HR Network Vol 17 Issue 2

Inspiring People Development

AWARDS

FINALISTS

NOVEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 17 ISSUE 2 A MEDIA AVENUE PUBLICATION | www.hrnetworkjobs.com

2021

Career Ready SUPPORTING

IN MEMORY OF

SHONA MCKENZIE FEATURE: Unconscious Bias Training

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CONTENTS

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COVER STORY Supporting Career Ready: In memory of Shona McKenzie.

Is your organisation enabling Scotland’s talented young people to rise and shine?

Career Ready and one of its key ambassadors, the late Shona McKenzie, have been inspirational in championing disadvantaged young talent into the world of work. Andy Moore takes a closer look.

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CONTENTS

8 News 20 Stats

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Satisfaction in the workspace linked to increase productivity

22 Feature Two

Introducing the Finalists for the Hr NETWORK National Awards 2021

32 The Bookshop

Latest bestsellers to be published

34 Feature Three

22

Unconscious Bias Training

38 EXTRA

Speak Up, Listen Up: Is open culture a new fad?

42 Insights

34

Better Sleep Cyber Security Company Family Career Change

46 Tribute Remembering Shona McKenzie

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46 5

CONTRIBUTORS

Founder and Publisher:

DR. JO KANDOLA

CEO, Pearn Kandola

Lee Turner lee@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

Feature: Unconscious Bias Training p. 34

Senior Associate Editor: Andy Moore editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

DR. SIMON MAC RORY

CEO, The Guardian Service

Feature: Speak Up, Listen Up p. 38

Deputy-Editor: Teresa Flannigan editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

DR. LINDSAY BROWNING

Editor-At-large:

Feature: Expert Tips for a Better Sleep p. 42

Neil Archibald editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

Editor’s Assistant/Admin: Marion Robertson editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

ALEX LAMONT

Jobtrain

Insight: The Company Family p. 43

Advertising/Sponsorship: Donna Turner advertising@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

Design:

ROBERT GRAF

Founder, ProLion

Media Avenue Ltd

Insight: Cyber Security: Halting the rise in ransomeware p. 44

Hr NETWORK now available on: LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/hrnetwork1

CHRIS PARKER

Managing Director, Renovo

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HrNETWORKNews

Insight: Career Change p. 45

Media Avenue Limited 18 Young Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JB 0131 625 3267 www.hrnetworkjobs.com www.mediaavenue.co.uk

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/hrnetworkscotland

The views expressed in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) are those of invited contributors and not necessarily those of Media Avenue Ltd. Media Avenue Ltd does not endorse any goods or services advertised, or any claims or representations made in any advertisement in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) magazine and accepts no liability to any person for loss or damage suffered as a consequence of their responding to, or placing reliance upon any claim or representation made in any advertisement appearing in Hr NETWORK (SCOTLAND) magazine. Readers should make appropriate enquiries and satisfy themselves before responding to any such advertisement or placing reliance upon any such claim or representation. By so responding or placing reliance readers accept that they do so at their own risk. © Media Avenue Ltd. 2020

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WELCOME

November 2021

W

elcome to our November issue of Hr NETWORK magazine. Unless we find ourselves going into another lockdown between now and the end of this month, the Hr NETWORK National Awards Gala Dinner 2021 in partnership with Roffey Park Institute is very much “ON” and I am delighted to announce that the Hr NETWORK Team are putting the finishing touches to what promises to be the best HR industry event, taking place in Glasgow on Thursday 25th November. We have a wonderful evening of celebration planned, not only as we exit the dark days of COVID and get the chance to bring everyone back together again safely, but we will also have the chance to recognise, acknowledge and reward the stars of the HR and people management & development industry in Scotland, who have shone brightly during the past 20 months of life during a pandemic.

One such attendee for many years at our Gala Dinner and a hugely avid supporter of Hr NETWORK, Shona McKenzie, will sadly not be attending the Gala Dinner. Shona passed away suddenly at home on the 27th August, leaving her family, friends and the many people she came to know and support across the HR and recruitment industry with a deep sense of loss and sadness and on behalf of the entire Hr NETWORK community, I wish to offer Shona’s family and close friends our deepest sympathy and condolences.

Shona’s life was celebrated beautifully in a moving ceremony which took place at Daldowie Crematorium on Friday 17th September where almost 200 friends and colleagues joined her family to remember her, listening to stories of her as a daughter, sister and mother as well as her passion for helping others, and paying tribute to a lady who took great pleasure in supporting particularly young people starting their careers, especially those who came from socially challenged backgrounds.

For many years, Shona played a committed part with the charity Career Ready, which supports 1000’s of young people, to ensure they are ready for work upon leaving school. Shona did this both as an employer and as an ambassador, directing her many businesses contacts to support this great work and as a lasting legacy for Shona, her family decided to choose to help Career Ready in her name and encourage Shona’s network to continue to support the wonderful work of the charity and ensuring that Shona’s legacy lives on for many years to come.

As a close business contact of Shona’s for many years and having had lots of support and encouragement from her myself in the 15 years that I knew her, I too want to help to continue her legacy and I am very proud to offer Hr NETWORK’s commitment to this by announcing that Career Ready will be our chosen charity at this year’s Hr

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NETWORK Awards Gala Dinner in November, with all the money raised going to support the work that Career Ready will be able to do in Shona’s name.

Awards Gala Dinner 2021 We are very grateful to all our sponsors for their support this year and thanks also to the many organisations that have secured a Table of 10 at the forthcoming Gala Dinner. There are a few tables remaining and if you would like to join us at the Gala Dinner with your guests, please contact the Awards Planning Team as soon as possible.

This Issue In this online edition of the magazine, Andy Moore takes a closer look at Career Ready and some of the huge benefits available for employers by offering mentoring opportunities to teenagers from socially challenged backgrounds, preparing to leave school for the world of work, that awaits them.

The regular sections of the magazine include: Stats, the Bookshop and a range of Insight features on some hot topics in the people management & development world.

I hope you enjoy your online copy of Hr NETWORK Magazine and look forward to welcoming you at our events this year – whether they are online or in-person!

Lee Turner Publisher Contributors: Dr. Jo Kandola, Dr. Simon Mac Rory, Dr. Lindsay Browning, Robert Graf, Chris Parker and Alex Lamont Hr NETWORK also available on: LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/hrnetwork1 Twitter: www.twitter.com/HrNETWORKNews YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ hrnetworkscotland

NEWS

1 in 5 Black employees can’t be themselves at work, as experts say hybrid strategy is “sucking the oxygen out of D&I Initiatives” According to a recent study, one in four Black employees don’t feel they can be themselves at work, despite an increase in workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives in the past year. Engagement experts, Inpulse, say that while D&I efforts increased last year, the ability to enact real change has been stifled, eclipsed in part by the move to remote and hybrid working.

As a result, the data shows that employees are less engaged and have less faith in D&I initiatives: those who feel they can’t be themselves at work are 43% less engaged than other employees. As well as this, over two-thirds of these employees (64%) do not feel that their organisation has an inclusive culture regardless of personal difference.

working. This potentially will lead to an unintentional but detrimental lack of drive behind D&I action for some time.

We’re also seeing that even when HR can focus their efforts on D&I, there’s a lack of confidence in knowing the right actions to take.”

Meanwhile, nearly a third of all employees (31%) do not feel that their organisation encourages diversity and inclusion.

According to Matt Stephens, Founder and CEO of Inpulse: “There are currently two main issues holding back the D&I agenda. Firstly, the return to work has taken over as the big problem for HR and is ultimately sucking the oxygen out of D&I initiatives – so much so that there’s little room to focus on this incredibly pressing matter.

These are not structures that can change overnight however, and require a constant, multifaceted approach to improve. It’s unsurprising that organisations have focused on hybrid working strategies, but ignoring long-term D&I initiatives isn’t sustainable either. Business leaders may bring the majority of their workforces together logistically and personally while focusing on hybrid work, but is it at the expense of continually alienating ethnic minorities. The key is to first understand underlying issues to be able to create the best strategy of support.

“Worryingly too, depending on whether Covid restrictions are put back in place over winter, more of HR’s time could be spent implementing the constant change of remote or hybrid

The energy firm that lets its staff choose their own hours

And it comes after the firm was recently hailed for reducing emails in favour of Instagram and WhatsApp – in a bid to engage better with its predominantly millennial workforce.

Energy retailer Love Energy Savings is offering its staff the ultimate in flexibility – by allowing them to set their own working hours.

Love Energy Savings CEO Phil Foster says: “For more and more people, the traditional ways of working just don’t fit in with how we live our lives today.

The new initiative comes after colleagues were given the freedom to work from any location of their choosing.

“The rigid pattern of nine to five, Monday to Friday is no longer fit for purpose.

“Now parents can easily schedule their hours around school drop-off and pick-up. It also gives colleagues the chance to visit the gym during the day and catch up with life admin.

Introduced in response to the changing nature of the workplace post-covid, the policy dubbed “Flexible-Flexible” has been implemented as the business, based in Bolton, Greater Manchester, seeks to double the headcount in its customer nurture team.

“That’s why we’re delighted to implement our Flexible-Flexible Policy.

Not only does it allow our colleagues to work from anywhere in the UK, they can also choose the hours that suit them and their families.”

“Allowing staff to work from anywhere in the UK has already proved a huge hit. We’ve got colleagues in Glasgow, Heathrow, Ipswich and the Lake District now who tell us how their quality of life has shot up as a result.”

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Phil hopes the policy will ensure the business retains talented individuals for whom conventional hours just aren’t practical.

He adds: “Working a nine to five around when you have childcare commitments can prove a particular challenge.

NEWS

Hermes appoints chief people officer

How does the largest employer in Scotland manage its recruitment?

Leading consumer delivery company Hermes UK has appointed a highly experienced and effective Chief People Officer as part of its commitment to investing in its people as the business continues to grow and transform. Penny Garnett will take up the newly created role, working alongside the Executive Committee, to lead Hermes UK’s people strategy and vision working with Jill Maples in her new role of People and Culture Director.

Used by organisations across the UK and beyond, the Jobtrain applicant tracking system manages the entire recruitment and onboarding process.

Penny’s remit at Hermes includes driving cultural change within the business as it continues on its strong growth trajectory, ensuring that its people are able to adapt. This will include looking at aligning practices and approaches for employees, selfemployed contractors and agency staff. She will also be looking at ways of addressing the industry driver shortage from within the business and focussing on senior level succession and talent planning.

Our expertise and technology empowers a wide variety of organisations across Scotland, including: NHS Scotland, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen Airport, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership and Teleperformance.

Based in the heart of Glasgow, we support our clients with a highly experienced and locally based team.

Penny brings over 20 years’ experience as a HR Director, having worked with major global businesses and key FTSE organisations. She joins from leading services provider Serco where she was HR Director and has held similar roles at fintech firm Pico and the James Hay Partnership. She is also highly experienced in industrial relations and working with unions.

"Jobtrain have, throughout the entire programme, shown a clear focus on delivery. With the customer at the heart and with a very positive "Can do Attitude", Jobtrain have been flexible to meet the size, complexity and scale of NHS Scotland."

Commenting on her new role, Penny said: “I am excited to be joining one of the most dynamic businesses in the UK that is right at the heart of the changing retail and ecommerce sectors.

Now more than ever, it’s people who make the difference between a good business and a great one and it is this ethos that will form the foundation of everything I intend to implement.”

Martijn de Lange said: “Penny’s drive and enthusiasm for the people agenda is only second to her wealth of experience and expertise. She is an important part of the jigsaw for us as we continue to transform our growing business in this fast growing and changing sector.”

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NEWS

Survey of wellbeing managers a global first

strategies and programs in the workplace. They may do this role full time, or it may be part of their role in human resources, health and safety, or another function.

“We often hear from people in these roles that they’re juggling the management of wellbeing programs on top of an already busy role, and consequently it’s usually wellbeing activities that get pushed to the bottom of the list.

A New Zealand firm is doing a global survey of wellbeing leaders in the corporate world to understand the emerging role of the ‘wellbeing manager’ in organisations.

ROW founder Sarah McGuinness says there are lots of surveys asking about employee wellbeing, and senior leaders regularly report wellbeing as one of the top issues for workplaces right now.

“We want to understand how that role is supported day-to-day, as that’s the critical missing piece in how workplaces improve wellbeing across the business.”

The survey is anonymous, and asks demographic questions, where the role is in the organisation, and about the organisation’s commitment to wellbeing and how it’s measured. It also asks about how the COVID pandemic has changed the organisation’s wellbeing approach, as well as their day-to-day experience of wellbeing managers (including what they enjoy, support they have, and frustrations) and any professional development needs.

But there isn’t much about the roles of wellbeing managers within those workplaces and the challenges and opportunities of those roles, she says.

“We’re conducting research to better understand the emerging role of the ‘wellbeing manager’ in organisations around the globe.”

Sarah says ROW defines a wellbeing manager as the person or people responsible for developing workplace wellbeing

Sarah says ROW hopes to make the survey an annual activity so that industry trends can be mapped and shared over time.

A free sharable briefing report will be produced with the results of the survey in early 2022.

“With COVID-19 far from over, the contribution to this research by wellbeing leaders in business will be important as it will inform development opportunities and advocacy for the role going forward.”

Taranata Group launches new bespoke delivery model to combat war on talent Talent and capability expert Taranata Group has invested in future ways of working with the launch of Virtuoso – a bespoke managed service recruitment model created to tackle the current socalled ‘War for Talent’.

Created amidst one of the most challenging periods for the recruitment industry, and with a high number of companies struggling to fill vacancies, Taranata is utilising its expertise in recruitment across multiple sectors

with its six talent brands to identify how organisations can attract, engage and select the most skilled and best fit candidates for roles.

Already proving the appetite for this service, Taranata has secured two new contracts for Virtuoso and are working closely with a specialist Personal Wealth business across their UK operations and also with a scale up technology firm, based in Edinburgh, to help deliver both companies multi-disciplined recruitment needs along with their ambitious growth plans.

Created to be completely flexible and scalable, Virtuoso allows companies of any size, and from within any sector or situation, to access recruitment experts who will work as an extension of a client in-house team to fulfil recruitment needs.

The model enables a more dedicated, aligned and personal recruitment

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service covering the full candidate journey for a business. It also supports the employer with everything from branding and referrals to social style and advertising messaging as well as wider supplier management.

Simone Lockhart, Group Commercial Director, said: “At Taranata we are experts in the ‘art of recruitment’ and Virtuoso is an extension of that for our team and our clients.

“We created Virtuoso as a direct response to what our clients and the market needs.

Recent reports from the likes of Royal Bank of Scotland and KPMG have found that we are currently facing an unprecedented increase in vacancies, while the availability of workers deteriorates at a rapid rate. Businesses across the country are struggling to find people to fill roles and even more so, find the right person for their team.”

NEWS

70% of HR directors say COVID jabs will be compulsory in their workplace

against COVID, is among the industries posting the most jobs requiring jabs. Other roles highly likely to require vaccination are to be found in customer service, cleaning and hospitality.

Meanwhile, a survey of HR directors found seven in 10 (70%) say they will require staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The number of job postings requiring workers to be vaccinated soared by 116% between August and September, according to data released by Indeed Flex the online marketplace for flexible workers.

Nearly half (48%) said they would require all staff, except those with a medical exemption, to be vaccinated, while 22% would implement mandatory jabs for all workers.

The findings, compiled jointly by Indeed Flex and Indeed, the world’s largest job site, suggest vaccination has become a high priority for those in charge of recruitment and a prerequisite for an increasing number of jobs.

“The proportion of vacancies explicitly requiring the COVID-19 vaccination also rose by 119%.

The care homes sector, which from November will be legally required to ensure all staff and volunteers are fully vaccinated

In a survey of more than 400 HR directors, seven in 10 (73%) said a worker’s vaccination status would have an impact on their return to the workplace, with a third of those polled (33%) saying only vaccinated staff would go back. Only 15% of HR directors said vaccination status would have no bearing on their decision to return a staff member to the workplace or not.

Outside the care sector, businesses in the UK are currently free to decide whether or not to impose a vaccination requirement on their staff. Other countries, including France, Greece and Australia, have also implemented mandatory vaccination in the care sector.

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NEWS

Social Supermarket launches ethical corporate gifting platform

suitable, ethical gifts that give back and see the impact your gifts create when our impact dashboard launches early in the new year.

Social Supermarket has developed a unique technology solution to soothe the pain of sending team gifts – the Team Gifting Platform.

With a variety of ethical and sustainable brands available to choose from, Social Supermarket also curates complete hampers and boxes ready to gift for every occasion. Its recently launched Christmas hamper collection range includes options with sweet treats, festive tipples and stocking fillers. Filter by product choice, or by cause, such as supporting global education initiatives, tackling climate change or offering support to marginalised groups. In addition, for every two Christmas hampers bought, Social Supermarket have committed to planting a tree to help offset carbon emissions.

The new platform responds to specific difficulties that Social Supermarket understands its corporate clients typically face during the festive period when organising gifts for their team. For example, compiling team addresses into an excel spreadsheet, chasing missing addresses, and finding a popular gift for 200 employees that is also suitable for the minority who have specific dietary needs or preferences to consider, such as nut-free, alcohol-free or vegan.

One in three workers grow apart from their workplace BFF due to the pandemic Research from Ezra has found that the majority of UK workers feel the pandemic has impacted the social aspect of their professional lives, with a third stating they’ve grown apart from their workplace BFF. While we work to pay the bills and further our professional development, the social aspect is an important part of the workplace for many, whether it be letting off steam with a workmate at the end of the day, or entertaining clients at lunch.

In fact, Ezra found that 73% of UK office workers value the social aspect of their working environment, with 14% believing it’s very important.

The platform is quick and easy to operate, allowing users to get back to what’s important (the office Christmas party, perhaps!) instead of wasting time with spreadsheets, GDPR worries and the hunt for the right, not to mention, ethical gift.

Key features of the platform include, curate a selection of gifts within your desired budget and let your team choose what they’d prefer, send a link to your team for them to select which option they’d like, no email addresses or delivery addresses required – let each team member input their details individually, filter by budget or product category to quickly and easily find

Founder of Ezra Nick Goldberg, commented: “The pandemic has been problematic for many with the lucky ones amongst us remaining in work but adapting to a life of remote or flexible working and online meetings.

However, the pandemic has caused this aspect of the workplace to deteriorate for many with 65% stating they had seen a decline in their professional social life.

Remote working has understandably been the biggest factor in this decline, with many unable to meet with colleagues in person or network outside of Zoom calls. Flexible working has also caused a decline, with many now finding themselves working different days to their colleagues.

Furlough and redundancies have also been a factor, while some have differed on Covid issues such as vaccinations.

These pandemic related issues have not only reduced the social aspect of many workplaces but 32% of workers also stated that they have grown apart from their workplace BFF during the pandemic.

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“This new way of working can be a struggle but any problematic professional period can be overcome with good management, clear communication and weekly goals to help hold yourself accountable.

“However, it’s far harder to replicate the social aspect that comes with working in the physical workplace. For some, this means a struggle to build a rapport with existing clients or to win new ones over Zoom. Others are missing the coffee run vent with a colleague that helps keep them sane, while others are simply missing an after work drink with their favourite workplace person.

These aspects of working life are arguably as important to help us function fully and so it’s vital we continue to look towards a balance between remote working and the physical workplace to ensure they aren’t lost.”

NEWS

UK Workers feel 81% safe in their workplace, study finds With many office workers adapted to working from home for over a year, returning to the office is like stepping back into unfamiliar territory and is bound to make you feel uneasy if safety isn’t taken seriously.

the public service, office work and education, with each gaining an employee safety score of 8.4 out of 10.

Transport and logistics has the lowest safety score out of all of the industries, with employees on average giving a score of 7.5 out of 10 when asked how safe they felt at work.

The Compensation Experts has revealed the attitudes towards safety in the workplace now that more workers are returning to their place of work.

In general, there seems to be a positive movement since the pandemic in looking closer at employee safety in the workplace, which you can see reflected in the fact 5 out of the 8 industries score higher than 8 when it comes to how safe employees feel.

The report titled ‘The Workplace Safety Index’ surveyed workers in a variety of sectors, revealing their thoughts and opinions on safety in their place of work.

Interestingly, it is not just that they feel safer from the threat of Covid 19. The report includes workplace machinery, the condition of floors and buildings, and PPE equipment.

In almost every area and in every industry, UK employees are feeling safer.

Jonathan Corris Senior Marketing Manager at The Compensation Experts commented on the findings “It’s really excellent to see so many industries scoring highly in this report, with safety measures clearly being taken seriously and workers feeling safe. We hope that workplaces will continue to have procedures in place to making it a safe environment for all.”

The report surveyed workers in a variety of sectors, asking them how safe they feel at work. The industry where employees felt the safest was a three way tie between

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NEWS

Landwood Group raises the bar for women in property with new menopause policy

“Too many women find themselves forced to turn their back on the sector as a result of inflexible policies and working practices that are stuck in the dark ages. At Landwood we’re committed to nurturing and retaining the very best talent in the industry. Implementing our new menopause policy is just one of the ways we can continue to demonstrate how seriously we are striving to set new standards for inclusivity.”

Property and asset experts Landwood Group has strengthened its commitment to sweeping away barriers to female progression within the property sector by implementing a new menopause policy.

The menopause policy is the latest measures Landwood has introduced to reduce the barriers that can prevent women progressing within the property industry.

It follows the introduction of a flexible working policy, to allow parents to both set their own hours and location of work to fit around childcare commitments.

The approach sees menopause formally classified as a health condition – with those experiencing its symptoms entitled to identical rights and support of anyone suffering from illness.

Landwood Group Managing Director Mark Bailey comments: “At Landwood, we are immensely proud to be so far ahead of many property businesses by having women make up a third of the senior leadership team in total. And we remain determined to keep refining our policies and practices in order for us to remain a stand-out example to others in the industry.

But, it is not through initiatives alone that we have come to be trusted by so many clients. It is also as a result of the stand-out results we produce for them across our four service lines of property auctions, asset management, recovery & valuations and project & building consultancy.”

The policy – based on guidelines from the Chartered Institute of Personnel And Development – will give employees the right to propose changes to their working conditions to support their specific needs, such as updated hours and location.

It comes as Manchester-based Landwood continues to outpace the industry in terms of inclusivity – by having a 50/50 gender split among both its four executive directors and the six directors of its four service lines.

Landwood Executive Director Anna Main comments: “The property industry has long had a reputation for not being particularly female-friendly, and for good reason.

DYW school coordinators launch Young Person’s Guarantee in Inverness and Highlands – bringing businesses together with educators to benefit next generation Secondary schools across Inverness and the central Highlands are benefiting from closer ties to industry leaders as businesses sign up to the Young Person’s Guarantee to provide vital employability skills and training to the region’s young people.

Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highlands’ (DYWICH) school coordinators have facilitated the links between educators and business professionals, who have

pledged to provide new work and training opportunities for young people in the Highlands.

Sandra McCaughey, DYWICH interim programme manager, said: “The Young Person’s Guarantee is a valuable tool to bring school pupils and industry leaders together to create new learning and employment opportunities.

“Our school coordinators across the region are working with business from a range of sectors – from construction to social care, hospitality to energy – in order to provide new and innovating routes into the world of work.

“By working together, we can nurture the next generation of talent in Inverness and the central Highlands, provide career inspiration and real-world work placements, and ensure the future success of the Highland economy.”

Fourteen secondary schools across the region have teamed up with DYWICH

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coordinators to support the Young Person’s Guarantee. The schools have all recently held events to bring young people and the world of work together, with representatives from a diverse range of businesses – including Am Bothan, Aquascot, SSE, Fuel 10K, Highlife Highland, Eilean Dubh Care Home, Loch Insh Outdoor Centre, Morrison Construction, Green Hive, and Tom Nelson Stonework – meeting pupils to share their knowledge and expertise.

Each school coordinator will work with local businesses to help foster new relationships between educators and business leaders to help providing training, advice and opportunities for young people in the world of work.

Organisations can pledge their support by signing up for the Young Person’s Guarantee – a national scheme which allows businesses to formally declare their intention to support the workforce of the future.

NEWS

Time’s up – new research reveals almost three quarters of businesses don’t have the skills to succeed in a post pandemic world A new study into the concerns business leaders in the UK currently hold in relation to a post-pandemic world, has highlighted that a staggering 73% of businesses don’t believe they have the skills needed to succeed. The research has shown that communication skills are where the gaps lie with 50% of business professionals picking up bad habits over lockdown.

Commissioned by global sales, negotiation and communication experts, Huthwaite International, the report shows that businesses feel remote working has had a positive impact on their business and will continue to do so in the future, however 80% believe their team require further training to take

advantage of the new virtual landscape and improve business success.

When looking at what worries businesses most about trading in a more remote world, maintaining team motivation ranked as the highest concern.

Improving communication skills also ranked as a priority amongst businesses in the post-pandemic world as 90% stated that improving communication skills were important for the future of their business, with nearly half revealing it to be business critical. Over 90% of businesses also stated virtual communications is an important part of their business now and for the future.

Tony Hughes, CEO at Huthwaite International said: “Gaining the skillset

and knowledge to survive in a postpandemic world is vital for business success. There are ample businesses in the UK that should prosper following the pandemic, but the importance of challenging old patterns of behaviour shouldn’t be underestimated.

“There’s no doubt that across all sectors and industries, things are changing and businesses are adapting to a new way of working. The most predominant of all changes is the way in which we communicate. The world has gone virtual and improving the verbal communication skills needed to be able to communicate effectively and professionally in the new virtual way of working is fundamental for ensuring business success in the post-pandemic world.”

Home working still too homely Only four out of ten people (42%) working from home do so from a home office, with the remainder working from the kitchen or dining room (21%), their lounge (19%) or their bedroom (17%).

Only 32% of people say working from home is more productive, compared to 36% who say they are more productive in the office and 30% who say a hybrid arrangement makes them productive.

“Throughout my career working with some of the world’s biggest companies, one thing I’ve come to notice is that the most productive people all seem to have one commonality: satisfaction.

To successfully transition to this exciting hybrid working future, employers must implement practical strategies that allow their employees to be satisfied with the setup within the

Seven out of ten employees expect employers to provide the correct equipment for working from home.

corporate office, as well as within their home working environment.

“Employees who are well equipped and thus satisfied with their working conditions in both locations will lead to outcomes of higher productivity.”

Fellowes Brands offers solutions designed to aid employers in optimising their hybrid strategy, while satisfying employees in their hybrid workspaces.

Fellowes Brands UK Marketing Manager, Jeremy Cooper, said: “The modern workspace is rapidly evolving, and with that comes a change in the tools that employees need to be successful and productive in their work.

As employers begin to design new hybrid ways of working, ensuring that employers outfit their employees for both corporate and home office working will be key.”

Productivity expert, Martin Geiger, said: “The future of work is hybrid.

No longer is working solely relegated to the company office; the modern workspace now involves employees splitting a portion of their time working from within the corporate office, and a portion working from the home office.

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

SUPPORTING

CAREER READY: In memory of

Shona McKenzie

I

s your organisation enabling Scotland’s talented young people to rise and shine? Career Ready and one of its key ambassadors, the late Shona McKenzie, have been inspirational in championing disadvantaged young talent into the world of work. Andy Moore takes a closer look.

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FEATURE

“O

ur vision is that every young person progresses to a positive postschool destination and is able to prosper in the world of work.”

This is a key aim of Career Ready Scotland. And it has never been more vital – especially since March 2020 – for Scotland’s HR and employers to invest in this young and budding talent pool from all backgrounds.

The charity’s two-year programme empowers young people in S5/S6 to kick-start their chosen career through workplace experiences and a network of support with employers and volunteers.

a boldness to challenge the status quo of conventional career pathways. Such values have been instrumental to the charity during the pandemic. “We’ve had to reconfigure how we help youngsters in the virtual world,” Anne adds. “But we’re still a social mobility charity whose vision remains that every young person, regardless of their background, progresses to a positive outcome in work and life.”

Many of you will know (or know of) one of Career Ready’s key advocates, Shona McKenzie. Shona sadly passed away a t the end of August this year, yet she was a luminary in the HR & recruitment industry in Scotland. Her lasting-legacy lives on as an inspiration to young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to pursue opportunities and careers – the charity’s key remit.

Now running for 10 years in Scotland, the charity works with over 300 employers across a wide range of sectors through a network of senior individuals who are champions and ambassadors.

In parallel, Scotland’s Young Person’s Guarantee scheme unites employers, partners and young people, aiming to connect every 16 to 24-year-old to the opportunity of a job, placement, training or volunteering with participating employers.

“Shona just cared,” reflects Anne Wexelstein, Director for Scotland for Career Ready. “She totally got the value and the impact of what we do. The ethos of our charity resonated with her own early life, and this influenced how she saw opportunities that could come about and how people can help others.” Shona embodied a real compassion, a patience and a desire to nurture careers. Her many values exemplified

Such initiatives are inspiring HR leaders and employers to do more to give youngsters the opportunities they deserve. Career Ready’s roll call of employer industries range

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FEATURE

“ Organisations must be genuine in being an inclusive and diverse workplace and have the desire to embrace gender, ethnicity and ability” ANNE WEXELSTEIN, Director for Scotland for Career Ready

from financial services to tech, energy, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and engineering. There is significant scope for HR to tailor its people practices to attract, train and nurture disadvantaged youngsters in the world of work. And this must go way beyond ticking a box for charity engagement: practitioners should have a vested interest in engaging young talent to enrich their workforce, believes Anne.

“Organisations must be genuine in being an inclusive and diverse workplace and have the desire to embrace gender, ethnicity and ability,” she stresses. “Many employers may set out to foster social inclusion and mobility – but not every young person can make the same progress through education.” HR and employers, she says, must invest in “whatever it takes” to engage young people with open practices to support them in their early career years.

is to enable youngsters to move on from school more confidently, knowledgeably and certain of where they are heading, whether this is to further or higher education, apprenticeship or entry into the world of work. “We were certainly not going to let the recent troubled times get in the way of opportunities for young people,” Anne sums up.

“The charity has received such incredible generosity and determination from young people and our many supporting organisations from across all sectors. I’m adamant this great support will continue.”

Following Shona’s McKenzie’s passing, her family agreed to offer all the proceeds from her funeral ceremony to support Career Ready in Shona’s memory and all monies raised will be allocated to support paid internships for young people.

These funds will be bolstered with the recent launch of a Just Giving page, set up in Shona’s name. Career Ready has also decided to create a special award in Shona’s name, with a prize fund to be spent on technology, clothing and study materials for a unique and well deserving young recipient.

Leaving a legacy that supports disadvantaged young people across Scotland gain access to business mentors and work experience through Career Ready is a fitting tribute to her memory, according to Shona’s family and friends. Such a legacy also continues the brilliant work and commitment Shona McKenzie made to helping young people from socially challenged backgrounds throughout her own hugely successful career, which started from humble beginnings.

John Stewart, Director of HR at Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), and chair of Career Ready’s Scotland board, is a committed supporter of both the charity and the Young Person’s Guarantee. John says: “As a leading employer in Scotland, it is vital that we offer young people a chance to build a career with long term, sustainable prospects. By committing to Career Ready and the Young Person’s Guarantee we ensure the prospects of millions of young people are well aligned with a key growth sector in energy.” John added: “Career Ready is a great charity, which helps young people who wouldn’t normally have access to a mentor and the world of work. The impact of the programme speaks for itself with 98% of participants moving to positive destinations. The programme relies on employer supporters, mentors and a wonderful and committed Career Ready team. As a programme that leaves a real and lasting legacy, I can’t recommend it enough”.

Career Ready remains focused on helping young people, many who face barriers into education and employment due to their socio-economic backgrounds, by giving them opportunities to experience rich and holistic programmes.

This gives them the chance to reveal their talents and to fulfil their potential, Anne Wexelstein explains. The aim

IN MEMORY OF SHONA MCKENZIE 1964 – 2021

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STATS

Satisfaction in the workspace linked to increased productivity Leading office solution supplier Fellowes Brands has provided the results of its survey of over 6,000 employees across Europe, 1,000 of which are from the UK, revealing 9 in 10 (91%) of all European employees and 89% of UK employees say satisfaction is important to them in their workspace, regardless of whether working location is at the corporate office or the home office.

Moreover, 88% of UK employees say satisfaction improves their productivity by more than 25%.

The survey results highlight the importance of workspace satisfaction and are supported by additional social media sentiment analysis conducted by Fellowes Brands, which found that there were 1.9 million mentions of workspace satisfaction in the past 12-months, up from 1.5 million mentions in the previous 12-month period.

say having a good ergonomic environment, including a suitable desk, chair, and monitor at eye level is important to their productivity • 80% of UK employees say it is important to their productivity that their employer invests in ergonomics

Secure Environment

A theme running throughout the four core elements also points to the need for employers ensuring the correct equipment in the hybrid workspace: • 50% of all European employees said that it positively impacts their productivity when satisfied with their working set-up

• Two thirds (66%) of all European employees agree that being able to dispose of confidential or sensitive documents securely gives them satisfaction

• More than 8 in 10 (83%) of all European employees say that having an excellent ergonomic environment, including a suitable desk, chair, monitor at eye level, is essential to their productivity

3. Secure Environment

• 74% of UK employees say it is important that an employer invests in equipment to shred sensitive documents

• 36% of all European employees prefer to have a hybrid working option; versus 24% who prefer to work solely from home

4. Tidiness & Organisation

Tidiness & Organisation

Here’s what European and UK employees have to say about each of the four core elements:

• 81% of UK employees say having a clean, healthy workspace is important to their productivity

Productivity expert Martin Geiger, who has authored Fellowes Brands’ whitepaper on the results of the survey, supports the findings through his own work, commenting: “The future of work is hybrid. No longer is working solely relegated to the company office; the modern workspace now involves employees splitting a portion of their time working from within the corporate office, and a portion working from the home office. Employees who are well equipped and thus satisfied with their working conditions in both locations will lead to outcomes of higher productivity.”

As identified by the Fellowes Brands survey results, the Four Core Elements of Workspace Satisfaction are: 1. Clean Environment 2. Healthy Workspace

Clean Environment • 77% of UK employees say it is important for an employer to invest in clean, healthy air (e.g., using air purifiers) to facilitate productivity in their workspace • 54% of all European employees surveyed said that a well-ventilated space is the top ‘smell’ that gives them satisfaction in their workspace • A third (33%) of UK employees say they find breathing cleaner, healthier air satisfying at work

Healthy Workspace • 83% of all European employees (and 81% of UK employees)

• 77% of UK employees say it is important that an employer invests in effective storage and organisation solutions they need to be productive at the office • 79% of UK employees say having access to the equipment they need, such as an extra monitor to view large documents, is important to their productivity • 73% of UK employees and 69% of all European employees say it is important that an employer invests in equipment to produce high quality presentations and documents, including laminators and binders, they need to be productive at the office

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The modern workspace is rapidly evolving, and with that comes a change in the tools that employees need to be successful and productive in their work.

As employers begin to design new hybrid ways of working, ensuring that employers outfit their employees for both corporate and home office working will be key.

International Enterprising Impactful Leading Strathclyde The final word in business education

Our Masters programmes are consistently ranked among the best in the UK – and around the world. Our department of Work, Employment and Organisation is Scotland’s leading centre for research, knowledge exchange and professional education in human resource management and employment studies. As HRM experts, we understand the importance of providing high quality education that fits around your career: We offer: • A part time MSc/PGDip Human Resource Management programme which is completed in two years with classes from 1–7pm once a week.

• CIPD* approved postgraduate qualifications leading to Associate Membership.

• Constructive external engagement with policy makers and practitioners.

Make Strathclyde your destination.

www.strath.ac.uk/business

* CIPD is the professional body for HR and people development.

SBS are proud to be offering programmes in conjunction with CIPD (previously IPD and IPM) for almost 70 years.

AWARDS

Presenting the finalists for

NATIONAL AWARDS 2021

in partnership with

2021

By Teresa Flannigan

T

he winners of this year’s Hr NETWORK’s National Awards 2021 in partnership with Roffey Park Institute will be announced at the 14th annual Gala Dinner taking place at the hugely impressive Hilton Glasgow on Thursday 25th November 2021.

After almost two years of unprecedented restrictions and challenges due to the pandemic, the hugely anticipated return of the annual awards gala dinner, attracting around 600+ top HR & people industry professionals, will see the presentation of 15 awards in a range of people, project and organisational categories for award winning work carried out over the past 12 months.

The Awards, which will once again be hosted by broadcaster and presenter Stephen Jardine, have been recognising, acknowledging and rewarding the stars of the Scottish HR profession since they were launched in 2007.

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Awards Finalists and Category Sponsors: Learning & Development Award of the Year

engaging learning experience for new recruits. During the initial 6-month pilot involving over 100 advisors, the business benefits included a reduction in training duration of over 10%, increased speed to competency of 10% and a 5% rise in first call resolution.

Sponsored by:

HR Specialist of the Year Sponsored by:

Menzies Aviation

Living Leadership is the core leadership programme for all Leaders in Menzies and they deliver the programme to leaders in 37 countries across their global business. The progamme has moved from classroom to virtual as a result of the pandemic, and provides an opportunity to discuss and share participants understanding of individual leadership style and impact, workplace culture, leading high trust, high performing teams and managing resilience in themselves and others.

David Bowie, ScottishPower

As Head of Technical Training for ScottishPower, David partners with the Business executive teams to identify and deliver strategies to meet present and future technical training needs aligned with the growth plans of all ScottishPower businesses. David has been with ScottishPower for 12-years, preceded by 25-years in a wide range of engineering and management roles in the utility and manufacturing sectors. David is known for driving high standards of quality and compliance with a strong emphasis on ensuring robust, effective, and easily understood management systems.

University of Edinburgh – Information Services Group

When lockdown hit in March 2020, Project & Learning Assignments were quickly developed as a way to offer staff an opportunity to learn new skills, develop professionally and gain experience working outside of their usual environment. At a time of unprecedented disruption, they also provided much needed skill and support to the changing projects and priorities that the University was delivering. The Information Services Group within the University of Edinburgh is proud to say that for some people their careers have changed completely.

Rosie Macrae, SSE

Rosie has over 20 years HR change experience in the Media, Manufacturing and Energy sectors and, since 2014 has led SSE’s Inclusion & Diversity strategy, encouraging difference IN, ON and UP at SSE. Rosie’s enthusiasm and tenacity in driving our Inclusion & Diversity strategy has been impressive.

Commercially astute, she partnered with external experts creating an evidence-based approach, both measurable and real. Internally and externally, Rosie is considered a highly credible subject expert.

Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

The Volvo business demands a world-class workforce and this is why they created a bespoke Apprenticeship Programme to ensure their apprentices are consistently learning the latest product and technology advances. Investing in apprentice programme is extremely important to them with approximately 10% of their overall workforce being apprentices.

Julia Stevenson, Scottish Water

Julia’s career in HR/L&D spans 38 years, with experience in both the private and public sector in accountancy, software development, banking and utilities. She has been a Fellow of the CIPD for nearly 20 years. Julia joined Scottish Water in 2002 as Head of Organisational Development and moved to her current role in 2015, with accountability for employee engagement, health and wellbeing and diversity and inclusion. Her motivation comes from supporting people to reach their full potential and from creating healthy, productive and inclusive work environments that enable that to happen.

Webhelp UK

In 2020, after successfully supporting the transition of over 8,000+ colleagues to working from home, the Webhelp L&D team implemented new Learning Experience Frameworks based on nudge theory, with 60 modules of micro learning gamification solutions to help create a more interactive and

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AWARDS

Carole-Ann Yuill, Turning Point Scotland

responsible for the delivering the HR function for the entire company, and most importantly, making sure that the break room always has donuts.

Starting her TPS career in 2005 as an HR Administrator then Administration Manager. In 2017 CaroleAnn started her new role of Health, Wellbeing and Welfare Lead. In this role, she has produced demonstrable results and has positively impacted the whole organisation. Carole-Ann understands that an engaged workforce is a more motivated workforce and embedded a holistic approach focusing on colleagues’ wellbeing and welfare taking the TPS commitment of ‘Because people matter’ to the next level.

Jingjie Xu, Strathclyde Business School

Jingjie passed all subjects and was awarded an MSc in Human Resource Management in September 2020.

Before commencing her MSc studies, she successfully completed pre-sessional English modules at the University of Strathclyde in academic listening, academic reading, academic writing and academic speaking. She was introduced to the UK Federation of Chinese Professionals by the Department of Work, Employment and Organisation – Strathclyde Business School, while completing her Masters degree.

HR Graduate of the Year Sponsored by:

HR Project of the Year Pamela Atanasova, Strathclyde Business School

Aegon UK

Pamela was a student at Strathclyde Business School undertaking her postgraduate degree in Human Resource Management during the academic year 2019-2020.

Her project involved investigating the relationship between innovation and employee engagement at an international tech company producing HR software. During her time at University of Strathclyde she was involved in several extracurricular activities including organising the annual TEDx conference on campus. Based in Glasgow, she currently works in the financial services sector.

Aegon UK is shortlisted for its project to review and modernise its Staff Pension Scheme. This project has been an outstanding example of connecting business and people strategy to drive enhancements in our Employee Value Proposition, to drive enhancements in Employee Engagement through developing employee advocacy for Aegon UK’s products, and consequently using this experience to improve the proposition offered by Aegon UK to its end customers in the Workplace employee benefits market.

Fraser Gillespie, Strathclyde Business School

Fraser graduated with a Master’s Distinction in Human Resource Management from the University of Strathclyde. He received the John Gennard Award from the University for his Dissertation on cross-training within the hospitality industry. After his degree, he began a six-month placement at Kew Green Hotels as part of the people team.

Since joining, he has helped in the creation of company-wide training and found a passion for recruitment. After his six-month placement, he was offered the Talent Resourcing Executive position.

Menzies Aviation

During these unprecedented times, Menzies focused on the human need to support their colleagues who were facing highly challenging circumstances through no fault of their own. By providing a bespoke support portal and partnering with other sectors who were finding it challenging to meet the critical needs of the country during the pandemic, their employees were given the support, guidance and opportunities to find new, temporary, and in some cases permanent employment.

Matthew Morrissey, Strathclyde Business School

Matthew made the move to HR in 2018 after having worked in education, charities and various office jobs for over a decade. He is currently HR Advisor at Blazing Griffin, a Glasgow based Film and TV post-production studio; as the only HR employee in the company, he is

Nucleus Financial

Project Berlin was the acquisition of Genpact Open Wealth and was a strategic imperative recognised by the Nucleus board as critical to achieving an improved end-to-end

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AWARDS

customer experience, improved change velocity and scale to achieve the company’s growth ambitions. Noting that this was an insourcing of services rather than a traditional acquisition the project design focused on culture first mass onboarding aligned to a common purpose with humans at the heart.

Council involves supporting the provision of HR services within Procurement and Housing Property and supporting management in the implementation of the Absence Management policy.

Simron Singh Kandola, Mercy Corps

Simron joined Mercy Corps Europe in 2020 as a HR Officer and is responsible for managing end-to-end employee lifecycle processes, multiple HRIS databases and employee benefits for over 150 employees across Edinburgh, London, and Global Expat locations. Prior to employment, Simron studied an MSc in Human Resource Management at the Strathclyde Business School, where he achieved a Distinction. As HR Officer, Simron is an exceptional team player who continuously drives to improve HR processes and independently complete on-going HR projects.

TSB

In January 2020 TSB announced the creation of a new Technology Centre based in Edinburgh, which would include technical specialists, data engineers and IT run specialists. The project team designed a new organisation structure, recruited, on-boarded and performed knowledge transfer, all against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team worked autonomously to execute a fully functional team and maintain system performance while innovatively adapting plans to respond to the highly unusual lockdown environment.

Diversity & Inclusion Award of the Year

HR Assistant/HR Officer of the Year Maria Fasoula, Nucleus Financial

Sponsored by:

Maria joined Nucleus as a people coordinator in 2019, after completing her MA in HR and Consulting and Level 7 CIPD qualification. Her role is to support the team, ensuring that the right people are hired and onboarded, focused on creating the best people experience for Nucleus.

Currently, she collaborates with the organisation to navigate the post-pandemic climate. Ultimately, Maria aims at being a custodian of the Nucleus values and culture and continuously exceeding expectations.

AXA UK

AXA UK commissioned Resource Solutions to conduct a unique Inclusivity Audit of AXA UK’s recruitment. The first of its kind in the UK, the audit looked at AXA UK’s workforce through seven D&I lenses: ethnicity, disability, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, age, socio-economic background, and faith. It analysed 279 data touch points to identify hiring processes unknowingly perpetuating bias.

AXA UK took the final report and implemented 29 proactive, purposeful and actionable recommendations to drive immediate and long-term change at AXA.

Jonna Lindfors, University of Edinburgh

After graduating from Strathclyde Business School in 2019 with CIPD Level 7 Master’s degree in HRM, Jonna joined the HR team at University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education and Sport. She has been celebrated for always going above and beyond and for her true passion for supporting and developing people. This year Jonna joined the University’s Central HR Operations team as a Senior HR Assistant and continues to develop as an HR professional.

Clare Marshall, Falkrik Council

Clare is a highly enthusiastic, driven individual with a passion for employee engagement, employee health and wellbeing. MSc Human Resource Management Graduate (with Distinction) from the University of Strathclyde and John Gennard Prize winner for academic excellence. Her current role as HR Assistant at Falkirk

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AWARDS

HR Business Partner of the Year Sponsored by:

SSE

SSE’s I&D strategy focuses on encouraging difference IN, ON and UP which means having truly inclusive policies and processes.

Using a Return on Inclusion methodology with an external partner, SSE achieved Champion status accreditation in 3 years to 2020, increasing our financial return from £4.52 to £11.09; indicating that our policies and practices are best in class and wholly inclusive. This evidence-based approach has resulted in SSE regularly listed in the Global Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.

Helen Cronie, Dumfries & Galloway College

Helen is an HR Officer at Dumfries and Galloway College where she is an HR generalist. She joined Marks and Spencer Young Manager training scheme at 18 and focused on Financial Management. During her career with Marks and Spencer, she opted to transfer temporarily to Human Resources and the rest as they say is history. Helen relocated to her native Dumfries and Galloway from London in 2001 when she joined Dumfries and Galloway College.

Tata Consultancy

At TCS, they recognise that a diverse & inclusive workforce is necessary to drive innovation, foster creativity, and guide business strategies. Their Tata Code of Conduct and Corporate values place a high value on inclusion and the respect for the individual and their motto is “inclusion without exception.” They know that a diverse workforce is their competitive advantage. Their ability to include their diverse workforce drives performance and profitability and creates a rich culture of diverse ideas, mindsets, and possibilities. Their focus is to leverage individual strengths and power innovation to build a “future forward” mindset through the lens of human relationships and One TCS.

Jenny Douglas, Caledonia Housing Association

Despite only joining the organisation a few months before the start of the pandemic Jenny led in reimagining how Caledonia Housing Association work by introducing new practices to help keep staff healthy, safe and engaged. Highlights include: A new social media platform; a four day virtual Festival of Wellbeing conference; and reimagining the annual appraisal process to place their ‘developing people’ strategic objective firmly at the top of their people management agenda.

Fiona Dutton Smart, University of Edinburgh

Fiona is a University of St Andrews graduate and has completed her CIPD Level 7 HRM Certificate. She is a reliable HR Partner with experience working in HR and recruitment in the UK and Middle East. Working at the University of Edinburgh, she has used her innovative problem solving skills to implement multiple practical improvements, leading to successful service developments and positive changes such as rationalising recruitment and induction processes.

Turning Point Scotland

Rather than just a tick-box exercise, TPS have equality, diversity and inclusion embedded in their culture. The ultimate aim is to have a fair and inclusive modern workplace where everyone thrives. They employ people of many different ages, backgrounds and abilities. They actively employ people with life experiences including alcoholism/ addictions meaning they comprise 1/3 of they workforce.

TPS celebrates the skills, experience and value of this group by providing opportunities for meaningful work.

Emma Oberholzer, Nucleus Financial

Emma has worked at Nucleus Financial for 6 years and as head of people operations, is accountable for many aspects of the people lifecycle – not just design but delivery too. Emma is also responsible for delivering transformational people change projects at Nucleus. A people geek at heart and someone who likes to be involved in multiple projects at any one time, she loves co-creating and designing solutions with the people of Nucleus.

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AWARDS

Tata Consultancy Services

At TCS, employee engagement strategy is designed in a way, so that employees are exposed to all HR offerings starting from a wider, business unit level engagement, narrowing down to engagements relevant to each individual personally. In this way they make sure that they can engage with their employees depending on their needs while supporting their individual career journeys.

Turning Point Scotland

Turning Point Scotland (TPS) is a not for profit organisation specialising in supporting people facing complex and challenging situations. Their people are central to their success – indeed, the central tenet in their organisation is ‘Because People Matter.’ The ‘People Matter’ employee engagement programme is a successful key element of their people strategy, because when their employees are engaged, truly engaged, they are in turn motivated to deliver caring, compassionate service to their service users.

Employee Engagement Award of the Year Sponsored by:

Organisational Development Award of the Year

Caledonia Housing Association

Sponsored by:

What Caledonia Housing Association do and why they exist, is to provide “homes and services that make life better”. In a year like no other, they worked hard to keep staff connected with their purpose, culture and colleagues through activities such as: their Frontline Focus video series, a 4 day festival of wellbeing, their Your Voice Staff Forum, and tailored development programmes. They are exceptionally proud that engagement and wellbeing has increased in the past year.

Menzies Aviation

Living Leadership is the core leadership programme for all Leaders in Menzies and they deliver the programme to leaders in 37 countries across their global business.

The progamme has moved from classroom to virtual as a result of the pandemic, and provides an opportunity to discuss and share participants understanding of individual leadership style and impact, workplace culture, leading high trust, high performing teams and managing resilience in themselves and others.

Farne Salmon & Trout Ltd

Farne Salmon has grown from 6 people to a workforce of around 700 people, with a diverse workforce of more than 20 different nationalities, aging from 16 to 79. They operate in a highly competitive manufacturing sector where quality, service and productivity are key. The business has been transformed through a progressive strategy that recognises that people are the key ingredient for long-term success, focusing upon employee recruitment, wellbeing strategy, positive culture, and employee development.

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AWARDS

HR Manager/Advisor of the Year Sponsored by:

Emma Buchan, Historic Environment Scotland

Emma has worked with HES for 16 years and has grown with the organisation and really knows and understands the people she supports. She has gained an extensive amount of HR generalist knowledge however she really enjoys Employee Engagement. Emma demonstrates, not only her passion for HR but also her dedication to the team, she continues to challenge herself and push through the people agenda within HES.

Nucleus Financial

Martin Garkov, Turning Point Scotland

85% of acquisitions fail to deliver the benefits envisaged due to cultural differences and a process over people approach. Project Berlin was designed to deliver a culture first people experience of their integration plan. The plan was underpinned by a set of people outcomes, which were the things we wanted people to think, feel and do because of the integration. This resulted in industry leading engagement levels of their new people, increased collaboration, and Nucleus’ best financial performance to date.

Martin is a tremendous asset to TPS. Martin has thrived in his new role and his motivated approach has shown real results. Martin’s potential became apparent very quickly. He has a natural affiliation with the organisation and its aim. Emotionally intelligent and driven to provide results, he is a true people person, approachable and exceedingly helpful and this is apparent to everyone that works alongside and with Martin on a daily basis

Kathleen MacLeod, Three UK

TSB

In January 2020 TSB announced the creation of a new Technology Centre based in Edinburgh, which would include technical specialists, data engineers and IT run specialists.

This led to a fundamental redesign of TSB’s technology operation. The new team is truly diverse and has welcomed a mix of experienced specialists working alongside enthusiastic learners. The design is underpinned by a desire to facilitate skills development and support careers in IT.

Kathleen is Head of People Services & Employee Relations at Three. Her leadership over the past eighteen months has been pivotal to enabling her teams to deliver critical services to support the business through the pandemic, in parallel to supporting a company-wide organisational transformation programme. Her continual focus on the importance of the employee experience during challenging times ensured that services were delivered on a timely basis and employees and managers consistently felt supported throughout.

Ceit Paterson, Historic Environment Scotland

University of Edinburgh – Learning & Organisation Development

Ceit joined HES as an HR Officer, before moving into her current role as HR Manager/Advisor. Ceit is responsible for supporting a large geographically spread client group from as far as Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway. Her role has provided her with insight to both the theoretical and the practical sides of HR, which allows her to support her team and client groups to deliver casework, resourcing, and policies for our staff.

The University of Edinburgh launched a new concept for leadership & management development, which offers a structured programme with agility to adapt to the changing needs of the organisation and new ways of working. The new approach puts individual development at the centre, supporting people to own their development and behaviour.

It gives a voice to leaders and managers as individuals and as a collective shaping the future culture of the organisation.

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AWARDS

Health and Wellbeing Award of the Year Sponsored by:

Turning Point Scotland

Physical and mental health and wellbeing are central to life at TPS, which is committed to providing employees with a healthy, safe and supportive environment in which to live and work. Aimed at creating a more motivated, fitter workforce, our Health & Wellbeing Plan underpins our citizenship model, focusing on the relationship between TPS and its employees relating to health and wellbeing. It empowers people with the tools they need to keep well.

Buzzworks Holdings

Buzzworks is one of Scotland’s fastest growing independent restaurant and bar operators, managing 13 prestigious venues with over 500 staff. Wellbeing is a core principle for Buzzworks and by partnering with Hospitality Action, their Employee Assistance Programme, it’s their way of giving back to their teams. They have their own health and wellbeing strategy encompassing financial, physical and mental wellbeing, allowing them to continue to invest in their people and encourage positive mental health and wellbeing for all of the team both in and outside of work.

HR Team of the Year Sponsored by:

Aegon UK

Caledonia Housing Association

Aegon’s HR Team is nominated for HR Team of the Year having supported the organisation through a time of unparalleled uncertainty and transformation. The team played a pivotal role in the response to COVID whilst delivering an ambitious people plan with the goal of creating a purpose-led culture and achieving upper-quartile engagement. At the same time, they were learning to work remotely, while continuing to collaborate effectively and prioritise the wellbeing of colleagues across business.

Key to raising the profile of wellbeing at Caledonia Housing Association has been strong and visible leadership: “Caledonia is only as strong as its people and wellbeing needs to be a core part of what we do” – Julie Cosgrove, CEO. Their commitment to wellbeing was evident in the decision to hold a 4-day Festival of Wellbeing.

Meanwhile, a bespoke ‘coaching for wellbeing’ programme empowered managers to hold empathetic conversations to explore individual needs.

Blackwood Homes & Care

Morgan Stanley

Blackwood’s HR & OD team is proud of supporting service delivery for their vulnerable customers. Delivering housing and care services across Scotland, COVID-19 presented the challenge of maintaining service delivery to key workers. At lockdown the team changed how it worked overnight, leading from the front and adopting collaborative and innovative approaches to support others. As a result, key projects were still supported, and progressive processes were developed to drive Blackwood’s strategic goals.

Morgan Stanley is one of the world’s largest and most respected financial services firms, with a long -standing reputation for excellence on a global scale.

Their commitment to the health and wellbeing of their employee’s is evidenced in their policies and benefits.

The design of their new Glasgow office puts employees’ health and wellbeing at its core, and includes a Wellbeing Centre, and a meditation/quiet zone.

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AWARDS

ScottishPower

The HR Systems team were tasked by HR Management to introduce digital initiatives to the HR function to both streamline the operation and make HR easier and more convenient to deal with from a customer perspective. The project started in 2019 and focused on key areas such as Mobile Technology, Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Data and Analytics. The team itself is a hybrid team with a broad mixture of Technology and HR expertise.

The Glasgow Academy

The Glasgow Academy is a co-educational independent day school for children aged 3-18. Founded in 1845, they pride themselves on the all-round education, first-class facilities and exceptional opportunities their pupils enjoy.

Their vision is focused on doing the very best for young people and their futures. Their staff are at the heart of this and they believe that The Academy is a school which lives its values and inspires everyone to achieve their full potential.

Three

People Services supported Three through a year of unprecedented change. In addition to the challenges that COVID presented, they were instrumental in supporting a full organisational transformation programme, enabling Three to continue implementing its strategic plan. Their commitment to service excellence and the employee experience was recognised by the business as having a significant impact on the successful outcome, and despite being severely tested, their SLAs were maintained throughout and they delivered further service efficiencies.

Tata Consultancy Services

TCS has 460,000+ of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries, including 19,500+ employees in UK & Ireland. TCS has been operating in the UK & Ireland for more than forty years and has 19,500+ employees. They are delighted to celebrate the landmark of employing over 162,220 women – over a third of our total staff strength – a rare feat in the IT world. The key initiatives or people practices, is aligned to the organisation priorities, defined through our 5 core values: Leading Change, Integrity, Respect for an Individual, Excellence and Learning & Sharing. They continue to build our people strength through diversity and inclusion in multiple dimensions.

Best Employer/Workplace of the Year Sponsored by:

Turning Point Scotland

Farne Salmon & Trout Ltd

Turning Point Scotland is a not for profit organisation supporting people facing complex and challenging situations. Their people-centred ethos – ‘Because People Matter’– ensures their employees are engaged and committed to the delivery of compassionate services to those they support. They want their employees to feel pride, inclusion and belonging in working for TPS. They know that the best way to reach their goal is through having a positive workplace culture

Farne Salmon has grown from 6 people to a workforce of around 700 people, with a diverse workforce of more than 20 different nationalities, aging from 16 to 79. They operate in a highly competitive manufacturing sector where quality, service and productivity are key. The business has been transformed through a progressive strategy that recognises that people are the key ingredient for long-term success, focusing upon employee recruitment, wellbeing strategy, positive culture, and employee development.

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AWARDS

HR Director of the Year

Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR

Sponsored by:

The Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR Award is Scottish HR’s most prestigious award made to an individual or organisation, which has demonstrated a distinguished service to the HR profession. The winner of this most prestigious award will be announced at the Gala Dinner on Thursday 25th November 2021.

Linda Dickson, Farne Salmon & Trout Ltd

With already 20 years’ experience in HR, Linda joined Farne Salmon as Head of HR in 2012 and was promoted to HR Director LFF UK in 2017. Linda brings the HR Function to the forefront of the business’s priorities and also dynamism and energy. Her passionate people orientated focus encourages open, honest two-way communication to promote positive business change. Her fantastic sense of humour and sparkle really does make Farne a wonderful place to work.

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Lesley Naylor, Gilson Gray LLP

Lesley joined Gilson Gray LLP in 2017. As the first HR Director she created a functional HR department followed by facilitating across-firm creation of Values and vision. Strategic goals were shared with all staff, which was of cultural important for a growing firm. She facilitated 2 firm-wide away days on strategy and values, gaining significant contribution from staff and partners on the way forward. The 2nd away day in 2019 focused on Wellbeing, a topic which has served the firm well as a recurring theme during the recent pandemic. Indeed, much focus has been put on the importance of communication and staff wellbeing over the last 18 months, which Lesley has driven from her position on the main board. Culture and growth continue as important themes, with Lesley leading on staff integration for a number of take-overs. As staff numbers are now nearing 200, HR continues to be a key part of the firm leading on many organisational redesigns as they continue to evolve.

NATIONAL AWARDS 2021

in partnership with

If you have any enquiries relating to hosting a Table of 10 or sponsorship of the Gala Dinner at the Glasgow Hilton on Thursday 25th November 2021, please contact: Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

Michelle Reid, Institute of Occupational Medicine

www.hrnetworkjobs.com/events/awards/

Michelle has gained over 25 years’ experience as an HR Generalist within retail, hospitality, and consultancy.

During her career she completed her degree through distance learning whilst working full time and raising a family. As a senior professional in her field, she has demonstrated strategic and operational leadership and success, managing the unique challenges and needs associated with complex organisational structure. She has been recognised for developing programmes and processes which improve efficiency, profitability, competitive positioning, and operations across all organisational levels.

At IOM she is a member of the board of management and works in partnership with business leaders & teams to drive effective culture, employee engagement, leadership & talent development, systems of work, employee relations, policy development and internal communications.

A Vaccination Passport Event Following a hugely positive consultation with all our Table Hosts, in the interests of the Health & Safety and peace of mind for all our guests, the Gala Dinner will be a Vaccination Passport event. Only guests with a valid double vaccination certificate issued by the NHS will be permitted to attend the Gala Dinner 2021. Further information can be found at: www.hrnetworkjobs.com/awards – If you have any further questions, please contact your Table Host or alternatively email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk

31

THE BOOKSHOP

BETWEEN the LINES A Slow Fire Burning

By Paula Hawkins

Laura has spent most of her life being judged. She’s seen as hot-tempered, troubled, a loner. Some even call her dangerous. Miriam knows that just because Laura is witnessed leaving the scene of a horrific murder with blood on her clothes, that doesn’t

Sharpe’s Assassin

By Bernard Cornwell Lieutenant-Colonel Sharpe is a man with a reputation.

Born in the gutter, raised a foundling, he joined the army twenty-one years ago, and it’s been his home ever since. He’s a loose cannon, but his unconventional methods make him a valuable weapon. So when, the dust still settling after the Battle of Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington needs a favour, he turns to Sharpe. For

Wellington knows that the end of one war is only the beginning of another. Napoleon’s army may be defeated, but another enemy lies waiting in the shadows – a secretive group of fanatical revolutionaries hell-bent on revenge. Sharpe is dispatched to a new battleground: the maze of Paris streets where lines blur between friend and foe. And in search of a spy, he will have to defeat a lethal assassin determined to kill his target or die trying.

The Christmasaurus and the Naughty List

By Tom Fletcher

You know about the Naughty and Nice List, right? Santa’s top-secret tracker that he ALWAYS checks twice? Well, this year, the Christmasaurus is on a mission to track down

The Pie Room

By Calum Franklin

Calum knows good pies and in his debut cookbook, The Pie Room, he presents a treasure trove of recipes for some of his favourite ever pastry dishes.

Want to learn how to create the ultimate sausage roll? Ever wished to master the humble chicken and mushroom pie? In this collection of recipes discover the secrets to 80 delicious and achievable pies and

mean she’s a killer. Bitter experience has taught her how easy it is to get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Carla is reeling from the brutal murder of her nephew. She trusts no one: good people are capable of terrible deeds. But how far will she go to find peace? Innocent or guilty, everyone is damaged. Some are damaged enough to kill.

children who have found themselves on the Naughty List to help them put wrongs to rights, naughty to nice! This is a story about mischievous kids learning the error of their ways, but it’s also about sharing the true spirit of Christmas and realising that sometimes things aren’t quite as they first appear.

sides, both sweet and savoury, veggie and meat, including hot pork pies, cheesy dauphinoise and caramelised onion pie, hot and sour curried cod pie, the ultimate beef Wellington and rhubarb and custard tarts. Alongside the recipes Calum guides you through the techniques and tools for perfecting your pastry. Within these pages you’ll find details including how to properly line pie tins, or how to crimp your pastry and decorate your pies so they look like true show-stoppers.

And Away

tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures (now infamous from his appearances Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until on Would I Lie to You?), from burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band called Dog suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced Dirt. As an adult, he trained as a solicitor and moved to London. Though he was doing pretty well (the South him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode London Press once crowned him ‘The Cockroach unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving King’ after a successful verdict), a chance encounter in a pub in the 1980s with a young comedian going by memoir, And Away… Although his childhood in the name Vic Reeves set his life on a different track.

Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was

By Bob Mortimer

32

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33

FEATURE: UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING

Tackle racism and sexism in the workplace, by being open to unconscious bias training.

By Dr. Jo Kandola

If we are to tackle racism and sexism in the workplace, we need to stop shutting down the debate around unconscious bias training.

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FEATURE: UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING

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FEATURE: UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING

M

onth after month, the debate around unconscious bias training continues to re-surface, last month NHS staff were offered training courses and this month St Andrews University announced that students must take diversity modules before starting any course.

people around us, the media, interactions with others and our personal experiences. The moment we recognise that we’re all susceptible to unconscious bias and that we all have a part to play is the moment we can start to move forward and address the problem.

But how do we address the problem?

Unconscious bias training has proven to be a valuable tool for tackling modern racism and sexism in the workplace when delivered as part of a wider diversity and inclusion programme.

Sadly, it’s become highly politicised over the past year or so, which has led to the spread of misinformation and fanned the flames of its harshest critics.

There is often widespread confusion and anger surrounding the debate, as many misunderstand the purpose of bias training.

We’re all biased. It’s important for everyone to recognise this fact. And while most of us would never describe ourselves as racists or sexists, that doesn’t mean that we’re inoculated against the power of prejudice.

We all acquire stereotypes throughout our lives: from the

Many sceptics of unconscious bias training have attempted to dismiss its effectiveness by citing research that supposedly disproves it.

36

Looking at the debate around unconscious bias training, it’s important to note upfront that it’s not the existence of unconscious bias that’s being disputed. This is very well

FEATURE: UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING

What’s clear is that when you examine the evidence, unconscious bias training can have a profound impact on changing attitudes, behaviour and representation when it’s done properly. To be effective though, the training should be designed to tackle a specific bias or workplace process. It should also avoid any form of thought suppression – which has been proven to have adverse effects – and incorporate personal feedback, space for personal reflection, and strategies to overcome the biases it identifies.

Unconscious bias training has proven to be a valuable tool for tackling modern racism and sexism in the workplace when delivered as part of a wider diversity and inclusion programme.

Then there are the critics who say that unconscious bias training is little more than a box-ticking exercise.

In moments like these, I can’t help but feel that they are quite simply missing the point. At its core, unconscious bias training is about helping us to uncover our blind spots and develop a deeper understanding of our own unconscious thoughts and behaviour. In this sense, it’s about awareness raising and empowerment, a tool that allows us to challenge and engage with our own predispositions.

established in academic research. Instead, most of the discussion centres around how best to tackle it, and whether or not training can accomplish meaningful and lasting change.

Unconscious bias training is not a silver bullet in tackling systematic racism or sexism in the workplace. It’s simply a starting point – an effective tool that allows us to look inwards and start a conversation. To deliver real, positive change, it needs to be part of a wider training strategy – one that focuses on other areas, like inclusive leadership and recruitment.

Many sceptics of unconscious bias training have attempted to dismiss its effectiveness by citing research that supposedly disproves it – such as that by Forscher et al, Lai et al and Bezrukova et al. The trouble here is that none of this research actually looks into unconscious bias training and is therefore not relevant in this context. It’s unclear what has led to this – perhaps the evidence has got lost in translation.

In my experience of working with some of the top organisations across the UK, unconscious bias training is a meaningful and insightful exercise, linked to positive behaviour change. To deny this only stifles the debate and should ensure that the existing power structures that exist within organisations are maintained. We should be dedicating our time and resource to increasing our understanding of the conditions under which unconscious bias training works and under which it’s less effective.

Remember, unconscious bias transcends personal politics, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation, and we mustn’t let it be weaponised in this way. Otherwise, we risk it being disregarded by a huge percentage of the population. And to deny bias, conscious or unconscious, is to deny racism, sexism and all other forms of oppression we see in society today.

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EXTRA: SPEAKING UP

SPEAK UP, LISTEN UP is

“Open Culture” a new fad?

By Dr. Simon Mac Rory

T

here is an emerging focus on the importance of speak up, listen up in the workplace. We have seen numerous scandals from Harry Weinstein to the Volkswagen emissions scandal and Barclays Bank to name a few. Most damning of all was the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust scandal, which resulted in the landmark 2013 Robert Francis QC report. All caused by a closed culture, by organisations who did not hear what needed to be heard and lacked the safe space where staff could and would speak up.

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EXTRA: SPEAKING UP

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EXTRA: SPEAKING UP

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he impact on these organisations in terms of their reputations, investor confidence, their staff and their clients or patients, were immense.

ethically, and morally negligent. Top leaderships are accountable for not only their own behaviour, but also the behaviour deep within their organisations.

The UK Financial Reporting Council (FRC) Corporate Governance Code (effective the 1st of January 2019) clearly states the following:

Hundreds of patients died at Mid Staffordshire.

Volkswagen’s emissions scandal has cost the company more than $33.3 billion in fines, penalties, financial settlements and buyback costs, and government and civil actions are still ongoing. Harvey Weinstein’s abuse of women – crimes that were covered up by a closed culture for years before speaking up led to his conviction and jailing, the bankruptcy of his business and the creation of the “#MeToo” movement. Barclays Chief Executive Jes Staley campaigned to reveal a whistle-blower, rather than deal with the issue raised. He was fined £642,430.00 by the Financial Conduct Authority and had £500,000.00 of his bonus clawed back – a personal cost of over £1.1 million.

“ The Board should establish the company’s purpose, values and strategy and satisfy itself that these and the culture are aligned. All directors must act with integrity, lead by example and promote the desired culture” The code further states:

50% have an idea to improve the organisation but not said anything

“ The board should assess and monitor culture. Where it is not satisfied that policy, practice and behaviour throughout the business are aligned with the company’s purpose, values, and strategy, it should seek assurance that management has taken corrective action. The annual report should explain the board’ activity and action taken”.

The responsibilities and implications are real, it is most certainly not a fad. Directors and management are going to be held accountable and it lies with those at the top not only to ensure an open culture but to lead and promote that culture. Organisations need to start listening and ensure that it is psychologically safe for everyone to speak up and be heard.

We are experiencing a historic shift in how we view the importance of culture, and in particular open culture where the psychological safety of the organisation enables people to speak up. In the future, CEOs and senior leaders will need to understand and deal with culture challenges proactively or potentially be considered financially,

40

EXTRA: SPEAKING UP

speak up. And it encourages innovation, creative thinking, problem identification, and greater productivity from people who work within the organisation. An open culture where everybody can speak up and be heard is not just good practice, it is an imperative.

34% of employees do not speak up because of a fear of retribution

If the financial and reputational implications, the ethical and moral obligations, and the UK Corporate Governance Code is not enough to convince organisations to address this issue, think about the following research facts:

Too many of our leaders talk about their door always being open, that they are approachable but, in most instances, this is not the case.

• 90%+ of formal grievances happen because someone did not listen

Recent research has demonstrated that Board members and executives are seemingly unaware of how formidable they appear to more junior colleagues, particularly when it comes to speaking up and believing they would be heard.

Senior executives believe they have superior listening up and speaking up ability and perceive any communication problems to be the responsibility of others. This is an unconscious bias that they need to confront. At every level, confronting these conscious and unconscious biases is essential to make listening up effective.

• Understanding problems in the workplace – 100% of problems are known to frontline staff – 74% of problems are known to team leaders – 9% of problems are known to team managers – 4% of problems are known to executives • 50% have an idea to improve the organisation but not said anything

Studies indicate we all have a high opinion of our ability to listen up and a mindset that ‘it is them, not me.’ At work there is a tendency to think that it is my line manager or executive leadership who are not listening. We forget to look at ourselves to see that listening is a two-way street. Line managers have a significant role in determining the success of establishing a speaking up and listening culture within an organisation. Unfortunately, many line managers send mixed signals about their approachability, and we can all have a propensity to act defensively when receiving feedback.

• 8% of the workforce know something that would damage the reputation of the organisation but have not told anybody

Executives actually believe that junior colleagues speak up about issues of malpractice when survey results indicate that junior staff are largely reluctant to do so. Job titles and perceptions of seniority impact on our decision to speak up. Most junior employees feel too intimidated to speak up in formal settings.

• Many of the best ideas come from junior employees at the frontline, closest to the customer, seeing first-hand issues and possibilities. However, they are most likely to stay quiet impacting innovation and customer service

• The meetings that we spend so much time in is when we are at our most guarded – this is where we don’t say what we really think – executives spend up to 23 hours per week in meetings • 34% of employees do not speak up because of a fear of retribution

An open culture makes sense – why wouldn’t you as an individual speak up and why wouldn’t any organisation listen up and hear what needs to be heard? Your competitive advantage, your reputation, even your corporate survival may depend upon it.

We are less likely to speak up when we fear being perceived negatively, fear recrimination or victimisation, an impact on our career, on pay, fear being denied opportunities or suffering legal consequences. Minimising or eradicating these fears is what psychological safety is all about in terms of creating an open culture. Research shows that females appear to be more guarded in both formal and informal interactions. Speak up and listen up is gender biased. In fact, organisations believe or pretend that social biases don’t impact our listening and unless this issue is addressed it is unlikely the negative impact will change.

The Guardian Service has created a reflective guide to help structure conversations on this subject.

To find out more please visit: www.theguardianservice. co.uk/guides-toolkits

Dr. Simon Mac Rory is an award winning author and the CEO of The Guardian Service

Where speaking up could make a difference, people can often feel ‘it’s not in my job description’ or their opinion doesn’t matter. An open culture encourages everyone to

41

INSIGHT: BETTER SLEEP

EXPERT tips for a BETTER NIGHT’S sleep

A

recent survey revealed that over 4 in 10 Brits don’t sleep well on an average night, but why?

Here, Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist and sleep expert at And So To Bed looks closer at what the study found and offers six great tips for better sleep.

coffee, but also in chocolate and in soft drinks such as cola and energy drinks, including the sugar-free variety. If you have trouble sleeping then it is recommended for you to have your last cup of caffeine of the day at around 11am.

The Study by And So To Bed asked 1000 Brits about their sleeping habits to reveal what is most likely to keep them awake at night, the study revealed that over HALF of the UK (55%) can’t hack the heat when attempting to sleep.

A THIRD of people in the study were being kept awake by anxiety (36%). 1 in 10 admitted that their job and the dread of going to work kept them awake at night.

4. Night time digital detox Make sure that you switch off your electronic devices an hour before bed, in particular, your phone. Smartphones emit blue light which is the same as daylight. This tricks the brain into thinking it is day time which can make it difficult to transition into sleep mode when bedtime rolls around. Try reading a book or meditating before you sleep instead.

Six key tips: 1. Have a regular bedtime and wake time Keeping a regular wake and bedtime seven days per week will help you sleep better. When you keep a regular sleep schedule your body develops a robust circadian rhythm, which helps you to sleep at the right time at night. If you go to bed early and wake up early on weekdays, but stay up late and have a lie-in on the weekend, you are giving yourself weekend “jet-lag” – making it much harder to go to sleep early on a Sunday night ready for another early start on Monday morning!

5. Have a warm bath before bed Having a relaxing warm bath before bed, will not only help you to wind down after a busy day, but also the temperature of the bath will help you sleep. When you go to sleep, your body temperature naturally decreases, which is why 55% of the UK find it so difficult to sleep in the heat.

If you have a warm bath, then you artificially raise your body temperature and when you come out of the warm bath, your body temperature will naturally start to drop, mimicking the drop in temperature that happens as you fall asleep, making you feel sleepier.

2. Increase your exercise levels As well as being essential for overall health, exercise directly impacts your need for “deep sleep” at night. The more you exercise, the more deep sleep you will have. Deep sleep helps you to feel refreshed when you wake up, and helps with sleep continuity.

6. Don’t lie in bed for long periods if you can’t sleep If you can’t sleep, then lying still in bed trying to sleep is one of the worst things you can do. The longer you lie in bed trying to sleep and clock watching, paradoxically the more anxious you are likely to get about not sleeping.

Make sure that you exercise during the daytime and not too close to bedtime, as exercise in the evening can sometimes be disruptive to sleep, due to the release of endorphins and adrenaline.

3. Stop your caffeine intake at 11am

It is much better to get out of bed and do something else for a while instead of lying in bed not sleeping for hours, grab some warm milk or read another chapter of a book – just resist reaching for your phone!”

Caffeine has an average half-life of 5-7 hours. That means that 5-7 hours after your cup of coffee, half of the caffeine is still in your system! Caffeine is not only found in tea and

42

INSIGHT: THE COMPANY FAMILY

READ THIS before calling your workplace “A FAMILY”

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ne of the most endearing characters in television history is Michael Scott from the US Office. A man who, for all his faults, cares effortlessly for each of his colleagues with the single exception of the HR Manager – Toby Flenderson. “Toby works in HR, which technically means he works for corporate,” Michael famously says, “so he isn’t really a part of our family.” This is an interesting view of HR and here Alex Lamont from Jobtrain looks at the correlation between family and workplace and asks if Michael Scott’s view of HR is an accurate one.

Family offers us stability. How are you communicating that stability throughout the day-to-day? Are you reinforcing it during the onboarding process? Is it a clear part of your EVP? If you use an applicant tracking system, make sure you use video and images to convey your company culture to potential new hires. After all – 46% of candidates say company culture is the most important thing for them starting a new job.

When it comes to the day-to-day, does your senior leadership encourage employees to use the benefits you offer? Something as simple as a company-wide reminder to all staff that they should use their holidays – can go further than you might think!

Families look out for each other. Are you considering the health of your employees? If someone is struggling is there an accessible policy in place for someone to reach out? Do you offer mental health days outside of statutory holidays? Your recruitment process must communicate this transparently to all new hires, with packs available during onboarding for them to read through.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, when a workplace becomes familial. Leadership teams refer to company culture as families more often than we might realise – 41% of companies, according to Linkedin! It appears that some organisations are slapping the word Family above their doorways in an attempt to breed loyalty and commitment from their employees.

But the most important thing a family gives us is purpose.

We recently partnered with WeAreDna – a leading Employer Brand Agency – on a webinar focusing on employee engagement, and that was the biggest takeaway.

Employees engage with their business when they feel like they have purpose. Consistent reminders of why the work you’re doing matters can be priceless. This needs to be highlighted at the start of the recruitment process too, whether it be in your job advert, or through an ATS with a content management system.

It’s a cheery label – if not a little Freudian! With working from home, the workplace has crept out of Microsoft Teams and into the lives of our families. There’s an immediate bond we have with our organisations when we consider our colleagues our family, and a sense of ownership that can accompany that, but the term on its own, without putting your money where your mouth is, can be damaging.

So remember, “The Company Family,” should be the end result of the measures you take, not the starting point.

43

INSIGHT: CYBER SECURITY

HALT the rise in RANSOMWARE

P

roLion, a ransomware and data protection solution for ONTAP storage, has issued five top tips for employers looking to secure their organisations from ransomware attacks as a direct result of insider threats or plain negligence. Here Founder of ProLion, Robert Graf offers 5 tips to stay safe.

1. Don’t store proprietary data on personal laptops: this makes any remote worker a highly attractive target in the first place. This risk has increased dramatically as a result of people working from home as a result of the pandemic.

And while efforts have been made with the roll-out of new security levels, if your employee still stores data on their hard drive, not a lot will stop the hackers and while this is plain negligence, businesses must also recognise the issue of insider threats.

2. Be sensible with your digital profiles: employers must begin to take a stronger line on employees who continually post where they work and what they do.

Guidance needs to be issued to all employees on what can and cannot be posted on social media in relation to their jobs. No-one is suggesting pulling off social media platforms altogether, just being more circumspect on what information is posted.

Ransomware is on the rise globally targeting industry and organisations with a number of high-profile attacks already this year. It is without doubt creating a number of significant cybersecurity challenges.

Ramsomware is a type of malware where key files are encrypted by hackers that then renders data inaccessible to the victim. To put it bluntly it is criminal extortion, which sees hackers promising to restore systems and data when ransom is paid by the victim.

3. A word about passwords: It goes without saying that a password must be a tough as possible and not the same one across all employee accounts. It should also be stressed to employees that when they are prompted for a change in a password, they do just that – change it and not just reuse the old one.

But with many employees still working remotely, many organisations are struggling with breaches as a direct result of poor security management. This can and does open the door to an insider threat – either through negligence or malicious intent.

4. Browsing: there are plenty of security tools out there that block access to certain sites if you are working on a company laptop. But if an employee is using their own you may have less control. The message for employers and employees alike is to get educated on the very real possibility that you could end up with a malware infection as a direct result of visiting a dodgy site.

5. Don’t engage in online conversations with people you do not know: we all know the risks associated with catfishing. Your personal data or your employer’s data is a highly attractive target for many.

Like the bank robbers of old, cybercriminals go where the money is accessible, and the easier it is, the easier it is for them to reap benefits from extortion.

It only takes one click by an employee to infect an entire network, spreading from a local computer to Network Attached Storage and now is the time for business leaders, risk and compliance experts, IT departments and HR to work in tandem to reduce that exposure and call time on the hackers.

44

INSIGHT: CAREER CHANGE

Six in 10 employees FACING REDUNDANCY are planning CAREER CHANGES

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esearch from Renovo reveals that nearly 4 in 10 (38%) UK employees anticipate being made redundant within the next 12 months. Of this group, 60% do not plan on continuing their current career path post-redundancy.

Here, Chris Parker, Managing Director at Renovo considers some of the study’s findings.

After all, uncertainty about the future doesn’t always stem from a lack of opportunities – instead, employees may be concerned about their own skill gaps or could be nervous about entering the job market for the first time in years.

Consider, too, how much has changed in recruitment recently, from the rising use of AI technology to video interviewing. This transformation can be daunting for new job searchers. For those seeking a change in direction, the process can be a disorientating one.

The report also shows that while 8 out 10 (83%) employers do provide some form of redundancy support, the kinds of support offered vary greatly. Beyond career and job search support, nearly 4 in 10 (37%) employers expecting redundancies also don’t provide employees with emotional wellbeing support and 6 in 10 (61%) don’t provide welfare or financial education.

Our study reveals that, in spite of a seemingly buoyant job market, 53% of respondents are worried about finding a new role after being made redundant, whether that is due to current job market conditions, their perceived level of marketable skills, uncertainty surrounding what to do next, doubts about how to find a new role, or a combination of these factors.

As well as this, some employers do not even see a role for redundancy support within their organisation. For these employers, over a third (36%) feel that departing employees are no longer the responsibility of the company.

The research also suggests that employees are feeling disorientated with many looking to move in an entirely different direction post redundancy: 29% of respondents expect to make a career change, 14% will start their own business or become self-employed, while another 17% will continue in further education, take time away from work or retire.

We know that largely, where they can, employers want to care for and support those whose roles are impacted by redundancy. Yet finding the most effective ways of providing support and communicating it clearly are essential ingredients to create the right impact. Whether it be financial advice, emotional and wellbeing support or practical career and job search coaching, employers need to listen to what their employees need and communicate clearly to ensure they get the right support to their people when they feel challenged.

The report which is called: Life After Furlough: Employer and Employee Perspectives on the Threat of Redundancy, reveals the concerns and expectations of 173 employers who anticipate making redundancies as well as 200 employees who predict they will be made redundant within the next year.

However, the data shows that some employers are not receptive to employees’ concerns when it comes to job or career changes post-redundancy. Over 4 in 10 (42%) employers expecting to make redundancies don’t provide any kind of career or job searching support and nearly 8 in 10 (79%) provide no form of retirement support.

Understandably, employee concerns in the face of redundancy are incredibly high and with the end of the furlough scheme, they are prominent for many right now.

However, employers must be aware that high levels of job vacancies and a positive recruitment market are not enough to reassure all employees who are worried about job prospects.

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LEAVING A LEGACY

In Memory of

Shona McKenzie Leaving a legacy that supports disadvantaged young people across Scotland gain access to business mentors and work experience through Career Ready.

On Friday, 17th September friends, family and the wider recruitment and HR industry said farewell to the supremely talented and passionate Shona McKenzie at a beautiful, warm, and touching ceremony in Glasgow.

In 2020 alone, Career Ready Scotland helped 1,300 young people transform their situations and kick-start their future careers. The charities future aim is to expand this offering to more regions, schools and students, whose lives are genuinely changed now and in the future because of the experience it creates.

Tributes, tales, and fond stories flowed throughout the day as those gathered celebrated a wonderfully full life and brilliant career. The overwhelming theme of these stories, tales and conversations was what a pivotal role Shona had been to so many of us, as a guide, mentor, or supporter. It was evidently clear that Shona helped us all make better decisions, nudged, and guided our careers and connected us with others within her network to the mutual benefit of all involved.

Career Ready is deeply touched to have been thought of in Shona’s memory and all monies raised will be allocated to support paid internships for young people. Career Ready has also decided to create a special award in Shona’s name, with a prize fund to be spent on technology, clothing, study materials for a unique and well deserving young recipient.

Support for this cause and the award has been phenomenal to date, and we would like to extend this to the wider community to contribute to the fantastic memory and this brilliant cause. Shona’s family, friends, colleagues and Career Ready Scotland would be delighted for any donations and thank you for your time and support throughout the past weeks and for the future.

What better way to pay tribute to this support and mentorship than to continue to offer this to future generations in the shape of a charitable fund that will benefit the Career Ready, a programme that Shona was involved with for many years. This platform and progressive charity helps thousands of young people gain access to, before unreachable, business mentors and paid internships through their transformational 2-year programme.

To donate please go to: https://justgiving.com/campaign/Shona-McKenzie

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RECOGNISE

ACKNOWLEDGE

REWARD

SAVE THE DATE! NATIONAL AWARDS 2021

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Gala Dinner, Glasgow Hilton, Thursday 25th November 2021 For further details contact the Awards Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk www.hrnetworkjobs.com

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Big change offers great opportunity. As we all step forward into the post-pandemic landscape, the need for an agile skill set and a stronger collaborative mindset in a hybrid and face-to-face world is already upon us.

At Roffey Park Institute we hear the call. The equity, diversity and inclusion agenda.

The need for all managers to be coaches. For HRBPs and OD Practitioners to become internal consultants. Critical thinking and decision making at speed will be crucial to the organisational design task ahead. Understanding your role and contribution will be imperative. At Roffey Park Institute we can help unlock your and your organisation’s potential. With our partnership approach we can deliver open and tailored programmes to realise your value.

If you like what we’re saying, join us for our free online HR Matters event.

8 July 2021, 08:30-10:30 UK time Recalibrating culture and values for a hybrid future

www.roffeypark.ac.uk +44 (0)1293 854042 enquiries@roffeypark.ac.uk