HR News

Human Resource News: Classic Monster Politics

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:31:49 -0500

What do Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Lon Chaney Jr. have in common? They are forever known as the faces of the classic monsters Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, Phantom of the Opera, and the Wolf Man.

Human Resource News: Needed: U.S. bankruptcy lawyers

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:17:15 -0500

America needs more bankruptcy lawyers. No, really. There's no punchline. One of the few areas where there is demand and job growth in the sluggish economy south of the border is in bankruptcy law, according to specialized staffing firm Robert Half International Inc.

del.icio.us/tag/talentmanagement: TomorrowToday_Talent_Reboot.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:15:00 -0500

TomorrowToday_Talent_Reboot.pdf (application/pdf Object)

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Wetherspoon to recruit 1,000 16- and 17-year olds

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:22:00 -0500

Pub operators would normally be expected to discourage under 18-year-olds from entering their premises, but high street chain JD Wetherspoon has broken with convention by vowing to create 1,000 new jobs for 16- and 17-year-olds in the next

PersonnelToday.com - Training, learning and development news: Wetherspoon to recruit 1,000 16- and 17-year olds

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:22:00 -0500

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Former NHS boss wins £1.2 million in whistleblowing case

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:44:00 -0500

A former NHS boss has been awarded £1.2 million after being unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing. Ear

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: HR professionals demand earlier involvement in change planning

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:15:00 -0500

The majority of HR professionals want to be involved in organisational change as early as possible, according to a

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: How to carry out a redundancy selection exercise

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:31:00 -0500

Two new guides on the redundancy selection process have been published recently on XpertHR. One guide covers how to define the redundancy pool, from which employees will be selected; the other covers the redundancy selection criteria that should be used, and how to apply those criteria fairly.

Deciding which employees to include in a redundancy pool - a guide

One of the first stages of a redundancy exercise is to decide which employees should be included in the pool from which selection for redundancy will be made. This guide by Lavina Daryanani, solicitor, Abbey Legal Services, sets out the steps employers should take to ensure that they have considered all relevant employees.

Choosing and applying redundancy selection criteria - a guide

This guide by Elizabeth Stevens, a professional support lawyer at Steeles Law (external website), gives practical guidance for employers on the next steps in the redundancy exercise - how to choose selection criteria that will be fair and appropriate in the circumstances, and how to apply them, avoiding the risk of discrimination or unfair dismissals.

A recent article in Employers' Law highlighting common pitfalls encountered by employers carrying out a redundancy exercise includes links to further guidance to help employers implement their redundancy procedure fairly and lawfully.

Human Resource News: SADIF Analytics rates Hewitt Associates, Inc. as an above average...

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:02:54 -0500

SADIF Analytics rates Hewitt Associates, Inc. as an above average quality company with a positive outlook.

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Jobs market defies summer slump in August

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:52:00 -0500

Demand for new jobs defied the usual summer-season slump and stayed steady in August, driven by the leisure and tourism and retail sectors, research has revealed. The monthly Job Index, compiled by recruitment firm Reed, t

Evil HR Lady: Did I Ruin My Chance to get My Dream Job?

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:34:00 -0500

Dear Evil HR Lady.

There has recently been a posting for a position in my company that I am thinking about posting for. I sat down with the hiring manager (informally) in order to discuss not only the position, but also the department and how she views the company as a whole. I told her that I had some concerns about the position being too much of a side step for me, even though I am very interested in learning new things and thought that the direction the department was going was very interesting to me. I also asked her about other departments within the company and when she mentioned knowing someone involved in the decision making process for another posting I was interested in, asked her if she would be willing to let her know I was interested in speaking to her about it. I felt like the conversation went well, and she gave me a contact of another person in her department to talk to in order to help me make my decision on whether I wanted to move to that department.

All this happened before I found out that I am actually being considered for an assistant supervisory position in that department which I would ABSOLUTELY be interested in. I feel like had I known that that position even existed (it hasn’t been posted yet) let alone that I was being considered for it, I would have framed that conversation completely different. I certainly wouldn’t have asked her about the other position in a different department! What should I do!? Did I completely blow it?
Did I Ruin My Chance to get My Dream Job?

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Tribunal claims rise by more than 50% as recession bites

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:11:00 -0500

The number of employment tribunal cases rocketed by more than 50% last year as employees fought back against recession cutbacks, official figures have revealed. In the 12 months ending 31 March 2010, 236,100 workers brough

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: HR news round-up: HR stories making the headlines 6 September 2010

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:58:00 -0500

A round-up of HR-related stories in today's newspapers. Tea maker Twinings has asked UK staff who are losing their jobs to train up the Polish workers who are replacing them, reports

E-recruitment in Retail: A real life community case study - hashtag underscore #socreccamp

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:33:00 -0500

From humble beginnings, lots of tweets and a last minute girly weekend gatecrash #socreccamp was upon us.The online community were coming together to as one. But how would they manage to communicate without a signal? Would they all fit into one tent? Would Devon survive such a technophone incoming? Would anyone die? As Chief Unorganiser of #socrecamp I need to share my experience amongst the rest of the world of the secret weekend. What started off as a self-invite (by me) to the girls weekend in Exeter of @sarknight @lisascales @wendyjacob and @saraheadworthended up as a real surf adventure of...

HR Daily Advisor - Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.: Focus on Ten Mistakes, Eliminate 90% of Problems

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Sometimes it seems that there are one thousand ways to go wrong managing people, but attorney Peter Janus suggests that 10 critical errors cause most of the problems.

HR Daily Advisor - Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.: Nine Ways NOT to Hire the Brightest and the Best

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Hiring is such a critical role for managers and supervisors, yet many of them take a casual or mistaken (read legally dangerous) view of the job. In today's Advisor, we share a few of the worst interview approaches we've come across.

Human Resource News: Survey: 77% of live paycheck to paycheck

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:53:25 -0500

Amid the harshest recession in decades, more than three-fourths of Americans surveyed say they're getting by paycheck to paycheck.

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Grumpy Lecturer: If I could change one thing about HR...

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 -0500

A different perspective on the world of HR - and on the underlying control structures of the world of work itself - is presented in today's post in our ongoing series, in which Grumpy Lecturer weighs in on the topic 'If I could change one thing about HR...'.

Grumpy Lecturer describes himself as "a senior lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and Industrial Relations at a northern university".

Grumpy Lecturer: If I could change one thing about HR...

I would not change anything about HR. There is nothing wrong with the current version of Human Resources Management (HRM): it has achieved mass levels of false consciousness about employment. But I would like to see HR professionals consider this fact.

The world of work has changed radically over the past 30 years, both in content, as to what modern jobs entail, and in how the employment relationship is ideologically approached by governments and employers. This is not the forum for debating the reasons for the change in job content but it is worth mentioning that somewhere in the world the jobs in mass manufacturing that we once were reasonably good at are still being performed in the same 'traditional' way.

However, the management of the employee relationship can be briefly commented upon. If we look, briefly, at the various methods of designing work - Taylorism, Fordism, JIT Management, Cell Manufacturing, Job Flexibility, HRM (Hard Systems Approach) - each is concerned with increasing worker productivity (effort) and managerial control in the workplace.

If we also look at the role of management theory - that is the sociological and psychological strategies employed in the workplace (such as Human Relations Movement (Emery & Trist), Team Working, Job Enlargement/Enrichment, Participation Schemes (On Managerial Terms), Performance-Related Pay, HRM (Soft Systems Approach), Employee Involvement Schemes, etc) - each represents an alternative or complementary way of also increasing worker productivity (effort) and managerial control in the workplace.

So who controls the employment relationship is of prime importance. This is a fundamental point that we have tended to lose sight of in this post-industrial period.

Employers have tried numerous ways in which to exert their control throughout history. Probably the first attempt was slavery. This obviously would not be appropriate today but that does not mean that it does not still exist in the UK. Feudalism with its reciprocal 'tit for tat' work for accommodation worked in its own way. However, capitalism is the tour de force of employer control. The options available through capitalist production for employers to achieve control are numerous. The prime suspects being Scientific Management (F. W. Taylor), Content Theory (Needs Theory... yes, that pyramid) based on the contributions of Mayo, Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg and others and finally the Process Theories of Vroom, Porter & Lawler and others.

Employers can control employee effectiveness and efficiency by paying for increased output (Scientific Management Theory) or ensuring the organisation provides all the 'needs' an employee requires satisfying ('Needs' Theory). A near impossibility but this does not prevent the avalanche of managerial texts describing ways in which employers can achieve this near impossibility. Finally, Process Theories, the 'in' fad, whereby employers gain control by having employees achieve targets. The theory goes that in achieving these targets employees become elated with their achievement and thus, so the theory states, contribute more to the organisation. Obviously employers can 'pick and mix' these strategies.

What has occurred over the past 30 years is a definite movement away from pay as a motivator. Pay as a motivator, unfortunately, has its problems. The main problem is 'fairness' as to how wealth is distributed both within the employing organisation and in the wider society. With this approach seen as divisive and confrontational by employers there has been a concerted move by them to find an alternative control mechanism. Human Resource Management (HRM) fills the void perfectly. It removes pay from the agenda and focuses on the social trivia of work. But more importantly, it requires a totally new behavioural approach to be adopted by employees towards their employers.

Rather than see work as confrontational as to pay and conditions of work, employees are encouraged to believe that the interest of both the employer and the employee are congruous and thus the focus of debate is redirected to the fate of the organisation. A fate contained in the hands of all those who have contact with that organisation. This social engineering has been marketed under the guise of a 'stakeholder society'.

From my own observations this managerial sleight of hand has been fairly easy to achieve. Again this is not the forum but such things that have contributed to this social reengineering debate would include the following.

Sociologists and sociology have been deterred from contributing to management textbooks and discussions on work. The sociologist brings nothing to the table but discussions on power relationships in the workplace and the wider implications of work on the society in which it takes place. The psychologist on the other hand moves the debate to people's needs, attitudes or personalities which are much easier to deal with than the social structure of work, power relationships and work ideologies, which are the province of the sociologist.

The psychologist's contribution also offers 'practical' technical options or remedies for 'human problems' in the workplace. Their contributions are also devoid of class conflict debates and political or power based ideologies. The shift to a reliance on psychological contributions to management textbooks has contributed significantly to the process of social reengineering with regards to the attitude of employees to the workplace.

Business/Management Schools thrive on the requirements of the marketplace driven by the requirements of the employer. This in turn has spawned other organisations of social engineering such as the CIPD who have devised their own qualifications in which the world of work is seen through the perspective of the employer.

As to whether employees really believe in the world of work painted by the orthodoxy of the management texts is another debate but it would be interesting to discover. Are we all team-players in the presence of the manager whilst looking for another job on the net? We have been programmed to answer 'yes' to the interview question as to whether we are team players. What else have we learned to say to conform?

If I could change one thing about HR...: Read all the posts in this series

360 feedback - Google News : Ovoid gearboxes offered with low-cost absolute encoders - Engineer Live

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:08:49 -0500

Engineer Live

Ovoid gearboxes offered with low-cost absolute encoders
Engineer Live
The new device may be useful to replace potentiometer-based angle encoders by combining motor and position feedback in a single component or for low-cost ...

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Pay Intelligence for reward specialists

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:38:00 -0500

If you are reading this, then there is a fair chance that you have a professional interest in pay and reward issues. And if so, we hope you will check out the new XpertHR Pay Intelligence blog.

When we launched XpertHR Employment Intelligence back in May 2007, we took a conscious effort to ensure that it covered the entire remit of human resource management. Over time it has developed into a substantial resource which regularly attracts thousands of visitors, some just to browse, others to read in depth and still others to participate and contribute their thoughts on hot HR issues - from pay to law to best practice in employment.

But for many people, such a comprehensive approach is too broad ranging. They want to be able to focus on their own area of professional expertise without distractions.

Taking this into account, and building on the strength of our pay team we are now launching our new XpertHR Pay Intelligence blog. This will draw on the expertise of the researchers, writers and editors whose work includes the production of salary surveys based on employer payroll data, our long-running and continually updated databank of pay settlements, our pay reports, sector analyses, surveys, case studies and economic commentaries.

We will use the blog to provide running commentary on pay issues as they arise, to alert you to major developments in the services we provide - such as the publication of new survey data, and to draw attention to the key facts and figures that reward specialists and others with similar professional interests can use in their work.

The new XpertHR Pay Intelligence blog is not just a home for items which would previously have appeared here in the Employment Intelligence blog. It also replaces the old CELRE website used by our salary surveys arm, reflecting the fact that we now go under the name of XpertHR Salary Surveys. You will also be able to follow us on Twitter.

Neither will our pay and economic content suddenly vanish from Employment Intelligence. Our aim is very much to continue to provide a service here which covers the entire HR remit - albeit that we will from time to time point you in the direction of more detailed or specialist material on XpertHR Pay Intelligence.

Finally, please continue to watch this space. In the coming weeks we will be announcing some further enhancements and additions to our blogs, and you will find out about them here first.

Things to do...
Visit XpertHR Pay Intelligence
Visit the XpertHR pay home page
Visit XpertHR Salary Surveys
Visit XpertHR Benchmarking

Human Resource News: Monster Employment Index Up 12% Year-Over-Year, Continuing 7-Month Trend of Positive Annual Growth

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:24:53 -0500

The U.S. Monster Employment Index recorded its seventh consecutive month of positive year-over-year growth rate at 12 percent.

Human Resource News: Improve your on-line job search

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 07:15:15 -0500

No matter where you are posting your resume there are a few things you can do to make the website work harder for you.

Human Resource News: Korn/Ferry to Report Quarterly Earnings via Live Webcast on September 9, 2010

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:55:47 -0500

Korn/Ferry International , a premier global provider of talent management solutions, today announced that the firm will be conducting a conference call and simultaneous live webcast to investors to report Q1 fiscal year 2011 earnings on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 10:00 am EDT.

Human Resource News: On an Avenue Far From Sesame Street

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:51:11 -0500

I smiled all the way through the Gateway Playhouse's sweet, naughty, hilarious, absolutely first-rate production of "Avenue Q." Except when poor Kate Monster was stood up at midnight on the Empire State Building's observation deck.

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Sep 23, 2010: Energetic NLP Introduction at Columbia Hotel

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:31:00 -0500

Fastrack your personal and professional development with Energetic NLP. Attend our introductory evening. Learn how to use transformative energies and NLP to facilitate mental, emotional, and physical healing in yourself and others. For more info visit: www.energeticnlp.com

Human Resource News: French authorities seize Manpower documents in probe

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:41:27 -0500

Manpower Inc. said Thursday that French authorities seized documents from its French headquarters in Paris Tuesday as part of an investigation into allegations of price fixing and allocations of market share in France.

Human Resource News: Survey finds increased number of consumers living paycheck to paycheck

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:31:52 -0500

A recent survey from CareerBuilder noted that nearly 80 percent of American workers said they are living paycheck to paycheck.

360 feedback - Google News : Hey, NHL Slapshot... two minutes for lookin' so good! - Winnipeg Free Press

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:53:51 -0500

Hey, NHL Slapshot... two minutes for lookin' so good!
Winnipeg Free Press
We asked him a whole bunch of questions about what it was like growing up and we tried to incorporate his feedback into the game. ...

and more »

Human Resource News: Texas Workforce Commission presents college, Valero with enormous check

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:32:02 -0500

Coastal Bend College hosted a Skills Development Fund Grant check presentation on Thursday at the Beeville campus.

Human Resource News: Adecco wants to add 100 jobs to its Jacksonville operations

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:22:30 -0500

Adecco Group North America, which has been known as MPS Group Inc., plans to ask the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission next week for financial incentives to add 100 full-time jobs to its Jacksonville operations by the end of 2012.

Human Resource News: U.S. Stocks Rise as Jobs Report Boosts Optimism About...

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:03:00 -0500

U.S. stocks rose, with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index gaining a fourth day and the Dow Jones Industrial Average erasing its loss for the year, as better- than-estimated growth in private payrolls eased concern the economy is sliding back into a recession.

Human Resource News: Stocks on the move: Celldex Therapeutics, Cooper, SeaChange

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:58:21 -0500

Shares of the following companies are having unusual moves in U.S. trading this morning.

Human Resource News: Does Automatic Data Processing Pass Buffett's Test?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:53:48 -0500

We'd all like to invest as successfully as the legendary Warren Buffett. He calculates return on invested capital to help determine whether a company has an economic moat -- the ability to earn returns on its money beyond that money's cost.

360 feedback - Google News : Fuel tanker aground in Northwest Passage - Wikinews

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:47:31 -0500

Fuel tanker aground in Northwest Passage
Wikinews
The 110 metre (360 ft) tanker was carrying 9 million liters (2.4 million gallons) of diesel fuel to remote settlements in Canada's Arctic regions when it ...

and more »

Human Resource News: Dog day afternoon?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:44:24 -0500

Does your energy wane in the late afternoon? Do you make a mad dash for coffee just to get an instant energy fix so you don't nap at your desk? You're not alone.

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Nov 22, 2010: Advanced RMAN with Arup Nanda at Hyde Park

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:00:00 -0500

RMAN is now undoubtedly the best backup method for Oracle databases right now. This session starts with the basics of RMAN but quickly moves on to the intermediate to advanced topics.

You will learn how to evaluate the performance of RMAN jobs and improve them, if necessary; how to use image copies and incremental merge to keep the backups always at full level without ever taking a full backup; how to configure and check block m...edia tracking; how to check for failures and configure automatic health checks; how to perform block media recovery and check the integrity of the database while it’s up and running.

The session will have a lot of real life cases with scripts the attendees can take away to use at their shop.

For more details on the event please check out the event's webpage: [bit.ly]

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Nov 22, 2010: Advanced RMAN with Arup Nanda at Hyde Park

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:59:00 -0500

Forbes.com: Leadership News : The Corporate Jobs They're Hiring For Now

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:25:38 -0500

A survey indicates what white-collar opportunities will be growing most this fall.

360 feedback - Google News : GreenRoad Hires Industry Veteran Thomas R. Ness to Join Executive Team - Bradenton Herald

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:01:02 -0500

GreenRoad Hires Industry Veteran Thomas R. Ness to Join Executive Team
Bradenton Herald
GreenRoad 360™ provides real-time feedback integrated with comprehensive online visibility. We engage drivers on an ongoing basis to deliver lasting ...

and more »

Forbes.com: Leadership News : When A Colleague Falls Gravely Ill

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:45:20 -0500

What do you do? To start with, acknowledge the condition and offer specific help.

360 feedback - Google News : Epic Citadel shows the bright promise of iOS gaming's future - tuaw.com (blog)

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:49:52 -0500

Epic Citadel shows the bright promise of iOS gaming's future
tuaw.com (blog)
Epic have done a great job implementing the 'virtual control sticks' but these are severely limited by the lack of any physical feedback given to the player ...

and more »

Human Resource News: Analysts & Associates - Financial Sponsors

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:24:33 -0500

Michael Page International represents the following client. About the company : Our client is a top tier, bulge bracket Investment Bank, seeking to grow their Financial Sponsors team in New York.

360 feedback - Google News : Microsoft Kinect Beta photos leaked. - Gadget news and reviews (blog)

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:23:36 -0500

Gadget news and reviews (blog)

Microsoft Kinect Beta photos leaked.
Gadget news and reviews (blog)
Microsoft's job of hand-picking testers through its Connect service (which helps them get product feedback from consumers) obviously hasn't worked as ...

and more »

360 feedback - Google News : Ask SmallBiz: Leadership Training - Hawaii Business Magazine

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:10:49 -0500

Hawaii Business Magazine

Ask SmallBiz: Leadership Training
Hawaii Business Magazine
Use the workplace-culture survey or a 360-degree feedback survey to determine the main areas for improvement. Strategically design a leadership-development ...

360 feedback - Google News : Retailers: PlayStation Move will outsell Xbox Kinect - ARNnet

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:40:05 -0500

Retailers: PlayStation Move will outsell Xbox Kinect
ARNnet
National video games retailer, Gametraders, said that, based on feedback from its 35 stores across Australia, the Move will be more coveted than the Kinect. ...

and more »

Evil HR Lady: Illegal Discrimination in Tech? Hardly

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:38:00 -0500

I have an overwhelming theme in the advice I write–and that is, stop whining and blaming others and take responsibility for your own choices. So, when I hear women whining about being discriminated against I always have to stop and wonder, is it illegal discrimination or different choices?

Most of the time, all the signs point to…drum roll please…different choices. Everyone wrings their hands and frets, “what can we do about the inequality in X?” Well, first stop and see if people are making different choices.

Illegal Discrimination in Tech? Hardly

Human Resource News: Bridgegate revamp to be innovative and striking

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:02:51 -0500

THE search is on to find a designer to carry out the 3 million facelift of Irvine's Bridgegate.

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: HR news round-up: HR stories making the headlines 3 September 2010

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:50:00 -0500

A round-up of HR-related stories in today's newspapers. Negotiations aimed at averting industrial action by London Underground (LU) workers starting on Monday 6 September have broken down and the strike will go ahead

Human Resource News: Market MoverTHE Oil and Gas Monster that Ate America

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:53:20 -0500

Market Mover THE OIL AND GAS MONSTER THAT ATE AMERICA by Mark Scheinbaum American Reporter Correspondent New York, N.Y. NEW YORK, Oct.

HR Daily Advisor - Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.: Tuition Assistance: Is Your Plan Average, Better, or Worse?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Tuition assistance should be easy enough to structure and offer, but it's not. We found a number of tricky questions that companies must answer before offering it. So for today's survey, we decided to find out just what companies are offering and how they are structuring their plan. (And we'll give you the survey results, right here, in a few weeks.)

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Paul Smith: If I could change one thing about HR...

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:15:00 -0500

The XpertHR Employment Intelligence guest blog post series continues today with a particularly thought-provoking entry from leading US HR blogger Paul Smith, author of the always-excellent (and highly recommended) Welcome to the Occupation blog.

Paul is a Human Resources Manager at a non-profit organisation in Philadelphia, PA. He also compiled the recent HR Carnival Jukebox HR blogging extravaganza, styled as "a cornucopia of HR-related blog posts, tailored in a fashion similar to a jukebox."

Paul Smith: If I could change one thing about HR...

Maya Angelou said: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

Words to live by for sure. But they came to mind recently when I was asked "if there was one thing you could change about HR, what would it be?"

I know exactly what I would change if I could. But I have serious doubts that it's feasible or if it would be widely accepted enough to actually occur. So I just may need to change my attitude.

HR is expected to assume temporary roles.

We have to be educated in medical matters so as to understand what constitutes a disability or a serious medical condition and what doesn't, and have the whereto not to invade medical privacy. We have to understand the legal obligations behind each one. We have to have legal knowledge to prevent discrimination in employment decisions. We also need to understand how medical insurances are going to work. We need to understand the economies of benefits and of how compensation structures work. We also need to understand the dynamics of the human condition and be able to counsel employees and managers on how best to maneuver through each circumstance involving each type of personality.

If HR is assuming these temporary roles, what is HR?

Doctor/Nurse ... Lawyer ... Insurance Agent ... Accountant ... Psychologist

Thousands of people in HR are assuming all or some of these roles on a daily basis. Some folks have a university degree. Some have certification. Some just fell into and have remained in it. Many of the people in each of these cases are performing HR at an exceptional level. Many are not. And the nots are the ones causing problems in the workplace and in our profession.

Practice what we preach

If you don't like legal issues, or understand medical jargon, or really have no interest in dealing with people in the workplace, HR is the wrong profession for you. More so, you really should not be allowed to be in the profession.

The temporary roles we assume are within a quasi-nature. HR obviously does not venture into the depth that professions such as doctors or lawyers require. Yet we have to know enough about each and work with combinations of them. My thought (and this is what I would change) is if these other professions require a license to practice than so should HR.

Do you want to deal with someone who is untrained or is just not interested when it comes to medical or legal issues? No. This is why we seek licensed professionals. This is not to say that a license guarantees excellent workmanship. But wouldn't industry in general, and the work population, be more assured that the person in that HR role has the certified skills and furthermore if they don't, they lose their license and can't continue to practice?

As HR, we have to deal with some very serious issues. These issues involve individual livelihoods and the survival of our lines of business. To continue having value in the workplace beyond just being the harbinger of employee files, we have to be assured that people in our profession deserve to be and can deal with these serious issues.

I'm aware that this would be a radical departure from how the profession is standardized today. This is why I questioned the feasibility of it. But if we want to make serious change in the HR industry and fix the problem of current HR being in positions of requiring knowledge, not having it and not wanting it, then we should consider making the conditions of employment more serious.

It's like Maya said, you may not be able to change this, but you can change your attitude toward it. If we want this change to occur, it needs to begin with our attitudes. So what do you think?

If I could change one thing about HR...: Read all the posts in this series

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 21.08.10 to 03.09.10

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:00:00 -0500

A round-up of links to news items on recent employment tribunal rulings, including: £63,000 for a teacher who was unfairly dismissed after disciplining a schoolgirl who simulated a sex act in class; £45,000 for a woman whose employer pretended that she was working part time while she was pregnant so that it didn't have to pay statutory maternity pay to her; and £1.2m for a former Cornwall hospital boss who was unfairly dismissed "as a whistleblower".

If you know about or have been involved in a recent employment tribunal decision, please let us know by commenting below.

Cowell discrimination case will not go to full tribunal (on the BBC website) A Britain's Got Talent hopeful who claimed she was discriminated against at her audition, has failed to get her case taken to an employment tribunal.

Barrow care home boss cleared of harassing employee (on the North-West Evening Mail website) An employment tribunal has cleared a care home boss of sexually harassing a female deputy manager.

Teacher fired for imposing discipline wins employment tribunal (on the Daily Telegraph website) A teacher who was fired after disciplining a schoolgirl who simulated a sex act in class has been awarded £63,000 for unfair dismissal.

Victory for ex-soldier accused of threatening museum boss (on the Sunday Sun website) A former royal protection officer accused of making death threats against his boss has won his case for unfair dismissal.

Cornwall hospital boss given £1.2m compensation (on the BBC website) A former Cornwall hospital boss who was unfairly dismissed "as a whistleblower" has been awarded £1.2m in compensation.

Employee made redundant awarded £24,634 (on the BBC website) A former manager at Belfast accountancy firm FGS McClure Watters has been awarded £24,634 after a tribunal found that she had been unfairly dismissed.

Woman loses disability discrimination claim against cat charity (on the Gazette Live website) A woman who was head of operations in the North and Midlands for charity Cats Protection, has unsuccessfully claimed that she was bullied and discriminated against because of a disability.

£45,000 award after employer pretended pregnant employee didn't qualify for statutory maternity pay (on the BBC website) A tribunal in Northern Ireland has awarded £45,000 to a woman whose employer pretended that she was working part time while she was pregnant so that it didn't have to pay statutory maternity pay to her.

Postman who clocked up more than 220 sick days fairly dismissed by Royal Mail (on the This Is Staffordshire website) A postman of 20 years was found to have been fairly dismissed after clocking up more than 220 sick days in a 12-month period.

Council clerk accused of stealing wins £19,000 for constructive dismissal (on the FindLaw UK website) A council worker in Shropshire has won £19,000 compensation after resigning in protest at being accused of stealing.

Whistleblowing social worker loses victimisation claim (on the Google News website) A whistleblower who warned the Government that child protection measures were not being followed in Haringey six months before the death of Baby P has lost her claim of victimisation against the council.

Last five Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines round-ups
Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 07.08.10 to 20.08.10
Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 24.07.10 to 06.08.10
Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 10.07.10 to 23.07.10
Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 26.06.10 to 09.07.10
Employment tribunal decisions making the headlines: 12.06.10 to 25.06.10

Previous employment tribunal decisions reported on XpertHR [subscription required]
Disability discrimination and depression
Disability discrimination: back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders
Disability discrimination and dyslexia
Consultation on collective redundancies
Pregnancy and maternity leave discrimination
Unfair dismissal in selection for redundancy
Age discrimination in redundancy
Disability discrimination in the police

Employment tribunal round ups coming soon
Race discrimination in the police

Human Resource News: B.y.o.b. - System Of A Down

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:53:37 -0500

Like many late-'90s metal bands, System of a Down struck a balance between '80s underground thrash metal and metallic early-'90s alternative rockers like Jane's Addiction.

Breakout Performance: How Microsoft Can Avoid the HPQ Trap

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:54:00 -0500

By Eric Jackson
RealMoney Contributor
9/2/2010 5:00 PM EDT
Click here for more stories by Eric Jackson
Earlier this week, Hewlett Packard's (HPQ - commentary - Trade Now) board announced it was undertaking a $10 billion stock buyback. It plans on spending $3 billion of that this quarter. It only has $14-15 billion in cash on its balance sheet. And don't forget, it has just snatched 3Par (PAR - commentary -Trade Now) from the jaws of Dell (DELL - commentary - Trade Now) for $2.4 billion.
Investors cheered the news of the buyback. On the day of the announcement, an otherwise dismal trading day (unlike yesterday), HP was the only positive stock in the entire S&P 500. Wouldn't this suggest that buybacks are a great way to increase shareholder value? Well, to answer that question, in my view, you have to ask: great as opposed to what?

Of course, HP's decision to spend a big wad of its cash on buying its own stock is much better than what it was doing previously, namely:

Nothing, letting cash accumulate on its balance sheet, and

Trying to buy a company at a 200% premium.

Buybacks are also preferable to paying an enormous one-shot dividend to shareholders, as Microsoft(MSFT - commentary - Trade Now) famously did a few years ago when it shelled out over $3 a share. Why should shareholders hold on to a company's shares after they've gotten their lottery-ticket bonus? Should they hang around and hope that the lucky lightning will strike twice?

A much preferable alternative, which HP should have considered -- and which Microsoft's board still has the chance of choosing -- is to dramatically increase the regular quarterly dividend. What am I talking about? Isn't this all financial engineering? Stock buybacks versus dividends? Next, surely, I'm going to be talking about Modigliani and Miller and ideal capital structure?

Well, that is mostly likely the reaction of Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer and many senior executives at S&P 500 companies when this topic comes up. I'm sure Steve Ballmer becomes more frustrated than most on this topic, because he must believe that he's tried to do the right thing in the past to appease shareholders -- that famous one-time dividend and many buybacks and dividends -- and it hasn't worked.

....
[*** This post is an excerpt of the full article, available by clicking here to go to RealMoney.com. Note: subscription required. ***]

360 feedback - Google News : First look: Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect - Sydney Morning Herald

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:16:45 -0500

First look: Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect
Sydney Morning Herald
From boxing to aerobics to yoga, there are various exercises and mini-games to play, with an in-game personal trainer giving you feedback on each move and ...

and more »

Institute for Employment Studies: Interim report on work-focused services in children's centres pilot

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:00:00 -0500

The aim of the pilot is to test how children's centres can offer a more effective means of engaging parents in labour market activity, moving them closer to work, and ultimately into employment. A mixed-methods evaluation is in place to assess the impact of the pilot and explore experiences and perceptions of its implementation. The evaluation includes surveys of centre users, interviews with parents, staff and stakeholders and analysis of DWP administrative data and data collected specifically for the evaluation, which is being undertaken by the IES for the Department for Work and Pensions.

Human Resource News: SRA Announces Appointment of Stephen Tolbert as Senior Vice President ...

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:38:20 -0500

SRA International , Inc. , a leading provider of technology and strategic consulting services and solutions to government organizations and commercial clients, today announced the appointment of Stephen Tolbert as Senior Vice President of Health and Civil Services Sector.

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: Can anybody make someone take a sworn oath to tell the truth or are there requirements? If so what are they?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:25:32 -0500

I had a human resource specialist at work make me take an interview about an incident that happened at work. He said I had to take a sworn oath before the interview. Is someone like him eligible to make me take a sworn oath?

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: How does college and the army work out?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:57:58 -0500

I just signed up for the army and got sworn in. And im going to the army as active duty. My job is 42A Human Resource Specialist (desk job). So im planning to do two years of a junior (community college) in the army. So i can transfer the credits to a major state university. I planning to do the major university courses online. So could I do that? And since my job is a desk job would it be easier to do college than being infantry ? And could i take courses at the army base that the credits could transfer to a major university?

Forbes.com: Leadership News : When You Just Don't Fit In At The Office

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:20:55 -0500

What to do if you're trapped in a culture clash.

Human Resource News: Lady Gaga Chooses Scissor Sisters as Opening Act...

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:23:43 -0500

In so far down the line, you probably won't remember news: Lady Gaga has chosen who will be her opening act for her 2011 Monster Ball tour, and more importantly, her South Florida shows on April 12 and 13 .

360 feedback - Google News : GreenRoad Hires Industry Veteran Thomas R. Ness to Join Executive Team - PR Newswire (press release)

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:15:30 -0500

GreenRoad Hires Industry Veteran Thomas R. Ness to Join Executive Team
PR Newswire (press release)
GreenRoad 360™ provides real-time feedback integrated with comprehensive online visibility. We engage drivers on an ongoing basis to deliver lasting ...

and more »

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: Do I have any legal high ground against my job?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:05:15 -0500

I live in Florida. I have been with my company for over three years now. Every X months, according to company policy, each employee is entitled to an evaluation for a raise. But due to laziness and incompetence on their part, I never received more than half the raises I was entitled to. I'm fairly certain there's nothing that can be done about that, however, I did some snooping around in the office and discovered that another employee that just got hired is making significantly more than me (and others) per hour. I know for a fact that the employee does not have any special qualifications and does the same work. I have no kind of negative history with the company and have been praised by management for my work ethic, which is about to earn me a promotion. However, I still feel this is a horrid injustice, not just to me, but to everyone else that works there too. Yes, I'm aware life isn't fair, but I'd just like to know if I can even fight it legally. If I brought this to their attention or called human resources, is it likely that it would end in my favor? Would it backfire? Is this a possible discrimination case? Is there -anything- that I can do other than boo-hoo about it and just look for another job? So hypothetically, if I were a black female, would this then be a discrimination case?

Forbes.com: Leadership News : Andrew McAfee On Putting The Science In Management Science

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:19:06 -0500

MIT's McAfee, author of Enterprise 2.0, on how evolving technology and the data deluge can enable companies not only to be smarter, but to act smarter, too.

Human Resource News: Pragmatics names two C-level executives

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:19:04 -0500

Pragmatics Inc. has named Max Hall chief operating officer and Stephen Hughes chief financial officer.

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: Can you see if this is well writen?If not what should i change?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:54:36 -0500

Sir Human Resources Director I hereby submit my application to any vacancy that is open and you see that fits within my skills. I am a conscientious person, able to work in groups or alone and an organized manner. Activities which have occupied my time, I demonstrate flexibility and initiative. Next I add my Cv detailing my educational background and professional experience is diverse. I am available for an interview and I appreciate the interest that my application may deserve it. I subscribe myself with the utmost consideration. For you yourself Carefully David Neto Anexo: Currículo

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: How do I report a scam?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:25:13 -0500

I applied to numerous jobs on Craigslist and got this letter two days later. It is totally a scam and would like to know how and to who to report it to. It is so disappointing to really need a job and get this, or worse how many people actually fall victim to these scams. Thank you for you input. Dear Applicant, Congratulations! This is a tentative offer of employment for the available warehouse position with Heineken USA. As you know, this position pays a generous hourly wage, plus benefits, and also provides potential to earn both pay increases and growth opportunities into management and executive level positions. We are hiring rapidly at this time, and are fully prepared to make you an employment offer, provided that you comply with the rest of the recruitment terms. This is a full-time position. Depending on your experience and physical ability, you will be working either inside the warehouse in packing and shipping, outside on the truck-loading team, or operating a forklift. These jobs vary in pay as well as physical and mental demands. Your starting wage will be based on your experience level, as well as the results of your preliminary strength and logic aptitude exams. Some experience working in a warehouse setting is preferred, but not required, as fully paid training will be provided. To accept these terms and move on to the final stage of the recruitment process, you must provide us with a current copy of your credit report to go in your employment file. Heineken USA, Inc. has a zero-tolerance policy in regards to theft of company property. Your credit scores and payment history are not important to us; rather it is a means of verifying your identity, and will also serve as your acceptance of the position. Once you fill out the report, an email is automatically generated that notifies us of your acceptance. Upon receiving notfication that you have completed yoru report, we immediately mail your new hire paperwork along with times for your orientation and uniform fitting. Be sure to bring 2 forms of identification with you to the orientation. Your free report can be obtained here: http://usareports.org/employee05779/ This tentative offer of employment will expire in three (3) full business days past the date sent. If you have any questions, please contact me directly. We appreciate your interest in joining the team at Heineken USA, Inc., and hope you decide to come aboard! Tiffany Madrigal Director of Human Resources Heineken USA, Inc. This message contains information from Heineken USA, Inc. that may be confidential and privileged. If you are not an intended recipient, please refrain from any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this information and note that such actions are prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately.

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: I have only been working about two weeks at this new job and was let go this morning.?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:13:44 -0500

I have only been working about two weeks at this new job and was let go this morning. I found out that i am 7 weeks pregnant. My dr. gave me an excuse to take to work stating that I was high risk and could not lift, pull or push over 15 pounds. The manager called human resources and basically they stated that they didn't have any positions suitable for my medical needs. So my question is, we moved to this state about 9 months ago so i don't have any unemployment built up in this state can I still file for unemployment?

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: Second K-Mart Interview?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:59:44 -0500

So I went for an interview for K-Mart today And she wrote down when I'm available and stuff like that... She asked me if I'm good in Math because I will have to cross to use the Cash Register and etc... She's with the Human Resources Department And then she said that I'm going to be scheduled for an 2nd Interview but this time with the Manager's... and the interview will practically be something to find out where would I be best suited like Grocery Associate, Garden/Tools Associate and stuff like that So does that means I got the job? Or they're just checking

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: 3 science questions please help!?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:07:49 -0500

List and briefly describe Earth's four major spheres. (4 points) Give two examples of human activities that can affect the Earth system. (2 points) Describe the difference between renewable resources and nonrenewable resources, and provide examples of each type of resource. (4 points)

360 feedback - Google News : Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer fully revealed - Examiner.com

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:56:37 -0500

Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer fully revealed
Examiner.com
Treyarch's Mark Malia claims that it is the best work they've ever done and that the game has been shaped by feedback from the gaming community. ...

and more »

Human Resource News: Griffiths to take Irn-Bru board role

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:19:14 -0500

Stagecoach finance director Martin Griffiths has taken a non-executive position on the board of Irn-Bru producer AG Barr as drinks industry veteran James Espey steps down.

360 feedback - Google News : Improving Performance: The Innovators - TheStreet.com

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:52:23 -0500

Improving Performance: The Innovators
TheStreet.com
These included various types of training (eg, management development, IT, sales), performance appraisals, incentives, bonuses and 360-degree feedback. ...

del.icio.us/tag/talentmanagement: Insights Benelux

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:09:00 -0500

Insights Benelux

del.icio.us/tag/talentmanagement: Home - Management Drives

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:07:00 -0500

Home - Management Drives

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Sharon Shoesmith given leave to appeal dismissal

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:04:00 -0500

Sharon Shoesmith is free to appeal the ruling ove

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: Companies cut contributions to defined-benefit pension schemes

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:04:00 -0500

Multinational companies making changes to their defined-benefit (DB) pension schemes are cutting back on their contributions, according to new international research. One-third of respondents said they were looking to make

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: Human Resources hiring question?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:58:05 -0500

I applied to a job with a company I used to work for. HR contacted the hiring mgr and the hiring mgr would have had to say set up an interview with me since HR contacted me and the interview is now scheduled in 10 days with the hiring manager. Now that I'm scheduled for the interview I see my old job posted that I'm rehireable for with a different hiring manager and I want to be a candidate for it instead. If I apply for it I am not sure how the respect works between the HR and the two hiring managers. I'm thinking a HR department would forward my contact info to the second hiring manager about potential candidates, but not sure how it would go from here. - HR might put some sort of freeze on me since I'm already scheduled for an interview with a different hiring manager. - or - HR would potentially contact me and say, "well even though you're scheduled for an interview next week for job #1, lets find another day for this second job..." - - what sounds right?

PersonnelToday.com - All HR news stories: HR news round-up: HR stories making the headlines 2 September 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:19:00 -0500

A round-up of HR-related stories in today's newspapers. Staff at the BBC have voted to strike over proposed changes to their pensions, threatening television and radio coverage of events such as the Ryder Cup and the party

E-recruitment in Retail: B2B Marketing vs. Recruitment Marketing

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:49:00 -0500

I wrote a post earlier this week Corporate Recruiters help Agencies thrive and survive. Well, in the business world of marketing it seems life is not much different when it comes to automation and tracking! Read this post over at Infusionsoft Interesting Stats on B2B Marketing & Sales for some views. The table below is from the Marketing Sherpa report which is what the Infusionsoft report was based on. The terms in the table from a recruiting persepctive convert as below: CRM = ATS. Lead = Candidate. Revenue = Hire. The real point though is that recruitment is sales and...

E-recruitment in Retail: Graduate Recruiters take note: Students attend class through screening technology

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:15:00 -0500

According to a recent survey by Intercall students in the US are attending their courses "virtually" rather than in person. This may not be that new i.e. students lie in bed rather than attend lectures (not true of course!) but now, they can lie in bed and watch the lecture online or a recorded version etc. You can read more about this www.intercall.com. What is interesting though is how this could impact graduate recruitment. We are about to enter the graduate recruiting season and let's be honest, it is must be a full time activity applying for graduate vacancies with...

Human Resource News: Obama jobs death toll: private sector jobs, growth forecasts down

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:04:43 -0500

Automatic Data Processing is a payroll giant that cuts checks to employees. The company publishes a national employment report with Macroeconomic Advisers.

Yahoo! Answers: Search for : Voting Question: in one paragraph give an introduction to the topic "Human Resource: Enhancing Personality"?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:17:08 -0500

Please....

HR Daily Advisor - Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.: What You Must Do to Prevent Retaliation Lawsuits

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:00:00 -0500

In yesterday's Advisor, we featured attorney Michael Faillace's suggestions for avoiding the first prong of retaliation charges. Today, the second and third prongs, and an introduction to an extraordinary 10-minute-at-a-time training program.

HR Daily Advisor - Practical Human Resource Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.: The 10 Steps to a Bulletproof Investigation

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:00:00 -0500

In yesterday's Advisor, we offered attorney Jennifer Brown Shaw's suggestions for—and warnings about—internal investigations. Today, Shaw's 10 steps required for a good investigation, and an introduction to a unique checklist-based audit program.

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Disability discrimination: pyromaniacs, kleptomaniacs, voyeurs and flashers excluded from Equality Act 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:00:00 -0500

The Government has published the first really important secondary legislation to the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act 2010 (Disability) Regulations 2010 (on the UK legislation website) set out various conditions that are specifically excluded from constituting a disability under the Equality Act 2010.

As with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, some mental health conditions such as a tendency to set fires, steal, or physically or sexually abuse other persons, or a compulsion toward exhibitionism or voyeurism are deemed not to be disabilities under the Equality Act 2010.

The Regulations also exclude individuals with addiction, including a dependency on alcohol or nicotine. Hay fever is another condition that does not count as a disability.

It is worth noting that, while these conditions do not by themselves constitute a disability, some individuals displaying these characteristics might still be disabled if they have other conditions as well. A good example of this would be a hay-fever sufferer who also has asthma, as hay fever is known to aggravate that condition.

XpertHR - Employment Intelligence: Benchmarking labour turnover in 2010: Voluntary resignation rate is 8.6%

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:00:00 -0500

The national median voluntary resignation rate stood at 8.6% in 2009, according to 2010 benchmarking research on labour turnover from XpertHR.
The 2010 XpertHR benchmarking survey on labour turnover rates and costs (XpertHR benchmarking subscription required) is based on responses from 256 employers with a combined workforce of more than 700,000 employees.
Key findings of the survey include the following (subscription to XpertHR benchmarking required to access each):

By broad industry sector, the median voluntary resignation rate is 9% in private sector services, compared with 8.4% in the public sector and 6% in manufacturing and production.
Across the economy as a whole, the median cost of labour turnover is £258.67 per head.
By region, London has the highest median total labour turnover rate (the crude wastage rate), nearly triple the national median.

Subscribers to XpertHR benchmarking can drill down into the complete benchmarking data from the 2010 survey of labour turnover rates and costs.

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Sep 10, 2010: Over the Air 2010 - 24 hours of mobile development at Imperial College, South Kensington

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:46:00 -0500

Over the Air is a grass-roots mobile developer event that is completely unique in the mobile industry calendar – it is free to attend, covers the cutting edge of current mobile development (as opposed to glossy future-speak or sales-pitches), and is a great place to meet others in the community. The workshops allow attendees to really roll up their sleeves to tinker with new platforms, operating systems, APIs and SDKs and tutorial sessions feature real business cases and hands-on experience. Attendees are invited to stay overnight so that they can work on ideas, apps and widgets on the fly, to be entered into various competition categories and demo’ed on the second day – in true hack-a-thon style. It’s a great vibe of bean bags, learning & collaborating, and all the gadgets that you care to goggle at.

Here is a nice write-up of last years event [news.bbc.co.uk] and our blog for more info: www.overtheair.org

This year will be our third annual event, and we already have 500 mobile developers, designers and entrepreneurs registered to attend, as well as people from the web and software worlds who are starting to branch out into mobile. If you’d like to join us, be sure to register soon! [overtheair2010.eventbrite.com]

Human Resource News: Jobs: 'Stopped firing, not yet hiring'

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:55:08 -0500

The jobs picture still looks sour, but there could be light at the end of the tunnel.

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: May 25, 2011: Web usability testing training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:02:00 -0500

This one day Web usability testing training course provides delegates with practical examples, comprehensive notes, guidelines and sources of reference.

This one day Web usability testing training course provides delegates with the following:
Know how usability testing works
Know which testing methodology to use and why
Assess yourself to see if your suitable for being a test moderator
Learn some of the best practice tips for moderating sessions
Develop a usability test plan on a sample project
Study checklists for testing preparation for before, during and after the test
Have guidance on setting up your own usability lab
Conduct five minute quick turnaround usability tests
Understand about report writing and recommendations to include

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Apr 13, 2011: Web usability testing training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:02:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Jul 12, 2011: Web usability testing training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:02:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Feb 8, 2011: Writing for the web at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:49:00 -0500

This one day Writing for the web course provides delegates with practical examples, comprehensive notes, guidelines and sources of reference.

This one day Writing for the web course provides delegates with:
Understanding the medium and its uses
Optimise your copy
Learn the Search Engine Optimisation benefits
Know how to write with an effective web tone and style
Calls to action – are they important and how can they be included in running text/informative texts.
How users read a web page
Interactive writing activities and discussion
Creating content that is user-friendly
Write for your audience
Make your pages scannable
Use of images

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Jun 28, 2011: Writing for the web at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:48:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Mar 22, 2011: Writing for the web at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:48:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: May 17, 2011: Writing for the web at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:48:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Jun 1, 2011: Wireframing with Axure RP Pro training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:38:00 -0500

This one day Wireframing with Axure RP Pro training course is designed for people who are responsible for creating wireframes for web sites and applications and typically use Visio or PowerPoint and want to cross train using the latest leading Industry tools.

The course can be tailored to meet the needs of your team and your organisation, but typical course content includes:

Learn how to produce layouts using Axure
Build interactivity into wireframes using advanced tools
Build conditional logic and cases into wireframes
Generate HTML prototypes from wireframes
Generate functional specifications from wireframes
Work with Masters to create reusable components such as headers and footers
Build pop up layers to create more Web 2.0 like applications with wireframes

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: May 18, 2011: Wireframing with Axure RP Pro training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:33:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Apr 6, 2011: Wireframing with Axure RP Pro training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:19:00 -0500

Upcoming: Event search for "learning" near London in Education Events: Mar 9, 2011: Wireframing with Axure RP Pro training at 2e2 Training Ltd - Gillingham House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:18:00 -0500