We’re all familiar with the concept of ‘work-life balance’. In theory, it’s an enabler to people enjoying balanced lifestyles, and impacts colleague productivity, engagement, output, and retention. As a concept, work-life balance has most definitely put us on the right track; yet as hybrid and flexible working has matured and become more well practiced, I’d suggest the traditional notion of work-life balance is somewhat flawed.

For many of us, work and life are no longer mutually exclusive entities – the lines have blurred. Our changing attitudes towards work, aided by advances in technology, mean that work and life are interwoven like never before, and many of us prefer a lifestyle where work is personalised to our own wants and needs. In addition, the concept of work-life balance has often been orientated around the notion of ‘traditional’ families and isn’t always inclusive of those from more diverse backgrounds or with circumstances that are not universally applicable.

For instance, as businesses, we have provisions to cover typical circle of life events such as maternity leave, paternity leave, bereavement etc. But what about those struggling to have children? Or those trying to navigate the complexities of becoming parents for the first time? What about caring for elderly relations? What are we doing for them?

We also need to think about whether our policies are gender neutral or whether the ‘work-life’ concept has skewed these in favour of historic, societal norms. For example, Dr Jasmine Kelland, a Lecturer in Human Resource Management at the University of Plymouth, has identified what she terms the ‘fatherhood forfeit’. Her research indicates that those fathers who try to obtain roles designed to accommodate caregiving, such as part-time opportunities, are often treated discriminately and with suspicion around their pursuit of so-called, work-life balance.

So, what’s the answer? In my view, we need to reimagine work-life balance in favour of work-life integration or work-life harmony. A recognition that everyone is unique, and the goal is to allow our people to create a fulfilling life with work as a central, integrated component, whatever that looks like to them.

Martin Norris, Head of Recruitment 

Is your hiring process inclusive?

Your immediate reaction to this is most likely, “um, maybe? I don’t really think about it”.

And while it might not be our intention to treat any candidate unfairly or put someone at a disadvantage, there’s a good chance there are parts of our hiring processes that are doing just that.

Morally, this feels uncomfortable (and it should), but it also limits our ability to build successful and diverse teams. Unconsciously, the systems and processes that we use to recruit can introduce bias into our hiring, limit our talent pools, and compound our recruiting challenges. Ultimately, this can result in teams that are so similar and like-minded that there’s a lack of different opinion, thought, challenge and other material ingredients for creativity and innovation.

So, how do we ensure that we’re inclusive? The answer is complex and requires a much deeper conversation than this article will allow. But there are certainly a few steps we can take to help us on our journey to inclusivity.

Write your job advertisements and job descriptions in plain language

It’s irritating, right? When you’re reading a job advertisement so full of jargon that you’re having to Google to make sense of it (even if you’re from the industry!). However, if you’re a neurodivergent candidate, or have a text reader, these acronyms can be impossible to navigate. They lead to complex phrasing, awkward sentences, and big chunks of text that have very little meaning. To be inclusive, we need to think about using more conversational language and saying what we mean. There’s no need to talk it down, but we should be selective about the language we use so that it accurately reflects the role in a way which is both easily read and easily understood.

Auditing advertisements for biased language

Ever heard of Textio? It’s just one of many available pieces of software designed to enable hiring teams to quickly optimise job posts, social posts and more, to appeal to the broadest audience via their choice of language. On their website it states, “for many job seekers, it only takes a few words to signal ‘this isn’t the place for me’” and they’re right. Biased language can take the form of gendered language (i.e. language that is coded masculine or feminine) or, alternatively, could be culturally loaded to favour certain demographics. As Textio CEO, Kieren Snyder states, “when thousands of people in an organisation use words like ‘ruthlessly’ (used at Meta 8x more often than the rest of the industry) or ‘whatever it takes’ (used at Amazon 14x more often than the rest of the industry) ….it is culturally revealing — regardless of what inclusive values leadership may espouse from the top.” Essentially, we need to audit our job advertisements to ensure that they appeal en masse, and that our advertisements demonstrate and embed the cultural values of our organisations.

Think about accessibility

Are your fonts legible and consistent? Have you thought about the use of colour on your website? What about your application page, does it timeout or can you take as much time as you need? Are there alternative ways for people to apply that don’t rely on technology? Not one size fits all when it comes to accessibility, and we need to be mindful of the access, platforms and technology that we use and whether this is accessible to all candidates.

There’s a lot to think about, but awareness is always the first step.

Martin Norris, Head of recruitment at Realise 

It has been so well documented and researched that high employee engagement levels have a direct impact on the success and productivity of a company. Yet why is it an after thought when developing business growth strategies.

According to a study by Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% greater company profitability, 17% higher productivity, and 41% lower absenteeism. What’s not to like? Not to mention that employees are happier, healthier and would likely recommend their employer as a great place to work, hence supporting the talent attraction challenges we face today.

Maybe it’s because there is a lack of understanding and experience in developing employee engagement plans. This is where HR experts come in, yes you heard that right.

Employee engagement refers to the level of emotional commitment an employee has towards their employer and its goals. Sound fluffy? When employees are engaged, they are more enthusiastic, dedicated, and willing to go the extra mile to contribute to the company’s success. High productivity equals higher profits.

On a very practical level there are several key factors that contribute to employee engagement levels, including:

1. Effective Communication: Be clear with people, build trust by sharing company information and engaging them in the development of growth plans.
2. Opportunities for Growth and Development: Employees who are given the chance to learn new skills and advance in their careers are more likely to feel motivated.
3. Recognition and Rewards: Boost morale with a simple thank you for hard work and job well done. Make the effort and recognise your teams.
4. Work-Life Balance: Supporting employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance is vital for promoting engagement. What this looks like will depend on the company and what employees value the most when it comes to their wellbeing. Start by asking them.

Engaged employees are more likely to be proactive, take ownership of their work, and seek out solutions to challenges. They are also more likely to collaborate effectively with their colleagues, leading to increased efficiency and higher-quality outputs.

Interestingly, engaged employees tend to show higher levels of creativity and innovation, something the majority of businesses are keen to increase in todays fast moving, changeable economic environment.

Here at Realise HR we help boost company performance by focusing on people, with simple, practical and no nonsense solutions. We are an award winning and leading HR consultancy in Cumbria. We’re here to help you with our skills and passion for business growth with people in mind.

We’re here, it’s 2024 baby.

New year, new start, new beginnings. Kinda.

I’m not sure I’m a big believer in starting a completely new chapter. At least, not when there’s so much to be gained through introspection when it comes to self-development and growth. Academics continually recognise the importance of self-reflection, arguing that it “foster[s] human development and personal transformation and, ultimately, a better society” (Ardelt and Grunwald, 2018).

Yet, in our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to neglect self-reflection. I mean, when my two-year-old is insisting that we watch yet another episode of Peppa Pig, thinking about taking the time out to examine my thoughts, feelings, achievements, failures… it can be daunting, and that it’ll expend energy I simply don’t have. But it’s so important; self-reflection is influential in helping you to define, understand and track your self-concept (your traits, abilities, beliefs, values, relationships) and this directly affects your mood, judgement, and behaviours. And self-reflection is not just about us as individuals, it’s about those around us and helping us to develop empathy and appreciate the experiences of others.

And while I’m writing this in January (got to start the year off on the right foot!) self-reflection relies on consistency, discipline, and a little bit of courage. What might feel a bit awkward at first should (if approached with a little self-care and compassion) develop into a useful tool for life, both public and private. On the one hand, self-reflection can help provide comfort for grief, anxiety, stress, trauma, and on the other, can help you tune up all those skills that help make you a great leader – quite the combo. So, how do you incorporate self-reflection into your daily routine. Where do you start?

Schedule time for self-reflection

It could be 10 minutes, it could be 30, but pencilling in time for self-reflection will help you to develop a routine. It could be on the way to work, in the car, at the end of the day, whenever, but setting time aside to reflect on your experiences will help you settle in to a positive, healthy routine of self-awareness.

Journal

I must confess, I’m not great at journaling. Pen to paper feels a little alien when it comes to noting down my own thoughts. But I’ve found using the Notes app (nod to iPhone users but please translate into your platform of choice) to be really helpful in keeping a log of my current thoughts and feelings, particularly if there’s a specific challenge I’m trying to overcome. It’s great to look back and see the progress from where you were to where you are now. It also serves as a reminder when faced with a new challenge – if you’ve done it once, you can do it again!

Practise Mindfulness

Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment. It’s about noticing what’s around you and how you feel in that instant. Okay, I know that might sound a bit ‘fluffy’ for some, but by centring your thoughts into the ‘now’ it can help divert your focus from the unhelpful worries and stresses that make us less productive and less able to achieve our goals. It’s a process of creating space between you and your thoughts, a space with which you can calmly reflect on situations and respond appropriately.

So, that’s my tip for smashing your goals this year. Keep taking time out. Be respectful of your own thoughts and feelings. Develop self-awareness at your own pace and without judgement. Self-observation and self-dialogue are crucial components of personal growth.”

University places have a significantly higher uptake among young people than apprenticeships. However, according to YouGov, just 4% of Britons think that a university degree is the best way of preparing young people for the future. As a university graduate, you might expect me to disagree (only 29% of grads feel apprenticeships are the better option) but I’ve seen first-hand how apprenticeships can revolutionise the lives of apprentices and their respective businesses. Done well, apprenticeships can create sustainable talent pipelines across a whole host of specialisms – there are 844 apprenticeship programmes currently available – and can help stem long-term resourcing issues. What’s more, they’re super cost effective and available to every business irrespective of size or scale. Yet, despite the advantages, demand continues to outstrip supply with 430,000 students expressing interest in apprenticeship opportunities with UCAS in 2023 vs only 189,000 advertised vacancies.

Why such a discrepancy? Statistics tell us that 94% of HR leaders within levy-paying employers (those with an annual pay bill of £3million +) state that there is at least one barrier to them accessing their apprenticeship levy funds. Put simply, it’s overwhelming, it’s a turn-off, and there’s a lot of other things on the People agenda to get through. But, with only 15% of businesses stating that they are ‘always able’ to recruit the talent and skills they need, I think we need to take another look at how to make apprenticeships easy to understand and easy to put in place. Government reforms aside, we’ve partnered with some of the region’s leading training providers including Kendal College, Lakes College and Gen2 to help make apprenticeship employment an easier prospect. Here are some tips:

Forget Google, just ask…

Apprenticeships aren’t actually that difficult to understand, or that difficult to manage and operate. However, Google is usually the place we all start when conducting new research, and Googling apprenticeships makes the mind boggle! Funding rules, off-the-job training, apprenticeship standards – ouch, no, no thanks. It’s much easier to ask a training provider to take you through it. Forget the 121-page rule book (yep, it really is 121 pages) and grab a coffee with someone who knows what they’re talking about. It’s fine not to know where to start and our local training providers can take you through it step by step.

Don’t be scared, you got this.

Say the word apprentice and everyone can start to get the heeby jeebies. How do we act around apprentices? What will they need from us? Do we need to treat them differently? Apprentices are the same as any other employee. The only difference being is that they’re undergoing training at the same time as they’re carrying out their role.  Assuming you already have a culture built around positive people experiences, there shouldn’t be any great departure from what you’re doing ordinarily. Show your apprentices that you care about them, their future, their interactions, and making the most of their apprenticeship. Engaging your apprentices (as you would any member of your team) is the key to success.

Assign your apprentice a workplace mentor

Irrespective of age, joining a new organisation can be a daunting prospect. Having a mentor can help colleagues acclimatise to the workplace and provide valuable support outside of the traditional hierarchy. Mentors are great for providing advice and guidance, but also giving apprentices’ a voice where they feel comfortable to share their experience and better connect with the business. Mentors can provide apprentices with the motivation they need when the going gets tough, and it also provides valuable coaching experience and CPD for mentors themselves.

The legal conundrum

Ok, so there’s a few niggly compliance and legal bits, I won’t lie. And this part is outside of all the fantastic support that training providers offer. Sadly, information on employment law when it comes to apprentices can be vague and sporadic, but it’s not to be taken lightly when the average cost of an employment tribunal in the UK is £8,500. Given our work with local training providers, we’ve created a definitive guide to make sure that employers stay on the right side of the law – contact us for more info.

“Rosie do it” says my 2-year-old.

As a doting parent, I love seeing her become more independent, and the satisfaction she takes from being able to do things for herself. With a little help here and there, she’s becoming less reliant on mum and dad, and actively wanting us to take a step back so she has the freedom to be more autonomous. If you think about it, this isn’t dissimilar to what most of us want from our workplace and our jobs. The ability to make decisions; to have control over how tasks are performed; the scope and the pace of work; we want the freedom to take positive action and make choices independent of those around us.

Speaking with candidates, they will often tell me that they want ‘flexibility’. It’s a common request and an understandable one at that, our lives are busy after all. However, nine times out of ten, what a candidate really means is that they want autonomy. They don’t want to be chained to a desk, 9 – 5, Monday – Friday, not because it’s impossible for them to do so, but because the logic behind such a working arrangement is often autocratic. This is to say, it’s being enforced from a perspective that discourages self-sufficiency and free will, a model that says “you need to be here, so I know you’re being productive” rather than trusting and empowering staff to get the job done themselves.

While a complicated concept (and not easy to get right), the latest research states that 79% of people report being engaged at work when they’re given autonomy and accountability over their performance output. So, if autonomy is what your people want, how do you give people freedom while at the same time keeping things structured and in control?

Hire the right people

If you haven’t guessed, I hate micromanagement. Personally, I don’t believe in it, I think it’s counterintuitive, and I believe you’ve fundamentally hired the wrong people if it’s a management style you need to employ. Hiring is not just about competencies but about behaviours, and while it’s important that employees are technically capable of carrying out their jobs, I’d argue that their behaviours are actually more important. A lot of the time you can teach someone a new skill, but it’s much more difficult to change someone’s behaviour. Look for those behaviours that show integrity, credibility, innovation, that someone deeply cares about their performance and about doing ‘the right thing’. These are the people who can be coached, mentored and inspired and ultimately will manage themselves.

Set clear expectations

You need to be crystal clear in your expectations. To be accountable, colleagues need to understand what’s expected of them so that they deliver what they need to and when. If the deadline is Friday, be sure they know it’s Friday, so that your priorities are aligned and everyone is working cohesively toward the same goal.

Encourage collaboration and initiative

Working autonomously doesn’t mean working alone. Leaders need to encourage the sharing of ideas and innovation with colleagues empowered to locate their own resources to achieve their objectives. In effect, everyone is instilled with the trust and the confidence to project manage their own areas, and with the safety to know that they won’t be reproached for trying something new. The holy grail here is for employees to seek out opportunities, to adapt, adjust and improve, and feedback to the business what’s working and what isn’t so we can take stock and make necessary adjustments.

Regular feedback and communication

I’m sure this one won’t come as a surprise. Feedback and communication are at the heart of good leadership. Get those 1:1s in the diary, commit to them, and offer support as and when needed around your more formal catchups.

— Martin Norris, Head of Recruitment