Employers ‘must communicate regularly’ with staff

Employers hoping to get the best out of their staff need to communicate with them regularly in order to boost their workers' sense of purpose and motivation, it has been advised.

Hilary Jeanes, leadership coach and human resources consultant at PurpleLine Consulting, said there are many things that employers need to bear in mind to keep a good working relationship with their workers.

She said that sales managers and other leaders should find out what works for their staff, whether this is pay linked to performance, training or holidays, as different people want different things and at different stages of their lives.

"[Don't] think that people will know what's going on in the team [or] business. Communicate frequently to keep people in the loop and make sure they know how to get more information if they want it," the expert advised.

Ms Jeanes added that managers should also not forget that the employees are ambassadors for their organisation, so if they are happy they will give positive messages to customers and to other prospective recruitment candidates.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

Work experience ‘a vital asset’ for graduate job applicants

Having work experience is extremely important for candidates hoping to land jobs in the near future, according to one expert who has noted that a great academic career is no longer enough for some employers.

Mike Barnard, product manager at Milkround, noted that the jobs market is currently very competitive, and has been particularly so for the last three or four years as there is great demand for graduate jobs.

As a result, it is vital that candidates do all they can to enhance their chances of catching the eye of recruiters and gaining employment - with work experience being top of the list of attributes.

"The graduates that really stand out are the ones who've got work experience or have done an internship or placement while they've been studying. Employers want to see evidence of students thinking about their careers before they graduate," Mr Barnard explained.

He added that people who do graduate with no work experience are on the "back foot", as it can seem as though they are trying to jump straight into a job rather than building up a strong profile.

Recently, Jo Barnard, director of Quest Professional, said that it is surprising how many people omit work experience information from their CV, even though employers are always keen to see examples of this.

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Posted by Nikki Barrister

Post-festive blues costing UK firms £93bn

A lack of productivity among UK staff following the festive season is costing the country's firms around £93 billion, it has been estimated.

According to a new report by The University of Exeter and office environment consultancy Ambius, workplace malaise following the Christmas and New Year holidays is harming productivity and will culminate in 'Blue Monday' on January 16th - the least productive day of the year.

However, this does not have to be the case, according to Kenneth Freeman, international technical director for Ambius, who said that mangers can help to keep workers happy and motivated.

"Creating an engaging workspace is key to business success. Even if it's as simple as introducing plants, from our research, people report being happier at work, more engaged with their employer, and are visibly more effective in doing their jobs," he told HR Magazine.

It come after Charles Cotton, rewards advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said it is important that the nation's employers recognise the important work being done by their staff and reward them appropriately in 2012 in order to maintain worker optimism.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

UK firms set to bring in more interim managers

An increasing number of companies are set to reign in interim managers to boost their operations in the coming months and help to stabilise their organisation, it has been revealed.

The skills and experience that many interim managers have will be relied upon by companies who are aiming to get the most out of staff and boost productivity and profits without increasing their overall expenditure, the Interim Partners poll found.

Doug Baird, MD of Interim Partners, said that businesses expect far more interim senior management roles to be created in the area of change management and turnaround, which will in turn generate many roles for interim sales directors and sales managers.

"It does suggest that those who specialise in taking businesses out of distress will continue to be able to get a premium for their services," he added.

Meanwhile, recent data published by Ipsos MORI for the Interim Management Association shows that the demand for interim sales managers and other leaders increased by 22 per cent in the three months to September.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Worker skills ‘must be utilised’

Many companies are compromising their organisation by failing to utilise the skills of their workforce, it has been claimed.

According to a new report published by The Work Foundation, failure to address the under-utilisation of skills could be a barrier to both social mobility and the competitiveness of the UK economy.

It is therefore important that organisations take steps to make sure that the attributes of their workers, including those in sales jobs, are fully utilised, noted Paul Sissons, researcher and report author.

He explained that, from an employer's perspective, under-use of skills can be a waste of a valuable assets and can result in a less motivated workforce, which may also be less productive.

"From the employee's point of view, under-use of skills means little autonomy, responsibility or progression, along with the frustration of knowing one's skills are going to waste," the expert added.

Therefore, the country's policymakers need to design better policies for skills utilisation, and support employers to encourage innovation in business models and job design, Mr Sissons stated.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Richard Esquilant

Small businesses ‘can save the economy’

Small businesses are the key to helping drive the nation's economy, and it is vital they are supported so they can continue to create jobs, one sector body has claimed.

Lucy Armstrong, chair of the CBI SME council, said there are "grounds for optimism" at the moment as good firms are performing well, though one of the biggest problems is around the confidence of business people.

She explained that small, private businesses around the UK that have social links, are important to their community and employ people are the ones that can help to stimulate recovery.

"They punch well above their weight in terms of the number of people they employ, they produce more taxes per pound of turnover than either their big brothers or their tiny micro brothers, so they are the businesses we should be focussing on," Ms Armstrong explained.

Encouraging them to "invest in the future" by creating new roles for people in sales jobs and other persons is therefore vital in the months and years ahead, the expert explained.

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Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Employment and productivity rises in Scotland

Private sector output and employment is continuing to rise in Scotland, according to the latest industry report.

The new Bank of Scotland with output growth edged up for the second consecutive month in December, with the organisation posting 51.2, up marginally from 51.1 in November, with the UK as a whole performing better than in November.

In addition, business wins rose at the fastest pace since April 2011 and solidly overall, with successful marketing leading to a robust month-on-month increase in new work.

Employment within Scotland's private sector rose for the second month running in December, with staff added at a faster rate and recruitment strengthening.

Commenting on the report, Donald MacRae, chief economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "The increase in new business for the first time in four months is very welcome and suggests the Scottish economy is avoiding a fall in output."

It comes after data recently published in the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index shows that conditions in the global manufacturing sector improved for the first time in four months in December, and now stands at 50.8, up from 49.7 in November.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

UK unpaid overtime ‘equivalent to a million jobs’

The amount generated by workers' unpaid overtime in the UK each year would be enough to create a million jobs, it has been claimed.

According to a new report from the Trades Union Congress, 1.96 billion hours of unpaid overtime were worked last year, which helped to boost the economy by £29.2 billion.

The TUC has estimated that, if workers who regularly put in unpaid overtime worked all their hours from the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be Friday February 24th.

As a result, The number of workers doing unpaid overtime has increased by more than a million since records began in 1992, when 4.2 million people regularly did unpaid overtime, compared with 5.3 million people in 2011.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "The heroic amount of extra unpaid hours put in by millions of workers make a vital - but often unsung - contribution to the UK economy."

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Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Business ‘is a force for good’

Britain can help to boost its ongoing economic recovery by recognising that the country's businesses are a force for good, one sector body has noted.

According to John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), it is important to recognise that business is at the centre of the economy, and is an important component in creating recovery and delivering things such as education, healthcare and pensions.

"We have the talent, the energy, and the enterprise. All we need is an environment that puts business first. Boosting growth in our businesses will boost the economy and let Britain lead on the international stage," he added.

He also called on the chancellor to reverse measures such as the 5.6 per cent rise in business rates due in April 2012, and reduce employer National Insurance Contributions, which could each make a "real difference" in helping firms to grow.

It comes after John Walker, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, recently said that with the private sector being relied on to drive economic recovery, barriers holding firms back need to be removed and existing businesses encouraged to "innovate, take on staff and grow".

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

UK staff ‘some of the world’s happiest’

British workers are among the happiest and most satisfied in the world, according to a new study into worker satisfaction.

A poll by the Wall Street Journal and iOpener Institute for People and Performance among workers across 80 countries in 30 sectors measured five components of happiness at work - contribution, conviction, culture, commitment and confidence.

The Netherlands topped the Wall Street Journal/iOpener table by scoring highly in all aspects, though the UK was close behind, with particularly high levels of commitment culture and pride at work.

Simon Lutterbie, director of research at the iOpener Institute, said the findings give a global insight into performance in the workplace, as the happier people are, the more productive they are.

"Moreover, when comparing the unhappiest and happiest people at work, employees who are really happy at work tend to stay about five times longer in their jobs, are focused on the task at hand three times longer and take around three times less sick leave," he added.

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Posted by Richard Esquilant

Six in ten staff ‘took an extended festive break’

The majority of UK workers took the entire festive period off - including the three regular working days in late December - new research has revealed.

A study carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that 58 per cent of workers, including those in sales jobs, took the whole period between Friday December 23rd and Tuesday January 3rd off to recharge their batteries and enjoy the yuletide.

When the 29.1 million workers in the UK are taken into account, this means that 17.5 million people enjoyed ten consecutive days away from their workplaces.

The data also revealed that fewer than a third of workers only took off the days in which their offices or places of work were closed.

It comes after Hilary Jeanes, leadership coach and human resources consultant at PurpleLine Consulting, said that companies which treated their employees well over the festive season are set to benefit from greater staff retention in 2012.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

School curriculum ‘not producing skilled workers’

The current curriculum in the UK is failing to produce people with the skills needed to excel in the world of work, it has been claimed.

According to Ian Harper, chief executive of ATG Training, this may be a reason for youth unemployment being at its current level, and so more needs to be done to ensure that school pupils are being instilled with the necessary vocational skills.

He said it is a question of the curriculum being a problem, as it is producing "whole groups" of young people who do not have the skills, qualities or attributes that employers want.

"I think the potential is there but in a crowded curriculum, I don't think these young people are getting the work experience and the taste of being employed that they need," Mr Harper added

It comes after Ed McRandal, Recruitment and Employment Confederation policy advisor responsible for youth unemployment, recently said it is vital that careers guidance is maintained in the nation's schools if young people are to continue moving into the right roles, such as sales jobs, and driving the recovery of the nation's economy.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Employee performance ‘must be rewarded’ in 2012

It is important that the nation's employers recognise the important work being done by their staff and reward them appropriately in 2012 in order to maintain worker optimism, it has been claimed.

Charles Cotton, rewards advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), made the comments after his organisation's annual survey of Employee Attitudes to Pay found that employees are readjusting their expectations for the coming year in line with the economic climate.

Mr Cotton said it is "encouraging" to see that employees recognise the impact the state of the economy has on their employers' ability to reward them with pay rises and cash bonuses.

However, he added: "Employers must try harder to explain what performance the organisation values and how it will reward and recognise this. If not, levels of motivation and productivity could fall, perpetuating a vicious circle that could hold back both organisational performance and wider hopes of economic recovery."

The CIPD report also revealed that 51 per cent of private sector employees had a pay rise since the start of 2011, compared with just 24 per cent of those in the public sector to have received an increase.

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Posted by Richard Esquilant

A fifth of workers hope to change career in 2012

As the nation's workers return to their posts this week, a fifth are planning to change their job or career path in the coming 12 months, a new report has found.

Research carried out by Lifetime revealed that 68 per cent of workers have set a work-related New Year's resolution for 2012, with 20 per cent hoping to change their current career, driven by the desire for a better work/life balance.

Nigel Wallace, development director at Lifetime, told the Daily Telegraph that although the economic climate is tough, the nation's workers are working harder than ever, which highlights the importance of pursuing a career that not only motivates but inspires people.

The study showed that some 40 per cent of workers do not take a lunch break and a similar proportion work an extra five hours per week in addition to their paid hours.

"Whether it is taking the time to switch off from work via a hobby, retraining or moving jobs, the start of the year is the perfect time to consider your options," Mr Wallace added.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

Demand for interim managers increases

The UK has experienced a boost in demand for interim managers, according to the latest industry report.

Data published by Ipsos MORI for the Interim Management Association shows that the demand for interim sales managers and other leaders increased by 22 per cent in the three months to September.

According to Interim Partners, this demand is being driven by businesses that have gaps in their senior management teams but feel that the weak economic outlook makes it too risky for them to make full time hires.

Additionally, Doug Baird, managing director of Interim Partners, said some of the appointments are a response to the Eurozone crisis, with interims being hired to help downsize organisations which now fear that they face a longer period of slow economic growth.

"That is creating demand for interims with experience of going into a business and taking out any non-core costs in a way that has the least possible impact on customers and staff morale," he added.

Meanwhile, Andrew McIntee, director of financial services at Interim Partners, said interim managers have the advantage of offering an "objective perspective" on the business, which can help to identify weaknesses that permanent staff are sometimes too close to see.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

UK job opportunities rise 17% in 2011

The number of job vacancies in the UK was much higher at the end of 2011 than the end of 2010, according to the latest Reed Job Index.

In the organisation's new report, compiled following analysis of job vacancy trends from 8,000 recruiters across the UK, it was revealed that 2011 saw sustained growth in demand for new staff, compared to 2010.

Overall, year-on-year demand for staff rose by 17 per cent, with the number of career development opportunities rising significantly compared to the previous year.

Commenting on the data, Martin Warnes, managing director of Reed, said the annual increase in demand for new staff is "particularly striking" against the backdrop of economic turmoil of the last few months.

"The traditional seasonal drop in recruitment activity in December has had its impact against the two-year highs recorded in November, but the fact that the number of new job vacancies on offer remains 17 per cent higher than 12 months ago is significant," he explained.

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Posted by Wayne Bly