Human Resources
Management and Staff Development
Top Tips
We can't change the number of hours there are in a day. However, what we can influence is how we manage our time. These ten top tips provide practical advice for getting the most out of the hours you spend at work.
Good communication is one of the best ways to have a positive impact. It is not just about what you say and write, but also about how you say and write it. Here are some tips on how you can use your verbal and non-verbal communication skills to ensure you make a positive impact.
Do you often feel as though you fail to get your opinions heard, or people readily dismiss your views? Maybe you have a habit of handling situations aggressively, or lack the confidence to speak up. If so, this article will help you develop your assertiveness skills in order to further both your confidence and influencing skills.
Fail to plan, and plan to fail, or so the saying goes. Whether you are putting together a project plan, business plan or arranging an event at work, these top tips will help ensure you have got everything covered.
In any management or leadership role, it is inevitable that problems will arise from time to time. Whether you currently take an ad-hoc approach to problem-solving or already use a number of tried and tested techniques, following these top tips will help you approach problems effectively and identify appropriate solutions.
Most workplaces include an element of collaborative working, so it's important to be aware of how your feelings and behaviours affect others. These tips will help you to forge positive working relationships with your colleagues.
Developing Personal Resilience
How well each of us copes in the face of adversity depends on how resilient we are and how we manage uncertainty. While some people are naturally more resilient than others, the good news is that it is something that can be developed and improved. Below are some tips to help you boost your personal resilience levels.
Preparing to go on Annual Leave
Getting ready to go on annual leave can be a task in itself, particularly during busy periods, or if you have a lot of work to hand over to colleagues. These tips cover what you need to think about and do to ensure you feel organised in the run-up to, during and when you return from, annual leave. Please note, many of these tips are equally applicable to extended periods of leave such as maternity, paternity and adoption leave, or a sabbatical.
When used effectively, feedback can be an invaluable tool for raising and maintaining people's performance, developing ideas and strengthening relationships. It is a skill that is important to master in order to ensure that your team members feel their efforts are recognised and appreciated, as well as helping them to focus on areas for improvement. These top tips will help you deliver effective feedback (both positive and negative) to your team in a constructive way.
Generally speaking, feedback is a two-way process whereby specific comments and observations, either positive or negative, are made, and the recipient is encouraged to respond. Both positive and negative feedback are vital in helping us learn and develop. However, it is often the case that we don't react well to either type of feedback, no matter how constructive it is. The practical top tips provided here will help you to receive feedback positively and make effective use of it.
Brainstorming can be a useful way of generating new ideas or identifying potential solutions for problems by tapping into the collective creativity of a group. These tips will help you to make the most of any brainstorming session you run.
When you are tasked with making a presentation or speech, nerves can take hold. These tips provide practical advice to help you keep your nerves at bay, and deliver a professional, polished presentation.