A selection of outstanding HR professionals

We have a selection of outstanding Human Resources professionals actively seeking new roles at HR Manager / Senior HR Business Partner level right now. 

Details on the attached link

HR Officer - Generalist

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join a well-respected public sector organisation in a generalist HR Officer capacity. The role may be based in Glasgow or Edinburgh, with some travel and operation between both sites.

Salary, circa £27,000 pa, plus 41 days annual holiday and 19.3% employer pension contribution along with personal development opportunities. Full time, permanent.

To be considered for the role, applicants must already possess experience of advising managers on matters such as discipline and grievance as well as wider human resources matters. Further, have some direct experience of line management.

With the support of an HR Administrator, the role involves managing HR operations, including all recruitment, for a designated part of the organisation. In addition, to provide advice and hands-on support to line managers on the full range of human resources related matters.

The role will suit a self-reliant, confident proactive individual with sound experience at this level. Applicants are likely to possess, be studying or aiming towards CIPD membership and be of graduate calibre or equivalent. Further, have a demonstrable track record of utilising excellent one-to-one interpersonal and communication skills, including coaching of managers.  An excellent career opportunity!

To apply, please send a copy of your curriculum vitae to George Wilson of Online HR who are acting on behalf of their public sector client. In addition, please also provide a covering note outlining why you wish to be considered for this exceptional opportunity. Email to georgew@onlinehr.co.uk.

HR Officer (Reward)

This is an exceptional opportunity to join a leading public sector organisation in a Reward focussed HR Officer role, based in Edinburgh.


Salary, circa £27,000 pa, plus 41 days annual holiday and 19.3% employer pension contribution along with personal development opportunities. Full time, permanent.


If you are already operating at an HR Officer level with Reward experience, then this role would provide an excellent chance to further develop specialist Reward skills and knowledge for a longer term career in this area of human resources. In particular,

·        facilitating sessions with staff to develop generic job descriptions

·       managing the administration of job evaluation and taking part in panels as a job analyst

·        researching compensation and benefit best practice and law, proposing changes to existing policies and rolling out communication of changes to staff

·        obtaining, analysing and presenting management information from the HR IT system

·        providing advice and guidance to managers and staff on all Reward matters

Whilst primarily being a Reward focussed position, in addition, there is a component of generalist HR Officer duties, allowing you to maintain your skills in this area.

The role, reporting to the HR Manager (Reward), will suit an energetic and proactive individual with existing Reward experience at HR Officer level, particularly job evaluation. Applicants are likely to possess, be studying or aiming towards CIPD membership and be of graduate calibre or equivalent. Further, have a demonstrable track record of utilising excellent one-to-one interpersonal and communication skills, possess an analytical approach, good Excel skills and be comfortable working on their own initiative. Whilst based in Edinburgh, there will be occasional travel to and operation from the Glasgow city centre office.

This is a career opportunity not to be missed for an aspiring Reward Manager/Specialist!

To apply, please send a copy of your curriculum vitae to George Wilson of Online HR, whom are retained by our clients to deal with all interest in this vacancy. In addition, please also provide a covering note outlining why you wish to be considered for this exceptional opportunity. Email to georgew@onlinehr.co.uk.

"Your HR Career Coach"

“Your HR Career Coach” is a new service from Online HR aimed at supporting HR Professionals to best manage their career and achieve their goals.

 

A bespoke, confidential and one-to-one service, we work with you over a number of sessions to identify your goals and the ways of achieving them. Everything is tailored specifically to you using recognised executive coaching techniques and practice.

 

We aim to build a true partnership with our clients. And that partnership does not end when your initial programme does. We’re there for the long haul, ready to help whenever you need our support throughout your career.

 

Your Career Coach is of benefit throughout your career and particularly in circumstances such as where you are:

 

• seeking Promotion
• facing Redundancy
• involved in organisational Restructure
• changing Industry
• being Redeployed

Further, our programme is ideal for those graduating as well as individuals making decisions later on in their careers.  Senior Executive looking to continue career momentum and growth will find our support invaluable. This is an opportunity to invest in yourself and your career – a rare chance to step up on to the balcony and survey where you are in life, where you want to go and how best to reach that destination.


For an initial consultation, free of charge, please ring us on 0131 341 2550 or email ask@onlinehr.co.uk.


Best wishes,
George

Online HR on the judging panel of "Scotland's Best Employer Awards 2014"!

We are delighted to have been invited to join the Judging Panel of "Scotland's Best Employer Awards 2014"!

In an increasingly competitive marketplace companies wanting to recruit the best employees need to promote themselves as being great places to work. But how do you prove it? Scottish Business Insider in association with Hudson has launched the Scotland’s Best Employer awards, which will recognise and reward companies who put employees at the heart of their business, promoting development and health & wellbeing to strive in their industry. The number one quoted asset for any firm is their employees. The right environment and supporting the health and wellbeing of staff is crucial in making a business thrive.  The prestigious event will be held at The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh on Thursday 20th November.

The awards are aimed at different types of organisations who operate in Scotland. The judging panel will be looking at a variety of aspects which contribute towards making a company an excellent place to work. Key attention will be paid to: training and development, health and wellbeing, workplace environment, flexible working opportunities and engagement in company CRS initiatives.

Large Scottish Employer of the Year sponsored by Hudson. Open to all large Scottish headquartered companies with more than 150 employees.

Large Employer of the year. Open to all large companies, headquartered outwith Scotland, with operations in Scotland and 150 or more employees.

Not-for-Profit/Public Sector Employer of the Year. Open to all Scottish headquartered public sector organisations, charities and other not for profit organisations with more than 40 employees.

SME Employer of the Year sponsored by Investors in People. Open to all Scottish headquartered SMEs with between 40 and 149 employees. The judges will be looking at a number of aspects including the opportunity for employees to learn and develop and make progress in their career.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS. These awards pay special recognition to organisations or businesses which have shown a commitment to staff in specific areas of their business. The judging panel will be looking for organisations who can display significant investment, long standing commitment and/or noteworthy improvements to this given area.

Best Health & Wellbeing award. Open to all companies either headquartered or with operations in Scotland which can demonstrate their commitment to employee health & wellbeing.

Youth Investment award sponsored by Investors in People. Open to all companies either headquartered or with operations in Scotland which can demonstrate their commitment to recruiting, engaging and developing young people.

Training & Development award sponsored by CIPD. Open to all companies either headquartered or with operations in Scotland which can demonstrate their commitment to training and developing its people with examples of the effectiveness of their programmes.

Best Work Environment award sponsored by ScotCareers. Open to all companies either headquartered or with operations in Scotland which can demonstrate their workplace is well looked after, comfortable, modern and functional.

Scottish Employer of the Year 2014. Presented to a company, selected by the judging panel, from all category award winners. Nominations not invited for this category.

For more information, see: http://www.scotlandsbestemployers.co.uk/index.html


Best wishes,


Catriona

We are delighted to announce two excellent new courses available from Onine HR

Introductory Certificate in Workplace Coaching & Mentoring

Where: Glasgow city centre
When: Thursday 9th October


Benefits of attending: By the end of the course delegates will be able to - Identify situations in which the use coaching and mentoring may be appropriate; Use a range of coaching and mentoring tools and techniques;  Be familiar with a recognised coaching model. An ideal introduction to coaching and mentoring in the workplace!

Course content:

• What is coaching and mentoring?
• How does it relate to other learning and development approaches?
• The role, conduct, standards and responsibilities of effective coaches and mentors
• Key coaching and mentoring skills including establishing rapport, questioning, listening and effective feedback
• Using the “GROW” coaching model
• An opportunity to have a go at putting the skills into practice

Course fee per delegate: £495 plus vat

 
Click to book online

Introductory Certificate in Workplace Mediation

Where: Glasgow city centre
When: Thursday 16^th October


Benefits of attending: By the end of the course delegates will be able to - Identify situations in which the use workplace mediation may be appropriate; Use a range of mediation skills and techniques;  Be familiar with a recognised mediation model. An ideal introduction to mediation in the workplace!

Course content:

• What is workplace mediation?
• How does mediation differ from other types of dispute resolution and when is it appropriate to use?
• The role, conduct, standards and responsibilities of effective mediators
• Key skills of the mediator including, questioning, listening, facilitating and reframing
• The Facilitative model of mediation
• An opportunity to have a go at putting the skills into practice 

Course fee per delegate: £495 plus vat

Click to book online

It’s Lonely at the Top! – an epistle on the leadership of change

Delivering change requires a great deal from those who are tasked to lead it. It can be a very lonely place and a bruising experience for the leader.

Trip ups and pitfalls are strewn allover the road to change. Sometimes the obstacles seem insurmountable. However, to successfully lead and deliver change can be the most rewarding and exhilarating experience for the leader.

Those who have led change and seen it through to successful conclusion truly understand the meaning of the HR buzzword “resilience”. They can pass a knowing and respectful nod to others who have similarly experienced and likewise truly understand.

A key question for us in HR is how do we best prepare our leaders for the travails of leading change? How do we bolster the much needed “resilience” to hold them steadfast throughout the process? In my experience, even the most experienced leader of change has room for learning.

Do we send our leaders on a some sort of week- long leadership course at a management school or similarly respected training provider? This may well provide support to the leader through exchange of new ideas and approaches. However, I would challenge that the benefits will inevitably be limited no matter how practical and experiential the approach of the course. That is in comparison to the alternative option.

Through my own experience of personally leading significant organisation change and supporting leaders to drive forward is that a bespoke and one-to-one tailored programme of executive “coaching and mentoring” delivers the best results. To have a suitably qualified and experienced individual to work on a personal basis with the leader over a period of several weeks or months can be the most powerful process of support. Depending on the particular needs of the leader, this might be a coaching approach (helping the individual to identify their goal and the route to achieving it) or a mentoring approach (where the mentor has been there, seen it, done it in terms of leading change and can support in that capacity although similarly using coaching techniques).

At Online HR we are all about “Lighting up your business success through your people”. Nowhere is this more true or important than in supporting leaders via executive coaching and mentoring to achieve their best in the leadership of change.

If you would like to chat further, please give us a buzz on 0131 341 2550.

Thanks for reading!
George

How to deactivate a "desk grenade" ...

An old colleague of mine used a great expression to describe an unexpected (and usually unwelcome!) project suddenly landing on your desk, a “desk grenade”! All your plans for that day, week, month or even longer are suddenly put into chaos in order to deal with the fall out. It always seems to land at the worst possible time when you and the team are already working flat out. We have all been there, of course!

However, at Online HR we have a solution, at least for HR professionals, when such an explosive is hurled in your direction. We offer a flexible range of “hit the ground running” interim and/or consultancy support options, both at general HR business partner or a more senior or specialist level.  So you no longer need to sweat when you hear that thud on your desk!

To find out more, please give us a buzz on 0131 341 2550.

Best wishes,

George

 

HR Manager, Glasgow or Edinburgh based

                                                                 

We are dealing with a fantastic opportunity for an HR Manager Based in either Edinburgh or Glasgow, this full-time, permanent job exists to lead the strategic and operational human resources function of a national residential and commercial removals group employing some circa 250 staff over 15 sites throughout the UK. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES The key purpose of the role will be met by: 1. Advising the Company on appropriate HR strategy, process and planning in order to best meet its commercial objectives. 2. Providing an operational HR service to the Company and its semi-autonomous business units; 3. Building and maintaining effective relationships with the Senior Manager within each business unit so that HR matters are discussed and actioned proactively. At the same time, taking into account the varying HR skill and knowledge level of each Manager and supporting, as appropriate. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE Essential - Degree-level qualification or equivalent; ideally supported by membership of the CIPD or working towards the chartered professional level of membership; - Experience delivering projects against time/budget/resource allocation - exemplary self-organisation and administration skills, including complete/”close-down” activities at resolution; including, particular specialist knowledge and experience of managing acquisitions, TUPE transfers, restructurings and redundancies. - Exemplary inter-personal and communication skills: highly literate in use of English language (written and spoken); - Demonstrable ability to assimilate, analyse, report, and act on complex information and data; - Personal gravitas and credibility as an HR professional - Comfortable working within a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment. - Excellent team-worker with the ability to work constructively in and between different teams; - Competent user of Microsoft Office products (Access, Outlook, Project) and able to use Microsoft - Word and Excel at an intermediate level; and experience of using an HR database system; - A full clean driving licence, current for driving within the United Kingdom. Desirable: - General understanding of the removals sector. - Experience of delivering a strategic and operational HR service across a multi-business unit and business manager environment over a multi-site and national geographic area. If interested, please send us a copy of your CV and details of your salary expectations to georgew@onlinehr.co.uk. Thanks, George

Securing the best HR talent

I have hired many HR staff over the years to work within my own team. The roles have ranged from junior level to the most senior, such as Head of HR and equivilent . To find the right individual, I have often used recruitment consultancy and search and selection services. I have to say that the Consultants at these agencies have almost always been highly professional and diligent in finding me potential candidates.

However, almost exclusively, the Consultant has been a recruitment sales specialist rather than an HR professional. At times, I have felt a lack of detailed understanding of the nature and diversity of HR roles and the impact and value required. Needless to say, this has the potential of hindering the effectiveness of a search and selection process.

At Online HR, all our search and selection consultants are Chartered Fellows and Members of the CIPD. Further, they have years of practical experience  operating in a diversity of HR roles at all levels, including as HR Director, within the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

We believe this knowledge and experience allows us to more effectively source suitable candidates for HR roles as we truly understand and empathise with your needs and requirements for each position.

At the same time, our network of HR professionals, carefully built up over many years, is unrivalled and we work exclusively on HR roles. Hence, without costly advertising, we know who to speak to in relation to your HR vacancy, in terms of potential suitability and ‘fit’.

If you are seeking search and selection services in relation to an HR position, we would be delighted to tell you more about how we can help – please give us a buzz on 0131 341 2550.

Thanks,


George

“New Model Mediation” – a fresh approach to resolving workplace disputes

Operating as an HR professional over many years I have become a believer in the power of resolving workplace disputes via mediation. Too often I have gone into organisations where there is what might be described as a “trigger happy” approach to instigating formal procedures, such as disciplinary and grievance, by both the management and employees.

Of course, once things go “formal” there is usually a lose-lose result with relationships often irreparably damaged. Not to mention the huge amount of staff time necessary to handle such processes, within HR and otherwise. Needless to say, the circumstances may rightly justify the use of formal procedures, such as in cases of alleged serious misconduct. However, in my experience, I have found formal procedures are often instigated without proper consideration of the opportunity for informal resolution in the first instance.

To seek to redress I have started with the documents “governing” conflict in the workplace – principally the disciplinary and grievance procedures.  In my experience, this has almost always required a total redraft with the accent on clarity and simplification. However, at the very start, prior to the “formal” procedure kicking in, making it clear that demonstrable effort must be taken to resolve the conflict informally prior to any use of the formal procedure. As part, consideration of the possible use of “mediation” is advised and whether or not it may be appropriate in the circumstances.

When “mediation” is appropriate and where both parties understand what it involves and consent to taking part, the options include the use of ACAS, professionally qualified independent mediators, dispute resolution lawyers or professionally training individuals internally to undertake this role. All, of course, can provide a satisfactory outcome to resolve issues between individuals instead of formal escalation. I know from experience just how professional and skilled such individuals can be.

However, what has concerned me over the years is that “traditional workplace mediation”, no matter how professionally performed, tends almost always to be a “one-hit-wonder” approach. Hence, the format is usually that the mediator speaks to each individual privately in advance of a joint mediation session, often on the same day as the latter. At the session itself, there is great effort to facilitate the individuals themselves in reaching an agreement on a positive way forward. This agreement may or not be legally binding dependant on the wishes of the parties. Sometimes, there are “shuttle” discussions between each individual privately in an effort for them to reach a positive way forward. In some cases, the parties do not actually meet jointly at all. Commonly, when engaging dispute resolution lawyers, a number of other individuals will be present, such as other lawyers, trade union representatives and additional members of a mediator “team”. Apart from anything else the cost of the mediation process can run wild!

The traditional workplace mediation approach tends to be that after the “day session” that is the end of the process, regardless of whether or not there has been a successful outcome. The mediator packs up her or his tool-box of tricks and heads off in to the sunset, “job done”!

… Or rather, job NOT done, in my opinion, at least in many, many cases. In addition to training with ACAS as an accredited workplace Mediator, I have also had the privilege to train as an Executive Coach and Mentor. This was a rigorous ILM level 7 course, involving myself working with a Coach and having to undertake a minimum set of practical hours of Coaching others. At the same time undertaking a challenging academic programme of assessment to complete. What struck me throughout were the similarities between the skills and practice of a Coach and a Mediator.

After much consideration and reflection I concluded that in most cases, to enhance and optimise the prospect of successful dispute resolution, where an ongoing workplace relationship is required, two elements needed to be present:

1) The mediation session should be limited solely to the key individuals in dispute, plus a professionally qualified and experienced workplace mediator to facilitate. Extra individuals taking part in the process, such as additional mediation team members, lawyers and trade union officials can be to the detriment of full, frank and honest exchange between the actual parties and individuals in dispute. Further, the parties at some point must actually meet for their discussions, particularly where an ongoing working relationship is essential . At the end of the day, all disputes are about people whether it is on the scale of two colleagues simply not getting on or at the Unite/Ineos, Grangemouth, dispute level. To create an atmosphere where the two main players can look each other in the eye and feel safe to openly discuss their respective concerns within inhibition from extraneous third parties surely promotes the best environment for a meeting of minds? As an old colleague of mine Veronique Rostas, OD lead at US semiconductor company Applied Materials, was often prone to say to senior managers in development sessions, “We are not machines, we need to talk, we need to communicate”.

2) Mediation should seldom, if ever, be a “one-hit-wonder” process where an on-going workplace  relationship between the parties is required. If the joint session is successful in getting the root of an agreement and a positive way forward between the parties, then these roots need nurturing and care. Where no follow support is provided there is a fair chance that the roots will wither and die. However, using follow up support for both parties in the process, the roots have a far better chance of taking hold and flourishing, so that a longer term, sustainable agreement and way forward is achieved. There is no better tool and approach in my opinion to provide this follow up care and support than using the Coaching process by a suitably qualified and experienced workplace Coach.

This is the approach that we take at Online HR to mediation and workplace dispute resolution. A unique blended approach of mediation and coaching. We call it, “new model mediation” – a fresh approach to resolving workplace disputes!

If you would like to discuss further, please give us a ring on 0131 341 2550.

Thanks for reading!


George

A few words of thanks!

Many thanks to Mike Stevenson and his talented team at Thinktastic for their fabulous creativity in the design of our new logo. See www.thinktastic.co.uk.

May we also thank Grant Ritchie of Real Edinburgh for permission to use his stunning image of the Edinburgh skyline for use as our background. You can purchase a selection of his many iconic and unique shots from his website www.realedinburgh.co.uk.

Thanks to all of the other individuals whom have provided feedback in relation to our business offer, planning, branding, marketing, finances and much more. You know who you are and how much this is appreciated!

Last but not least, thanks to Jennifer Tough at www.social-stampede.com for her valuable input in relation to social media.

George

Welcome and thanks for visiting our Blog!

Welcome and thanks for visiting our Blog!

At Online HR we aim to be “lighting up your business success through your people”!

 We relish the opportunity to do so within our three key service areas:

1) “Powering” your leaders and teams via executive coaching and mentoring and with a particular focus upon enhancing “resilience”,

2) Securing the best HR talent for your team via bespoke search and selection and utilising our unrivalled HR professional network,

3) Exceptional HR consultancy and interim support for key HR projects such as, acquisitions, restructurings and redundancies. This includes full HR outsourcing. Further, we are specialists in resolving damaging personal and collective workplace disputes via a unique blended approach of mediation and coaching.

We shall use this blog to keep you up-to-date with what is happening at Online HR and also of key HR news and developments which may be of interest to you.

Feedback on our Blog or more generally regarding our service provision shall always be very welcome. You, of course, may use the comments section of this Blog to do so. However, in any case, please  do contact us on 0131 341 2550 or via email on ask@onlinehr.co.uk if you have any questions whatsoever. We would be delighted to hear from you!


George

George Wilson

Director