CIPD Cites Challenges of Managing Diversity
Ignoring diversity can reduce productivity and performance, but badly managed efforts to introduce diversity run the risk of creating conflict and doing just as much to undermine business performance, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned.The CIPD says that managers need to work to ensure diversity drives inclusiveness and cooperation, and is […]
Customers – Not Managers – Key to Motivation
A study into sources of employee energy shows that customers not managers are workers main motivators. The Impact of Customer Energy at Work, conducted by MBA students at the London Business School, suggests that interaction with a customer, whether external or internal, is the primary generator of an individual’s energy at work.Leadership teams, on the […]
The Way I See It… 360-Degree Profiling – Is it Still Effective?
Alan Rands, CEO of HRworkbench, looks at why 360-degree profiles don’t always deliver the results they promise. Around 16 years ago, I first experienced the power of 360-degree profiling in raising self-awareness of exhibited behaviour in the workplace. This was a quantum leap in thinking about performance. At last we dared to ask the people […]
Parkin Space: Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice?
For some years now, the notion of competency-based learning management (CBLM) has been viewed by training departments as the Holy Grail. But, like many things that make a lot of sense in theory, the practice is somehow unconvincing. In fact, the pursuit of CBLM, like the pursuit of e-learning, can cause us to lose sight […]
Leadership Development is Top Skills Challenge
Developing potential leaders, enhancing managerial and supervisory skills, and dealing with competitive pressures are at the top of the list of challenges faced by HR and training executives, according to the 2005 Business Issues Survey conducted by The Ken Blanchard Companies.Respondents were asked to define their organisation’s top management, employee development and business challenges from […]
Review: Accounting For Business Studies
Title: Accounting For Business StudiesAuthor: Aneirin Sion OwenPublisher: Elsevier 2003ISBN: 0 7506 5834 7Price: £24.99Reviewer: Simon JohnsonIn today’s business climate, a little financial management knowledge can go a long way. The healthy demand for accountancy knowledge by non-specialists is evident by the straining bookshelves offering an insight into what many non-accountants view as a ‘black […]
Trainer’s Tip: Cultural Change Programmes
I have a few rule-of-thumb notes from having worked in and alongside change programmes. These are important whether or not you use consultants: * It’s important to start at the top – unless the CEO and directors are keen, and prepared to shift their own behaviours, chances are it won’t stick, or will just be […]
Training Managers Say UK Lacks Effective Leaders
Two-thirds of UK organisations are suffering from a shortage of highly effective leaders, according to the 2005 Training and Development Survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).The survey of 664 training managers working in UK organisations found that in response to this leadership deficit, 85% of UK organisations are now investing in […]
Trainer’s Diary: The Okavanga-Kalahari Syndrome
Management consultant and writer Byron Kalies looks at why change programmes fail so often. “There’s a new change management programme starting next week,” said the worried voice on the phone, “What can I do?”“Keep your head down,” was my sage advice.“But this one’s serious.”“They all are.”“No – really. This time the HR Department is determined […]
IIP Champions Case Study: St Mary Magdalene School
St Mary Magdalene is a primary school with a roll of around 200 pupils plus further places at an on-site nursery. Pupils come from a wide area and a cross-section of backgrounds, some from disadvantaged homes and communities. The school has 34 teaching and support staff. The school was recognised as an Investor in People […]
Top Companies to Share in Diversity Mentoring
HBOS, Centrica, Co-operative Group, PepsiCo, BskyB, Deloitte, KPMG and Ford Europe are amongst the first companies to sign up to a new organisational diversity mentoring scheme. Due to be launched by diversity consultancy, Performance Through Inclusion (PTI) on 8 March, the scheme will enable companies to share best practice on diversity issues.Kate Headley, director and […]
Case Study: IiP Champion ClinPhone
Since putting in place the Investors in People (IiP) Standard Clinphone Group has won an American Business Award, two Queen’s Awards for International Trade and Innovation, and was ranked 47th in the 2003 “Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For”. Read on to find out how and why it became a IiP Champion. The […]
Case Study: Assessment Tools Help Costa Get the Right Blend
Costa, the UK’s leading coffee store brand, has reduced the turnover of its shop-floor staff by almost 20% after introducing a personality questionnaire to help the company recruit the right people. The questionnaire has proved so successful that Costa has now introduced a separate selection tool for its store managers. Delivered online, it measures personal […]
TrainingZONE’s Top 50 Features of 2004
We’ve had published an amazing 200 features on TrainingZONE over 2004, many of them contributed by members of the site.This is a selection of our favourite 50 – broken into 10 themes but in no other particular order – chosen for being innovative, insightful, creating debate and sheer popularity!We hope you’ll agree with this line […]
Case Study: Tracking Staff Skills Electronically
In 2002 Touchpaper, supplier of IT service management and customer support solutions, realised success was bringing with it some challenges. The company had built a base of over 1,500 customers internationally, and each client had a unique implementation and support environment.Paper systemThe key issue resulted from the flexibility of Touchpaper’s own systems, including the Vega […]
Training ‘High Priority’ for Blue Chips
Training is increasingly seen as critical to business success, having a role to play in improving productivity, customer service, staff retention and other key drivers of corporate profitability, according to a new study. The survey, by research company SDL, involved in-depth discussions with over 30 senior level training decision makers from the UK’s biggest companies.It […]
IIP Champions Show Benefits of Staff Development
Sixteen UK companies are to become role models showing organisations how to get business benefits through training and development.The 16 are the first IIP Champions, selected for the way they have boosted the performance of their companies through the way they manage and develop their employees. The Champions will now work with IIP to demonstrate […]
Management Development at Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council’s leadership development programme has boosted employee loyalty and improved public perception of the organisation. Lancashire County Council is the fourth largest county council in the country by area and has a population of over a million. In 1999 it conducted a MORI survey which revealed a widespread satisfaction with services amongst its […]
Case Study: Management Development at Dairy Crest
The business benefits of new management programmes are already being felt at chilled foods manufacturer Dairy Crest.Executive education specialist Roffey Park is running separate competency-based programmes, for Dairy Crest’s leaders and managers, featuring Development Centres, business-related projects and one-to-one mentoring. As well as supporting the brand portfolio and ‘maximising talent’, the programmes also promote cross-functional […]
Organisations use training to stem staff turnover
Training and development’s value in reducing staff turnover has been recognised in a study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The survey of 577 organisations found that increasing training and development is the most common method used to lower staff turnover. And it seemed organisations were right to focus on training and development, […]
