Future HR Leaders 2018
This unique and innovative development programme, chosen by Boots, Nationwide, AIG, Swiss Re, DuPont and Severn Trent to name a few, offers one of your high potentials: 6 days of highly effective...
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A view from down under - Gender Pay Gap
*/ The gap exists, yes; but are we focussing on the wrong thing? Is the media hype warranted? Lets’ consider some key issues: 1. The numbers are too general In most cases the number that we get to...
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Top-paid men exceed women by four to one - Opinion
"Almost four times more men than women occupy Britain’s highest paid posts, according to new government data. The figures show there were 681,000 men earning £100,000 or more in 2015-16, compared...
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Be A Better HR Business Partner 2018
Far too much has been written about what this role is but so little on how to actually gain and deploy those skills. We have developed and run our programme for over 5 years and believe we have the...
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Oxen Park Continues its Traditional Support of Water Aid

As in previous years, we didn't send Christmas or New Year cards over the festive season, but instead made a contribution to our chosen charity, WaterAid. This international charity transforms lives...
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Improbable gender pay gap reported by UK companies
Financial Times analysis finds that one in 20 UK companies that have submitted gender pay gap data to the government has reported numbers that are statistically improbable and therefore almost...
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New website will bypass HR in harassment claims
A new US website will enable employees to bypass their company's human resources departments and anonymously report harassment, discrimination, or bias to their CEO and board of directors. Claire...
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Communication & Brain Filtration
Have you ever had an argument with someone where you could both swear until you were blue in the face that you were right, despite differing opinions? Or what about a time where you were explaining...
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Intelligent Automation for HR webcast
Oxen Parks’ Geoff Booth warns the robots are coming...however rather than run away, run towards. Partnership between AI and humans has to be the way forward. "The promise of Intelligent Automation is...
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Current Leadership Development Programmes – fit for purpose?
Nick Petrie at the Centre for Creative Leadership certainly challenges the orthodoxy of today’s Leadership Development programmes - click here . If you prefer a 6 minute taster then view this video...
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Becoming Data Savvy in HR
We know this is a tricky topic and one where it’s hard to know where to start. So if you really are looking for a refreshing, easy way to break the ice – this is it. All we ask is that you are...
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Talent management in an era of uncertainty
Fernandez notes that an uncertain political climate and digital disruption, allied to the impact of labour laws and freedom of movement, will place talent management concerns increasingly at the core...
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Psychological safety a common link among top performers
This, says the Harvard Business Review’s Laura Delizonna, allows for “moderate risk-taking, speaking your mind, creativity, and sticking your neck out.” She goes on to detail how psychological safety...
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How does your HR Department rate?
*/ I can hear the howls of protest now from many in HR, but unless you have evidence to the contrary then others will perceive you this way. Maybe get on the front foot and ask your internal...
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Stubborn children grow up to be richer, study reveals
Children between the ages of eight and 12 assessed for personality traits like entitlement, defiance, and academic conscientiousness, were tracked down 40 years later. It was found the stubborn ones...
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Is Diversity is about having the best thinking?
She says businesses must set aspirational targets for diversity to ensure it reaches senior levels and also need to be aware of "unconscious" bias against applicants. "Diversity is about thinking, it...
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Feedback on our FHRL Programme
We were delighted to receive this feedback from a participant of our Future HR Leaders Programme: "I joined the Oxen Park Future HR Leader Programme in 2014 with expectations of improving my...
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Face-to-face requests are far more successful than an email
The researchers found that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness via text-based communication, and underestimate the power of their persuasiveness via face-to-face...
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The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is a hot topic at the moment. The Daily Telegraph has an article today on "Is a lack of sleep killing your career?" The 'sleepless elite' myth is finally being discredited, writes the Daily...
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Business Partners Falling Short on Strategy
Oxen Park agrees and in fact offers a programme to support BPs develop as great partners, trusted advisers and skilful internal consultants. Click through here to read more .
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Working from home may not be good for you
A report from the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) suggests working remotely can cause insomnia and increased stress levels. The study, titled Working anytime, anywhere: The effects on...
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Centre for Creative Leadership Earns Third Straight Top 5 Ranking from Financial Times
Congratulations to the Centre for Creative Leadership, friends of Oxen Park and regular contributors to our online conversations, on their top 5 ranking for executive education in the Financial Times...
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Ernst & Young Releases App to Identify Best Graduates
The Times examines how EY is using mobile gaming to help it recruit the most talented apprentices from different backgrounds. Potential recruits who do well at the game, which appears on Debut, a...
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Do top bosses need to treat HR with respect?
But the author says skilled HR practitioners can play a key role amid a growing awareness that organisations will have to change fundamentally to survive in the emerging world. Oxen Park's Geoff...
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What price is too high for elder care we wonder?
A pilot scheme which saw 68 staff at an old people's home in Gothenburg, Sweden, work six-hour days without seeing reduced salaries is to be abandoned. Gothenburg city bosses said less sick leave was...
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Is enforcing employee holidays becoming a business necessity?
Research from advocacy group Project: Time Off shows that 37% of U.S. workers say they don't take their allotted vacations due to concerns over the backlog that will amass in their absence. The study...
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Oxen Park in Agreement with Peter Cheese, CIPD
"Happy New Year! 2017 looks set to be another year of significant political and economic change. The UK’s vote to leave the EU , Trump’s election in the United States, and ongoing corporate scandals...
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Resources from our Network Meeting Speaker, Sarah Harvey
The Savvy People Management You Tube Channel where amongst other things you'll find a series of short videos based on Sarah's e-book Savvy Performance Management: Turn painful performance management...
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Forward Thinking on HR Workforce Analytics
The author of this piece (originally published on the CIPD website ) Olly Britnell is an old friend of Oxen Park and he has spoken on one of our Conversations from your Office on this very topic...
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Hospital Taps Toyota Workflow to Reduce Staff Errors
Nagoya University Hospital in Japan's Aichi Prefecture has started a program in collaboration with Toyota that aims to improve workflow, including eliminating mistakes by pharmacists. The automaker’s...
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Stop Working Longer Hours
Writing in London’s Evening Standard, Russell Lynch notes that UK and Dutch workers are at the bottom of a European holiday league. British workers get a minimum 28 days off a year - but the Germans...
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China's pushy parents enrolling their toddlers in Future Leaders courses
Children as young as three are being enrolled in “CEO courses” in China as parents strive to give their offspring an advantage over their infant peers. Toddlers will become qualified in determining “...
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Someone representing employees on the board... now there’s a novelty
The Mail reports that the UK government is expected to recommend that companies should be 'nudged' into naming a non-executive director and board member to be responsible for employees and diversity...
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Abusive leadership is in the eye of the beholder?
The Wall Street Journal article continues: 'Staff view hard-driving management techniques differently, depending on who is behind the directives and the circumstances of the interactions, according...
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A new philosophy for the 21st century workplace
Geoff Booth offers this thought. This is not a new idea frankly, Patrick Lencioni has put forward this view in his book 5 Dysfunctions of a Team first published 14 years ago. He talks about Trust,...
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Feedback from The Manchester Management Development Programme
Geoff recently presented to a group on Alliance Manchester Business School’s "The Manchester Management Development Programme" on the topic of Leadership & Management – A People Perspective. Most...
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Feedback on our Consulting Skills Programme
We were delighted to receive the following feedback from Dawn Aunger, Assistant Director for HR and Organisational Development at Plymouth City Council: "I have invested in development for many HR...
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Collaboration – why it’s so hard, often fails but still worth trying?
"Collaboration is simple. But not easy. If it was easy people with diverse outlooks would collaborate more often!" Peter Honey is a behaviourist so his primary interest is in collaboration as a style...
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So busy at work, no time to do the job
Managers and executives complain that the push for teamwork, innovation and speed has left them little time to do 'real work.' Researcher Rob Cross calls this phenomenon 'collaborative overload.'...
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The collaboration challenge posed by virtual working
Karen Sobel-Lojeski of Stony Brook University, a veteran observer of technology-mediated interactions, has coined the phrase "Virtual distance" to describe what’s lost when human interactions are not...
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Research Project: Change (with Nick Petrie)
We have been collaborating with the Centre for Creative Leadership through Nick Petrie, who has shared some of his thinking with us our Conversations from your Office events. Nick always has an...
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Manchester Business School – Management Development Programme
Oxen Park’s Geoff Booth is leading a half day session on People Management and HR for this programme July. The Manchester Management Development Programme is a five-day, high energy general...
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How to Bring Your HR Department into the 21st Century
Originally published by TLNT , Willis prioritises the 5 items as follows: 1. Add a Social Collaboration Manager 2. Get a Data Analyst 3. Utilize a Performance Management Expert 4. Develop a Total...
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Which CEO's have a greater propensity to take risks?
Our own analysis of the paper suggests that functional background is a also a determinant. Indeed it might be said a greater determinant. Those with an output background (Sales & Marketing) have...
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Consulting Skills hits the spot
The programme met my needs, was delivered effectively and I gained additional skills and knowledge to carry out my role effectively. The programme was very enjoyable and informative – I was able to...
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A refreshing look at stress
We recently enjoyed a virtual conversation with our old friend Nick Petrie from the Centre for Creative Leadership in Austin Texas, with some HR leaders. Nick has a very personal and yet refreshing...
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Action Learning and Future HR Leaders

In planning for the 11th cohort for our Future HR leaders programme we were reminded of our white paper on the topic. The way that Action Learning is at the heart of the design, and delivers both...
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Oxen Park Supports Water Aid

As in previous years, we didn't send Christmas or New Year cards over the festive season, but instead made a contribution to our chosen charity, WaterAid. This international charity transforms lives...
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How to Have a Good Day - Book Recommendation
Webb, an economist and former partner at consulting powerhouse McKinsey, believes we have control over our days and can make positive changes to influence the outcomes. Here at Oxen Park we believe...
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Artificial intelligence – the next workplace revolution?

As we in HR have seen headcounts in transactional roles reduce, our organisations have and will continue to see the growth of robotic and intelligence solutions to tasks currently assigned to our...
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The Future Workplace - The Collapse of the Corporate Ladder?

Speaking to the Guardian, Philippe De Ridder (co-founder of the Board of Innovation) describes an alternative to the traditional corporate hierarchy where millennials have "the freedom to take full...
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Outstanding Feedback for Our High Performing Teams Workshop and Consulting Expert
Oxen Park’s Shauna Hughes delivered exceptional sessions on High Performing Teams in front of hundreds of HR professionals at the Employment Law 2015 conferences. These were held in Dublin and...
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Nick Petrie Endorses Oxen Park Conversations
We recently enjoyed a lively and interactive 'conversation from your office' with Nick Petrie, of the Centre for Creative Leadership. It seems Nick enjoyed it as much as we did as you'll see on Nick'...
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Is the Year of Paid Parental Leave Recently Announced by Netflix A Sustainable Policy?
You can read the article here . But can this policy be sustainable? Is it fair and is Netflix truly able to offer this benefit to all levels of employee in the firm? Is it a policy that all employers...
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What Advice Would CEOs Offer Entrepreneurs?
Click here to read the article at source. Do you agree? Would you add any advice to this list? Let us know your opinion .
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Predictive Analysis in HR
"Did you know that scientifically, the only way to guarantee predictive analytics is to set up a randomized double-blind controlled trial? In other words, this is the only way to guarantee that a...
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Stress, Resilience, Mindfulness and Meditation for HR Leaders
In our opinion, these topics are already very well covered in books, articles and white papers but we've found that Nick Petrie of the Centre for Creative Leadership says it differently, more...
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The latest thinking on leadership
We offered 3 provocative thinkers….. Nick Petrie (Centre for Creative Leadership) – vertical development as a new paradigm for L&D practitioners. Binnie, Wilke and Williams – Living Leadership...
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EY one of the best companies to work for
They were also awarded a 1 star accreditation standard acknowledging their excellence in the workplace, and special awards for “best improver” and “learning and development”.
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What Businesses Want from Future HR Leaders - Contributor Opinion
http://www.purplehousehr.com/contact/news-and-updates/2013/what-hr-will-...
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Oxen Park attracts 3 of the Top 5 HR Thinkers to contribute to HR Leaders Peer Network meetings
This recently published list of the top 5 influential HR Thinkers, as selected by HR Magazine, shows the strength of the Oxen Park Network in that we have had the pleasure of 3 of the 5 contribute to...
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Insight to High Performing Teams
In this video, Patrick Lencioni describes his perspectives on high performance teams and their relationship to successful organisations and leadership. His thoughts are persuasive and “on the spot”...
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Latest business news – no time to read this stuff
It’s always a challenge to keep up with seemingly unimportant business news but frankly HR folk are constantly criticised by business leaders for not thinking, talking and acting - business. So...
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Don’t blame Ulrich if your HR team is not contributing!
We hear this complaint too often, the Ulrich model does not work here! We’d argue look harder at yourself – don’t blame Dave Ulrich, he never promised you a silver bullet. A recent report on his work...
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Ignore neuroscience at your peril – another successful event
HR Leaders and expert contributors joined us at our latest HR Leaders Peer Networking event hosted by Nabarro at their offices in London. Our objective was to explore and understand more about what...
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The Neuroscience of Leadership: Practical Applications
The Neuroscience of Leadership: Practical Applications
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HR Development – why HR folk are like the cobblers children
The majority of development of HR folk that does get prioritised seems to us to focus on knowledge in support of what HR people do, not skills that develop how to succeed in the more challenging...
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Action Learning – why HR should get up-to-date with a 40 year old approach!
Action learning, as a term, is widely used, often misrepresented; and we think is used in a sense that does no service to its creator. (Our aim is to debunk some myths and to clarify some of the...
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Oxen Park Research - HR Service Delivery

We are concluding some very interesting research for a client which will be available to Oxen Park clients. Register your interest in the Research Report, due to be released at the end of September...
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