With many employers facing significant financial pressures from the current coronavirus crisis as large parts of the economy are shut down, IPA has put together vital guidance for organisations to consider before they make big decisions that might impact staff wages or jobs. Please have a read through, share this guidance and don't hesitate to contact IPA for support if you want further advice. Read more
With the current global pandemic driving a huge growth in remote working, IPA's Derek Luckhurst discusses the best ways for firms to keep in touch with their workforce during this period of increased working from home. He makes clear the importance of tackling fake news, maintaining two-way conversations to keep up engagement and allowing workers to continue to feel that they have a voice. Read more
A summary of this month's employment news. Read more
IPA compiles the most important advice for employers and HR professionals when considering how to prepare their workforces for a potential coronavirus outbreak in the UK, including the need to review remote working policies, sick leave and the importance of providing clear and transparent leadership that keeps workers informed and engaged. Read more
IPA Director Nita Clarke looks at the six key issues that are shaping the changing workplace - climate change, new technology, good work, innovation, diversity & inclusivity and regulation & ethics - and considers the vital role that employee voice has to play in organisation's response to these challenges. Read more
IPA's Patrick Brione outlines the case for a greater workforce role in helping organisations meet their net zero carbon emissions targets. With companies under increasing pressure from all sides to demonstrate action on climate change, it is more important than ever that they properly engage with their workforce around the changes they need to make, as well as considering the role that more carbon-friendly HR policies could play. Read more
With the forthcoming Employment Bill due to include provisions around parental bereavement leave and pay, IPA's Derek Luckhurst takes a look at where the new government stands on employment rights more broadly. Read more
Luke Hildyard from the High Pay Centre discusses their latest research, looking at shareholder returns. They find a picture of consistently rising shareholder returns, a trend which seems to continue even amid falling corporate profits and flat or falling real wages at some companies - a clear warning sign for the UK's corproate ownership and governance regime. Read more
As the dust settles on the 2019 general election and the end of a year of unprecedented chaos and uncertainty, IPA's Patrick Brione looks ahead to 2020 and what the year may hold for the future of employment regulation in a post-Brexit world. 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