The missing link in the Recruitment Process

We generally talk about the lack of talent in the market but do we, in HR, ever give enough emphasis on whether our line managers are equipped enough to attract the right people?

Let’s be honest; we often miss out on building capacities to enhance the skills of line managers on various aspects of recruitment.

My experience shows that in most organisations, HR ends up owning the entire recruitment process. As a direct impact of this,  the hiring process ends up not being efficient. This may sound harsh but it is sadly true.

Over the years,  I have come to the conclusion that this is mainly because of two reasons:

• either HR has not taken the initiative in building capacities or
  
• line managers have not shown interest in honing such skills
  

According to the HRD Director, ‘the majority of line managers said they would like to be more involved, to ensure the candidate has the right skills and experience, and fits with the team and company culture. So, employers would be wise to invest more in supporting them during the process.’

Whatever be the internal reasoning, the missing link is generally the lack of training of line managers.

Since, we have now found the missing link, doesn’t it become imperative on part of the HR professionals to fix it and analyse if we could get the better results?

Recently, I spoke to Sarah Taylor, an  HR professional, on the subject. Sarah has extensively worked on building capacities especially in the recruitment area in her current organisation and that has freed up her time to dedicate for strategic activities.

Would you agree, it’s a wake-up call for HR Leaders to work on this missing link and take it up as a project initiative. I would like to suggest that the main aim of this project should be:

• to start training the line managers  in order to make them proficient in HR tactical tasks
• identifying the core training areas in recruitment
• analyse if there are gaps and develop strategies that could address such gaps

As  an HR professional myself, I strongly believe, that this would be the  turning point for the entire HR fraternity to become more of capacity building advisers rather than mere ‘ administrative support staff.‘

Are we ready for this change?

I will of course, develop these thoughts further in an on-going series of Recruitment, but your suggestions and ideas are welcome and will play a vital role in making this series more interactive and ultimately, useful to the community.

 

 

 

Can a 6 hour working day work in the UK ?

Recently, Sweden came up in the  news because ‘Sweden introduces six hour working day‘  to increase productivity and make people happier. Being a women and also a  mum , myself, I think it must be a dream come true especially for women workforce in Sweden to work for 6 hours in a day. Isn’t that amazing?

But what made Sweden take such a decision?

Cutting back on working hours helps :

• improve efficiency of the staff
• to better work life balance for employees
• to boost overall productivity of the organisation
• to better the well-being because of less stress
• staff to be more creative
• people have enough energy to pursue their personal lives

Is it really possible to do more in less time?

According to Linus Feldt, CEO of Filimundus, an app developer based in the capital Stockholm had something to say.  In his words, ‘The eight-hour work day is not as effective as one would think. To stay focused on a specific work task for eight hours is a huge challenge.  In order to cope, we mix in things and pauses to make the work day more endurable.  At the same time, we are having it hard to manage our private life outside of work.’

I asked a few of my friends here in the UK – what if the number of working hours are reduced to 6 hours per day from the typical 8 ?

Unfortunately, most of them said that such a paradigm shift in traditional working hours would never be welcomed by business owners here in the UK.  But,  with due respect to their opinion, I don’t agree with them. I would definitely take it further by asking a few of the employers  in the UK to understand the reason.

I strongly believe that it’s very much possible that  people will do more work in a shorter amount of time and then have more time in hand  to focus on their families and home lives.

In fact, big giants like Gothenburg’s Toyota introduced 6 hours working day about 13 years ago . Toyota confirms that the change has resulted in much more motivated staff , decrease in staff turnover at the same time an increase in productivity.

I think until the rest of the globe catches up with Sweden for shorter working day, we in the UK should think, plan and act to move there. Jokes apart, it’s worth thinking about why and how the economy, culture of Sweden support and flourish well with less working hours as compared to the rest of Europe and the UK. However, when I sit and think about the working culture in the US, I am filled with great relief.

Do you agree with me ?

I’m sure there must be splitting opinions on this subject but can I suggest that we do further brainstorming and analysis to understand if such a change could bring real time benefits  for the UK market in terms of productivity, happier employees and better work-life balance.

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Are you always in a recruiting mode?

Throughout my professional career, I have experienced recruiting leaders often bemoan the shortage  of  the right talent. They panic to find the right fit, when the need arises, often with tight turnaround times.

If you reckon the fact that you will find the right fit when you want, I could vouch from my own experience that moving forward, it’s going to be a lot more tricky and often expensive.

So, isn’t there any way out to fix such challenges?

Yes, there is- always be in a recruiting mode even if you are not hiring ( I hope I make some sense here! ). 

Let me elaborate, briefly:

Organisations need to appreciate the fact that the recruitment process has changed over the past few years and to be a part of this new recruitment game, companies need to adapt to this change and  become pro-active rather than being reactive towards the talent hunt. 

You will agree with me that many organisations are  still reactive towards the whole recruitment process. If hiring the right talent is a big concern for organisations, it becomes imperative on the part of recruiting managers to make recruitment as part of their daily agenda.

In the current era of skills shortage, organisations need to  avoid the long traditional route  of reactive hiring, rather  actively get involved in passive recruitment. This would help to build database with potential candidates and give the organisation instant access to a ‘talent pool’  in a much shorter time, thus resulting in a ‘win – win’ situation for all.

I do agree that on-going recruitment surely requires recruiters to be permanently in the recruiting mode  but I think, it’s well worth the effort as it makes the recruitment process a lot more efficient and hence streamlined.

So, are you, as an organisation always in a recruiting mode?

Have a think and see if this strategy works for you.  From my past experience, I can confidently state that this method of looking at the recruitment process has always worked.

Until next time, happy recruiting!

 

 

 

 

 

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT- A GROWING THREAT

‘Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.’ – Forbes Magazine 

Last year, the Global Perspectives survey released by the research firm ORC International, placed the UK 18^thout of 20 countries with regards to the employee engagement.  In brief, the survey highlights that:

• Employee engagement still remains a deficit for the UK 
• A sharp decline in all the three major trends in employee engagement index as compared to  2013
• The UK ranks third lowest globally in employee engagement 
• A decline in all the key employee engagement drivers that influence the employee experience for the workforce 
• Relationship between managers and staff are generally not seen positive

If you have few minutes to spare, I would highly recommend reading the complete survey to get the detailed information, right here.

I truly believe that it’s time to change the mindset of the management leaders to meet the high expectations of the demanding workforce.  It involves commitment and  a team effort between HR, top management and line managers to customise engagement strategies to meet the high business demands.

Before, I get into the details regarding the strategies to improve engagement across  organisations, let’s first understand:

Why do companies in the UK fail to engage  the workforce?                    

I’m definitely not an expert in this field  but based on my insight and research, let me give you a brief overview:

• Organisations can’t meet the high expectations of the Gen Y workers as they enter the corporate sector
• The new attitudes of Gen Y lead to a cultural shift so, organisations find it difficult to engage them
•  Lack of  understanding of the diversity of the  workforce and individual needs
• Implementation of  engagement activities that appeal all the employees
• Millennials are not ready to compromise for their purpose. They don’t feel aligned with the vision of the organisation.
• Today, employees want much more than a career. They want to make a difference in the society 
• Millennials either want more creative work or they want to work for startups 

This might  paint a very alarming picture for the UK with regard to raising the level of engagement, but this issue needs to be addressed at different levels to find the appropriate solution.

I’ll definitely elaborate these thoughts further in the series of employee engagement.  In the meanwhile, if you want to get inspired  and network with forward thinking organisation in the engagement field, there is a fantastic conference happening in London on 10^th September 2015, focusing on ‘The employee engagement’. Fancy booking a seat at the event?

 

 

 

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EXERCISE – A STRESS BUSTER

It’s a fact that work pressure stress is inevitable and according to the Health and Safety Executive, ‘Stress can hit anyone at any level of the business and recent research shows that work-related stress is widespread and is not confined to particular sectors, jobs or industries.’ 

We all like to follow our passion,  take up new initiatives at work and all these challenges definitely bring along some kind of stress, but it’s important that we stay healthy and happy under such pressures. Physiotherapists have confirmed that physical activity promotes mental well-being and reduces  stress.

Based on my research and insight, a few simple exercises that already quite a few organisations of all sizes and shapes are taking up in the UK are mentioned below. Fancy adding some of these to keep your employees happy and healthy?

• Simple stretches in the morning and at regular intervals at work.

• Cycling to work is a great and cost effective way of exercising.

• Walking up the stairs rather than taking the  lift 

• A walk after lunch time is an excellent way of exercising.

• Deep breathing exercise at the start of the day

• Yoga– the best way to reduce anxiety and stress

•  Team sports day at work can serve the purpose of staying healthy and improve team spirit

• 

If you have a few minutes to spare, I would thoroughly recommend that you read the CIPD article on staying healthy and happy to get a thorough understanding of the topic.

We all know about these cost-effective exercises, but it becomes imperative on our part as  HR leaders to spread awareness among those people who don’t like to exercise or find it difficult to incorporate exercise in their busy schedule.

Having said all that, we know that there are several more challenges that affect the level of stress, which I would further elaborate in my upcoming post.

So, stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

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Role of HR to overcome sleep deprivation

My last post, Sleep deprivation, made it clear somehow that our good health and quality of our life are directly linked to sleep and these aspects are affected  by insufficient sleep.

I believe, the  main role of HR professionals is to care about their people so, it’s important for HR and top management  to create and promote a healthy working environment and keep people happy.

 In this post, I ‘ll focus on different ways of promoting  the sleep awareness programme for improving the creativity, performance, healthy lifestyles  and  profits of your organisation.

• Standing workspaces:  Most of the desk-bound jobs leads to daytime fatigue, daytime sleepiness and health problems. One way to overcome these problems is to provide standing workstations because it forces the spine to be in a neutral position and remain alert.

• Regular breaks: Encourage people in your organisation to take regular breaks especially those who spend six to seven hours continuously on the computer.  My husband also spends most of the time working on computers and I always encourage him to take small breaks and go for  walks in between or do some stretching.

• Nap time room: Studies have revealed that napping improves alertness, creativity and reduces stress. Many organisations like Google  provide nap rooms for employees to take a nap for 20-30 minutes to recharge themselves.

• Encourage people to leave on time: HR and top management should enforce a culture of leaving on time from office to avoid stress, fatigue and have a work-life balance with a good night sleep.

• Encourage employees to take time off for vacation:  My Dad always says that work can always wait and I completely agree with it. HR must encourage people to take time off for the vacation at least twice a year to recharge themselves, overcome stress and ultimately, leading to better sleep habits.

I understand that ‘sleep deprivation‘ may not be a critical issue for any organisation but enough research is available to support that healthy and happy employees have a  great impact on creativity, performance and overall productivity. 

What according you are other ways to overcome sleep deprivation?

I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Senior leaders- Sleep Deprived!

‘My clinical experience is that sleep deprivation is definitely on the rise,’ says Dr Michael Sinclair, consultant clinical psychologist at the City Psychology Group in London.

24/7 access to technology and work schedules are some of the societal factors that lead to sleep deprivation.  I have always heard from my Sr. managers that:

Who has time for sleep?

It’s probably a thought that goes through our minds, too.

I’m definitely not an expert on the topic, but based on my research and insight, let’s understand how this cult of insufficient sleep affect our bodies:

• It reduces brain power and productivity 
• Diminishes concentration and impairs memory
• Lowers Creativity 
• Increases stress and anxiety
• Leads to health problems like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases 
• Hinders leadership performance 

Before, I get into the details of these above facts,  let me share with you a true story of Arianna Huffington, the founder of Huffington Post, who reveals how an accident forced her to understand the critical importance of sleep for a successful career.

In brief, she said:

• Creativity, ingenuity, confidence, leadership, decision-making- are hampered because of insufficient sleep
• Sleep deprivation has negative impacts on our mood, our ability to focus, and our ability to perform better
• People who sleep less  are seven times more likely to feel helpless and five times more likely to feel alone
• Short naps can help revive us, even if we are not having seven or eight hours sleep
• Sleep is linked to one of the most destructive forces, stress

If you have a few minutes to spare, I would thoroughly recommend that you read the complete article to get a thorough understanding, right here.

This might  paint a very alarming picture for the organisations  with regard to low productivity and overall disengagement. But, these issues definitely need to be addressed to find the appropriate solution, which I would take up in my next post.

 

 

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It’s all about People!

I wasn’t  clear in my head that what a dream workplace means to me till I asked some of my friends and relatives to have some clarity.

Honestly speaking, I was expecting the answers like:

having a company car, plush office, free lunches, flexible hours, top technology facility, free dental care but to my surprise the answers were none of them.

Of course, they are attractive perks, but they all believe that – a dream workplace- is all about working with – great and talented people.

I quite agree with them because if I look back, I have always liked a few of my previous organisations because of its people who have always encouraged me to add value to their business. I couldn’t have cared less about those fancy perks, but it’s  the people that made all the difference and that is why I still consider them as my dream companies.

So, the question arises here

Are you hiring such great people?

If yes, who is responsible for hiring right talent in your company?

Hiring is a collaborative effort so, I believe, HR alone can’t make it happen.

I will, of course, develop these thoughts further in an on-going series of Recruitment, but your suggestions and ideas are welcome and will play a vital role in making this series more interactive and ultimately, useful to the community.

 

 

 

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What does the Election manifesto mean for HR?

Which political party do you support and why do you support them?

As the UK election excitement reaches a feverish pitch, coffee breaks are turning into heated election debates. Although,  this is considered to be one of the most boring elections, as well as one with the most uncertain outcome. This of course always makes for interesting conversation as long as people respect each other’s opinions.

Obviously, I am unable to comment on what will happen tomorrow (but I may be persuaded to share my thoughts over several cups of coffee!) I can offer you my insights on the HR side of things. The key thing to note is that HR Leaders and Employment law practitioners need to gear up for Employment law changes.

So, let me give you a brief overview of how the three major political party manifestos will impact HR policies, based on a report by Weightmans Employment and HR Magazine

Conservatives:

• Increase in the free childcare to 30-hours for working parents of three and four- year- olds
• Ban on exclusivity clauses on zero-hours contract
• To raise the minimum wage to more than £8 an hour “by the end of the decade”
• Introduction of new state pension

Lib Dem:

• Review of national minimum wage and introduction of a ‘living wage’
• Introduction of an extra month’s paternity leave on a ‘ use it or lose it’ basis
• Shared parental  and paternity leave introduced as  ‘day one’ rights
• Committed  15 hours of free child care for working parents from the age of two

Labour:

• An increase in the minimum wages to £8 by 2019
• Tax rebate for employers committing to pay a living wage in the first year of Labour government
• Increase in the free childcare to 15-20 hours for working parents of three and four-year- olds
• Increase in paternity pay
• Abolish the ‘Employment Tribunal fee‘ system

If you have few minutes to spare, l would highly recommend reading the complete article, right here to get a detailed information.

On Election day, the polling booths will be open from 7am till 10pm and Personnel today give details of employees’ rights for their political opinion.

Whatever is the result of the elections, a few changes in employment laws seem certain. We will get more clarity regarding the implementation process of the new policies after the new government is elected.

In the current political scenario, we are uncertain about which political party will be able to attract the business community. In the meantime, it’s our duty to vote and if you’re anything like me, closely monitor the results!

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Engaging Millennials – a growing necessity

I  like to bond with Millennials.  I’m fascinated by their attitude of considering themselves as leaders at every stage of their life.

There are several names for this generation but the more commonly used are:

Millennials, Gen Y, Echo boomers and Digital generation. 

According to the researchers, Millennials are those born between 1980 – 2000.  Although, the definition varies, but they make up a large proportion of the UK’s  workforce.

A recent article in the HR Zone, revealed:

 This prediction help organisations to implement specialised ways to engage and retain Millennials.

There are several ways to engage Gen Y – but let me share a few – based on my insight and research.

•  Varied experience:  Expose the Gen Y to a variety of roles which improves their competencies. Organisations should engage them as early as possible with project work or internship programme.
• Networking: Allowing them to network because this generation likes to bond with each other. Create an environment of meeting the Senior leaders from other industries because they are inspired by them and are curious to know that what is happening in the outside world.
• Flexibility:  Millennials enjoy to work with flexibility and they appreciate getting their work done from anywhere and at any time. They like to have better work-life balance.  Organisations need to make full use of technology because these Millennials are tech-savvy.
• Create Millennials leaders:  Gen Y  perceives themselves as leaders because they are grown up in a global perspective. So, organisations need to train and develop Millennials as future leaders to fulfil their aspirations.

We need to understand that engaging and retaining these Millennials can be very challenging and it will definitely change the corporate culture, globally.

A recent Deloitte’s fourth annual Millennial survey further confirms that:

•  Academia and  organisations must collaborate to bring talent into the workplace
•  People and the purpose should be the main priority of every business, not only products and profits
• Organisations should utilise their skills completely

If you have few minutes to spare, I suggest reading the complete report by Deloitte to get a detailed information, right here.

To conclude, I think, engaging Millennials is no more optional, it’s a must for every organisation to engage them effectively because they will change the face of leadership in future

What according to you are the other ways to engage Gen Y?

Your suggestions and ideas are welcome and will play a vital role in making this series more interactive and ultimately, useful to the community.

 

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