The Real Leader?

14 / 05 / 2014

Effective leadership in any organisation is critical. We have all experienced various styles; authoritarian, charismatic, collaborative and the servant leader. Like most issues involving people the inevitable stereotypes emerge but the reality is that leaders need to deploy a variety of styles to meet the needs of a particular situation. A collaborative style is no good if there is a...

Learning friendly workplace

12 / 05 / 2014

With three new team members all learning about how to do HR the Russell HR way, our office is very definitely a learning friendly environment. Although our trainees are very much included in the daily goings-on, accompanying me on visits, taking part in meetings, researching and writing up advice, they also spend a lot of time studying on their own...

Could a 30-hour week actually work?

09 / 05 / 2014

Last week the Jimmy Reid Foundation called for the adoption of a 30-hour week. This issue tends to raise its head from time to time, but on this occasion there is some more solid evidence to go on. The Swedes recently trialled a 30-hour week model based on a six hour day (and some considered a four day week). They...

­Employing illegal workers

06 / 05 / 2014

All employers are under a duty to prevent illegal working in the UK by asking all newly appointed employees to provide specific documents confirming they have the right to work in the UK. From 1st May 2014 the penalty for employing an illegal worker increased from a fairly hefty £10,000 to a much heftier £20,000. To coincide with the new...

TUBE STRIKE! Coping with industrial transport action

02 / 05 / 2014

One of my business friends sent me a text this week saying “Just my luck. Two days in London in a tube strike. Archangel Crow at work do you think?!” which made me laugh. The RMT and London Underground are still at loggerheads. The RMT is sticking to its guns, claiming that nearly 1,000 ‘safety-critical’ jobs are being lost due...