Opinion – Page 6
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OpinionLovewell's Logic: Why should we celebrate success?
On Wednesday evening, I attended the Top Employers annual certification dinner, which recognised the 71 organisations that have been awarded a place on this year’s list – in a setting that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Harry Potter novel.The employers recognised this year included: Asda, Estee Lauder ...
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OpinionDr Shainaz Firfiray: Staff motivation needs to be carefully planned to suit different generations
A major challenge that managers face in contemporary workplaces is motivating employees. However, the inducements that motivate are unique for every individual. As employers are instinctively concerned about meeting their business objectives, it is worthwhile for them to strike meaningful relationships with their employees and together identify the things that ...
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OpinionLovewell's Logic: How far should employers go in monitoring staff?
How happy would you feel if you knew your employer was watching every little move you made?If you’re anything like me, I’d imagine the answer would be not very. That’s not because I’m ever trying to get away with spending the day internet shopping or trying to do as little ...
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OpinionEthel Maldonado: Volunteering brings CSR policies to life
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies too often sit on a website, poorly communicated, rarely visited and even more rarely understood by employees. So what can really bring them to life?Employee volunteering is the most powerful mechanism that we come across at Business in the Community. For example, 80% of employees ...
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OpinionSir Cary Cooper: Motivating employees naturally
In the current economic climate, every employer is looking for ways to motivate its workforce, boost productivity, inspire creativity and, ultimately, improve its bottom line.Interestingly, there is a real business case for the benefits of incorporating natural elements into office design. Known academically as biophilia, the concept describes the biological ...
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OpinionLovewell's Logic: Why the small stuff matters
At the same time, we frequently hear from all sections of the industry how some employers are taking the time to listen to what their employees really want from their benefits packages. So, I have to admit, I was a little surprised to hear of the decision of some (fairly ...
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OpinionLovewell's Logic: Will we ever see an end to workplace gender inequality?
The list, which is compiled in partnership with the gender equality campaign from Business in the Community, Opportunity Now, identifies and celebrates employers that can demonstrate best practice in improving attraction, retention, progression and engagement in relation to their approach to gender equality, diversity and inclusion.Employers that made this year’s ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: The psychology of reward
But should employers be applying the same principles of behavioural science to motivating staff?According to a report published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) this week, a better understanding of the science behind the impact of pay and reward on employee behaviour could help employers to significantly ...
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OpinionClare Bettelley: Benefits market consolidation is long overdue
Two of the higher-profile deals saw insurance giant Aviva’s £5.6 billion takeover of Friends Life and Sodexo’s £41 million takeover of incentive and recognition provider Modivcom.For many benefits professionals, consolidation cannot come soon enough to help tackle market saturation, particularly in the healthcare arena.As Jackie Buttery, an independent benefits consultant, ...
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OpinionLovewell's Logic: Festive parties should be celebrated
With the Christmas party season now well underway, by now, most employees will have been to at least one festive celebration.But how many employees truly appreciate the investment their employer makes in seasonal events?Research published this week by Wolters Kluwer’s UK pay and benefits specialists, Croner, found that 83% of ...
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OpinionSimon Nash: Why I'm not interested in making staff happy
Reward professionals are pretty straightforward people. We like to make salary and bonus decisions on an analytical basis, taking into account market data, labour market trends and the commercial drivers of the business and sector.When it comes to benefits, too, a similar logic applies. We are looking for return on ...
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OpinionMichael Rose: Benefits must give the right messages to motivate staff
While considerable attention is given to the extent to which money is a motivator (my view is that for the vast majority of people, it is not), little is said about the role of benefits in employee motivation. With the money spent on salaries and bonuses normally dwarfing the cost ...
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OpinionNeil Conway: Seasonal reward needs careful thought
At individual, group and organisational levels, there are good reasons to intensify the use of year-round incentive schemes, such as performance-related pay, merit pay and bonuses, at Christmas, due to increased trade and therefore increased organisational need for labour supply.Also, employees’ desire for money is heightened at Christmas and the ...
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OpinionKatherine Wilson: What would the ultimate care voucher look like?
It would be accessible, affordable and appropriate for working parents and carers.It would apply to childcare and care for a dependent adult, such as a partner, elderly parent, relative or close friend.It would be simple and flexible to use for emergency or back-up care, care search, information and advice services, ...
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OpinionSuzanne Tyrrell: What would the ultimate care voucher look like?
However, the new scheme only deals with childcare. What about carers of disabled adult or elderly family members?At present, there is no similar scheme to provide employees with other caring responsibilities with financial support. These are employees who may have had to reduce working hours or even leave employment in ...
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OpinionAndy Major: What would the ultimate care voucher look like?
Clearly, childcare is a key consideration, and such a voucher should include every working parent as standard. But it should also list every employee who has an elderly dependant to worry about. As flexible working becomes more commonplace, what about people who need to work flexibly in order to perform ...
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OpinionBen Davis: Why is segmentation useful?
It is fairly obvious why the segmentation of a database of contacts can be a smart idea. In short, we are all different, and what motivates me might not motivate you.We also differ in lifestyle. If I was a pregnant woman, you might reasonably be expected to guess at some ...
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OpinionJenny Davidson: How can a reward strategy drive employee engagement?
In the past, pay and benefits have tended to be described as a ‘hygiene’ factor, with little impact on employee engagement. More emphasis was given to career development and employees’ relationship with their manager (leadership).The employee’s perception of pay and benefits, and how fairly they are rewarded within the organisation, ...
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Opinion
Steve Sims: How to gamify your workplace
An organisation gamifying their internal HR practices can have a tremendous impact on its success, morale, talent acquisition and HR processes.In fact, adding behaviour-motivating techniques from traditional and social games to HR workflows and programmes can significantly boost employee take-up, participation and engagement, and help an organisation get the most ...
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Opinion
Ruth Patel: Recognition strategy needs to create a positive feeling
Really forward-thinking employers understand where recognition sits in their overall people strategy. They think through the purpose of recognition and under what circumstances it will be most effective before determining the manner in which it will be delivered.Understanding how employees turn their intentions into behaviour is essential to putting in ...