Features
Lessons from anthropology: A new lens to understand organisational culture
How the study of what makes us human can enable more meaningful behaviour at work – with insights from business psychologist, Lucy Cox Grasping workplace behaviour is no easy task. While traditional approaches offer some insight, they often fall short of uncovering the deeper reasons behind people’s actions. To gain a more profound understanding of what motivates behaviour, could we draw inspiration from anthropology? And how might this perspective provide new insights into driving cultural change? This article explores these…
Serving up success by elevating restaurant & cafe standards through e-learning
Using e-learning and your learning management system can increase standards in the food service industry – as explored by Tanya Galton Customer experience is the biggest selling point today: 7 out of 10 people, according to American Express, prefer to be clients of a company that delivers overall great service. There’s a lot that contributes to a customer experience of visiting a restaurant: It’s excellent menu and location, ambience and vistas, loyalty programs and cleanliness, quality of being waited on…
The art of authentic presentations: Tips from stage to screen
Do you dread public speaking? Transform nerves into confidence with strategies from actor Lorena Bernal Public speaking can be intimidating, especially if you feel unprepared. In my experience, the key to delivering a powerful presentation starts with preparation. But it’s more than just knowing the material – it’s about aligning with the message you’re sharing. Public speaking becomes easier when you take the focus off yourself and place it fully on the message As someone who has stood on…
A week in the life of: A trainee psychotherapist
Balancing work, studies and a placement isn’t easy, but Anita Guru is relishing the challenge Rewind to 2020 at the start of the pandemic: I could foresee significant challenges for mental health. The trauma people experienced wasn’t solely from contracting Covid, but also from isolation, lack of human interaction, an absent sense of community, and fear for their safety. I knew these would have huge implications going forward. Switching off ‘therapist mode’ with friends and family has been a learning curve For…
The power of imperfection: Transforming challenges into opportunities for growth
Steve Macaulay and Sarah Cook explore resilience through Kintsugi – and finding gold after a setback In everyday work situations, it is unrealistic to expect that everything goes to plan. More and more managers acknowledge the need to build the capability of resilience to better manage stress and pressure and bounce back after setbacks. Setbacks are growth opportunities. By learning from mistakes, we become more resilient and adaptable The Japanese art of Kintsugi, which involves repairing broken pottery with gold…
The future of expertise is synthesis in a world of abundant information
Now that information is so easily accessible, the rules of expertise at work have changed – Colin Smith is your guide As organisational psychologist and author Adam Grant aptly observes: “The hallmark of expertise is no longer how much you know. It’s how well you synthesise. Information scarcity rewarded knowledge acquisition. Information abundance requires pattern recognition. It’s not enough to collect facts. The future belongs to those who connect dots.” This quote was shared by the Ministry of Justice’s Zoe Sweet at the CIPD…
First aid training: Combatting men’s fear to ask important questions and act in emergency situations
Inclusive first aid training can break down barriers and build confidence, as Ricci Masero explains First aid training is important for keeping everyone safe at work, but something interesting came up when a good friend of mine went to a first aid class recently. She noticed that some men seemed worried about asking certain questions or physically helping women in emergencies. They were afraid people might think they were doing something wrong, even when they’re just trying to help. Emergencies…
Hire local or widen your search? How to tell when a position should be remote
Daniel Parker outlines six factors to decide if a role suits in-house or remote work A business’s growth potential is typically closely aligned with its availability of resources. One of these critical resources is staffing, which can be made up of both in-house employees and remote workers. Create temporary positions that allow you to see how the employee and business adapt to this new structure and if it seems like a viable option But for businesses getting ready to…
A week in the life of: A founder of a small business
Phil Willcox from Emotion at Work reflects on the three choices he makes each week to balance his business needs, personal boundaries and emotions It sometimes feels like you’re constantly choosing between one thing or another. Both options are useful and productive, and both deliver valuable outcomes. But they are still a choice. In or on? Working in the business means collaborating with our (IMHO) fantastic clients. This often involves sticky notes, large flip chart pads, Sharpies, scented pens, tangle toys and…
Negative sentiment, positive impact: AI in the digital workplace
Despite AI’s potential to combat digital noise, streamline workflows and transform workplaces, employees remain uneasy – Chris Ciauri examines how leaders can address these concerns Enterprise leaders need no convincing of AI’s potential to maximise the performance of their organisations. Yet the prospect of widespread AI in the workplace is a source of unease for many employees. When tools designed to make work easier start having the opposite effect, our approach must evolve Much of that concern stems from anxiety…
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