How to manage world cup matches in work time could be tricky. With the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting this week, expect coffee breaks, lunches and hallway chats to be dominated by talk of this, for some, a beautiful game. Football can be a powerful icebreaker, allowing employees to transcend job titles. It is inevitable that some employees will want to keep up with the latest scores during working hours – ten games in the group stages will take place during European working hours. Don’t worry though, this doesn’t have to be a waste of time and resources. According to Gallup’s 2017 global survey, only 15% of full-time workers are truly engaged at work. Almost a quarter of employees surveyed by recruitment agency Adecco said they don’t think their employer tries to improve their happiness. The best predictor of workplace satisfaction, according to the Glassdoor research group, is the culture and values of the organisation, while compensation and benefits were consistently rated among the least important factors. The World Cup is a timely opportunity to engage workers. With an estimated audience of 3.5 billion worldwide, it’s the most-watched sporting event in TV history. Beyond the excitement of the tournament, it […]
How to be a better manager is not as trendy a question as it once was. How to be a better leader is a much more trendy question. Why is that do you think? Surely an organisation can only have so many leaders before they start falling over one another and confusing the direction? Effective managers are a key bedrock on which any organisation relies. So how do you become one? How to be a better manager in 5 steps Know your policies and procedures Be consistent Be brave enough to question your own management style Actively use reflective learning Earn the trust of your team Know your policies and procedures Become thoroughly familiar with your organisation’s HR policies. What are the rules on time off for Doctors appointments? How much notice of annual leave do people have to give? how frequently are you expected to meet individually with your team members. If you don’t know the rules, how can you respond quickly and with authority to your team? Be consistent Consistency builds credibility. It’s so important there was even a management theory devoted to it in the 1950’s. Consistency Theory tells us that people become uncomfortable when things are out […]
Employees who challenge and undermine your authority constantly are deliberately obstructing you in your job. They are rejecting your right to oversee them and have decided that you are not their boss. But you are their boss, they just don’t like it. Maybe they believe they should be in charge. Or perhaps they want you to prove yourself or they just have psychological blocks. Whatever the reason, they are trying to undermine your effectiveness. They are under the presumption that they are too clever and you will avoid confrontation. The situation of a disrespectful employee must be resolved immediately. Otherwise the behaviour will begin to interfere with the work environment. Potentially it could also begin to damage the company from within the workforce. It’s not unusual in this kind of situation to feel anger or sheer frustration with the problem. The employee may think it’s okay to walk out of work because they’re unhappy about something. Or decided to take a break when they feel like it. They could simply ignore your reasonable management instructions altogether. So, how can you deal with employees who challenge and undermine your authority? Mediation in the workplace enables disputing parties to discuss their points of view in a […]
A family member falling ill can be a stressful time for all involved. As an employer, you still need to know how to handle staff who take time off for dependents. Whether it’s sick children or caring for an elderly member of the family. Research shows that nearly three million working days are lost each year through this type of absenteeism. According to CIPD, more employers recognise line managers play a vital role in supporting employees. However, most employers aren’t giving them the tools they need to manage absence effectively. The 2016 Absence Management survey revealed that less than half of employers (44%) train managers to handle short-term absence. Employees have a right to reasonable unpaid time off to deal with a dependent who has fallen ill. However, this should be limited to the time needed to make other care arrangements. Usually this takes no more than a few hours or at most one or two days. Where an employee continues to take time off for caring duties, flexibility can help. Perhaps offer the option to make up the time missed. Give them the option to work from home at flexible times during the day. Other options is to offer […]
An effective handover in a care setting is key critical to good quality care, regardless of setting. The Social Care Workforce Research Unit has studied handovers in 5 settings delivering care to the elderly. So that, they can evaluate the importance of the content, purpose and effectiveness of a handover. In so much as, care home staff going off duty and those coming on duty. However, the research concluded that handovers varied onsiderably between different establishments. Not surprisingly, most participants believed that an effective handover encouraged good communication between staff and residents. Also, it encouraged the continuity of care and safety for residents. Interestingly, not all employees were paid to attend handover meetings. This strikes us as odd. An effective handover is about ensuring continuity of care and safety of residents. Therefore, attendance at the handover should not be optional. A decision not to pay staff to attend would seem odd. If an employee didn’t attend a handover, wouldn’t an employer seek to take issue with this failure? If it is not working time, how can an employer complain about a lack of attendance? 9 Features of Effective Handover Processes Being able to listen/hear – not too many distractions or interruptions Understandable and clear communication Opportunity to ask questions; […]
Improve Recruitment and Retention of Staff in the Care Industry. Since the Care Act was passed in 2014 we have needed to look at how to improve recruitment and retention of staff in the care industry. It is estimated that by 2030 the number of people aged over 85 will have doubled. Advances in healthcare mean people with disabilities and long-term health conditions are living longer. This means in future, care services will be an important part of more peoples’ lives. Effective recruitment and retention of a caring and skilled adult social care workforce is needed. It has a central role to play in delivering high quality care and support to people who need it. The Care Act 2014 has created a need for a refreshed recruitment and retention strategy. This will take into account many of the changes the Act will bring in. Without the right workforce, employers cannot deliver the promise of the Act. (Norman Lamb MP, Skills For Care) Recruiting the right people is key to the success of receiving ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ ratings. Dropping recruitment standards to fill vacancies, potentially changes a ‘person-centred’ culture. It may create a short term solution to staffing problems. However, it may create bigger problems for the Registered Manager and […]
Managing staff with mental health issues can be challenging. We all have physical and mental health, and in both cases, our health can vary on a daily basis. It is estimated that one in four people experience a mental health issue in any given year. One in six employees is depressed, anxious or suffering from stress-related problems at any time. This is not necessarily work-related! However, many of us know little about mental health. We often don’t spot the signs that a colleague, employee, or we ourselves are struggling. Therefore, this delays help and recovery. Last week Business in the Community (BiTC) released a Mental Health at Work report. Worryingly, the report uncovered the fact that over three-quarters of employees have experienced poor mental health. Almost half of workers would not talk to their manager about a mental health issue. Although employers are talking more about it, there appears to be not enough being done about it. There seems to be a difference in the perception of company bosses and the reality of employees when it comes to mental health. Most board members believe their organisation is supportive on the issue. But 56% of people who have disclosed a mental health issue at work […]
Managing Work Experience – How to transform a mediocre work placement into a meaningful one Summer term and summer holiday times are often the times when organisations get asked to offer work experience opportunities. Managing work experience is always a challenge for organisations. It can help the young person adjust to a work place environment rather than school. Also giving them meaningful experiences given their lack of knowledge and experience. Frequently, the people managing work experience students are supervisors. Sometimes it’s their very first time managing work experience. The result of this can be a lot of unmet expectations on both sides. The solution? We recommend every person managing work experience students make an appointment with the young person half way through the placement. Ask them, “What did you expect to do or learn in this work experience placement that hasn’t happened?” This question can open up a conversation that can be invaluable. Your work experience student may have grand expectations of being a project leader or presenting to the board. Only to be frustrated that so far they have just sat in on meetings. On the other hand, they may have had very reasonable expectations, but been stuck doing […]
Empathy is a vital quality which appears to be in short supply in some workplaces. It’s quality that you either naturally display or something you have to consciously work hard at. There are 4 ways that you can begin to improve empathy, which will help you build better relationships at work. Listen, but really listen rather than look like you’re listening when you maybe planning on what to say next. Active listening skills such as rephrasing can help improve how well you listen and demonstrate that you are listening. This is a useful building block for improving empathy. Don’t be judgemental. Everyone has a different perspective and just because it’s different from yours, doesn’t make it less valid. Listening helps to not be judgemental, so does challenging your own prejudices. Thomas Kida said “don’t believe everything you think”. A useful sentiment to hang onto if you are trying to improve your empathy. Actively look for things that you have in common with the people you work with, rather than looking for differences. Being curious about others will help you. Show a genuine interest in others. Ask questions to help you get to know them better. This is a good ploy to […]
How to be a Better People Manager part 1 – recognise employees for their work We seem to have got better at recognising people as individuals at work. This has partly been driven by legislation. With the requirement to consider flexible working arrangements and the removal of the default retirement age. This now stops us talking to employees about their plans and the ‘isms’. This makes us think about the impact of our decisions on protected characteristics such as gender, age etc. There is often now a call from employees to recognise them for the work that they do and not for recognising them as individuals. In How to be a Better People Manager part 1, we consider 6 processes that you can build into your team management. This can improve the way in which you recognise people for the work that they do. Define your expectations Explain how you want people to do their jobs. What are the values and principles that you want to see displayed in your team members work. Give an insight into where you want your team to head. What that will do for the context in which each employees work. Decide what role or tasks each person will […]
