Articles

When managers give feedback, the ratio of positive to negative statements in high performing organisations is 5.6 to 1 (Kim S. Cameron, Positive Leadership). In poor performing, struggling organisations, the ratio was as low as 0.36 to 1.

Make the most of the ageing workforce. By actively managing late-career workers, and recruiting older workers, you can close the skills gap.

There’s an emerging HR competency on the block – paradox navigator. The ability to manage a long-term vs. short-term focus, centralised vs. decentralised operations, and an internal vs. external perspective may be desired, but it's hard in practice.

People have similar needs at each life stage. So, as we identify employees’ needs and desires, we should pay more attention to life stage than generation.

Some people say: ‘Careers are dead, we all just have jobs now’. But the other day, commenting on the disintegrating job market in the recession-hit West, someone made this striking comment to me: ‘In future there will be no jobs, only careers’.

Many people fear that automation of work will decrease the number of roles, but displacement to new roles is more likely.

Big organisations often rate people’s performance and potential on a nine-box model.

In all major economies, the ‘productivity puzzle’ defies easy explanation. The UK has a particularly acute challenge (and opportunity): French workers produce as much by Thursday tea time as British workers do by Friday night.