Hays is pleased to announce the second issue of Hays Journal, providing insight into some of the key issues impacting the world of work. In this issue we bring you all the latest news, research and expert opinion on a range of topics, including flexible workforce planning and the value of psychometric assessments.
Hays Journal pits the benefits of ‘inclusion’ against the rising trend for mandatory gender quotas by looking at how Norway’s quota system has fared. Martin Swain, Vice-President of Global Employee Relations at GlaxoSmithKline explains the distinction between diversity and inclusion. Scott Page, Leonid Hurwicz Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems, Political Science and Economics at the University of Michigan, explains how cognitive diversity can help solve business problems. The feature also touches on how Deutshe Telekom, Societe General and Siemens approach diversity in their respective businesses.
What CEOs want from HR
While the global economic turmoil has taken its toll on business, for HR it has been an opportunity to shine. How can HR optimise its partnership with the CEO? The following CEOs and leading HR professional discuss the shifts in the role of HR, where it has succeeded and where in the past it has been found to be wanting.
Profile feature of Stephen Dando
Interview with Stephen Dando, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President at Thomson Reuters, a global news and information company which is listed on the Toronto stock exchange. Having worked in a number of HR roles at the BBC, Guinness and Diageo Dando speaks about change management, managing global personnel in times of austerity and how the HR function needs to make its voice heard in business. Dando explains how talent underlies the core constituents of Thomson Reuters signature, he says: “Every single leader in the company understands the fundamental principle that the calibre of our people is absolutely critical to fulfilling our ambition to grow the business.”
Is the RPO market globalising?
According to research by EverestGroup, the RPO market reached US$1.1 billion in 2010, and companies looking to expand globally are recognising the need to have a global approach to their workforce strategy in order to identify inefficiencies in the system and drive greater standardisation across different regions and business units. This, the Everest report concludes, means that RPO is rapidly emerging as a viable option to meet these challenges. Virgin Media and Siemens discuss how RPO is a helpful model to their businesses, while Andy Moffitt, Practices Director at Computacenter (UK) talks about how RPO started as a cost saving exercise for the business but soon enabled it to improve the service it was offering to its customers.
Transforming organisations - Changing direction
When businesses change strategic direction HR should find itself at the centre of transformation and be there at the beginning. The article explores how change capability needs to be built into all organisations and how HR must take the lead in the communication exercise that should accompany the transformation. The article includes commentary from Stephen Dando CHRO of Thomson Reuters, Vlatka Hlupic and Professor of Business and Management at Westminster Business School and Jon Ingham, Executive Consultant at Strategic Dynamic Consultancy Service.
Planning flexibility - A force for flexibility
The feature highlights how essential contractors are to helping businesses cope with economic change at times of uncertainty. The article reviews how temporary workers in Japan have gained status in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, while looking at changes in Europe concerning the introduction of Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) which, while protecting contractors’ rights, could put more of a burden on employers. Eversheds partner Mark Hammerton, discusses the new legislation and how employers using temporary staff should look to agencies to help limit the effects of AWR. Meanwhile, Australian contractor Penny Wiffen discusses how being a flexible worker can be a positive lifestyle choice. The article also touches upon social dumping in Germany.
Regional Snapshot - China’s city limits
Emma Charnock, Regional Director of Hays China explains how demographic movement in China is concentrating demand for skilled workers, and explains discusses how international companies are seeking help to build their workforces in China’s growing cities. Barbara Wang, China Representative for Ashridge Business School talks about the cultural challenges to employers and the stark differences between the older generation and the more mobile generations of the single-child policy.
Psychometric assessments - The appliance of science
David Leigh CEO of talent management business SHL and Group HR Director of Hays James Cullens weighs up the benefits that psychometric assessments can bring to the recruitment process and how tools can help identify development needs and gaps within organisations. While adding some science to recruitment the article warns that tools used on their own are no replacement for traditional methods. The article sums up best practice.
Last word
This is a Q&A-based interview with Mandie Fankhauser, Head of Recruitment Asia Pacific at Bloomberg, based in Hong Kong. Mandie discusses how she measures recruitment success and what qualities she looks for in senior management roles.
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2011, the Group employed 7,620 staff operating from 255 offices in 31 countries across 20 specialisms.
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