The HR TECH Partnership has announced that it has successfully closed its People TECH Fund II and will begin deployment shortly.

Established in London in 2016 by Managing Partner, Devyani Vaishampayan, The HR TECH Partnership has since then been active in investing in digital people start-ups.  After raising Fund I (which has successfully made two investments), People TECH Fund II will now target investments in growth stage technology companies (post early seed) specifically improving workplace and employee productivity and human capital performance.

“Data and predictive analytics are key elements of all investments,” explained Devyani, “as there is a firm belief that disrupting traditional people practices and improving workplace productivity will require a more strategic use of technology.” 

Herself a highly experienced Chief HR executive with international experience gained with the likes of Rolls Royce, Lucent Technologies and Citigroup, Devyani is joined by lead investors that all have senior level, global HR experience in the corporate sector and bring an unsurpassed depth of domain expertise in the use of HR technologies.

“Their networks and connections give them not just a unique insight into emerging technologies, but also access to specialist, first-in-line deal flow,” added Devyani. “A natural corollary to this is their ability to access new marketing avenues and customer relationships to cutting edge HR tech products and services of the investee firms.  We are lining up some amazing investment opportunities with truly innovative start-ups being led by some inspirational entrepreneurs. It’s going to be an exciting and rewarding future.”  

According to new research conducted by TopCV, the largest CV-writing service in the world, the ‘selfie era’ may not be as self-absorbed as we thought – but it could be costing them job opportunities. TopCV asked 2,885 professionals how often they search for their own name online and found the responses surprisingly modest.

Overall, 57 per cent of respondents said that they never Google their own names online, while only 6 per cent admitted to doing so every day. Although the results varied slightly according to years of employment, more than half of respondents in all categories selected the “never” option when asked the question ‘How often do you Google your name?’

The full results are below:

TopCV’s career advice expert Amanda Augustine points out that while Googling oneself may be viewed as a guilty pleasure, it can play a significant role in helping job seekers identify and shape their ‘personal brand’ online.

“If job seekers aren’t aware of how they come across online, they are neglecting a necessary component to their employability. It’s essential that they pay as much attention to this as they would to their CV or interview performance.

“Perhaps some photos or tweets that you posted a few years ago are appearing on the first page? Or maybe someone with the same name has been up to no good? Not self-Googling and knowing this information could mean self-sabotage before you even step into an interview. While I wouldn’t recommend obsessing over it daily, I always advise that all career-focused professionals, as well as job seekers, Google themselves monthly to actively monitor and manage their online presence.

“Everyone remembers Ed Balls Day – the day (April 28^th) that has continued to be celebrated after Balls accidentally tweeted his own name, instead of using the search function. While embarrassing, we shouldn’t judge Ed for taking an interest in what people were saying about him!”

Jane Crosby, Partner at law firm Hart Brown, outlines the redundancy process, explaining what procedures an employer needs to put in place and what a person’s rights are in a redundancy situation

Many people are facing job uncertainty and could be facing a redundancy process.  There is a set of procedures that a company needs to adhere to when it comes to redundancy, to avoid the risk of a costly employment tribunal claim. But redundancy doesn’t always have to be a negative outcome, with some individuals benefiting from accepting a voluntary package to leave their company.

 Redundancy Procedure

Employers are expected to establish why there is a potential need to make positions in the company redundant and give as much advance warning of the impending redundancies as is reasonably possible in the circumstances.  A key part of a redundancy process is to consider whether there are suitable alternative vacancies within the business and offer any suitable available vacancies to the otherwise redundant employees.

 Selection

In a redundancy exercise, often employers need to identify the pool of potential staff to be put at risk of redundancy.  This is usually based on those doing similar work, or those who work at similar levels.  Employers are generally free to specify criteria in the selection process.  The pool of staff must be fair and objective selection criteria adopted. There must be good reasons in justifying a departure from the criteria.

Consultation meetings

It is important part of the process to consult with the employees and conduct redundancy consultation meetings with the staff affected especially if there are a number of staff in the pool.

 Alternatives to Redundancies

An employer needs to look at alternatives to redundancy and suggested examples of alternative measures that should be considered include; natural wastage, recruitment freeze, non-renewal of temporary contract staff, short time working and redeployment.  Also an employer may wish to consider offering an enhanced voluntary redundancy package which may have tax advantages to staff accepting these types of packages. Voluntary redundancy is when an employer asks a member of staff to agree to terminate their contract, in return for an enhanced sum.

 Compensation

Redundancy exercises should be carefully planned and it is an important factor to determine what an employee may be entitled to on redundancy – statutory or enhanced redundancy pay, pension entitlements, outplacement help, share options and a payment in lieu of notice. A voluntary package may include an employee signing a settlement agreement which waives their general employment rights for a financial incentive.

Employers who fail to follow a fair process are at risk of creating the possibility of employment tribunal claims and this can be financially costly for a business.  However a fair redundancy process may offer some employees thinking of retiring early or moving on an opportunity to accept a package which gives them the freedom to choose the next step in their working life. Above all communication is the key to any successful process but especially relevant to a stressful situation such as a redundancy process.

HR Consultant Glenn G Jones, GGJ Global Consulting Limited, considers whether HR is dead, or evolving?

HR is Dead, Long Live HR!

As I was researching my new book “Human Resources Changes the World – How and Why HR and HR Directors Should Step-up in the 21st Century”, and, even post that, I became acutely aware of the daily question that was being asked on social media and in HR magazines etc. around the world; “is HR Dead?” If it is, then perhaps the title of my next book is “Human Resources is Dead, long live HR!” Sadly, that title has already been grabbed but you get the gist.

My simple answer to this question is, “NO, it’s not!” However, one thing for sure is that, HR is on the brink of it and, IF it doesn’t evolve and adjust to the 21st Century (as my book states) then, it’s just a matter of time before the function’s existence is called into question on a bigger scale.

So, it got me thinking about why so many people are asking the question? Through my discussions and fact finding I came across the one of the main theme which locked me into my first finding. It appears that HR doesn’t have a clear North Star (1) strategy as to what its role is in the 21st Century! For that we need to have the HR Institutions and Academia around the world take the lead on the basic question of “What is HR’s role and direction now today?” and moreover, as the 21st Century unfolds, how the role will continue to evolve? I have my own views on where HR can truly add and drive value but that’s for another article.

Fluffy HR and ‘Non Value’, or our most important asset?

In addition, to this HR is still seen as a fluffy and non-value add component/function of many businesses and organizations around the world. How this is being allowed to be perceived this way is unbelievable given that, one of the core business mantras’ is “our most important asset (I really don’t like this word asset but it’s the one most coined) is our people and who is the people function, HR!

Taking this on even further, you then start to see why the question is being raised. Part of my research when reading other authors around the world led to the startling fact (and this isn’t changing that much over time), that HR only on average spends around 28% of it’s time on true strategic added value work. Ding ding – you’ve just won a prize for another reason why the question is being asked.

How effective is HR in the Boardroom?

Building on this you then start to ask yourself the question of so how effective is HR in the Boardroom? Again, in the vein of keeping this simple, I have to question whether another area is HR’s credibility and ability to influence events and the strategic decisions in that group of people. After all, shouldn’t the HR Director (HRD) or (Chief People Officer (CPO) be on the shoulder of the Chief Executive Officer?

Lastly, where are the HRDs and CPO who should be making the transition to CEO? In my research I could only find a handful, so why is this not happening? Someone asked me the question as to “why any HR person should want to be a CEO”, and after pondering on this, my immediate answer was “why not!” I reflected some more, and I came to the result that CEO’s absolutely need to have people at their heart when making decisions backed by sound commercial acumen. So again, why shouldn’t an HRD/CPO make that point in the career if they have the right experience, knowledge and skills. In my book I call out the blindspots that exist today in relation to HRDs Boards and CEOs so please check that out.

Conclusion:

There is still a place for HR in the modern workforce and whilst the machines have not taken over yet, I do believe that HR has become on the whole stagnant and allowed itself to be called into question; I do ask myself, have HR professionals already become the robots and simply execute what they have always thought needed to be done or what they were taught by their previous HR line manager etc.? It’s now time for the global HR Institutions e.g. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Academia and all of those in HR to step-up to the plate and grab the opportunity of re-vitalizing the function, creating and communicating the HR North Star, taking its rightful place at the top table and if it’s the aspiration of the HR professional to do so and they have the right behaviours, experience, knowledge and business skills as outlined in my book, taking the top job of CEO. There is more to do but it could be the start of something new and great. I urge those involved to make the difference, be the change agent and address the key issues head-on. Let’s do this HR and truly make a difference in this world.

Note: This article is drawn from the book Human Resources Changes the World by Glenn G Jones.

Bio

Glenn is a freelance HR consultant and has worked with Bank of America, HSBC, Ecolab and Imperial Brands in multi-discipline strategic and operational roles across the world. Prior to this he was employed Eversheds LLP, Accenture, Koorb (NZ) and EON as well as numerous other companies. He is working his way to his PHD, becoming a future CEO and evolving his HR consultancy business to ensure that he continually adds value to his clients, now and in the future. Glenn is passionate about coaching, emotional intelligence and company evolution. His new book ‘Human Resources Changes The World’ aims to disrupt the field of HR and change the traditional approach to who becomes a CEO.

The Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) has launched RIDI 100: a directory of recruitment service providers which are committed to the inclusion of disabled jobseekers. The introduction of the resource comes in response to a survey of internal hiring managers which found that 70% of employers struggle to know where to source disabled talent. The same study found that just 11% of HR professionals feel ‘confident’ in knowing where to find candidates with a disability.

Established in 2011, RIDI is a not for profit organisation which is working to remove the barriers that disabled individuals face when seeking employment. Recruitment organisations which wish to achieve RIDI 100 status must currently hold a minimum Disability Confident Level 1 status, or be working towards it.

RIDI 100 partnership enables inclusive recruiters to have year-round association with RIDI at an entry level cost. Benefits include: being able to use the RIDI 100 partner logo in brand collateral, being searchable on the RIDI website, invitations to select events throughout the year and preferential rates with RIDI partner organisations.

Executive search firm Hoggett Bowers has been confirmed as the first RIDI 100 partner.

The next event for RIDI partner organisations is a roundtable on Enabling Technologies for Disabled Talent to mark Dyslexia Awareness Week. The event will be held on the 3rd of October and will be hosted by RIDI Gold partners, Guidant Group and The Clear Company, in conjunction with RIDI Silver partner, Recite Me.

Following the launch, Kate Headley, spokesperson for RIDI and subject matter expert, commented:

“RIDI has one purpose: to break down the barriers faced by the millions of disabled people who are entering or progressing through the job market. We have long known that businesses, while open to hiring disabled individuals, often feel that they ‘don’t know where to start’ when it comes to engaging with disabled candidates. However, our latest research underlines the fact that many hiring managers simply don’t know where to turn to even access this valuable talent pool. By creating a dedicated directory of Disability Confident recruiters, we believe we can help businesses to overcome this crucial hurdle.

“As a non-profit organisation, the continued success of RIDI has always relied on support from our generous sponsors and partners. However, the launch of RIDI 100 offers an even greater number of inclusive recruitment businesses to not only affiliate themselves with our mission to boost the representation of disabled people in the workforce, but also become visible to businesses which are specifically seeking disability confident providers.” 

Karen Wilson, CEO of Hoggett Bowers, RIDI’s first RIDI 100 partner, added:

“As Hoggett Bowers, we have been active supporters of the D&I initiative for many years, having worked with some major organisations to help them face challenges as early as the mid 1990’s. We are delighted to be the first RIDI 100 partner; we are also actively participating with The Clear Company as Clear Assured Foundation members.”

Trustees Unlimited has appointed Sophie Livingstone as its new Managing Director. Sophie will provide leadership for Trustees Unlimited and Step on Board – the board level volunteering programme that is run in partnership with National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Sophie brings a wealth of senior-level charity experience to the role. She is currently Chair of early years charity, Little Village. She is also a trustee of the Royal Voluntary Service and of Generation Change, a youth social-action charity which she co-founded in 2013. Sophie led the organisation as its Co-Chair until September 2017. Prior to this, Sophie was the founding Chief Executive of youth volunteering charity City Year UK, from November 2009 until December 2017.

Commenting on her new role Sophie says,

“I’m excited to join Trustees Unlimited at a key time in the business, when there is growing demand from charities for trustees from professional backgrounds. I have a deep understanding of the sector, the challenges and pressures charities face and the skills needed to ensure boards operate efficiently and deliver their missions.

“I’m looking forward to using this knowledge to expand the business and help connect more charities with professionals interested in trusteeships who can bring vital experience to charity Boards,” adds Ms Livingstone.

Sophie will be working flexibly and says:

“I’m excited about the opportunity to balance my position at Trustees Unlimited with non executive responsibilities as a trustee and caring for my young family. Flexibility is key to achieving the type of work life balance that should be the norm for everyone and I look forward to demonstrating that in this role.”  

Ian Joseph, Chief Executive at Trustees Unlimited and Managing Director of Russam GMS says,

“Sophie brings an extraordinary amount of experience to Trustees Unlimited and has won several awards for her achievements during her career. Governance has never been more important. Sophie will be responsible for capitalising on this demand and driving the future growth of the business.

“She will also oversee the hugely successful Step on Board programme, which has recently placed its 200^th person onto a board. Step on Board has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2014, and many blue-chip companies are introducing it to develop existing and future leaders”, adds Mr Joseph.

In 2016, Sophie received the Mayor’s Fund for London Individual Award for ‘outstanding achievement and lasting impact in tackling the skills and employment agenda for young Londoners from disadvantaged backgrounds’. She was listed in Debrett’s 500 List of top “Philanthropists and Activists” in 2017 and in Management Today’s 35 Women under 35 list in 2011.

Entrepreneur, Juliet Eccleston, has called on business owners to stop investing in inefficient recruitment methods in light of recent research which revealed a staggering trend for agencies to put forward irrelevant candidates.

In independent research which was commissioned by peer-to-peer recruitment platform, AnyGood?, the vast majority (90%) of the 1000+ individuals surveyed stated that they believed recruiters were failing to match the right applicant with the right role.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Juliet, Co-Founder of AnyGood?, stated:

“There’s a significant amount of wastage in the hiring process at the moment that has huge potential to be damaging for an employer’s brand positioning, competitive reputation and bottom line results. When we consider that last year Virgin media revealed that it was losing an estimated £4.4 million per year due to a negative candidate experience, having so many applicants feel their time is being wasted makes no business sense. The simple fact is this: existing hiring processes do not work. They are outdated, untrusted and unregulated. The fact that so many of the survey respondents didn’t feel they were being put forward for a relevant position clearly indicates that too many recruiters are throwing CVs at clients in the sheer hope that one will make the grade.

“Given the significant investment most businesses will make when using an agency to hire staff, this process is clearly a waste of both time and money – and it needs to change. We’re operating in a world now where it is all too common to see inefficient and costly processes challenged by forward thinking businesses and individuals – take PurpleBricks and Airbnb, for example. The same is needed in recruitment. Now really is the perfect time to drive disruption for the benefit of businesses and talent pools alike. It’s for this reason that I’ll be hosting an event on 9^th October to bring industry leaders together to discuss how we can break the norm and change the world of hiring as we know it.”

For more information or to book a place at the Trust in Recruitment: The Debate event, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trust-in-recruitment-the-debate-tickets-49986517018?ref=eios&aff=eios

The record number of older people in employment[1] are being urged to make their eye health a priority as pension entitlement ages increase.

Ageing working population

Official figures show that there are now more than 1.2 million working Brits over the age of 65[2], with a further 500,000 expected to be in employment by 2030[3], as people continue to live longer and healthier lives.

As the over 65s are almost twice as likely to develop an eye health condition[4], such as glaucoma or cataracts, that could significantly hinder their ability to do their job effectively, Specsavers and sight loss charity, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), are campaigning to urge Britain’s ageing workforce to take their eye health seriously.

Eye condition’s effect on career of Hairy Biker

With research showing that one in four people are not having an eye test every two years[5], as recommended by the College of Optometrists, celebrity chef and Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers, 61, is backing the campaign ahead of National Eye Health Week (24-30 September) after discovering that he had a serious eye condition that could have had a huge impact on his career.

Dave says:

‘I was shocked when I found out that I’d developed glaucoma when I was just 51. Thankfully it was spotted during a routine eye test but if it had gone unnoticed, I could have gone blind, and that would have had a huge impact on how I do the job I love so much.

‘Like so many people, my career is my passion and it’s so hard to be able to imagine doing all the things I love to do if I couldn’t see, whether it’s riding my bike, reading an autocue or preparing ingredients. The thought that I could have lost my sight is really scary. As we get older lots of things need closer attention, not least our eyes.’

Support for employees and employers

RNIB Interim CEO, Eliot Lyne, said:

‘With the right support, people with sight loss can continue working, and if you’re an employer, RNIB and other organisations can help you to properly support a member of staff who is losing their sight.

‘Advances in technology mean that blind and partially sighted people can now overcome many of the barriers to work that they have faced in the past, and government schemes, like Access to Work, mean that many of the costs can be met.’

The economic effects of sight loss

The See the Light report[6] from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment determined that more needs to be done to make eye health a priority. According to the report, the number of people in the UK that will be affected by sight loss is predicted to increase by more than 10% by 2020[7], rising to more than 40% by 2030, due largely to our ageing demographic.

Research estimates that the total cost of sight loss to our economy is in the region of £28 billion a year[8] which is projected to increase to £30.8 billion by 2020[9].

Doug Perkins, Specsavers founder, still working at 75 years

Specsavers founder Doug Perkins, 75, an optometrist of more than 50 years and who co-runs the joint-venture family business, wholeheartedly agrees: ‘More needs to be done to make eye health a priority in the UK. Britain’s baby boomers are finding a new lease of life in the workplace. However, ageing can come hand-in-hand with various ailments that, if left untreated, could cause sight loss.

‘An eye test can help detect conditions including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. It also provides a window on wider health, helping spot indicators of other issues, such as diabetes, that could hinder older people from working as long or as effectively as they might want to.’

Simple solutions

Specsavers Corporate Eyecare offers eVouchers as a simple and cost-effective way for employers to provide workplace eye care. eVouchers can be purchased and distributed online, as required, so the employer can easily manage the provision and cost. Available specifically for requirements like DSE, Driver, and Safety eye care, the eVouchers enable employers to effectively meet all health, safety and wellbeing responsibilities.

For more information eye care in the workplace, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate

Smarterly, the online savings & investment platform, is raising funds via crowdfunding to support its continued growth. With existing high-profile clients, it follows in the footsteps of major fintechs like Perkbox and Revolut by raising investment through crowdfunding through Seedrs.

Focused on the workplace, Smarterly supports companies with their financial wellbeing programmes and helps employees save with the convenience of payroll deduction, often with a contribution boost from their employer as a complement to pensions.

“Financial Advisers are not interested in giving advice to people with less than £100k in liquid assets so the average consumer gets caught in the growing advice gap. Research highlights nearly half of employees feel their workplaces should do more to help make them better informed about their finances,” says Phil Hollingdale, Smarterly co-founder.

ISAs are increasingly seen as an attractive alternative to pensions as millennials prioritise getting on the housing ladder and higher earners are restricted by tightening limits on pension savings. As a result, many companies are now considering introducing Workplace ISAs.

Low rates on savings stimulates interest in investing, but choosing investments is daunting and confusing. Smarterly’s digital platform makes it easy with independent comparison tables covering over 90 investment providers and ready-made portfolios to suit different people’s needs. Its technology uses data analytics and algorithms to continuously design and monitor portfolios and provide regular alerts to ensure portfolios stay on track and investors get best potential outcomes.

To find out more visit: http://smarterly.seedrs.com/ where you can also pre-register your interest in the Smarterly crowdfunding campaign.

Kay Phelps is the consummate PR professional – and she’s increasingly in demand.

Dedicated, respected and with a long career specialising in the HR sector, Kay has worked with some of the world’s largest HR and benefits companies, and her company, PR in HR, is  in such demand that she doesn’t need to advertise – all clients come through recommendation.

It’s this experience that means Kay is being asked to help HR teams communicate, and there are two key drivers – to engage internal audiences better and manage media reputations.

PR and HR are Evolving

24/7 social media and review sites like Glassdoor are giving employees a loud voice, amid a growing worldwide media appetite for stories about employees, perks and interview quirks. HR Managers are inadvertently becoming a key part of supporting the ‘employer brand’, perhaps acquiring it fully or working alongside communications teams. This new function may not have been actively sought out – but it’s a role that HR people are keen to take responsibility for or actively participate in to get the right results.

Kay explains:

“For anyone who doesn’t think HR makes a difference to a company’s reputation, I’d mention some of the high profile consumer brands that have featured negatively in the news recently. There is an indelible impression for some companies based entirely on high-profile negative coverage surrounding how staff are treated.  Meanwhile, others are seen as very desirable employers, thanks to headline-generating perks and positive company and employee communications. These companies attract valuable, positive press coverage which has a huge impact on talent attraction and retention. Reinforcing strong employer branding is proven to reduce employee turnover by 28%. That’s something HR is keen to drive.”

So as well as traditional PR representation, Kay’s now turning her experience to help HR leaders manage internal and external communications in a stronger way.

Communications training for HR Teams

Kay believes that communications training adds value by equipping HR teams to excel at their primary role and empowering them to handle any ‘added’ employer branding responsibilities. Kay explains:

“Clear, concise communications are essential for anyone in an HR role, a fact acknowledged by the CIPD. It’s not just about improving press perceptions of the employer, but also about helping improve HR communication. I help HR people to ‘own’ their communication, so they sound clearer in every interaction,making their points to different audiences, internally or externally.”

Training feedback from an Imperial College participant sums it up:

“I enjoyed the training session; it gave me an opportunity to think about communications, goals, engaging others and working as a team – as well as being a good opportunity to listen to my colleagues’ ideas and perspectives.”

While Kay believes she is the only communications trainer that understands HR nuances and issues so can directly support the HR teams, she expects to see more deliberate PR and HR collaboration going forwards. Some brands are already leveraging HR issues for massive PR gains.

The impact of issues like gender equality on employer brand

Car manufacturer Audi used the Super Bowl to run an ad that focused on gender pay equality. The media attention the ad created ensured the brand was talked about for days – doubling the value of the prestigious advertising slot – while cementing the company’s reputation as an equal opportunities employer. Kay says:

“PR and HR are a natural fit, and the two disciplines have much to learn from each other. While one knows what the media wants and how to communicate, the other knows employee and employer needs.“

In a talent-driven market, employees want to work for companies with a strong employer brand and increasingly, conscious consumers want to support companies with a strong employer brand and ethical work practices. Companies who get their HR right can leverage that in their communications – while attracting and retaining the best talent.

Communication skills training adds huge value to the HR function, raising their profile as the link between the boardroom and their employees. That isn’t just good for PR and HR – it’s good for business.

To learn more about HR Communications Training Courses, visit Kay’s website: https://www.prinhr.co.uk/hr-training-2/