Jobs & employment blogs

The global COVID-19 crisis has already transformed the way in which we work in such a short space of time. As the situation continues to develop and the road to recovery is expected to be a long one, business leaders and professionals must adapt and be agile to the challenges that are presented to them on a daily basis, with valuable lessons to be learned along the way. In this Q&A,...

“I’m so nervous.” “I’m sure all the other candidates are better than me.” “I’ve never had a video interview before, it’ll probably go wrong.” “I feel worried about the impact of the virus, what if that negatively impacts my performance?” 80% of all the thoughts we have are negative. Yes, you read that right, 80% of the 12,000-16,000 thoughts we have every day are negative. And, of...

In these difficult times, most interviews are being conducted remotely either over the phone or by video call. So, in this Q&A, we’re joined by Gaelle Blake, Director of Permanent Employment at Hays UK and Ireland. Gaelle is here to share her expert advice for those who are worried about interviewing remotely, to help them overcome their fears and secure their next job. 1) Before...

As the restrictions that were put in place across the world to combat COVID-19 begin to be lifted and plans to transition back into the office are underway, we can expect a very different workplace to the one we left behind and a different way of working. So, what do HR departments need to consider as they begin this transition? The phased return to the workplace will be a slow one and not...

With restrictions around the world beginning to slowly ease, and home working set to become more normalised, many leaders have understandably been wondering how their teams will operate post-crisis. Much of the answer to this question is currently unclear. However, it seems inevitable that many organisations will adopt more flexible working policies, allowing at least an element of home...

We have all found ourselves having to adapt quickly, both in our personal and professional lives. In this way, the COVID-19 pandemic has served to highlight a key skillset which we all need to continually develop and nurture, in order to operate successfully in our role, no matter what that role may be. Change agility, the ability to quickly and successfully embrace and adopt change, will...

All around the world, leaders and managers are currently welcoming new starters to their teams remotely. As such, the onboarding process is being done entirely from home – this is unchartered territory for most, and interestingly, it’s a scenario that will likely become more common, with hybrid teams set to become more prevalent in the next era of work, post-crisis. Why is a positive remote...

Social distancing rules aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus forced mass remote working onto a significant percentage of the world’s skilled professionals. While this was designed as a temporary stop-gap, many employees have come to appreciate the benefits of working from home and wish to retain some form of flexibility once they transition back into co-located workspaces. While the...

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.” Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Practising mindfulness is not about avoiding all of the many thoughts (positive and negative) that are buzzing through our minds every day. It’s...

Crisis puts the spotlight on leadership. Most teams, provided they are composed of intelligent, motivated people who know what they need to do, can sail along comfortably when things are going well, and leaders have a pretty easy time of it. A corrective word here, a pat on the back there, and the team carries on doing what it does best. But when crisis comes – particularly when it is sudden...