This week’s news in brief
Staff in ascendancy
The powers of large employers will diminish as the war for talent places
staff firmly in the driving seat, claimed leading academic Charles Handy during
the closing address of the HR Forum. He believes that individuals – whose first
loyalty is to themselves – will increasingly use large organisations to develop
their skills before moving on to cash in on their increased abilities.
Ethics input needed
The productivity and staff retention of companies can be improved by
involving employees in developing business ethics. Jane Fiona Cummings,
director of ethics consultancy Article 19, cited the example of an IT company
that consulted staff in drawing up the company ethics. Its survey shows that
all staff were willing to work harder to complete jobs, and 60 per cent of new
appointments applied for jobs on recommendations from current staff.
Waiting to be happy
Postponed happiness is the greatest cause of unhappiness, claimed
broadcaster Ben Renshaw. Renshaw said people are always waiting to be happy,
waiting for the end of work, for the weekend or their next holiday rather
making the most of the present. Renshaw told delegates that success is not a
destination but a journey and added that people are happier and work better in
environments where there is trust and no limits.
Redefine ‘safety’
HR should widen the definition of health and safety, claimed an American HR
academic. Dr Nancy Post, associate professor of HR at Temple University
Philadelphia, said, "Organisations do not look at the mental or spiritual
health of an employee, so if companies are to keep to that philosophy they
should narrow the title to safety."
Life coaching urged
HR professionals have been urged to implement "life coaching" to
improve their companies’ turnover. Life coaching aims to develop employees’
work-life balance in the belief that it will increase their motivation and
increase the company’s profits. Carole Gaskell, managing director of The
Lifecoaching Company, said, "Personnel problems affect performances at
work, just as work-based problem affect home-life."
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Body language talks
Managers should maximise the similarities between colleagues in order to
increase their influence. Brigitte Summer, training manager of Achievement
Concepts, said simple actions such as smiling at colleagues and being positive
made a dynamic workplace.
