Many countries require the attachment of a photo to a CV.
What is the employer looking for, attractiveness, charisma, enthusiasm. Does it give attractive candidates an unfair advantage? Not according to HR Zone, on the contrary, they suggest jealous employees may slide your application into the shredder.
On the other hand, if you do get the job, you could still be in bother!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Managing mavericks
Mavericks can add value or add chaos. They do things differently and frequently break all the rules. In so doing, they can move the business forward by breaking tried and tested ways.
On the other hand, they can be disruptive and sometimes, even unmanageable.
What can a manager do? Show trust, faith, love and encouragement as well as clear guidance in the hope that we can have the best of both worlds - retain the maverick talent while operating within acceptable boundaries.
That's what happened with Manchester City manager Mancini and his enfant terrible, Balotelli - sadly for both, it didn't work out.
Excellent analysis from BBC's football correspondent - and judge for yourself in the video.
On the other hand, they can be disruptive and sometimes, even unmanageable.
What can a manager do? Show trust, faith, love and encouragement as well as clear guidance in the hope that we can have the best of both worlds - retain the maverick talent while operating within acceptable boundaries.
That's what happened with Manchester City manager Mancini and his enfant terrible, Balotelli - sadly for both, it didn't work out.
Excellent analysis from BBC's football correspondent - and judge for yourself in the video.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Strategic HR
What is it? Just a buzzword? Well regarded HR expert and Professor, Andrew Mayo thinks so.
In an interview in HRZone, he made the following comment:
What’s your most hated buzzword?
‘Strategic HR!’ I much prefer ‘HR contributions that support stakeholders in the organisation’ - providing value that can be identified and measured.
Sorry, Andrew, that really sucks and is just the kind of long-winded twoddle that alienates HR from the rest of the workforce.
Strategic HR is HR that meets the strategic goals of the business - end of story.
OK - let's try Alan Taylor - not exactly dynamic but clear and easy to follow:
In an interview in HRZone, he made the following comment:
What’s your most hated buzzword?
‘Strategic HR!’ I much prefer ‘HR contributions that support stakeholders in the organisation’ - providing value that can be identified and measured.
Sorry, Andrew, that really sucks and is just the kind of long-winded twoddle that alienates HR from the rest of the workforce.
Strategic HR is HR that meets the strategic goals of the business - end of story.
OK - let's try Alan Taylor - not exactly dynamic but clear and easy to follow:
Monday, April 2, 2012
Presenteeism
You've heard of absenteeism but what about presenteeism?
Surely being present at work is a good idea - not if you are coughing and spreading germs around the office until it reaches epidemic proportions. Or maybe you just feel below par and coast for the day, clock-watching until the day is over.
Presenteeism- could be detrimental to a company's health!
Here are some hard working chaps:
Surely being present at work is a good idea - not if you are coughing and spreading germs around the office until it reaches epidemic proportions. Or maybe you just feel below par and coast for the day, clock-watching until the day is over.
Presenteeism- could be detrimental to a company's health!
Here are some hard working chaps:
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Why buy a Business English book?
I recently gove an email interview about why students should buy Business English books and I thought I would share it with you.
Here goes, hope you find it useful:
Q
A course in Business English usually has a more narrow focus and costs considerably more than a General English course. I find that some Russian/Ukrainian business professionals who are fluent enough in English might think it's not worth taking such a course. What are the benefits of taking a course in Business English?
A
I would question that the difference in cost is so great but all choices about what book to buy should be based on need. For someone who wants to extend their English business vocabulary, a business book is essential. Furthermore, each aspect of business, e.g. accounting, marketing, finance, etc. has its own specific terms and models and as a native, I still find myself learning new things so there’s no doubt that it’s of benefit to a second language learner.
Q
In general, how is a Business English course different from a course for the HR personnel?
A
Simply in scope and depth; a business book usually covers issues such as company structures, leadership, communication and broad topics such as business ethics. An HR book focuses specifically on the HR function and its activities and goes into much more detail.
Q
There are many textbooks out there that one can use to teach a course in Business English, how is your Business English Phrasebook different?
A
As a teacher I have used books such as Market Leader and Intelligent Business and found them to be very boring to work with. Usually, topics are covered in a very general way which lacks connection and authenticity. It’s clear that many business books are written by teachers and academics who have had no real life business experience.
I have worked for 25 years as a self-employed business person and worked in many industry sectors and coached managers. All my material is based on things that actually happened and are indirectly auto-biographical. For example, in the discipline section of English for Human Resources, the audio starts with a phone call to HR from a manager saying, ‘I’m sending you someone to sack!’ It happened!
Regarding the business phrasebook, as with all materials I produce, I set out to make it entertaining and fun to work with as well as educational. There are dialogues that students can act out and plenty of useful phrases that people use in a natural business context. Answers are included so it works for self-study as well as teachers’ material. Because it is an ebook, it is easy to jump from question to answer and back again. There are also grammar explanations for common tense use in certain situations. In short, it’s realistic, interesting and easy to work with.
Q
Personally, I have never seen a textbook to train HR personnel until I came across your book. Is there a growing demand for this type of English language training or would you call yourself a pioneer? How does this book help an HR manager to excel in her job?
A
There is another book on the market published by Oxford Press a few ago and written by Pat Pledger. It would be inappropriate for me to criticise that book but mine is a much more modern text. It covers many current themes such as Talent Management, Psychometric Testing and HR and Employer Branding. I would like to think that I have a pioneering approach to writing English language materials because narrative is very important to me and I think story telling is the best learning medium.
Each of the ten chapters is set in an organisation covering various industry sectors in different countries. The scripts are highly authentic and do not have the artificial feel that many books have. Each chapter is structured to introduce key vocabulary as well as sample documents and typical HR processes. The book will help an HR person because not only does it provide relevant language but examples of best practice. As a former HR manager and consultant, I am able to provide this.
Q
I understand that you are working in Poland. Even though it is not exactly the "eastern bloc" there might be some similarities to the former Soviet Union countries considering the Slavic background. What are some lingustic and cultural challenges for people of Slavic decent working in HR departments at some prominent international companies?
A
Without a doubt Poland is affected by both its Slavic roots and recent socialist history. Linguistically, perhaps the hardest language area to master is the use of articles as these do not occur in the mother tongue and it is therefore something of an abstract concept and guesswork. The ‘rules’ relating to article use are many with many exceptions so they are not really possible to learn mechanically. In terms of a learning style, schools have traditionally instilled a learning by rote and grammar drill method. Thus, many students can do well in written grammar tests but are unable to apply their knowledge to free speech. Many find the flexibility and inconsistency of English frustrating compared to the more rigid and predictable German and Russian.
Culturally, many of the larger organisations are British, American, Swedish or German owned and use English as their Lingua Franca. In general, the Slavic mentality is more suspicious and negative so adopting ‘western’ ideas can still be difficult. There is a strong culture of formal contracting. I was once told by a school to cancel a lesson with the CEO of one of the country’s biggest banks because they were still waiting for the contract to be signed. I said I would do the lesson anyway, free if necessary, as I didn’t see the sense in risking upsetting the client and losing the contract. The school thought this was a very strange attitude - a difference in perspectives.
Therefore, the greatest challenge facing HR people here is how to reconcile the corporate demands to be more progressive with an essentially cautious workforce. The underpinning mindset is still essentially defensive believing win/lose is the likely outcome of a transaction.
And if you've never been to Warsaw, you might like to try it - it's much underrated.
Here goes, hope you find it useful:
Q
A course in Business English usually has a more narrow focus and costs considerably more than a General English course. I find that some Russian/Ukrainian business professionals who are fluent enough in English might think it's not worth taking such a course. What are the benefits of taking a course in Business English?
A
I would question that the difference in cost is so great but all choices about what book to buy should be based on need. For someone who wants to extend their English business vocabulary, a business book is essential. Furthermore, each aspect of business, e.g. accounting, marketing, finance, etc. has its own specific terms and models and as a native, I still find myself learning new things so there’s no doubt that it’s of benefit to a second language learner.
Q
In general, how is a Business English course different from a course for the HR personnel?
A
Simply in scope and depth; a business book usually covers issues such as company structures, leadership, communication and broad topics such as business ethics. An HR book focuses specifically on the HR function and its activities and goes into much more detail.
Q
There are many textbooks out there that one can use to teach a course in Business English, how is your Business English Phrasebook different?
A
As a teacher I have used books such as Market Leader and Intelligent Business and found them to be very boring to work with. Usually, topics are covered in a very general way which lacks connection and authenticity. It’s clear that many business books are written by teachers and academics who have had no real life business experience.
I have worked for 25 years as a self-employed business person and worked in many industry sectors and coached managers. All my material is based on things that actually happened and are indirectly auto-biographical. For example, in the discipline section of English for Human Resources, the audio starts with a phone call to HR from a manager saying, ‘I’m sending you someone to sack!’ It happened!
Regarding the business phrasebook, as with all materials I produce, I set out to make it entertaining and fun to work with as well as educational. There are dialogues that students can act out and plenty of useful phrases that people use in a natural business context. Answers are included so it works for self-study as well as teachers’ material. Because it is an ebook, it is easy to jump from question to answer and back again. There are also grammar explanations for common tense use in certain situations. In short, it’s realistic, interesting and easy to work with.
Q
Personally, I have never seen a textbook to train HR personnel until I came across your book. Is there a growing demand for this type of English language training or would you call yourself a pioneer? How does this book help an HR manager to excel in her job?
A
There is another book on the market published by Oxford Press a few ago and written by Pat Pledger. It would be inappropriate for me to criticise that book but mine is a much more modern text. It covers many current themes such as Talent Management, Psychometric Testing and HR and Employer Branding. I would like to think that I have a pioneering approach to writing English language materials because narrative is very important to me and I think story telling is the best learning medium.
Each of the ten chapters is set in an organisation covering various industry sectors in different countries. The scripts are highly authentic and do not have the artificial feel that many books have. Each chapter is structured to introduce key vocabulary as well as sample documents and typical HR processes. The book will help an HR person because not only does it provide relevant language but examples of best practice. As a former HR manager and consultant, I am able to provide this.
Q
I understand that you are working in Poland. Even though it is not exactly the "eastern bloc" there might be some similarities to the former Soviet Union countries considering the Slavic background. What are some lingustic and cultural challenges for people of Slavic decent working in HR departments at some prominent international companies?
A
Without a doubt Poland is affected by both its Slavic roots and recent socialist history. Linguistically, perhaps the hardest language area to master is the use of articles as these do not occur in the mother tongue and it is therefore something of an abstract concept and guesswork. The ‘rules’ relating to article use are many with many exceptions so they are not really possible to learn mechanically. In terms of a learning style, schools have traditionally instilled a learning by rote and grammar drill method. Thus, many students can do well in written grammar tests but are unable to apply their knowledge to free speech. Many find the flexibility and inconsistency of English frustrating compared to the more rigid and predictable German and Russian.
Culturally, many of the larger organisations are British, American, Swedish or German owned and use English as their Lingua Franca. In general, the Slavic mentality is more suspicious and negative so adopting ‘western’ ideas can still be difficult. There is a strong culture of formal contracting. I was once told by a school to cancel a lesson with the CEO of one of the country’s biggest banks because they were still waiting for the contract to be signed. I said I would do the lesson anyway, free if necessary, as I didn’t see the sense in risking upsetting the client and losing the contract. The school thought this was a very strange attitude - a difference in perspectives.
Therefore, the greatest challenge facing HR people here is how to reconcile the corporate demands to be more progressive with an essentially cautious workforce. The underpinning mindset is still essentially defensive believing win/lose is the likely outcome of a transaction.
And if you've never been to Warsaw, you might like to try it - it's much underrated.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Another FA Balls Up
The (FA) Football Association of England have managed once again to score an own goal and make a complete balls up of the Management Board's relationship with the National Team Coach.
For anyone who doesn’t know the story, here’s how it goes:
Captain John Terry has been accused of racially abusing another player and is currently undergoing an FA investigation and awaiting trial.
The FA have publicly stripped him of his captaincy.
The Coach, Fabio Capello, didn’t agree with this decision and was called to a meeting by the FA.
Neither would back down, Capello said he had been insulted and resigned - and all this, just four months before the Euro 2012 tournament which is second in importance, only to the World Cup.
Ironically, many people will see it as a blessing in disguise, bringing to an end an unhappy tenure of underachievement and leaves the door open for the people's choice, Harry Rednapp.
But that’s beside the point for the FA are an ongoing case study in mismanagement.
This is how it should have been handled:
The FA hold an informal meeting with Capello explaining that they respect his right to manage but also saying that keeping Terry as Captain could cause massive PR problems during press conferences and the run up to Euro 2012 - particularly as the majority of English football supporters now believe Terry should not be captain.
Capello sensitively but pragmatically, explains this to Terry.
Terry then voluntarily offers to stand down as captain for the good of the team and country, stating that his does not wish his personal issues to distract from or have a detrimental effect on the team’s preparation.
Capello reluctantly but graciously accepts.
Terry and Capello are not embarrassed and retain their dignity and credibility while the FA are not seen to be meddling in team selection affairs - simple; it’s called political skill; unfortunately, that’s something the Football Association know sweet FA about!
Glossary
To score an own goal - to do something that is self-damaging
To make a balls up of something - to make a mess of something
To strip somebody of something - remove
Captaincy - the noun for being Captain
To call someone to a meeting - to demand their attendance at a meeting
To back down - withdraw from a position, compromise
A blessing in disguise - something that looks bad but is in fact, good
Tenure - presence, time in position
Underachievement - to achieve less than expected, poor results
To leave the door open for something or somebody - creates an easy opportunity
To be beside the point - to be irrelevant
Mismanagement - the act of incompetent or bad management
To handle a situation - to deal with, to manage
To stand down - to resign from a position
Detrimental - harmful, negative
To meddle - to interfere
Sweet FA - absolutely nothing; abbreviation and euphemism for F**k all
For anyone who doesn’t know the story, here’s how it goes:
Captain John Terry has been accused of racially abusing another player and is currently undergoing an FA investigation and awaiting trial.
The FA have publicly stripped him of his captaincy.
The Coach, Fabio Capello, didn’t agree with this decision and was called to a meeting by the FA.
Neither would back down, Capello said he had been insulted and resigned - and all this, just four months before the Euro 2012 tournament which is second in importance, only to the World Cup.
Ironically, many people will see it as a blessing in disguise, bringing to an end an unhappy tenure of underachievement and leaves the door open for the people's choice, Harry Rednapp.
But that’s beside the point for the FA are an ongoing case study in mismanagement.
This is how it should have been handled:
The FA hold an informal meeting with Capello explaining that they respect his right to manage but also saying that keeping Terry as Captain could cause massive PR problems during press conferences and the run up to Euro 2012 - particularly as the majority of English football supporters now believe Terry should not be captain.
Capello sensitively but pragmatically, explains this to Terry.
Terry then voluntarily offers to stand down as captain for the good of the team and country, stating that his does not wish his personal issues to distract from or have a detrimental effect on the team’s preparation.
Capello reluctantly but graciously accepts.
Terry and Capello are not embarrassed and retain their dignity and credibility while the FA are not seen to be meddling in team selection affairs - simple; it’s called political skill; unfortunately, that’s something the Football Association know sweet FA about!
Glossary
To score an own goal - to do something that is self-damaging
To make a balls up of something - to make a mess of something
To strip somebody of something - remove
Captaincy - the noun for being Captain
To call someone to a meeting - to demand their attendance at a meeting
To back down - withdraw from a position, compromise
A blessing in disguise - something that looks bad but is in fact, good
Tenure - presence, time in position
Underachievement - to achieve less than expected, poor results
To leave the door open for something or somebody - creates an easy opportunity
To be beside the point - to be irrelevant
Mismanagement - the act of incompetent or bad management
To handle a situation - to deal with, to manage
To stand down - to resign from a position
Detrimental - harmful, negative
To meddle - to interfere
Sweet FA - absolutely nothing; abbreviation and euphemism for F**k all
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Sacked for clocking in a colleague
In the old days, factory workers used punched clocking-in cards to register when they arrived at and left work. There were Draconian punishments for those found guilty of clocking in colleagues and a fair chance that the misdemeanour would be given their cards. (result in dismissal)
These days, the technology has advanced to electronic swipe cards but should the same sanction be applied to an employee discovered clocking-in a workmate?
It rather depends on whether or not you consider it gross misconduct which is usually an example of an extreme or persistent offence.
In a company in Warsaw, Poland, an employee was dismissed for clocking in a colleague who, he claimed was on his way, although camera evidence proved this was not the case. On the one hand you can argue that the employee lied and could not be trusted but for a first offence, dismissal seems a bit over the top.
We also have to question why, in this day and age, we don’t trust employees enough to assume they will do a fair day’s work. On balance, employees probably give more of their time to employers unpaid than the opposite. Maybe a bit of give and take, and common sense would be the best solution.
Is clocking in a joke?
These days, the technology has advanced to electronic swipe cards but should the same sanction be applied to an employee discovered clocking-in a workmate?
It rather depends on whether or not you consider it gross misconduct which is usually an example of an extreme or persistent offence.
In a company in Warsaw, Poland, an employee was dismissed for clocking in a colleague who, he claimed was on his way, although camera evidence proved this was not the case. On the one hand you can argue that the employee lied and could not be trusted but for a first offence, dismissal seems a bit over the top.
We also have to question why, in this day and age, we don’t trust employees enough to assume they will do a fair day’s work. On balance, employees probably give more of their time to employers unpaid than the opposite. Maybe a bit of give and take, and common sense would be the best solution.
Is clocking in a joke?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)