Expert Insights

How to earn the commute and win back your people 

Covid changed the way we work, enabling millions to either do their jobs from home permanently or drop into the office occasionally. But while hybrid has advantages, many companies are concerned about its negative impacts. So what can be done? Employee and customer experience expert Debra Ward believes it’s time for organisations to rethink their…

Pay rises in a post Covid world

Requests for pay rises are on the increase, and whether you are the manager/remco member or employee, the following information may prove useful. I am pretty certain that there have been far fewer conversations about pay rises over the past year than would usually take place. However, as offices start to re-open and employees contemplate…

IR35: Don’t be put off by an Outside IR35 determination

With so many companies still unsure how to implement changes to their recruitment policy to accommodate the impending IR35 legislative update, I thought it might be useful to address one of the core issues that our clients are requesting clarification on.

More than 8 in 10 businesses underwent transformational change in 2017

A global survey by interim management specialist IXPA has found that 85% of businesses underwent transformational change in 2017. The study looked at the key challenges facing organisations around the world over the past 12 months and asked leaders how they were tackling them.

Be brave and make TUPE work for everyone

Protection of employment rights during a transfer – known as TUPE – can be a minefield. Get it wrong and it can make your acquisition completely unprofitable, but with a little bravery you can seize the opportunity to vary employee terms and conditions for the benefit of everyone. TUPE expert Ruth Gawthorpe offers some useful advice.

Towards a new style of management

The financial disaster of 2007-08 was not just a failure of economic policy, but also a failure of corporate management as we know it. So argues Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, and author of several books including Reinventing Management. We spoke to him about why he believes current management is flawed and what companies can do to inspire the ‘Google generation’ of future leaders.

Making change faster and stickier

When a company undergoes major change, it can be an uncertain time for its employees. Effective communication will not only help your people understand what’s happening and why, but it will also help you understand their views and concerns. As experienced change communications expert Phyllida Barr tells us, communication plays an important role in building trust and making change stick.

Interim or permanent – when is it right to make the switch?

It’s rare for career interim managers to take a permanent role. One who recently did just that is John Adkins, an executive with vast experience of devising and delivering organisational change, who has also led companies at the highest levels. We spoke to John about why he did it and what individuals and companies should consider before making the switch.

Total attraction – business buzzword or clarity at last?

As companies compete to attract the brightest talent with specialist skills, is it time to take ‘total attraction’ seriously? Having helped shape the attraction strategies of many bluechip companies, Dan Atkinson argues the case.

Shared services optimisation – the next generation

Shared services began in the early 1990′s when large corporates were seeking a new, more cost-efficient model for running back-office services. Today, the concept is well established with shared services saving organisations millions of pounds. But what’s next? We asked business consulting expert and Interim Manager Allan Robb to look at the options.

HRIS SaaS: Look before you leap?

The right information system can transform an HR function, improving efficiencies and reducing operating costs. But in a notoriously difficult-to-evaluate software market, how do you make the right choices and avoid a costly white elephant? Fergal Harkin is an HR professional helping companies navigate the choppy waters of HR system upgrades. He tells us how it’s done and how the future is in the cloud…