30Oct

Charity Halloween Cake Bake

Hannah PeytonCharity

On Monday 28th October 2019 we held a Charity Halloween Cake Bake in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, at our offices in Weybridge, Uxbridge and Sunninghill.

We received some astounding spooky creations from some talented bakers! All the entries were judged using strict criteria and after a tough marking session, the winner from each office received a prize!

We would like to say a massive Thank You to all the Ward Williams employees who made such an effort and baked that wonderful array of treats. They really excelled themselves and we are so grateful for all the energy, time and resources that they put into their entries. Thank you also to everyone who bought the cakes and donated money for the charity – you were all very generous.

The day was enjoyed by bakers and tasters alike and we managed to raise £50 which, we have donated to the fantastic Stand Up To Cancer, to help support all of the amazing work that they do.

11Sep
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Does your job advert attract top talent?

Hannah PeytonRecruitment and Selection

Recruiting to attract talent into your team is essential to allow your business to continue moving in the right direction but, there is a whole host of reasons that your advert may fail to achieve your expectations and subsequently result in not hiring.

Here are our top tips on how to ensure that your job advert is attracting the right talent:

1. Job Title

Job titles are so important not only to give insight as to what the role involves but also for the role to come up in searches in the first place. If you have a job title that is very specialist or that is specific to your company, candidates are not likely to search for it so the views will be low and so will the number of applications. Think about what terms candidates will search for and remember, it does not necessarily have to be the title that is on their job description. Something similar but more likely to be search for is probably a better bet.

2. The Salary

While a lot of companies advertise the salary as ‘competitive’ or ‘negotiable’, this can actually hinder your chances of attracting top talent. What you will most likely find is that candidates will skip over your job advert altogether. A salary range on an advert helps a prospective candidate to gauge the level of a job and whilst money will not be a top priority for everyone, it is still a large consideration for most.

3. Format

You want people to read your job adverts, so the least you can do is make them easy to read! Ensure you have a clear structure, use subheadings and bullet points always help readability. Remember not to make the job advert too long – it needs to be informative enough to hook people in, but does not need to include every single task of their job description. A very long list of responsibilities could put potential candidates off.

4. The Location

The majority of candidates search for jobs by the city or county so this is the best method to advertise your vacancy. If your company is located in a small or isolated location, it may be beneficial to advertise this in the next largest area.

5. The Requirements

A lot of good candidates are put off applying for a role because they feel overwhelmed by the requirements. There are a lot of jobs that require extensive knowledge and experience. If these are truly essential for the position and you include them all, you may receive lower volumes of high-quality applications. If you seek to target a wider audience, so that you can filter appropriately, it may prove beneficial to review the requirements.

6. The Process

Whilst you do not want to make it so easy that everyone, qualified or not, can apply, you need to be mindful that a lengthy and laborious application process can deter candidates from applying. If you require someone to send in their CV, plus write a long cover letter and fill in a large application form, they may decide they have not got the time to apply, especially if they are already working full time.

Finding suitable candidates is the number one frustration when recruiting. Some companies prefer to outsource their recruitment to a company that is reliable, recognises the talent that will be a good fit for the business, and be very competitive with their fees.

If you would like any further advice regarding recruitment, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Ward Williams HR Call 01932 830664 or email hrservices@wardwilliams.co.uk.

 

 

06Sep

Dealing with resignations

Hannah PeytonHR and Employment Law Advice and Support

It’s never easy when an employee decides to hand in their notice. But one things for sure that in most cases it comes completely out of the blue. When it comes to dealing with resignations, however much of a surprise they might be, you don’t want to be caught off guard. No matter how you feel about the employee who has just handed in their notice, you’ll want to keep it professional and not let emotions get the better of you.

Here are some simple dos and don’ts to keep in mind when that resignation comes about.

Don’t…

Take it personally. There could be many reasons why the employee is leaving. For example, a higher salary or because of the long commute time. So don’t immediately think that it’s about you, because nine times out of ten it’s not.  No matter the relationship between you and the employee leaving don’t express your emotions publically – relief or mourning for losing your favourite worker. Wish them all the best and thank them for the work they did.

Argue

Don’t start to become confrontational and oppose their reasons for leaving. This will only make an already nerve wracking experience even worse and could leave the employee with no confidence and a very bitter taste in their mouth when leaving.

Do…

Thank them for their work They might be leaving but remember the work they’ve produced and time they’ve committed over their period with you. Showing they were valued and appreciated goes a long way and will mean they’ll leave on good terms.

Congratulate them and politely ask about their next role

Yes they’re leaving you but you know what it’s like to get a new job and the excitement you feel. Congratulating them and showing your happiness for their next career move will calm their nerves and will make it easier for them to work through their notice period without feeling they have to walk on egg shells.

Of course you want to know where they’re going and what they’ll be doing there, it’s simple curiosity. Showing interest can also make the employee feel that they can turn to you for support and help them with any questions they may have around their new position.

Think about next steps

Let them know that it might not be wise to tell everyone immediately that they’re leaving. Tell them you need to speak to HR to get everything settled before it’s announced but that HR will be in touch with an exit interview or questionnaire. If a counter offer can be offered discuss this too because you might be able to retain talent.

If you would like more advice on how to handle resignations and to manage those gaps in your team. Get in contact with Ward Williams HR and we will be happy to assist: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or 01932 830664.

02Sep
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How to budget to recruit new staff

Hannah PeytonRecruitment and Selection

While the recruitment of new staff can feel like a thankless task, one which many try to avoid. But with some pre-planning, and if you can look at a general budget it can make your recruitment process a lot easier.

Here are some tips on how you can start the budgeting process for new staff:

1. Check what’s required from your departments.

As the new financial year approaches, before starting the next year’s budgets, you need managers across the various departments to give the details of their individual department’s recruitment needs for the coming year. This will need to consider the company’s peaks and troughs throughout the year, and whether they are looking for several temps to carry them through a busy period, or permanent staff to work throughout the year, or of course, an anticipated mixture of both.

You will also want information of the level and nature of the future positions, as this affects the cost of the employment. Senior managers/department heads, warehouse operatives, secretaries/ admin or call centre staff can have different salary expectations to each other.

2. Remember to factor your existing turnover.

Remember that along with budgeting for new positions you will also need to factor in the cost of replacing turnover of current staff within the organisation. Therefore, you may want to look at previous years’ figures, and to have a good understanding of how many employees could be expected to leave the organisation in the coming year. For example:

If the turnover rate on an average over the previous 3-5 years is 10%, and the total number of your employees is 1000, it means that 100 employees could be anticipated to leave the company over the next year.

Therefore, if you are planning to hire 80 new employees, your actual anticipated new employee count increases to 180; 100 to replace employees who have left the company, plus a staffing increase of 80.

3. Estimating your basic recruitment costs

Recruitment costs usually refer to basic, and often recurring, expenses associated with the hiring and recruitment process.

So, to work out the costs of recruiting new staff for the year:

• Calculate your average cost per hire from the previous year.

• Then multiply your average cost per hire by the number of hires you plan to make this year.

• Add to your calculations all projected internal and external costs such as agency fees and training.

• For permanent staff, be sure to add 30% to the total to fully account for benefits, taxes, NI, etc.

• Also, include any contractor or part-time employees you plan to recruit during the year.

Remember to add into the calculations other miscellaneous items including:

• The salaries for your present staff,

• Any pay rises due within the coming 12 months,

• Incentives / bonuses

• Travel, hotel expenses etc.

• Enhanced dbs checks

• Training

Ensure that your cost per hire does not increase without cause for any given year, and it should be in sync with inflation, revenue growth, and the number of hires.

While some companies need to additionally budget for the cost of advertising on jobs boards, many others prefer to leave recruitment to an external specialist agency, such as Ward Williams HR. Contact us today and we will be happy to talk to you about our services and how we can manage the full recruitment process for you.

27Aug
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The importance of the employee experience

Hannah PeytonStrategic HR planning for the future

Many people think that managing the employee experience is solely the responsibility of HR. But in reality, the employee experience is the responsibility of everyone within the company. It’s every aspect of the employee’s interaction with your company, from the application process to the exit interview.

A positive employee experience happens only when employees feel valued, which positively reflects in their work and, ultimately, contributes to the bottom line of the business. Every connection that an employee has with your organisation is an opportunity to build trust, establish clear expectations, and communicate honestly.

Ways to engage with your employees.

  • Make new starters feel welcome on their first day
  • Establish clarity about job functions and how they impact organisational
  • Communicate performance expectations
  • Offer professional development opportunities
  • Recognise employees for their contributions and commitment
  • Create a culture that supports your mission, values, and vision
  • Establish trust through meaningful relationships with peers, managers, and leaders

The workplace environment.

The work environment needs to support the type of work your employees perform each day. Some employees thrive within creative circles, while others need peace and quiet to analyse data or draft documents.

Companies need to balance the desire to create a collaborative environment and the specific needs of each employee function. Creating an inviting, comfortable, and adaptable workplace environment is a critical part of the employee experience.

How technology can support your company culture.

On a daily basis, we all rely on technology platforms to streamline processes and improve communication. A positive employee experience relies heavily on having both the right tools and technology that are required to perform the job.

Learning management systems can also enable organisations to provide coaching, training and development opportunities to enhance employee’s knowledge and skills on the job and as professionals.

It makes sense that the people who work with in the organisation, who interact with customers, and who deliver results will work harder when they have a positive employee experience. It might be time to make the investment in their experience to achieve those desired results.

If you would like to find out more on how Ward Williams HR can assist with employee experience. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

19Aug

The benefits of diversity in the workplace.

Hannah PeytonOccupation Health Services

Diversity can benefit the employer in many ways. Having a diverse group of employees helps to ensure that there will be a wide spectrum of ideas, backgrounds, and skill sets that can help the organisation to have more innovative ideas and less likelihood of tunnel vision that comes from not having enough differing perspectives.

We explain six ways to improve the diversity levels in your workplace and how to get the benefits that come from having a diverse workforce:

1. Measure it.

Ever heard the business advice of “what gets measured gets done”? While measuring alone isn’t enough, it’s often true that whatever gets team focus. By measuring the organisation’s diversity and looking at it objectively, it helps to improve the overall diversity levels by putting more focus on the actions required to improve them.

2. Diversity is about more than race.

Diversity means having a workforce composed of many different types of people. Different religious backgrounds, different genders, different nationalities, and differing physical abilities are more diversity options.

3.   Geographic area

By expanding the recruitment geographic scope of your recruiting, you’ll reach more potential candidates.

4. Focus on organisational culture and retention

Many organisations find they’re able to attract a diverse set of applicants, but over time, the organisational culture remains homogeneous due to a higher turnover rate for some groups. Focus on retention efforts if this is a trend within your organisation.
Consider utilising employee surveys to gauge how employees feel on these topics as a means to discover issues before these issues cause employees to leave.

5. Consider providing diversity training.

This can help the organisation to be more inclusive overall, which can assist in retention efforts. It can help people understand the benefits of having a more diverse and inclusive workforce, which in turn helps to create a more welcoming environment.

6. Foster diversity at all levels, not just in hiring.

If the workplace culture is not diverse at the upper levels, there will be less of a chance of retaining diversity in general. If all employees don’t see they have an opportunity to achieve their personal goals, they may be more likely to leave.

 If you would like to find out more on how Ward Williams HR can assist with improving diversity in the workplace. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

12Aug

How to minimise negativity in the workplace

Hannah PeytonStrategic HR planning for the future

Nothing affects employee morale more subtly than persistent workplace negativity. It saps the energy of your organisation and diverts critical attention from work and performance. Negativity can occur in the attitude, outlook, and talk of one department member, or an increase of voices responding to a workplace decision or event.

Negativity is an increasing problem in the workplace, and is often the result of a loss of confidence, control, or community. Knowing what people are negative about is the first step in solving the problem. Whatever the cause of the workplace negativity, you must address the issues. Or, they will boil beneath the surface, and periodically bubble up and overflow to cause fresh damage.

Seven ways to minimise negativity in the work place

1. Job ownership 
Provide opportunities for people to make decisions about and influence their job. The single most frequent cause of workplace negativity is traceable to a manager or organisation making a decision about a person’s work without their input. Almost any decision that excludes the input of the person doing the work is perceived as negative.

2. Give employees the opportunity to express opinions

Make opportunities available for people to express their opinion about workplace policies and procedures. Recognise the impact of changes in such areas as work hours, pay, benefits, overtime hours, comp pay, dress codes, office location, job requirements, and working conditions. Changes to these can cause serious negative responses.

Always provide timely, proactive responses to questions and concerns by employees.

3. Treat employees with trust and respect

Start from a position of trust when you hire a new employee. Verify their performance, truthfulness, and contribution over time to confirm your original position. Do not start from a position of believing that people must earn your trust. That positioning ensures that negativity will take over in your workplace. Employees are constantly scoping out their work environment. If you don’t trust them they will know you don’t.

4. Be inclusive

Help people feel included—each person wants to have the same information as quickly as everyone else. You cannot over-communicate if your desire is to reduce negativity and gain the confidence and support from your employees. Provide the context for decisions, and communicate effectively and constantly.

5. Provide opportunities for growth and development

Make your commitment to employee growth and development by creating mutually developed career path plans for every employee. Training, perceived opportunities for promotions, lateral moves for development, and cross-training are visible signs of an organisation’s commitment to staff.

6. Empowerment

Provide appropriate leadership and a strategic framework, including mission, vision, values, and goals. People want to feel as if they are part of something bigger than themselves. If they understand the direction, and their part in making the desired outcomes happen, they can contribute more. People make better decisions for your business when you empower them with the information they need to make decisions that strategically align with your overall direction.

7. Give Recognition

Provide appropriate rewards and recognition so people feel their contribution is valued. The power of appropriate rewards and recognition for a positive workplace is remarkable. Reward and recognition are two of the most powerful tools an organisation can use to boast staff morale.

Remember that the best way to combat workplace negativity is to keep it from occurring in the first place.

If you would like to find out how Ward Williams HR can assist with negativity in the workplace. Please get in touch– 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

13Feb
Best Companies

Ward Williams awarded 1 Star Accreditation.

Hannah PeytonWard Williams HR News

We’re extremely proud to have been awarded the Best Companies 1 Star Accreditation for Workplace Engagement. Alongside this, the Best Companies survey demonstrated that our employees have “very good” levels of workplace engagement.

What is the Best Companies Survey?

The Best Companies Survey is a set of 70 academically designed questions based on their ‘8 factors of workplace engagement’. It is completely secure and confidential, so respondents are free to say how they really feel.

The eight factors of workplace engagement are made up of; leadership, my manager, personal growth, wellbeing, my team, giving something back, my company and fair deal.

After the survey was complete. We received an overall BCI (Best Companies Index) score unique to Best Companies and access to our company dashboard, which takes you beyond the statistics to create an accurate picture of how our employees really feel.

Sally Phillips Managing Director from Ward Williams HR commented:

“A 1 Star accreditation from Best Companies is a significant achievement that shows that Ward Williams Group is taking workplace engagement seriously. The feedback from the process provides valuable data to highlight key areas where we can improve our performance in supporting and retaining our most valuable asset – Our People.

Ward Williams holds strong values among its employees of: Loyalty, Honesty & Hard work. As a caring employer, we strive to provide our staff with job satisfaction, rewards for success and the opportunity to develop”.

If you would like to find out more about Ward William’s Group career opportunities. Or how we can help your business improve on workplace engagement. Then please contact Sally Phillips 07887 877521 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk.

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