Jo Faragher

How you can tackle the problem of late payment

Late payment isn't just a headache for small businesses, it can put the brakes on economic growth. According to an FSB investigation into the impact of poor payment practices, 30 per cent of payments to small firms are late, and 38 per cent have experienced cash flow difficulties as a result.

Why it's time to take cyber-criminals more seriously

Small firms are increasingly finding themselves the targets of cyber-criminals, who see them as easy and unsuspecting targets. It's time to take the online threat more seriously, says Jo Faragher We've all read about security breaches at household names such as the one that hit TalkTalk last year, or the incident at extramarital affair site Ashley Madison, where a hacking group leaked users' details online and threatened to expose their identities to their unsuspecting spouses.

How to hire the staff you need

After the dark days of the economic downturn, many small businesses are now back in expansion mode. The problem is, so are many others, including larger rivals which are capable of providing bigger salaries and better packages, meaning small firms can find themselves at an immediate disadvantage in the battle for talent.

See you in court

Not understanding employment law can be expensive - but fortunately, People Management has mined case law and the personal experiences of the country's finest legal minds to offer a concise and highly practical guide to six of the most contentious areas of legislation

Have executive headhunters had their day?

Anyone can locate top talent with the help of technology - but that doesn't mean in-house recruitment of executives is easy On paper, it sounds like the ultimate in rhetorical questions. With so much data freely available, the rise in social media and access to the right skills and technology, why would any company pay a headhunter tens of thousands of pounds to source a senior executive?

Show me the money

Hard cash doesn't motivate us to work harder. Isn't it time we looked again at the way we reward people, whether that means greater democracy, less inequality or full salary transparency? Consultants who join the staff at recruitment specialist Retail Human Resources at one of its five locations across the UK are pretty much assured of a good time.

How to bring neuroscience to life

The potential for using neuroscientific principles in learning has been well-established in recent years. But applying them in the workplace means organisations need to bridge the "awareness gap", says a new CIPD report. Neuroscience in Action highlights the work of a small but growing number of L&D professionals using brain-friendly learning principles to develop employees.

When corporate culture goes disastrously wrong

When corporate culture goes disastrously wrong, HR holds the key to patching things up. Let People Management’s experts show you how… When five former News of the World employees, including

Get the leader you deserve

If command and control doesn’t cut it any more, how can HR ensure the face at the top is the right fit for the organisation? Charismatic leaders, consensual leaders, directive leaders, dominant...

Meet your next executive assistant

Why new technology and broader horizons are rewriting the rules of global recruitment.

What makes an employee?

Why a raft of new contracts means the legal status of staff isn’t as clear-cut as you think When you’re looking for guidance on employment law, the famous ‘gentlemen’s club’...

Psychometrics: the stark truth

Derided as out of date, psychometrics are still valued by many as development tools. Should we really write them off? The grim story of Paul Flowers, the minister who chaired the Co-operative Bank as...

Five cutting edge L&D ideas that just might work

Ideas from the front line of learning, explained by the experts 1 Collaborative learning “Social learning is about supporting communities to come together, work together and collaborate”...

The five most difficult workplace conversations

The five most difficult conversations you might have as an HR professionals, and how to handle them

Have we stopped caring about diversity?

When it comes to diversity, if the question you're asking is whether you're hitting your targets, you're probably already getting it wrong. A box-ticking approach to diversity is better than none, but many HR professionals are increasingly attuned to how it can obscure the bigger picture.

Private companies masquerading as Acas, warns barrister

Commercial employment advice services are misleading employers into thinking they are dealing with Acas, according to a leading barrister. A number of smaller employers have unwittingly been encouraged to enter into expensive long-term contracts with advisory firms, rather than the independent, fee-free service offered by conciliation service Acas, said Colin Bourne, a barrister at Kings Chambers.

SMES: How to cope with pensions auto-enrolment

We asked experts how best to avoid a meltdown when smaller companies come on board in 2014 "We're all in," chorus the happy employees on the adverts. And if you judge auto-enrolment by the fanfare of positive publicity, you'd be forgiven for concluding all the hard work has been done.

The five ages of reward: tailoring benefits to life stages

One-size-fits-all benefits are yesterday's story. Tailor your reward to what employees need at every stage of their career When IKEA decided to reshape its benefits offering around employees' life stages, the results were impressive.

Apprenticeships: a practical way of learning - Snapdragons Nurseries

It is no secret that one of the best ways to acquire skills is through doing the job as well as learning the theory. But there can be few places where this is more relevant than in a childcare environment. Snapdragons Nurseries operates eight sites across south west England, offering childcare to more than 1,000 families and employing 180 people.

Apprentices bring energy into our business - HSS Hire

Employing apprentices can be a challenging prospect. Joe Parry, learning and development manager at HSS Hire, talks to Jo Faragher about how the hire shop built its apprenticeship programme. For Parry, offering apprenticeships to young people has a personal resonance.

Chopping & changing: Discontinuous shared parental leave

Confusion remains as to how employers should tackle the prospect of parents stopping and starting their shared parental leave. Can an employer really refuse a request for discontinuous periods off work? Jo Faragher demystifies discontinuous shared parental leave. HR professionals are in full learning mode.

Shared parental leave and pay: how much will it cost?

Employers reviewing policies in the run-up to the introduction of shared parental leave and pay must make a key decision about whether or not to enhance their offering. Jo Faragher looks at the factors they should consider.

How to avoid discrimination claims with flexible working requests

The line manager of a small but important department in the business is approached by a couple of members of staff wanting to work flexibly. Historically, he has always granted these requests where possible, but the most recent have the potential to affect the team's ability to function.

Shared parental leave: a labour of love?

The parents of babies due on or after 5 April 2015 will be the first to benefit from new shared parental leave rules. By August 2014, some HR professionals will begin receiving enquiries from staff about their organisation's policy surrounding shared leave. Jo Faragher looks at the issues.

Shared parental leave may trigger discrimination claims from men

Employers who offer enhanced maternity pay may face discrimination claims if they do not extend the benefit to men when new laws on shared parental leave come into force. The warning comes from Tom Kerr Williams, a partner at law firm DLA Piper, in an article for Personnel Today - Will shared parental leave oblige firms to offer enhanced paternity pay?

Graduate recruitment: the end of the milk round?

Graduate recruitment has, once again, become competitive as employers boost their hiring numbers and search for the best talent. Jo Faragher examines whether or not the old approaches to attraction still work.

Does an unlimited holiday policy equal an unlimited headache?

Despite the fanfare about flexible working and trusting people to produce results on their own terms, how organisations dole out annual leave is still, arguably, a formal and traditional affair. Jo Faragher looks at the idea of an unlimited holiday policy.

Can "recruiting for values" turn around the NHS? - Personnel Today

The working culture in the NHS has come under intense scrutiny in recent years after a series of failings in hospital trusts. Employers in the health service now want to make sure they recruit staff whose values match those of the organisation in order to improve patient care. Jo Faragher reports.

Youth employment: How can we break down barriers and create opportunities?

Personnel Today's recent research in partnership with learndirect revealed that 87% of employers feel that young people are not ready for the workplace when they leave school. Jo Faragher reports. Organisations told us that they wanted school leavers to have more knowledge and experience of the workplace, as well as better guidance on how they can open up opportunities for young people, from traineeships to apprenticeships.

70:20:10 - a model approach for learning?

Every so often a new "flavour of the month" comes along in learning and development (L&D) - and one of the hottest topics among training professionals at the moment is the concept of 70:20:10. Jo Faragher reports.

Dealing with shock resignations: Pope Benedict XVI's lessons for HR

Women's work

HR Director Profile: Andrew Donovan, Magnox

Could holographic technology revolutionise training?

Tests and assessments: the right tools for the job?

Whether it is aptitude tests, Belbin, the nine-box grid or Myers-Briggs, HR professionals often find themselves facilitating cognitive or psychological assessments in areas such as recruitment, learning and development (L&D) and talent management. But as Jo Faragher finds out, the tools that are used aren't always right for the job.

Learning Technologies 2014: L&D is changing faster than you think

If there was any doubt that organisations are reviewing their learning and development (L&D) activities this year, this soon disappeared at Learning Technologies 2014. Faced with enthusiastic delegates and exhibitors, Jo Faragher assesses how the tech sector is boosting learning and development.

Can apprenticeships drive growth in the economy?

Don't dump diversity on HR - Trevor Phillips

The Employer Network on Equality and Inclusion (enei) has just announced that Trevor Phillips, renowned equality campaigner and former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Committee, will join its board. In an exclusive interview with Personnel Today, Phillips sets out what he wants to achieve.

Does HR need to go back to basics?

Real-time information: 10 things HR needs to know

Gary Walker whistleblowing case: time for an NHS culture change?

Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2013

Supplement produced in conjunction with the National Apprenticeship Service.

2014: the year for change in L&D?

It is all change in learning and development (L&D) departments as we enter 2014, with renewed focus on where budgets are spent and how training is delivered. But what is driving this change and how will it help organisations meet their goals this year? Jo Faragher reports

Women on boards: do we need quotas?

China's booming job market

Employment law: why HR needs some common sense

Creating an employee suggestion scheme that delivers

Staff can be cynical about engagement programmes, but suggestion schemes can produce high levels of employee participation and real commercial results. Jo Faragher looks at how to introduce a successful scheme. Sometimes the smallest ideas make a significant difference.

Peter Cheese: 'HR needs to stand up and be more confident'

As the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) celebrates its 100th anniversary, Peter Cheese approaches his first anniversary as its chief executive. He talks to Jo Faragher about how HR and its professional body are evolving.

HR quality standards: are you ready?

A look at the potential introduction of quality standards for HR

10 people management priorities for 2012

Show preview for HR Performance, October 2011

HSBC to guarantee part-time work after maternity or paternity leave

News piece

Improving the value of apprenticeships

News analysis on proposed inductions for overseas doctors

How the economy impacts employee stress levels

HR Director Profile: Tea Colaianni, Merlin Entertainments

A slice of HR at Pizza Express

As HR director for one of the UK's most-loved brands, Amanda Underwood is helping to create a recipe for high employee engagement as the restaurant chain expands. Jo Faragher reports.

Employee engagement: the secret of UKRD's success

Building a new HR team

Interview with Mark Martin, HR Director, RBS Insurance

Identifying who poses a danger to your business

Asking for a pay rise

Dealing with delicate situations

Are HR professionals losing the human touch?

Planning your workforce in uncertain times

Nokia: opening dialogue with social media

The benefits of embedding coaching in your organisation

Overcoming your unconscious bias

Making a success of succession

Does size matter? Working for large and small organisations

Is it a good time to go interim?

Why cyberbullying is an issue for HR

Why it pays to manage upwards

Flexible working and the Olympics

Why doing good can be good for your career

Dealing with workplace conflict

How in-house recruiters and agencies can work together

This Article written by: Jo Faragher In-house recruit teams are no longer just the preserve of large corporates. So how should agencies ensure they can still play a major role in recruitment strategies? Jo Faragher finds out A trend thought to have been evolving for some time now is becoming of increasing concern to agency bosses.

The benefits of taking a sabbatical

Mixing it up: recruiters' role in promoting women

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

Is it worth getting an MBA?

Buyers' Guide: Recruitment Process Outsourcing

How can women get better at networking?

Catch me while you can: the importance of going mobile

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

Internships: a chance for recruiters to add value?

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

Ready, not steady, go

Empowering staff improves morale and productivity

Flat-fee recruitment: good news or a cheap trick?

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

Hooked on the final salary pension?

Buyers' Guide: Applicant Tracking Systems

Big data: buzzword or big business?

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

The battle for hearts and minds

Social recruiting: mistakes to make you cringe

Keep your candidates happy or risk missing out on the best talent

Among all the recruitment predictions for 2015, perhaps the most reliable is that we are likely to see a return to the 'war for talent' - a buoyant employment market where applicants call the shots and businesses fight to attract the most talented candidates.

Building the future on the past

Interview with Laura Whyte, Personnel Director, John Lewis Partnership

How recruiters can take advantage of the growth of flexible working

There's little doubt that the way we work is changing. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the proportion of people who are self-employed is higher than at any point in the past 40 years, while new legislation introduced this year opened up a right to request flexible working for all employees.

Apprenticeships: are they making a difference?

Careers advice: "Often teachers don't know what's going on outside their door"

This Article written by: Jo Faragher Careers advice for school children is patchy at best - it's often left to teachers with little understanding of careers options to explain the world of work to the next workforce generation.

Recruitment apprenticeship: training up the next generation

Feature for RA Now: site aimed at recruitment agency professionals and owners

Should UK firms prioritise UK workers?

Big data at Mamas and Papas

Boardroom view: how the nursery chain is using data analysis for customer insight

The Changing Mind

An interview with Oxford professor Baroness Susan Greenfield on the impact of technology on the brain

Masters of the future

A look at the development of masters courses in educational assessment. page 18

Standard Bearers

Feature on qualifications watchdog Ofqual, page 23

Problem Solver

Round-up of issues facing assessors around controlled assessment. P30

Case study: Skills for Health North West

I produced a number of case studies on apprentices working towards career progression in the NHS

Case study: Skills for Health North West

I produced a number of case studies on apprentices working towards career progression in the NHS