News

IES has just completed its third action learning set on human capital metrics, following previous sets focusing on performance management and workforce planning.

Our provocateur this year was the author, academic, HR practitioner and consultant: Professor Gareth Jones from IE Business School Madrid and London Business School. In a wide-ranging discussion, Gareth elucidated on some of the latest work and thinking developed with his co-author and colleague, Rob Goffee. Gareth and Rob have collaborated for many years now, taking a distinctly sociological perspective on the world of work and particularly on attitudes and approaches to leadership and organisational culture.

For our employers' event programme for 2014 we have looked at the format of our events. We thought members might enjoy some short, sharp information packed events on some 'hot topics' so we have introduced three Breakfast Briefings on 'Diversity and the composition of the board'; 'Big data' and 'Zero hours working'.

Besides advertised events, we assist members more informally with short research and consultancy assignments, presentations and debate through Knowledge Knibbles or participation in internal meetings, advice and critical friend support and coaching, depending on the membership package.

IES’s annual HR Network conference in October, on evidence-based HR, discussed some unlikely topics: is the evidence base for the utility of banana protectors hard to fathom? Which inanimate objects cause or cure cancer? Which day of the week has the busiest email traffic? How much does the volume of emails vary by age and gender?*

Following the success of the Performance Management action learning set (ALS), and the current Strategic Workforce Planning ALS, we are now planning two further sets for you to get involved in.

At Barnett Hill on 19 and 20 June, participants of the HR Directors’ Retreat were treated to a range of perspectives on innovation. Dilys Robinson has written a full and interesting account of each presentation.

IES’s annual conference explored different aspects of employee engagement. Participants from our member organisations and invited guests contributed to a lively debate about this compelling, yet often slippery, concept.

It has been the ambition for some time for HR to become more strategic, but what does this mean? What are the components of strategic HR? Having defined it, how do you get there? At the annual HR conference 2014, we will explore these questions through two case studies – one private sector and one public sector – which will exemplify how HR in these organisations has played a strategic role.