online survey of 208 employers across Great Britain between 22nd and 29th May 2009.

If Google really is taking over the world, I think I like it....

2009-06-02T15:14:00.008+01:00

My previous effort is possibly the quickest web post to become out of date since King Harold tweeted: "@haroldI: all going well, the arrows look very small" from atop his horse at the Battle of Hastings.

Now, I may be slow on the uptake here (a week is a long time in webland these days) but I've just discovered Google Wave.. and it looks like it's going to be very special indeed.

http://mashable.com/2009/05/28/google-wave/

For some potential applications to the Talent / Engagement agenda:

- think internal comms / skills networks for ideas sharing and collaboration
- think alumni groups coming together
- think brand building and reputation management
- and consider the view that this is may well be how God intended email to work in the first place

Google Wave. Tell your friends where you heard about it first...(unless it wasn't here of course)

Hope I'll be bringing more ideas on how to ride the Wave later this year...!

social media - the new and the soon-to-be obsolete...

2009-06-02T14:20:00.002+01:00

Good piece here to keep you updated on the movers and shakers in social media. No surprises on the twitter front - and it does looks like Mr Murdoch made a rather large mistake spending oodles to acquire myspace....

Still think twitter has a way to go - that way being us all having cheap mobile web on our handsets....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/21/twitter-myspace-bebo-nytimes-growth-decline?commentpage=1

wikipedia

2009-05-15T10:32:00.002+01:00

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of wikipedia is that it has so quickly become the first point of call as a reference point for so many of us. In short, it's a genuine phenomenon.

By and large we trust it... it's quite possibly the best example of the wisdom of crowds - as per my earlier post.

These thoughts triggered by this excellent piece from the ever-insightful John Naughton in the Observer last week.. well worth a read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/05/digital-media-referenceandlanguages

SME' Recruiters: Proceed directly to Web 2.0.. & save £££££k's

2009-04-30T23:21:00.003+01:00

Had a great chat today with Peter Gold, who if he wasn't so self-effacing may best be described as a guru on the subject of social media and Talent Technology (see his blog on my Bloglist here...)

I shared my view that those recruiters who hadn't yet 'gone digital' are better placed than ever to grasp the nettle now.. and as Peter added 'virtually for free...'

Just as many developing nations have eschewed investing in hard-wired telecoms networks and jumped straight to mobile, so those who haven't developed sophisticated attraction sites, job sites and applicant tracking systems are now in a great position to act...

With a secure facebook profile here, a pay-as-you-go tracking system there (and the odd tweet in the background) why should an SME be persuaded they need to throw tens of thousands at a recruitment site anymore? Talent attraction has never been more in the clients hands.. with a little insight to set you on your way...

Feel free to get in touch if you want to know just how it's done.. ;-)

Telling Porkies?

2009-04-28T13:13:00.003+01:00

"Absence rates related to cough, cold or flu-like symptoms have increased over 8% in the UK since the widely-reported outbreak of swine flu according to an absence management firm, FirstCare" (from a database of 60,000 employees)

Now, far from me to minimise the seriousness of the current outbreak - but does this stat not say more about UK attitudes to work and current levels of worker engagement than about health scares and porcine pandemics?

No data was available as to whether things were any worse on Fry-days....

Enough...

"How to nail an interview"

2009-04-17T12:29:00.005+01:00

With all respect to Seth Godin for flagging this on his blog (see my blog links) - this is a very useful guide to interviews - mixed with some great video clips from real interviews to make you smile...

Current favourite is the woman who shares that she's moved into the area due to her husband's job.. as he "hunting professionally for Sasquatch" (i.e. Bigfoot!). The interviewer's spontaneous laughter is a treat. Her interview notes probably read: Abominable. No, ma'am. (sorry!)

Enjoy...

http://www.howtonailaninterview.com/

Grass cuttings and the Wisdom of Crowds..

2009-04-16T12:08:00.005+01:00

I was looking out the window early this morning - and noticed all the brown (garden refuse) wheelie bins out for collection (it's every other Thursday if you need to know). Thank goodness for the wisdom of crowds, as it had slipped my mind yet again. This despite my wife ("the expert") advising me of the need to roll out said bin only the night before....

Collective judgement is a better bet than any small number of individual experts, according to James Surowiecki, author of the very readable Wisdom of Crowds.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Crowds-Many-Smarter-Than/dp/0349116059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239880849&sr=1-1

One 'neat' (yes he's a native New Yorker) stat to drop into your next dinner party: contestants who "ask the audience" in Who Wants to be a Millionaire can expect 91% of their answers to be correct. Ask your chosen 'expert' via phone a friend - and it's just 65%.

Not a brand new book, but a good one none the less... the official microsite to the book is a good place to start if you' want to find out more...

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/wisdomofcrowds/index.html

Now when's the green recycling bin due?

Why hiring is paradoxically harder in a downturn...

2009-04-11T11:23:00.003+01:00

Interesting reading here from over the pond - hopefully complements well my "Counterintuition"post from last month..

Comments and feedback on this most welcome...

http://blog.summation.net/2009/03/why-hiring-is-paradoxically-harder-in-a-downturn.html

Business suspended in respect for Dan

2009-04-02T14:01:00.003+01:00

Apologies for lack of action here, but the last week or 2 has been one of great sadness, with the tragic loss of my best friend, Dan Devine -a very special man indeed as can be seen here:

http://danieldevine09.blogspot.com/

Normal business will be resumed very soon I hope...

Mike

Spotify... literally he greatest thing since bread came ready sliced...

2009-03-17T14:41:00.003Z

Having just (ahem) 'dissed' Twitter - I thought it only fair to redress the balance and praise to the skies one of the greatest ever developments on the web.

If you like music - have your world - and memories - opened up in a matter of seconds here..

http://www.spotify.com/

It follows Volvos, Abba, Ikea and Ingrid Bergmann into the Swedish Hall of Fame... and more seriously, begs the profound question - why does anyone need to 'own' music anymore?

Explained in full here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5908344.ece

Would be great to hear what you think via the comments section....

Stating the obvious...

2009-03-03T12:54:00.005Z

The answer to around 95% of work 'challenges' lies somewhere between common sense and the blindingly obvious. It's that elephant thing - if it looks, smells, feels and is the size of an elephant - the answer is... unlikely to be wrapping up a shed load of dodgy self-cert mortgages inside a box called AAA and selling on them to the next greedy mug...

Didn't the likes of RBS & Lehmans always try hiring people who "think out of the box"?

As you were...

HR priorities in a Recession

2009-03-03T12:33:00.004Z

Recessions have a habit of blowing down already unsteady edifices. Woolworths may have collapsed under the weight of the recession, but its foundations had long been undermined. The big issues for poor old Woolies were always there and had bever been resolved (Who are we? Who are our customers? what do they want? )

There's something in this for HR people to ponder. For despite the howling winds blowing papers all over your desk just now, those fundamental matters of People Stategy.... you know, the stuff you spent most of last year working on ?... are still there.

Here's 4 thoughts to help frame your HR thinking in days like these...

Don’t throw your People Strategy overboard.
You’ve worked hard to establish a meaningful and robust people plan for the business – and it’s all still valid. Keep on with your change programmes, leadership development, engagement levers, succession planning and reputation building. Your budgets may be cut, your immediate hiring needs diminished, your trading conditions difficult. These may be reasons to slow the pace – but not to change tack altogether.

Communicate honestly and regularly with your people.
The current problems are not of their doing – but they will play a huge part in helping you prosper. You need them to be with you through these choppy waters, and they deserve to know just what is going on and where the business is heading. They may not always like what they hear – but acting with integrity now will yield a great dividend going forward.

Use the current climate to your advantage.
For every organisation that grasps the initiative people wise – many more will continue to imitate rabbits in the face of oncoming headlights. Engaging your people right now will be tough – but will reap enormous benefits both short and long term.

Continue to build candidate relationships. You most likely know where your key talent gaps will be going forward, so forge relationships with tomorrow’s potential hires today – even if you are not in a position to offer. How good would it feel to be approached just now and told you are wanted? Very.

Be busy.. and use that extra time wisely.
Dormant Resourcing teams, how about cracking on with reviewing your PSL’s, advertising arrangements and any other suppliers? For one – you’ll probably have the time to do so; for another you hold all the cards right now – and above all perhaps it’s your best opportunity to deliver genuine cost savings and demosnstrable added value in 2009, which is no bad idea in itself if you get my drift...

Are Ryanair quite literally taking the p.... ?

2009-02-27T11:26:00.009Z

I've quite a thing about Reputation Management. It's the corporate version of good manners. I talk to clients about it regularly. So what I'd give for a few minutes on the subject with the perennially unpleasant and arrogant Mr O'Leary. My sentiments are with the frontline staff who will no doubt take the flak first hand...and for any future passenger with no loose change.

Ryanair may charge for toilet use on planes...

Irish carrier Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline, might start charging passengers for using the toilet while flying, chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Friday.

"One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he told BBC television.

He said this would not inconvenience passengers travelling without cash. "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound."

O'Leary has a reputation as a cost cutter, expanding Ryanair by offering low headline fares and charging extra for items such as additional luggage.

Last week, Ryanair announced it was to shut all check-in desks at airports and have passengers check in online instead.

"We're all about finding ways of raising discretionary revenue so we can keep lowering the cost of air travel," he said.

Mr O should maybe seek to learn the lesson of Ratners the Jewellers.. never take the p..roverbial out of your customers....

Counterintuition

2009-02-23T15:41:00.009Z

I spend a lot of my time talking to senior HR professionals and recruitment-related suppliers. Which in the current climate is like hanging round with Victor Meldrew with nothing but Radiohead loaded onto your i-pod

However, there are many shafts of light through the gloom - with the progressive wing of the HR community doing some pretty smart things at the moment - not least by communicating with - and investing in - their existing talent.

Moreover - if the only certainty out there is that the storm will at some point pass - then the Talent Crunch which so preoccupied agendas just 12 months ago is very much back in play.

Truth is, even if output levels were to remain as they are now - most knowledge-led businesses are going to struggle to find and keep the talent their business will need for future prosperity.

So to the counterintuitive bit...

This is in fact a great time to hire in top drawer talent. The sort that can make your business perform tangibly better - and that you may not always have been in the market for in the past. They'll be more than wowed to be approached in the current climate - and hugely impressed that you are strong, bold and healthy enough to be investing in your people.

It shouldn't mean rising wage costs if you're reviewing and rationalising your skill base continously - which is good business practice at the best of times. So go grab yourself a bargain whilst they're out there. All you need now is an Employer Brand Proposition, but that's for another day...

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt"

2009-02-22T21:57:00.006Z

Sadly not one of my own - but a profound Bertrand Russell quote to be found inside this great little piece from The Guardian. I've always been very interested in the Peter Principle; such a cheery thought that we're all on the way to being in the wrong job.

The new US research referred to serves only to back up our man Peter's theory. If you're after a recent example - look no further than the shameless hubris of the Banking heads at the Treasury Select Committee a couple of weeks ago.

Do run an eye over this brief article - there's some fundamental posers in here for all of us interested in the talent agenda...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/burkeman-work-incompetence-skills-wellbeing

Fancy reading the whole 14 pages of 'Unskilled and Unaware of it?' Then chuckle along with those laugh-a-minute psychologists from Cornell University (no I don't know where that is either) here: http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf

Gen Y me?

2009-02-20T14:22:00.011Z

It seems only yesterday the trendspotters were introducing us to a ground breaking Generation they called Y. So called, apparently, because they came after Generation X (these 'trendspotters' truly were visionaries – pity they didn’t see the credit crunch coming).

Anyway - back to the Y'ers... you know the ones – the globetrotting, job-hopping, post modern, ad-savvy digital natives who were going to hold the whip hand when it came to employment.

Use conventional methods of communication - and they would plain refuse to buy anything from us, work for us or even talk to us.

If you did manage to hire these gadflies - you were lucky to have their talent loaned to you - however temporarily that night be.

Or so the received wisdom told us. In fact, much of "Gen Y" was an invention of the wittering classes. Student loans and McJobs remained the norm - as graduate supply outstripped demand like never before. City living as lifestyle choice? Most would still have swapped their call centre bonuses for a 2 bed terrace and a career.

Sadly, too many of Gen Y did believe the hype, consuming too many artificial supplements via the weekend papers - and living beyond their means in what it now transpires were indeed the good times. Now they’re scouring the job sites, honing their frankly bare CV’s – and feeling slightly ashamed for spending a year’s gas bill on an easyjet stag weekend only 12 months ago.

The moral of the story? Spend less time trying to fulfil a lifestyle someone else invented for you. Or better still - listen to your mother – she really is the only such thing as a free lunch.