Talent & Skills
The venture capitalist’s guide to HR strategies
Discover how empathy, technology and Gen Z insights can effectively attract and retain top talent in startups and established companies, with expert tips from venture capitalist Victor Orlovski Human resources is crucial to the functionality of an organisation, particularly startups. In my role as a venture capitalist (VC), I’ve observed how the people profession extends beyond administrative management and training to significantly influence talent acquisition. My involvement with various startups has afforded me insights into effective people strategies essential for…
How can companies increase gender diversity in the workplace?
Fostering inclusion policies is vital to closing the gender gap and attracting the top talent. Law firm HR Director Scott Sullivan shares his tips UK businesses still have considerable work to do to increase gender diversity. Many struggle to close the gender pay gap and fairly represent women. The gender pay gap in Britain was 14.3% in 2023, and women need to work an extra 19 years to retire with the same pension savings as men. Employers who don’t fairly…
Maximise investment in your line managers with an enabling environment
Line managers are pivotal to business success – support them to boost performance and drive impact with these tips from Steve Macaulay and David Buchanan Why do line managers matter to L&D? Line managers create the environment – the resources and support that allow staff to perform their roles. But are we creating an enabling environment for line managers? Here is how L&D and HR can help. Today’s line managers are your source of tomorrow’s top team Your line…
Employees keener than ever to learn new skills
HR and L&D professionals are seeing a surge in employees eager to learn new skills. Becky Wallace examines how this trend is transforming talent development in the workplace Employees have an increasing appetite to learn on the job and develop their skills. No longer relying purely on a university education to secure a career, they’re proactively seeking out employers that offer comprehensive and tailored learning and development opportunities. Skills development has become more of a focus recently due to a…
Cambridge study on enhancing career progression and language skills
In an era where English language skills are essential for global business, Nisreen Ash from Cambridge University Press & Assessment reflects on new research which shows the positive impact of the online English test Linguaskill Developing business English skills in a global job market helps with employability, and the way you learn and prepare can have an impact on confidence and proficiency, according to recent global research. I am part of a team in Cambridge that investigates the impact of…
How to build an Olympic-level workplace with athlete-inspired training
Unlock peak performance with stretch assignments, diverse training methods and data-driven insights for your teams. Discover how with Rico Wyder When they parade along the River Seine for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, the athletes taking part will have undergone years of rigorous training, practice, coaching and feedback. Competing at the highest level is the moment they display all that practice. This also happens in the workplace HR and L&D leaders can take a lot of inspiration…
Practical steps businesses can take to develop a positive and productive workplace
From hiring and training to management and perks, tips to improve workplace motivation and engagement, by Iffi Wahla There is wider recognition in this day and age that a happy workplace is a productive workplace. And yet, according to recent research by Gallup, a staggering £257bn is lost in the UK economy due to a lack of workplace motivation and engagement. That’s a huge sum, and it underscores the importance of cultivating a positive and productive work environment. A motivated…
Leaders are approaching skill building all wrong
It’s time to change “What’s in it for me?” to “What’s in it for them?” Stuart Cheesman explores an employee-centric approach UK leaders will be fully aware of their organisation’s skills gap, and HR’s struggles at filling the void. And with the World Economic Forum, stating that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, learning and development (L&D) initiatives have never been more important. An ‘employee first’ approach to skill building bolsters inclusion, a sense of community and organisational growth…
Fostering connection: The antidote to workplace loneliness
A lack of connection at work has impact both for the organisation and the individual. Thom Dennis explores this and shares ways to improve A paradox has emerged in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven work environment: increased connectivity often leads to a sense of disconnection. Social media was supposed to bring us closer together, but it seems we’ve never felt so alone. Collecting ‘friends’ and followers has become a ploy that keeps us engrossed in our technology, yet lost without genuine connection.…
Will the end of non-competes spell the end of training and development?
Changes to restrictive clauses could reshape employee development, leaving L&D concerned about potential budget cuts. Marie Unger delves into the potential impacts of evolving non-compete agreements on workforce investment and growth Non-competes – a type of ‘restrictive clause’ in employees’ contracts to stop them working for a competitor for a specified period after leaving their current organisation – are in the news. In the wake of the United States Federal Trade Commission’s ruling to eliminate non-compete agreements for most roles,…
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