It’s a scenario that’s happening time and time again. The phone rings and it’s a journalist from the local evening paper asking for details on the number of redundancies planned for a local business. This is the first time the PR team has heard of the issue and therefore has to call the client for more information. The call confirms the worst – there will be job losses and a buyer is being sought for the firm.
| Published: 3 November 2008
Recent research from the fast-track headhunting company Executives Online indicates that 35% of the time organisations are ignoring clear indicators that a key Senior Manager is set to leave; while more than 75% of organisations have contingency plans that you could drive a hypothetical bus through. Relying on the rapid deployment of Interim Executives is becoming part of the norm.
| Published: 3 November 2008
Globalisation is viewed by top executives at leading organisations around the world as an inevitable, but positive, business challenge that is here to stay and growing rapidly, according to an in-depth study of business leaders revealed by EquaTerra and World 50. The findings also reveal that politically - led trade protectionism or a major economic downturn are seen by study participants as the only major threats to the continued growth of globalisation.
| Published: 8 October 2008
Our vulnerability is heightened by the increase in mobile working; hot-desking, working from trains, planes, internet cafes and a whole host of other public places. Organisations need to re-assess how they approach and manage the security of mobile workers and can’t rely on out of and date and unrealistic policy’s which simply state that ‘laptops should be kept on your person at all times.’
| Published: 7 October 2008
Every year, reports reveal an increase in drug use and harmful levels of alcohol consumption in most sectors of the UK's population.
| Published: 29 September 2008
Due to substantial cost increases over recent years many employers have been forced to review their Defined Benefit (DB) schemes. For most companies, the decision to close is the only pragmatic approach they can take - both to control risk and to plan ahead with known costs (i.e. rather than it purely being a cost cutting exercise). In our experience, the majority of companies, and in particular HR Directors, are keen to find a solution that does not however disadvantage long serving and loyal employees. The question is how to structure a Defined Contribution (DC) scheme that meets the needs of both the employees and company.
| Published: 9 September 2008
Whether the proposed ‘well-notes’ become the norm or not, amongst the confusion one thing is clear– that both employees and employers have never been more concerned with the issue of employee health. And with the first ever review into the health of the working population revealing that ill health is costing Britain a staggering £100 billion every year, which is more than the annual budget of the NHS, employers have more incentive than ever before to promote a healthier working environment and ethos.
| Published: 3 September 2008
Due to the resources available to a global company, outsourcing is not something that they frequently need to consider. However, approximately six months ago BASF Coatings came across a service called Outsourced Reception, provided by Moneypenny, which appeared to offer real benefits.
| Published: 3 September 2008
When two organisations, employing hundreds or thousands of people, merge, a great deal of effort is given over to due diligence. Much time is devoted to poring over finances, integrating IT systems, telling the stock market about synergies and drawing up new structure charts. However, it may take some time to dawn on leaders that people change more slowly and in more complex ways than systems and processes.
| Published: 3 September 2008
At start-up, a company develops its personality by identifying the products and services it wants to offer, which will, hopefully, result in sales. Once the company’s identity is in place, it can begin to assert itself by focusing on creating a large customer base, selling to that customer base and making lots of money in the meantime. But problems often occur when a business decides to merge with or acquire a business which is not a good cultural fit.
| Published: 29 July 2008
