A summary of this month's employment news. Read more
IPA's Training and Development Director, Derek Luckhurst, analyses a recent article on ten signs to identify toxic workplace cultures. Going through each in turn, Derek explains how they are symptoms of a wider problem of employee disengagement and poor leadership, the solutions to which remain a strong focus on the four enablers of engagement. Read more
In this article AB's Katie Macaulay makes the case for a more conversational approach to internal communications, as a way of boosting engagement and heading off potential crises and disasters. She draws on a range of evidence to show how a focus on honest, meaningful conversations can create a culture of trust and openness where workers feel 'psychologically safe' to speak up. Read more
In the aftermath of the ousting of yet another founder from a start-up behemoth with a toxic workplace culture, IPA's Patrick Brione shines a light on the importance of ethical leadership from CEOs in setting a culture of integrity, particularly for new start up businesses. Read more
Diane Sinclair, Group Employee Relations Director at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, discusses the importance of setting a good corporate culture around diversity and inclusion, starting from the very top. She outlines key work that Coca-Cola HBC is doing to focus minds on this topic and achieve cultural change, by leveraging the influence of key leaders. Read more
It is almost impossible to say with confidence at this stage where the UK will be come 31st October. Nevertheless many in the UK workforce and business community will be understandably extremely concerned about the very significant possibility of crashing out of the EU with no deal in just a few weeks' time. With that in mind the IPA have put together a special Brexit preparedness bulletin below with information and guidance news relating to Brexit, the workforce and EU employment rights. Read more
IPA's Derek Luckhurst continues his line of 'is there really a problem with...' articles with a look at that archetypal workplace problem - the middle manager. Often maligned, trapped between the demands of the frontline and the expectations of senior executives, he argues middle managers are often undervalued and under-equipped for what are actually vital roles. Read more
To mark the release of the IPA's new report on working time and a four-day week, the report's author Patrick Brione discusses the prospects of a four-day week becoming a reality for workers in the UK over the coming years. Read more
Lindsay Uittenbogaard of Mirror Mirror outlines her concept of 'The Fog'; an unseen gap between different workers' perspectives that needs bridging if they are to reach a common understanding and work together to achieve change. Read more
In light of a recent article in The Atlantic criticizing HR over their handling of sexual harassment claims, IPA's Derek Luckhurst looks at the problems that UK HR functions have in being a trusted and effective arbiter of workplace harassment allegations. He suggests that a separation of the investigation / arbitration function of HR from the support and guidance function that could be provided by other trained designated colleagues would be a better approach. Read more
In this article Chris Rees, Professor of Employment Relations at RHUL, lays out the increasingly prominent debate about the role of worker directors in corporate governance reform. Spurred by the FRC Code changes last year, more companies are starting to look seriously at this option, while in the political and policy arena the idea of worker directors as a tool to combat systemic governance problems is looking increasingly attractive. Read more
Philip Sack, who led the team that wrote the Information & Consultation of Employees Regulations back in 2005, shares his thoughts on the new changes to the ICE Regulations and what employers need to do better in order to make ICE forums a success. Read more
To mark the publication of a joint discussion paper with Acas on the winners and losers of technology, IPA's Head of Policy & Research Patrick Brione writes about the major impacts that technology will have on the workforce. From those left behind to those likely to win big, he runs through the opportunities, pitfalls and threats that technology and AI could pose. Read more
In a week when cross-party negotiations on Brexit show signs of breaking down over accusations of bad faith, IPA's Derek Luckhurst takes a look at the process of negotiation, what it means to negotiate in good faith and how employers and employees can best approach negotiations constructively so that all sides can best achieve their aims. Read more
IPA's Derek Luckhurst responds to an article positing a rise in workplace insubordination. Has a flattening of workplace hierarchies and turning managers into coaches really led to a growth of dissent? And is this something to be concerned about, or to welcome? Read more
IPA's Head of Policy & Research, Patrick Brione, outlines a vision of a progressive industrial strategy, to address the economic malaise and sense of being 'left behind' that has been identified as one of the prime causes of Brexit. With new technologies, changing workplace organisation and stagnating wages, he argues, there is lots of work to be done. Read more
In this article Dr Ruth Yeoman discusses the new Oxford Handbook of Meaningful Work and the increased attention being paid to the importance of meaning and purpose in the workplace. She talks about the definition and value of meaningfulness at work and how we can all work to bring it about. Read more