http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/ en-US Copyright 2008 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:00:47 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/global/2008/07/08/partnership-abroad.xml ]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2008/07/making_the_move_abroad_a_partn_1.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2008/07/making_the_move_abroad_a_partn_1.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:00:47 +0000 In this uncertain economic climate, many companies may at some stage have to consider down-sizing, something that has, thankfully not been epidemic for some years. The UK has seen steady growth with recruiters more concerned with the 'war for talent' than 'career transition'. Companies should start planning now how they are going to manage, retain and transition their employees during an economic down turn. Change in organisations brings disruption and can affect productivity, motivation levels and key talent may decide to move on. It is therefore important to invest time and effort to communicate the change to all employees and implement strategies to minimise any disruption. It is never easy to let go of employees, but done with compassion and foresight it can reduce the pain and disruption. A Brave New World have worked with many individuals who have been made redundant, some in organisations that had never had to 'let-go' of key talent. These individuals told us that although it was a sad experience, they felt positive that their employer had invested time in ensuring the transition was handled correctly and those left behind said that because the 'change' had been well communicated and they had felt part of the process, they were able to get on with their work and keep up productivity levels. ABNW's directors have had experience working for outplacement organisations on an international level. Our experience in what works and what doesn't work has proved invaluable to us, in developing an innovative approach to 'outplacement'. In fact, we don't like the word 'outplacement', preferring to describe the process as 'career transitioning'. This is a time of transitioning for all and handled correctly, each individual will feel empowered and ready to move on and forward within their own careers. Handled incorrectly they may not be ready for the transition and this can affect the time taken to secure and settle down into a new job. 'Career transitioning' affects not only the employee being made redundant but those being retained by the organisation as many are 'career transitioning' during the change programme. It is therefore important to design a change programme which includes everyone. One of the most important things to consider is that in todays ever changing global economy, individuals must be taught the importance of taking control of their own careers. With self-knowledge and a well thought out career plan, not only does the individual feel more empowered and in control but the organisation has developed employees that truly understand their key career drivers and strengths. Start planning now what you would do within your organisation if you have to consider down-sizing. Invest some time talking to professional career consultants and develop a individualised programme for your company that can be implemented quickly and professionally when the need arises. A well thought out 'career transition' programme provides the security to senior management that it will help to minimise risks and disruption within the business. http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2008/01/redundancy_and_outplacement_su_1.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2008/01/redundancy_and_outplacement_su_1.html Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:10:44 +0000 An Intelligent Approach to Planning Your Career In order to fully understand how to plan your new career and move forward with confidence, it is important to identify what career means to you. It can however, mean different things to different people. The dictionary definition of career is 'a profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work (Collins - new edition) However, it is a lot more complex than this. At A Brave New World we have put quite a lot of thought into this question and from discussing careers for many years with many different people we have come up with our own definition. Career: The collection of an individual's work experiences, beliefs and values over time. Today we live in an uncertain world. New technology, global trade, widespread relocation of manufacturing and services and the rapid growth of electronic commerce all suggest uncertainty is here to stay. This will have an impact on our career choices. The question is how can we better understand those implications and move our careers forward with confidence? In this knowledge driven economy which is constantly changing there is a demand for newer and more exciting ways to understand how we can cope with this change and indeed embrace it. The answer lies in understanding oneself and moving towards a more subjective approach to career thinking. By this we mean understanding our work passions, motivations, identities and attachments to others. In other words to really embrace your career the intelligent way, you must first understand yourself, your own personal motivations, values and beliefs. This process of self evaluation or assessment is the vital first step towards understanding how you work, why you work and with whom you network with (i.e. relationships, reputations and career supports). We call this the 'three ways of knowing'. When we talk about the 'intelligent approach' we mean that each individual should, at some point in their career, stop and take a good look at where they are going with their career. You should consider your own career choices through the lens of the three ways of knowing. What's going on with your career right now? Have you ever considered how powerful it would be to really understand your own personal ways of knowing? At ABNW we get you, through our innovative approach, to go deep into these areas and reflect on statements relevant to each of the ways of knowing. These statements will mean different things to different people. An example might be 'I like to gain a sense of achievement from my work'. For one person this may mean that they like to climb the organisational ladder where as for another it may mean that they like being respected by their peers. The different meanings are the result of the different experiences and values/beliefs of each individual. Our career counselling sessions will enable you to really understand these components and their relevance to you personally. Only then will you be able to truly analyse your skills and from that identify the skills that make you tick. These key skills will then enable you to understand which career area you may wish to pursue and identify any skill gaps that may require retraining etc. Change can be daunting or even desirable, marvellous or muddling. What helps a confusing plethora of options to become a wealth of exciting opportunities is clear information and a full understanding of oneself and ones talents. At a Brave New World, we passionately believe that every one is talented and there is a job out there that will motivate, stimulate and engage you - it's just a matter of going out there and seizing it! ]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/11/understanding_what_career_means_to_you_and_unlocking_your_potential.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/11/understanding_what_career_means_to_you_and_unlocking_your_potential.html Thu, 22 Nov 2007 09:06:49 +0000 Read about an innovative and fresh approach to 'talent mangement' using the intelligent career theory.... A great business needs great managers! Great managers build staff engagement! All staff perform well when their strengths are being utilised! In today's vastly competitive and stressful job market, it is well known that people are the key to success. It does not matter what a company's business ideas are, or how well planned and marketed are its products and services. If a company does not invest in and maximise the value of its key employees it will not succeed. Talented workers are the key to success. Yet, talented workers are in increasingly short supply and the cost of employing and retaining these workers is rising rapidly. Talent management has to become a key strategic issue for all organisations. If the supply of this talent is a key issue in today's competitive marketplace, the question needs to be asked 'what is talent'? Isn't everyone talented? How do we differentiate between 'talent' and 'key talent'? How do you measure the success of these talented individuals in relation to the business? A successful talent management programme brings about an enduring and measurable shift in indicators such as a company's competitive advantage, level of innovation, management of change, organisational morale and employee engagement. Companies that fail to engage and nurture their talent will eventually suffer where it hurts - the bottom line. But how do you determine whether the employees you have identified as 'key talent' for example, are indeed 'key talent' and how do you know they not only understand what 'talent' and'key talent' means but more crucially that they would want to be fast-tracked and nurtured to senior management levels within your organisation? One method is through psychometric testing or profiling. About 70% of companies with more than 50 employees use psychometric profiling, according to the annual recruitment and retention survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that this method is not a magic formula for successful talent management. Organisations must reach for alternative ways of identifying and coaching their talent. One such way is to employ a more subjective approach to supporting their talent, addressing with their employees such key issues as: What are my key motivators, values and beliefs regarding the whole talent management process? How do I take ownership of and manage my own career? How will I deal with any misconceptions or even failures during the process? Am I ready for a senior management position, and for the complications and responsibilities that go with it? What kind of relationships will be important to my future career success? What will success really mean for me and for those who support me, including my family? In taking a more subjective approach to talent management, it is important to work with each individual so that individual clearly understand his or her own personal motivators, career drivers, and vision of career success. A Brave New World, a leading career development company, has now developed a unique method of identifying and supporting talent that turns individual differences to the company's advantage. Working with a leading group of global business professors, A Brave New World has successfully introduced the 'intelligent career' approach into the UK. This approach is unique in insisting that individuals take ownership of their career situations, and in helping those individuals understand how their career behaviour will influence their future success. Unlike psychometric profiling, the intelligent career approach enables people to reflect on and make connections among their personal values, motivations, skills, expertise, communication patterns, relationships and reputations. The approach insists that employees fully understand what a talent programme will mean for them, and if indeed they want to be included in it. A particular benefit of the intelligent career approach is that individuals who are aware of the connections across what is important to them in their careers seek out and benefit from potential career opportunities. They both understand and make fresh investments in why they work, how they work and with whom they work. These investments add value to the whole talent management programme as a whole, and to its ultimate success. The self-knowledge that stems from the intelligent career approach, allows each individual to sustain a sense of purpose in a world of continuous change. Moreover, there is firm evidence that people who make the greater investments in why they work (concerning their values, interests, motivation and family commitments) how they work (concerning the skills and expertise they have to offer) and with whom they work (concerning their personal relationships inside and outside the company) report higher levels of career success. In this complex, global workforce, the competition for talent is intense. Given that our workforce will be decreasing in the next 10 to 20 years, now is the time to be developing talent for the future. Moreover, greater challenges for workers to care for children and other dependents add to the importance of an individualised approach to talent management. A programme using the intelligent career approach is easily administered, with the first stage completed on-line, followed by a series of one to one meetings. Group focus sessions can be arranged to identify and recognise key differences, affirm ideas and develop mutual respect. At the end of the programme, individuals are empowered with the knowledge on where they want their career to take them and what they have to do to get there. Senior managers can simultaneously gather data on how to best manage, utilise and develop the company's talent pool. Fitting individuals into predefined boxes does not reflect the uniqueness of people's career situations. Working with the intelligent career approach offers an alternative way forward. http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/10/talent_management_an_intellige_1.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/10/talent_management_an_intellige_1.html Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:03:02 +0000 http://lbc.audioagain.com/ and then click on the Anna Raeburn show 19th April for the podcast. (We will be downloading this shortly on to our web site)]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/a_brave_new_world_with_lbc_rad.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/a_brave_new_world_with_lbc_rad.html Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:05:33 +0000 THE BENEFITS TO THE ORGANISATION

• Greater understanding of the benefits to the organisation in the re-employment of 'returnees'.
• Learn how to develop and implement innovative recruitment strategies, targeting the female and male 'returnee'.
• Gain a greater understanding of the 'returnees' individual style of learning and how to motivate and ultimately retain them
• Managers are able to freely explore their own barriers and perceptions towards the 'returnee', and develop strategies and a positive recruitment and retention action plan
• Encourage a supportive networking system
• Encourage management to openly discuss the issues faced by the 'returnee' and promote open communication at all levels
• Promote the values of flexibility and diversity including introducing quality part time work
• Encourage networking and methods of drawing on mentors to support the new 'returnee'
• Build self confidence in the 'returnees' own abilities and put measures in place to maximise the future opportunities in the workplace
• Encourage support and feedback at all levels within the organisation

]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/investing_in_women_and_men_ret.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/investing_in_women_and_men_ret.html Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:44:53 +0000 info@abravenewworld.co.uk]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/age_discrimination_in_the_work.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/age_discrimination_in_the_work.html Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:01:44 +0000

help you avoid making these costly mistakes which might mean you could lose your case at an employment tribunal

explore the ideas and possibilities of each individual and help them clearly define their own values, beliefs and motivators

assess each potential employee for cultural fit.

customize each recruitment campaign to suit your requirements.

We believe that each candidate requires an individual approach from the commencement of the recruitment process to completion. Through professional career development coaching we at A Brave New World will encourage the retention of your staff:

• Improve career direction and mobility
• Identify organisational culture
• Increase confidence in your staff

Through interactive one day workshops we will explore the following topics:

• Clarify career and life goals and develop strategies for staff to implement them successfully
• Review approaches to personal and professional development
• Build strategies for balancing work and home responsibilities
• Encourage networking and drawing on mentors for support
• Help employees develop self confidence in their abilities and consider how then can maximize opportunities in the workplace
• Encourage support and feedback at all levels within the organisation

For more details please contact us at info@abravenewworld.co.uk]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/recruitment_and_retention.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/recruitment_and_retention.html Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:12:05 +0000 http://www.theequalitiesreview.org.uk/ We really want to know your views on this, as a women, how do you feel about all the media attention on women, does it help you? is it making it more difficult to get back into work or get a job if you are of child bearing age? are you a man and feel discriminated against? are you an employer, how does this affect you? Please let us know. To find out more about our reintegration training and recruitment programmes contact us on 01428 604263]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/are_women_facing_the_worst_dis.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/are_women_facing_the_worst_dis.html Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:00:00 +0000 Anyone who has ever returned to work after a few years at home looking after children or caring for a relative will tell you that it's a difficult business fraught with practical and emotional difficulties. But the opportunities for people, particularly women, to get back into paid work after a break are greater now than they've ever been. It is almost impossible to put a clear figure on how many people are out there thinking about getting back to work, but we know that it's a very large pool of women and its an important target group because of the demographics that are being faced by companies in the future, older and ageing population, older workers and fewer younger people to fill the gaps in the marketplace etc. It seems that during the 1980's and 1990's women left paid employment in vast numbers. The main reasons for this were the baby boom and also the recession in 1992/1993. However, times have changed and the opportunities for women returning to the workplace are greater than they have ever been. However, there seems to be a huge spotlight on the issue of women returning to the workplace. What about men I hear you scream!! And rightly so too! The figures are not set in stone, but there are about 100,000 home dads looking after their children while their wives go out to work and many more caring for relatives at home. Recently, career development organisation A Brave New World Ltd., set up an on-line survey to gather statistics on the barriers affecting women returning to the workplace. What is interesting and encouraging is that men are taking it upon themselves to complete the survey too. The company have now decided to open the discussion to both genders in order to try to compile a truly global view of the gender breakdown on barriers and perceptions around this whole issue. One male respondent reported that like many women before him he found that being at home changed him and created problems when it came to looking for a job. He reported that his new stay at home role was 'quite a lonely life' as it was just him and the kids, the kids for company. He stated that before he took on the main carer role he was very outward and discovered that, rather like his female counterparts, he changed and lost his self-esteem and confidence. It's funny that we never think of men in this light but the same issues must be true for both genders. It must be so frustrating to be in a position where having taken a career break you have decided to go back to work, to give something back, and go to great lengths in order to do this and find that the reality of negative reactions from prospective employers is real and out there. There's another thing, 'perception'. This is such a big issue within organisations. We are becoming more aware of how to re integrate women back into the workplace and the barriers and obstacles faced by women in the process of returning to work. What about the perceptions of companies to men who have taken that time out? Some male respondents commented that you get some prospective employers who pat you on the back and say, 'I don't know how you did it', or you get others that think you stayed at home because you didn't really want to go to work and wasn't it just an opportunity for you to sit around all day watching children's tv and pressuring your wife to go out to work and be a kept man! The reality is that anyone, male or female, who has spent time at home watching children's tv knows that it's not much of an incentive to be there. However, more and more men are staying at home to look after their kids and the team at A Brave New World believe that they face even bigger problems perhaps than women because of the negative perception on the part of potential employers towards men who've been at home with kids. It is important that men and women returning to work develop their self esteem and confidence before stepping back into the workplace. It is also important to re-evaluate where you are now because in actual fact the research that A Brave New World have previously conducted indicates that all the skills developed during that career break will add value to any cv and ultimately securing that job. Using the skills developed and learnt on raising children or caring for someone will be hugely beneficial to any organisation. There is a huge skill gap out there and men and women have to develop the confidence to apply their home to work skills acquired during their time away from paid employment. There is no doubt that men and women gain from the experience of being a full time carer. You gain time management skills, flexibility in what you do and incredible multi-tasking ability, all those terms we hear so much about now and are vitally important in today's diverse workplace. http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/this_is_another_entry.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/this_is_another_entry.html Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:40:48 +0000

Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources

Ensure that the workload is designed to provide meaning, stimulation and an opportunity for the employee to progress and build on existing skills

Ensure that employees are given the opportunities to participate in the decision making process that affects them

Develop clear top down communication and encourage upward communication

Generate and encourage an empathetic culture within the organisation

Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers

In conclusion, stress in today's workplace is inevitable because we live and work in a fast moving and ever changing society. Without challenges and managed pressures, work would be boring and lack sparkle. Indeed , all of us have the capacity to be overwhelmed by work related stress and to experience its debilitating effects. Our aim, as leaders in organisations, should be to manage this stress and to evolve methods of responding to it through making real and effective changes to our employees working lives. ]]> http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/test_article.html http://www.abravenewworld.co.uk/articles/2007/08/test_article.html Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:53:43 +0000