In this article we will outline what a training calendar is and how your business can benefit from using one. You will also find guidance on how to prepare a training calendar along with free downloadable training calendar templates. 

What is a Training Calendar?

A training calendar is a schedule of training sessions, workshops and seminars. It acts as a visual guide of training opportunities that will further your employees’ professional growth and development. 

Providing your employees with a diverse range of training empowers them to enhance their skills whilst encouraging them to attain new ones. This boosts their confidence and increases their independence which in turn helps your business. The consequences of not training your employees can be severe, but a well organised training calendar will support the successful implementation of training in your business.

Why Use a Training Calendar for Employees?

The benefits of employee training include improved efficiency, greater job satisfaction and higher employee retention. A training calendar is much more than just a checklist of the workshops and seminars that create these benefits. Training calendars enable you to deliver training in the most effective and efficient way possible and act as discernable markers of your dedication to employee development.  

Five ways a training calendar can be beneficial to you and your employees include:

1. Improved performance and engagement – training improves your employees’ skills and gives them the tools to do their jobs confidently and competently. When employees can see what training is coming up, they are better prepared to improve those skills and thus more likely to be highly engaged during said training.  
2. Encouraging innovation – creativity is stimulated when employees are given the chance to explore new ideas and approaches through training. A training calendar shows employees that you both value and encourage these chances for innovation. 
3. Increased competitiveness – businesses that invest in employee training have a competitive advantage on others as they are providing their employees with the skills to meet different demands. By showing prospective and existing employees what training opportunities are available, your business stands out as an organisation dedicated to employee development. 
4. Creating a culture of learning – a training calendar reiterates to all your employees that training is not a ‘one time thing’ but in fact a continuous process of improvement. This in turn helps to create a culture of learning in which learning and development is a normal part of your business’ day-to-day activities. 
5. Addressing skill gaps – upskilling employees can be a cost-effective way to build the skills that your business needs whilst boosting morale and improving employee engagement. A training calendar that has been strategically developed to target identified skill gaps provides your employees with the chance to fill those gaps and improve their skill set. 

Looking to Learn More?

We offer a wide range of Online Training Courses to support your employees’ professional development. From Health and Safety Training for Employees to Communication Skills, we have an array of courses to expand your employees’ skills and boost your business’ success.

How to Prepare a Training Calendar

There are lots of different training calendar formats available and you need to consider which format is best for you. Important factors to consider are the size of your team, the frequency of training sessions and the training objectives. Regardless of which format you choose, your training calendar needs careful planning and consideration in order to be as effective as possible. 

Remember; a well planned and carefully executed training calendar will align with the needs of your business and enable your employees to take ownership of their development. 

Here are some key steps you should follow when preparing a training calendar:

1. Assess your Needs.

Before you begin any kind of planning, you need to identify the training needs of your business and your employees. This is an opportune time to seek input from your employees and learn what kind of training they actually want and need. Take the time to consider skill gaps and ask your employees what skills they are interested in developing. The more tailored your training calendar the more engaged your employees and the more plentiful the rewards. 

2. Establish Objectives.

Once you have an idea of what needs your training will address, the next step is to define the objectives for your training sessions. What do you want your employees to gain? What skills and knowledge are you eager to develop? Establishing clear objectives and setting SMART goals gives your employees a direct understanding of what is expected from them and their training. You can then align their training with your business’ objectives, ensuring they have the necessary skills for your business’ success.

3. Select Resources and Format.

Training comes in all shapes and sizes but one size does not fit all. Not only do different employees have different training needs, some training is better delivered in one way than  the other. Consider offering a variety of training formats such as online courses, in-person workshops or seminars/webinars. This can help to mix things up for your employees and prevent training from appearing monolithic.

It is also important to consider the best facilitator for training. Don’t overlook the expertise that already exists within your business but also recognise when an external training provider would be the best course of action. 

4. Plan your Schedule.

Now that you’ve done the groundwork it’s time to put your training calendar together! It’s important to be strategic with your scheduling in order to make it as effective as possible. Whilst you want to offer ample opportunities for training, avoid overloading your employees with too many sessions at once. Ensure that training is spread out so that it remains manageable along with your employees’ regular workload. It is also a good idea to offer sessions at different times of the day to accommodate different schedules and workloads. 

Consider aligning your training calendar with your business’ initiatives. For example, if you have an important project coming up in the next quarter, you can spend the previous quarter delivering key training that will help the project’s success. Moreover, if you know that May is a particularly busy month for your business, you may decide to reduce the number of training sessions for that month to avoid overloading your staff.  

5. Share and Promote.

Think of your training calendar as a living breathing document, that is to say, once it’s finished don’t let it rot away in a folder never to see the light of day. Ensure that your training calendar is easily accessible for employees and encourage them to regularly check it for updates. You may decide to share the calendar via email, monthly newsletters (depending on the frequency that you have chosen) or other internal communications. However you decide to do it, make sure you convey the value of the training that you are offering and promote the specific benefits of each session. 

6. Evaluate and Evolve.

As with any living thing your training calendar can and should evolve over time. Take the time to evaluate your training calendar and the impact that it has had on your business. Have your employees gained the skills that they needed? Are you offering too much training in one area and not enough in another? Does the calendar still align with the needs of your business? These are important questions to ask to maintain the efficacy of your training calendar. Encourage employee feedback and use this to adapt and tweak your calendar as necessary. Utilise both qualitative and quantitative metrics to gauge the success of your training sessions and to guide the creation of future calendars. By committing to the continuous improvement of your training calendar you are ensuring that it remains useful and impactful for your business and your employees. 

Training Calendar Templates

A training calendar is an invaluable tool when it comes to delivering effective training. As mentioned, it needs to be comprehensive and informative, whilst remaining simple to follow and understand. It can be daunting to know where to start when creating a training calendar and there are countless templates for you to choose from. Regardless of which one you choose, it needs to be appropriate for your business and adjusted to suit your specific goals. 

Our free monthly and weekly training calendar templates provide you with a structured approach to professional learning and development. Each template can be downloaded and edited to suit the specific needs of your business; for example, you may choose to use the monthly calendar template for department or company wide training and encourage your employees to use the weekly template to create their own individualised training calendar.

You also have the option to colour coordinate your calendar with an editable colour key. You may choose to do this to group training sessions together by the skill that will be developed or to indicate which sessions are mandatory and which are optional. If you choose to keep your training calendar as a digital file you can highlight each entry with the corresponding colour yourself, or should you choose to print it, you can use a highlighter. 

Remember, it’s important to evaluate your training calendar to maintain its efficacy and to ensure that it remains relevant to your employees’ and business’ needs. It is therefore advisable to allocate time in your calendar for feedback sessions during which you can gain valuable information to guide the creation of future training calendars.

A training calendar is much more than just a stylish way to display training. It is an invaluable strategic tool that enables you to deliver efficient and effective training, supporting your employees’ growth and your business’ success.

Further Resources:

• 10 Employee Engagement Strategies
• How to Write SMART Goals for Employees
• Online Training Courses

The post Training Calendars: Why Your Company Needs One appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article will define employee engagement, explore why it is important and provide you with 10 employee engagement strategies to utilise in 2025. 

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement refers to an employees’ emotional investment in, and enthusiasm for, their work and workplace. It is a broad concept that encompasses many different aspects of an employee’s working life. The more engaged an employee, the higher their morale, productivity and investment in your business’ success.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report found that businesses with highly engaged employees greatly outperformed those with disengaged teams. 

Those with highly engaged employees experienced:

• 78% decrease in absenteeism.
• 18% increase in sales productivity.
• 23% increase in profitability. 

Employee engagement has an undeniable impact on the success of a business. As such, it is important to understand and recognise the different levels of employee engagement in order to identify areas for improvement. 

Gallup identifies three levels of employee engagement:

Actively Engaged: These star employees are the backbone of your business. They are passionate about their work and are dedicated to you and your goals. They feel valued and appreciated and therefore motivated to work hard to help your business grow. 

Actively engaged employees will:

• Take the initiative and actively seek out new challenges.
• Demonstrate positive behaviours to the rest of the team thereby inspiring others.
• Feel comfortable expressing concerns and proposing solutions.

Not Engaged: These employees see your business in a relatively neutral way. Whilst they care about their work, they are unlikely to go above and beyond expectations and lack the motivation to seek out further opportunities or challenges. 

Not engaged employees will:

• Rarely do more than is required. 
• Show little interest in personal or professional development. 
• Keep concerns to themselves in order to ‘save face.’ 

Actively Disengaged: These employees are unhappy, unmotivated and unsatisfied. As such they are emotionally disconnected from their work and by extension your business. They are resentful and their negative attitude can be infectious, spreading discontent across the team. 

Actively disengaged employees will:

• Do the bare minimum. 
• Ensure that their discontent is known across the business.
• Highlight concerns without proposing solutions. 

Businesses can often overlook the corrosive potential of actively disengaged or not engaged employees. However, these employees can slowly erode your company culture, leading to issues such as high turnover, presenteeism and low morale. 

Types of Employee Engagement 

In 1990, psychologist William Kahn identified three principal aspects of employee engagement; cognitive, emotional and physical. Kahn argued that by engaging employees in these ways they feel supported in their role, like their work is worthwhile and that they are valued. These three aspects remain an important part of employee engagement theory today.

The Importance of Employee Engagement

Engaged employees are integral to your business’ growth and productivity. They are happier in the workplace and consistently go above and beyond to actualise your business’ goals. They are productive and take pride in their work and your business naturally benefits from this mindset. Simply put, employee engagement can make or break your business and so its importance cannot be overstated.

Benefits of high employee engagement include:  

• Greater job satisfaction. 
• Increased creativity.
• Improved resilience.
• Improved performance.
• Increased productivity.
• Higher retention rates.
• Collaborative teamwork.
• Decreased absenteeism.
• Better customer service.
• Higher profitability. 

Looking to Learn More?

Our wide range of Business Essentials Courses covers the fundamentals that every business needs to be successful. Our courses such as Communication Skills and Leadership and Management will teach you the skills to foster a supportive work environment thereby improving employee engagement. 

10 Employee Engagement Strategies

Your workplace cannot function without your employees and so it is vital that you get employee engagement right. An employee engagement strategy enables you to be deliberate about engaging your employees. A successful strategy will utilise a wide range of practices and should have a multi-pronged approach that encompasses practices across your entire business. 

Here are 10 employee engagement strategies that you can implement in 2025:

1. Measure current engagement levels. 

Before you can improve employee engagement, you need to know how engaged your employees actually are. Whilst there are recognisable traits of the different levels of employee engagement, it is important to get this information directly from your employees. You might think that your hard worker who always comes in on time is actively engaged, but a simple survey or informal 1-2-1 might reveal that they are not engaged at all and are biding their time till something better comes along. 

2. Encourage employee feedback. 

After gathering the necessary information from your employees, keep that channel open. Feedback isn’t a one way street and by asking your employees for their feedback you are showing that their opinion matters. This feedback could by gathered by using a 360 degree feedback template, an anonymous feedback box, or a monthly ‘town hall’; regardless of how you do it, listen to your employees, engage with their feedback sincerely  and utilise what you learn to make a positive difference.

3. Foster clear communication.

Employees can often feel like their concerns won’t be heard or acted upon and so keep issues to themselves. This silence can quickly become resentment that spreads across your business. Encourage clear communication that lets your employees openly voice their concerns. Clear communication also ensures that your employees understand their role, what is expected of them and how that aligns with your business’ goals. 

4. Provide opportunities for growth. 

A clear path for professional development shows your employees that there is room for growth within your business and that their hard work will lead somewhere. By investing in their growth, your employees will feel like valued members of your business. Take the time to consider what training would be best for their individual professional and personal development with a training needs analysis. There can be serious consequences of a lack of training, so take the time to invest in training and by extension your employees’ future. 

5. Recognise and appreciate accomplishments.

Recognition boosts self-esteem and feelings of personal competency. When your employees feel that their hard work is being noticed and appreciated, they are more willing to continue that hard work. Recognise your employees accomplishments with day-to-day ‘shoutouts’ or company-wide recognition schemes. However, not all of your employees will want to be recognised in the same way so diversify your recognition systems to ensure that appreciation remains genuine and meaningful to each employee.

6. Encourage a good work-life balance. 

Juggling home life and work life is a universal struggle, however actively encouraging a good work-life balance shows your employees that you care about their personal well being both inside and outside of the office.

Encourage a good work-life balance by:

• Setting realistic goals that reflect your employees’ workload and resources.
• Offering flexible and remote working options so that your employees’ feel empowered to manage their own time.
• Reminding your employees to take regular breaks throughout the day and to utilise their annual leave throughout the year to rest and recharge.

7. Provide incentives.

Motivate your employees to go above and beyond by rewarding their extra effort. Employee incentives encourage your employees to push themselves harder to reach a specific goal. This boosts morale when they achieve the goal and creates a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. Incentives can range from a one-off bonus to additional annual leave, however it is important to take the time to personalise the incentives where possible. If your sales team aren’t interested in rugby, tickets to Six Nations probably aren’t the best incentive for them to reach those quarterly targets.  

8. Show respect.

Everyone wants to feel respected in the workplace and as a key driving force behind your business’ success, so too do your employees. A respectful workplace is a positive workplace and one in which your employees feel comfortable and confident presenting creative and innovative ideas. Show respect at all times, lead by example and create a culture of mutual respect amongst your employees.

9. Foster a sense of purpose.

When employees have a sense of purpose they feel that their work is important. Ensuring your employees have a ‘why’ enables them to find their work meaningful and clearly see how it supports your business’ goals. Creating a sense of shared purpose across your team further increases employee engagement as colleagues come together to work towards a common goal. 

10. Set SMART goals.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. If goals are too vague and unrealistic, then your employees can quickly become demotivated and therefore disengaged. Setting SMART goals fosters a growth mindset and helps your employees feel better prepared and capable to face future challenges. To learn more, read our article on how to write SMART goals for your employees. 

Employee engagement is not a new concept and as working life continues to shift and adapt to modern needs, it only continues to grow in importance. By investing in employee engagement you are investing in your business’ future success. Your employees are one of your greatest assets and by proactively focusing on employee engagement you will improve morale, productivity and profitability. 

Further Resources:

• Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: Recruitment Strategies
• Training Needs Analysis: Free Template
• Business Essentials Courses

The post 10 Employee Engagement Strategies for 2025 appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is the Worker Protection Act?

The UK’s Worker Protection Act is an amendment to the existing Equality Act 2010 and is in force from October 26th 2024.

The new Worker Protection Act states that all employers must take ‘reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees in the course of their employment’. This puts the onus on the employer – rather than the employee – to take action against inappropriate conduct in the workplace. It also gives workers more protection, rights and support should they experience sexual harassment when at work.

The term ‘harassment’ refers to any sort of behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person. The term ‘sexual harassment’ refers to any sort of unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has this effect.

If you want to learn more, our article on Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace explains more about what sexual harassment is, gives some examples of workplace sexual harassment and gives more details on employer responsibilities.

Employer Responsibilities: How Can Employers Take Reasonable Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment?

The Worker Protection Act puts a responsibility on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. There is no single definition of what ‘reasonable steps’ means, however, so it’s up to each employer to determine what action needs to be taken in order to demonstrate they’ve taken appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment from occurring.

Despite there being no official guidance of what ‘reasonable steps’ are, there are five key actions that employers can do today to help show that they’ve taken reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace:

1. Conduct a sexual harassment risk assessment

It’s a good idea to take stock of where you currently are and carry out a risk assessment in your business. This means identifying any potential risk areas, reviewing past incidents of sexual harassment and evaluating how employees currently act and feel about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Consider carrying out a new staff attitude survey to collect feedback and find out what workers really think about existing measures, such as gender equality, workplace bullying and harassment reporting procedures. The information gathered in the risk assessment process will then enable you to address problem areas. Remember to keep written records of all your actions too, as you may need it as evidence that you’ve taken ‘reasonable steps’.

2. Review existing harassment policies

It’s essential that you take a look at your existing policies and procedures to check they’re up-to-date, relevant and suitable. Your business will likely already have a formal bullying and harassment policy, so check what it says and ensure it includes a section containing the definition of sexual harassment, examples of sexual harassment in the workplace and guidance for employees on what to do if they experience sexual harassment at work.

You may want to create a standalone sexual harassment policy – that’s separate to the main bullying and harassment policy – to show that you take the topic seriously and see it as worthy of having it’s own procedures and guidance. This policy can then go into more detail about the business’ expectations of employees, examples of unacceptable behaviours and details of the incident reporting procedure.

3. Educate the workforce about sexual harassment

In order to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, it’s vital that everyone understands what sexual harassment actually is. Employers should provide all members of staff with regular training so they can recognise inappropriate behaviours, prevent them from happening and understand what to do to address and report sexual harassment should it occur. Staff training is also a great opportunity to promote positive behaviours and encourage a culture of equality.

Online training courses you may find useful include Sexual Harassment Training Course For Managers and Supervisors, Sexual Harassment Training For Employees, Workplace Bullying & Harassment and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training.

4. Establish a ‘speak up’ culture and remove barriers to reporting harassment

Ensuring employees have an easy and efficient way to report sexual harassment is essential for improving staff wellbeing and psychological safety. Having a clear and simple reporting procedure in place is also a key ‘reasonable step’ towards preventing sexual harassment – remember to document your procedure should you need to prove this.

Establish a workplace culture where employees are encouraged to ‘speak up’ about sexual harassment, as this will give you more opportunities to detect unwanted behaviours or problem areas. For example, regular staff surveys, one-to-ones with line managers, a clear reporting procedure and group training sessions will empower workers to speak up about potential issues.

However, for staff to feel confident to speak up about sexual harassment, they need to see that the reporting procedure is free from barriers, otherwise they simply won’t bother reporting at all. This means ensuring employees can trust you’ll take their report seriously, you’ll take swift appropriate action once a report is made and staff are reassured that they won’t face repercussions for speaking up.

5. Set the tone from the top down

For employees to feel confident that you are taking all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, you need to walk the walk and talk the talk. This means setting the right example at all levels of the business, from senior management down to line managers and supervisors, by living the values you’ve established and behaving in the way you expect your employees to.

Everyone at all levels of the business should be trained in sexual harassment so they feel confident to challenge it and speak up about it. Managers and senior leaders should promote a culture of dignity and respect, set the tone for expected behaviour and challenge ingrained attitudes that are known to be problematic. If workers can see that senior management take sexual harassment seriously, then they’re much more likely to follow suit.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 puts a requirement on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment involves any sort of sexual conduct or behaviour that makes an employee feel uncomfortable whilst at work and it must be prevented, challenged and dealt with appropriately. To do this, employers need to put measures in place to empower workers to speak up about sexual harassment and recognise that their employer takes their concerns and report of harassment seriously.

Further Resources:

• Sexual Harassment Training For Employees
• Sexual Harassment Training Course For Managers and Supervisors
• Workplace Bullying & Harassment Training
• What is the Equality Act 2010 and Why is it Important?
• Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employer Responsibilities

The post What the Worker Protection Act Means for You appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What Does a Project Manager Do?

A project manager is someone who plans, coordinates, manages and completes a project from start to finish. The job role is also sometimes known as a project coordinator or project officer, and you can also be a junior or senior project manager.

Project managers can work or specialise in any industry, including office-based and site-based companies. For example, marketing and advertising businesses will often need a project manager, as do construction sites, engineering firms and food catering companies.

The project manager is in charge of people, timings, resources and budget. They need to be able and confident to set realistic deadlines, delegate tasks, manage staff members, keep track completed work and handle any bumps along the way to ensure the project is successful.

Key tasks that a project manager is responsible for include:

• Researching the initial project and working out budgets, resources and team members.
• Assessing risk, checking feasibility and coming up with contingency plans and solutions to the risks identified.
• Working alongside the client and/or stakeholders to find out their needs, set objectives and establish a schedule and completion date.
• Defining roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the project, coordinating the team members and motivating them to complete key steps of the project.
• Using computer–based project management tools and software, like Gantt charts, flow charts, critical path diagrams, PRINCE2, Miro boards and sites like Monday.
• Monitoring the project constantly to keep it on track, on time and on budget and implementing any changes.
• Communicating with clients, stakeholders and other managers regularly and clearly.
• Closing the project at completion and evaluating successes, difficulties and changes for next time.

What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Project Manager?

You can become a project manager with all sorts of qualifications and there’s no specific course or degree you must take. Instead, employers look for candidates with good grades in relevant qualifications, plus strong soft and hard skills that’ll make you well-suited for the role.

• Project Management Undergraduate Degrees – you can enter a job in project management with a university degree in any subject, but more relevant ones might include business, management or engineering. If you’re looking to enter a role in a specific industry, like project management in construction, then an undergraduate degree in a related subject would be useful.
• Project Management Masters Degrees– if your undergraduate degree is completely unrelated to project management but you’d like to pursue it as a career, studying a postgraduate Masters in project management may increase your chances of getting a job. This is particularly true if the course is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM) such as the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) or APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ).
• Project Management Apprenticeships – an apprenticeship enables you to earn money as you learn by working in the role at the same time as your training. Pursuing an apprenticeship in project management gives you the hands-on skills you need for the role, gives you access to important industry contacts and can sometimes lead to you being hired once the training is complete. Look for an apprenticeship as an assistant project management, a project coordinator or a project support officer.
• Project Management Work Experience – work experience is usually voluntary, unpaid work but it’ll give you good experience, knowledge and skills in key areas of project management. Contact companies local to you who have project managers and see whether you’re able to shadow them for a week or two.
• Project Management Online Courses – taking an online course in a related subject, such as Project Management, Event Management, Leadership and Management, Time Management, Microsoft Excel or PRINCE2 shows that you’re committed to personal and professional development and will give you important project management certifications that you can put on your CV.

You’re also able to join a project management professional body as a student member, which can give you a chance to network with people in the industry and keep up-to-date with relevant news, training and job opportunities. Take a look at the APM (Association for Project Management), PMI (Project Management Institute) and the CMI (Chartered Management Institute) for more.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Project Manager?

Project managers need a wide range of skills if they are to be successful and efficient in their role. Many of the skills you need to be a project manager are ones that you’ve learnt through previous training, work experience or education and which can be applied to the role of project manager – these are your transferable skills, so be sure to highlight them on your job application and CV.

Project management skills can be divided into two main categories: soft skills and hard skills. Examples of each are listed below:

Project Management Soft Skills

Soft skills are the attributes, qualities and personality traits you have in addition to the qualifications and certificates you hold. They’re sometimes referred to as interpersonal skills or people skills and are non-technical. Soft skills demonstrate your efficiency, productivity, initiative and proactivity.

Examples of project management soft skills are:

• Time management – creating a project timeline, managing your own workload and coordinating the schedules of team members to ensure the project is finished on time.
• Delegation – being able to prioritise and delegate tasks will ensure the project’s milestones are achieved.
• Organisation – the ability to plan the project from start to finish, manage resources, budget and people, and stay on top of what’s happening at all times.
• Communication skills – being able to motivate a team, communicate updates to clients and stakeholders, ensure everyone knows what they’re doing and manage expectations.
• Leadership – if you have a team of workers, being able to inspire them, manage them and lead them to complete the project.
• Negotiation skills – being able to finish a project whilst ensuring everyone is happy and all needs have been met. This may include negotiating with people, but also negotiating resources, schedules and budgets.
• Initiative – thinking on your feet, making decisions under pressure and taking the lead when things go wrong or need to change.

Project Management Hard Skills

Hard skills are the technical proficiencies you need to perform a particular job role. Without them, you’d be unable or unqualified to do the job in question. Hard skills are obtained through education or training and usually result in a certificate or qualification. Hard skills demonstrate that you’re qualified to perform the role.

Examples of project management hard skills are:

• Project planning skills – knowing the techniques needed to plan a project and being able to document the project in an industry-recognised way, e.g. PRINCE2.
• Risk management – the ability to identify risks, predict risks and manage risks to ensure you stay in control of the project and have solutions ready.
• Digital literacy – knowing how to use computer software, apps, handheld devices, etc. and being able to keep up with advancements in technology or changes to the computer programmes used.
• Data reporting skills – being able to report project data in a visual format for clients and stakeholders to see and understand, whether it’s in a report, chart or other format.
• Budget management – being able to decide the budget, allocate costs, plan a contingency fund and keep the project within the agreed budget expectations.

How to Get a Job in Project Management

Jobs in project management can be found in all industries, including business, advertising, marketing, manufacturing, construction, engineering, entertainment and food. When looking for jobs in project management, therefore, don’t narrow down your search too much unless you want to specialise in a particular sector.

Project managers also work in both public and private organisations, large companies or for self-employed people. A typical starting salary would be £20,000+ in a position such as a Junior or Assistant Project Manager. From there, you can progress to a more senior role such as a Programme Manager – someone who has responsibility for coordinating a whole team of project managers. Smaller companies or self-employed people may hire a freelance project manager, in which case it’s up to you to set your hourly rate.

You can find a job as a project manager by searching online or by looking at specific company websites. The National Careers Service is the best place to start if you’re looking to find an apprenticeship or training course related to project management and the Government’s Find a Job service can help you look for available project management roles in your area.

Before applying for a job in project management, ensure your CV and cover letter are fully up-to-date and showcase your skills, certificates and qualifications. Take a look at our article on How to Write Your First CV for more tips and guidance.

A career in project management requires strong organisation, communication and leadership skills if you are to be successful in guiding projects from start to finish. A qualification in project management, whether a degree or online training course, will also help you on your way to obtaining a project management role in an industry that inspires you.

Further Resources:

• Online Project Management Training Course
• Project Management Quiz
• Writing A Professional Development Plan – Example & Template
• A Personal Development Plan (PDP) Guide & Template

The post How to Become a Project Manager appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Carbon Footprint in Business?

Your carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases that are generated by your actions. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide and methane, and they are emitted either directly or indirectly by daily activities.

Your carbon footprint in business refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases your workplace generates through daily operations, transportation, manufacturing and maintenance, to name a few. It also includes the emissions created by workplace equipment and utilities.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol – who set international standards for carbon emissions – categorise carbon footprint activities into three key areas. Each of your workplace activities will fall into one of the three categories and you can use this information to help your company reduce its carbon footprint. The three areas are:

1. Scope 1: Direct Emissions – these are the greenhouse gas emissions created by the fuel and energy sources your business uses in its daily operations. For example, gas boilers, furnaces or the petrol in company-owned vehicles.
2. Scope 2: Indirect Emissions – these are the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the energy your business purchases. For example, the energy needed for electricity, heating and air conditioning. Indirect emissions are linked to your company’s utility bills and are affected by your energy choices and how energy efficient your business is.
3. Scope 3: Other Indirect Emissions – this category is for everything else, i.e. all other indirect greenhouse gas emissions linked to your company’s daily operations but not produced by the business itself. For example, employee commuting, waste disposal, purchased goods, office electronics and outsourced services.

Why Should Companies Reduce Their Carbon Footprint?

Reducing your carbon footprint is vital to help mitigate climate change. Businesses and buildings contribute enormously to global greenhouse gas emissions, so it’s essential that they play their part in reducing them. It’s believed that buildings and offices are responsible for almost 40% of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

As well as the positive environmental impact, reducing your business’s carbon footprint has many other benefits:

• Help the UK achieve net zero – As part of the Paris Agreement, the UK aims to reach net zero by 2050, meaning the total greenhouse gas emissions will be equal to the emissions removed from the atmosphere. Reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint now will help the country to achieve this goal and ensure you’re complying with any current or future regulatory requirements.
• Attract like-minded employees – A 2021 survey learnt that 65% of people would prefer to work for an environmentally-minded company. Working to reduce your carbon footprint shows potential job candidates that your business is responsible, caring and accountable for its future.
• Enhance your public profile – Alongside attracting like-minded staff, your business will also attract like-minded customers, clients and stakeholders by reducing its carbon emissions. Research has shown that 34% of consumers choose brands with strong, sustainable credentials, so upping your environmental game will likely lead to an increase in sales.
• Save your business money – Taking a look at your company’s carbon footprint and making changes to improve it will more than likely save your business money. Energy consumption is a significant cost for most businesses, so improving your energy efficiency will soon lead to lower energy bills.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in the Workplace

There are so many ways for your business to reduce its carbon footprint, many of which are low-cost and low-effort. Even if your company makes just one of the changes listed here, it will still make a positive difference to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it creates.

1. Choose energy-efficient lighting – Switch to LED lightbulbs as these are much more efficient than older, halogen bulbs and tend to last a lot longer before they need replacing. The Energy Saving Trust says that replacing lightbulbs with LED alternatives can reduce your carbon emissions by 5KG. You should also aim to reduce energy wastage by only switching on lights when you need them, installing sensor-activated lighting, using dimmable lights and keeping blinds open to maximise natural light.

2. Manage the temperature – Pay attention to the way your business both heats and cools its premises, as heating and cooling systems can quickly use a lot of energy. Opt for programmable thermostats and energy-efficient HVAC systems, seal windows and doors, install insulation and use double glazing. Keep systems clean and well maintained so that they’re working at maximum efficiency and pay attention to the temperature settings on your thermostat – turning the temperature down by just one degree will make a big difference to your carbon footprint.

3. Switch energy suppliers – Take a look at who currently provides your utilities and see whether you’re able to switch to a renewable source. Renewable energy sources, like hydroelectric power and solar power, are much more sustainable options than fossil fuels and create far less harmful carbon emissions.You could even consider installing solar panels on the roof of your company’s premises.

4. Opt for greener transport – If you have employees that commute to the workplace, encourage them to use more sustainable transport options, such as public transports, walking, biking or car-sharing. Your business could consider offering incentives to reduce the cost of public transport for workers and, if company cars are provided, selecting electric vehicles rather than petrol/diesel-fuelled ones.

5. Choose local suppliers and reduce journey distances – Buy products and services from businesses local to you, as this is much more sustainable and reduces carbon emissions as products have a much smaller distance to travel. Plan deliveries, orders and collections more efficiently to prevent unnecessary journeys, look for local companies that offer packaging-free delivery options and send just one person out to collect office lunches, rather than each employee driving individually.

6. Go paperless – Reduce the amount of paper used in your business by using digital documents instead of paper ones, emails rather than posted mail, limit printing to essential documents only, avoid hard-copies of training materials and print double-sided. Adopt a ‘paperless policy’ across the company and recycle as much as possible to avoid any paper waste – it’s thought that around 26% of waste in landfills around the world is a result of paper.

7. Banish single-use items – Single-use items, like paper towels, disposable cutlery and coffee cups, contribute towards carbon emissions as they require manufacturing, sale and delivery to replace. Around 2.5 billion takeaway coffee cups are thrown away in the UK each year. Replace any single-use items your company uses with reusable ones – you could provide staff with water bottles, mugs, spoons and cloth cleaning towels, for example. These are easy swaps to make and can have a big impact on reducing your business’s carbon footprint.

8. Use rechargeable batteries – Your company office probably has a variety of small appliances and items that use batteries, such as smoke detectors, radios, calculators, remote controls and wireless keyboards. Replace the single-use batteries in them with rechargeable ones which can be used hundreds of times rather than just once, reducing waste and reducing carbon emissions.

9. Reduce, reuse and recycle – Alongside reducing the amount of waste produced by your company, you should also aim to recycle as much as you can to reduce the environmental impact you have. Put labelled recycling bins in all staff areas and offices to encourage the recycling of paper, cardboard, tins, bottles, glass, printer ink cartridges, batteries, lightbulbs, etc. Make recycling as easy as possible for employees so that nothing goes in the wrong bin and educate staff so they understand the importance of recycling.

10. Reduce food waste – The UN says that a third of all food produced in the world is wasted. Not only does this result in lost food, but also a waste of carbon emissions from when the food was produced, packaged, transported and disposed of. Furthermore, when waste food breaks down in landfill, it produces methane – a greenhouse gas. Whether your business has a canteen, food hall, shop or staffroom, ensure that food waste is reduced wherever possible through composting or food donation.

11. Opt for organic food and drink – If your business provides employees or visitors with food and drink, choose organic or Fairtrade options where you can, as these have been produced in a more sustainable way and therefore have a lower carbon footprint. You could also look for food and drink companies that are BCorp certified, as this shows the company has a strong social conscience.

12. Remove plastic water bottles – Many businesses offer free bottles of water to staff and visitors, but this can result in significant plastic waste, costs and carbon emissions. Instead, swap bottled water for a water filter which can be installed directly onto your taps.

13. Rent items rather than buying them – All equipment creates carbon emissions during manufacture, packing and delivery, including office furniture, electronics and machinery. If you’re able to, lease your equipment rather than purchasing it outright, as this helps to save resources and energy. Another option is to buy second hand, as this is a much more sustainable option than buying new.

14.  Look for green appliances – If you need to replace company appliances and electronics with new ones, and you aren’t able to rent them, then always look for the most energy-efficient options. All appliances have ratings for how efficient they are and, the better the rating, the less energy it uses, the lower emissions it produces and the more money it’ll save you to run.

15. Retrofit existing company buildings – Older company premises are unlikely to be as energy-efficient as newly built ones, so consider retrofitting your building to improve its environmental credentials. Could you install more insulation, replace old windows with double-glazing, install solar panels or add lighting sensors? All of these options will reduce carbon emissions and reduce energy costs.

16. Aim for a green certification – Your business can apply for a certification scheme to prove how sustainable it is. Not only does this show potential clients and stakeholders that you’re accountable for your environmental actions, but it also helps your business recognise what it needs to do to reduce emissions in order to achieve green accreditation. Examples of green certifications in the UK are Green Mark, Green Accord and B Corp. 

17. Implement a company-wide sustainability policy – Including a sustainability policy in your company procedures shows to employees, customers, stakeholders and the world that you are serious about reducing carbon emissions and improving your carbon footprint. Ensure employees are trained regularly in environmental awareness, keep sustainability part of every business conversation and actively do what you can to keep green behaviour at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

If your business takes action to reduce its carbon footprint, then not only will the environment benefit from the changes made, but your company will also save money and enhance its public profile. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital for mitigating climate change and achieving net zero and it’s often the smallest of changes to your daily operations that make all the difference.

Further Resources

• The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility for Your Business
• How to Implement Corporate Social Responsibility in Your Small Business
• How to Promote Environmental Awareness in the Workplace

The post How to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Work appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Workplace Violence?

Workplace violence can happen in any workplace of any size and any type of business, whether you have a hundred employees, just a handful of colleagues or if you work alone. It’s a significant concern for both employees and employers, as workplace violence can have a serious impact on wellbeing and safety – of both your staff members and the business as a whole.

Did you know…

The Worker Protection Act 2023 changes came into effect for all businesses in October 2024. The Act places a new legal obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Our Sexual Harassment Training for Employees course helps businesses comply with their new responsibilities.

Whilst anyone can be subject to workplace violence, certain occupations are more vulnerable than others. At particularly high risk are job roles that involve working with the public, that open after dark or that serve alcohol. This puts workers in the service industry most at risk – including occupations such as healthcare workers, social workers, hospitality staff and taxi drivers.

Workplace violence occurs when an event triggers someone to react and the workplace environment is conducive towards violence happening. As an employer, leader or manager, therefore, your role is to remove this link and prevent the workplace from being a place where violence is allowed – or enabled – to occur.

Workplace Violence Examples

Generally speaking, there are four main ‘types’ of workplace violence that you may come across:

1. Violence with criminal intent – including theft, criminal damage, cyber attacks or aggravated assault. The violence may be against the business, the premises or the people that work there and is usually carried out by someone outside of the workplace, not an employee.
2. Customer or client violence – including physical assault and verbal attacks, such as threats and intimidation. The violence is instigated by a customer, client or other visitor to the workplace, usually because they are upset or angry with the business, product or service received.
3. Worker-on-worker violence – including physical assaults, verbal abuse or emotional abuse, such as harassment, intimidation and bullying. This is when employees turn on each other and act aggressively or hostile towards each other, whether physically or through their words and behaviours.
4. Interpersonal violence – including domestic violence. This type of violence occurs between two people with a close relationship, whether that’s a romantic relationship, a friendship or a manager-employee relationship.

To learn more about the warning signs of violence in the workplace and how to recognise potential conflict, take a look at our dedicated article: Signs of Conflict in the Workplace.

7 Tips to Prevent Workplace Violence

Employers, leaders and managers have a duty of care towards their employees and must ensure that workplace violence is prevented and discouraged. Here are seven top tips to prevent workplace violence in your organisation:

1. Always follow safer recruitment practices – safer recruitment is about safeguarding your business and staff from unsuitable employees, right from the start. Preventing workplace violence begins with a thorough hiring process where background checks are carried out on potential employees to see whether they have any history of violence, including any recent convictions. If something comes to the surface, then seek an explanation from the person and, if insufficient, be sure to retract the job offer.
2. Establish zero-tolerance policies – all businesses must have strict violence, harassment and bullying policies in place to ensure employees know what is expected of them, how to report incidents and what the disciplinary measures are. These policies should be regularly reviewed, updated and communicated to all members of staff and customers where relevant.
3. Enable open communication with employees – all employees should have access to a reporting procedure for any concerns and incidents related to workplace violence. As a leader or manager, ensure you have an ‘open door’ attitude and ensure workers have an easy and effective line of communication with senior managers. This will help workers to feel confident that their grievances will be heard and responded to fairly, thus increasing safety, trust and wellbeing.
4. Highlight the importance of respect – respect in the workplace goes a long way towards reducing the chances of workplace violence, as employees will be much more understanding and tolerant of each other’s differences. Businesses should encourage a positive culture where equality and diversity are welcomed, celebrated and respected.
5. Provide regular awareness training – conducting regular training sessions in topics such as conflict management, EDI, resilience and unconscious bias will help workers understand which behaviours are and aren’t acceptable and how to respond to violent incidents appropriately. Training sessions can also empower workers to recognise warning signs, promote a positive workplace culture and effectively manage their mental health.
6. Enhance workplace security – implementing security measures in the workplace, or maintaining those you already have in place, can significantly reduce the chances of violence occurring. This might include CCTV, security guards, keycard entry systems, panic buttons, security lights or visitor check-in procedures. Security features such as these provide additional safety for staff and help to deter violence from happening.
7. Carry out a workplace violence risk assessment – a thorough and regular risk assessment will enable you to identify areas of vulnerability in your workplace and then put measures in place to address these issues. For example, inadequate security measures, problems with the reporting procedure or lack of awareness. Remember to talk to employees and ask for their feedback and observations before implementing control measures, as they are often best-placed to identify areas for improvement.

Want to Learn More?

As an employer, having strong leadership skills is essential for managing your workforce, promoting a positive workplace culture and effectively preventing workplace violence. Our Leadership and Management Training and Effective Leadership Training courses will help you to develop this knowledge further.

How to Handle Violence in the Workplace

Handling violence in the workplace isn’t always easy, especially if you have a close relationship with the person or people who instigated it. As an employer, leader or line manager, however, you have a responsibility to follow any disciplinary procedures your organisation has in place.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that procedures must be in place for responding to incidents of violence in your workplace, and the response must be proportionate to the level of risk. Staff should also be trained in how to cope with foreseeable violence, where necessary, and know how to report incidents.

If a member of staff has acted violently or abusively towards another member of staff or someone else on the premises, such as a customer or contractor, then you will need to carry out disciplinary action. It’s vital that you apply the same disciplinary procedures to everyone, no matter their status, position or relationship to you. Depending on the severity of the violence, you may need to suspend the employee whilst an investigation into the incident is carried out.

If a member of staff has committed an illegal act, then you may need to contact the police before following your organisation’s disciplinary procedure. You can still carry out your own investigations whilst a criminal case is ongoing.

If a member of staff has received an injury due to violence and requires medical treatment or extended time off work as a result, you should allow this. As with any other absence, check your company policy about whether the worker will still be paid in full whilst off work and how much time they’re entitled to. For employees who have been subject to violence or witnessed violence, bear in mind that this can be a traumatic experience for them, so consider what support you’re able to offer in terms of leave or counselling, for example.

In some instances, a worker may want to raise a grievance because of a violence in the workplace. In these cases, ensure the employee is provided with your organisation’s grievance policy and help them to follow the process of reporting a grievance, attending a grievance hearing and dealing with the outcome.

It’s also a good idea to carry out a debriefing after a violent incident in the workplace. This means reviewing your risk assessment and looking carefully at what happened, how and why it happened and what can be done to reduce the likelihood of something similar happening again. Talk to the members of staff who were involved or who witnessed the violence to establish exactly what occurred and learn of any changes they’d recommend or support they need.

Violence in the workplace is not something that should be taken lightly and employers must have robust procedures in place to handle violent incidents. Violence can be instigated by anyone in any type of workplace, so ensure you’ve carried out a relevant risk assessment to highlight any potential concerns and do what you can to prevent violence in the workplace from occurring. Keeping workers safe from harm is the duty of all employers, leaders and managers.

Further Resources

• Conflict Management Training Course
• Understanding the Different Types of Group Conflict: A Guide for Managers
• Managing Conflict in the Workplace: A Guide for Line Managers

The post Preventing Workplace Violence: Employer Responsibilities appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is School Leadership?

Strong leadership in education is vital for ensuring your school succeeds. Having an effective leadership team in place means your education setting is cohesive and consistent when it comes to supporting both students and teachers – everyone knows who has responsibility for what and who to speak to if they have a concern.

Your school leadership team will likely consist of a variety of job roles, including a headteacher, assistant head, department leaders, SENCOs and teaching staff, for example. It’s important to note, however, that not all leadership teams are the same and there’s no fixed hierarchy. Instead, your school leadership team should reflect the needs of your particular school and its pupils.
Successful leadership in education is the key to a positive school culture. When performed well, a leadership team can transform your school, improve ratings and inspire staff and students alike. The approach you take to your leadership style in education is therefore crucial.

Hierarchy in Education

A school hierarchy refers to the line of authority from the most authoritative person – the headteacher – down through every job role in your school. The best hierarchy in education is one where this line of authority is clear, so everyone knows exactly who they report to.

Whilst each individual school will have its own leadership team and may have different roles in its hierarchy depending on its particular needs, there is a typical hierarchy in education that many schools follow. The roles included in the school hierarchy will also be different if your school is part of a multi-academy trust.

 A simple hierarchy in education would be:

1. The headteacher or principal
2. Deputy/assistant heads
3. Heads of department
4. SENCOs
5. Classroom teachers
6. Teaching assistants

Importance of School Leadership

There are many positives of having a transparent school hierarchy and a strong leadership team in place:

Good school leadership makes your school more efficient to run, because everyone knows where they belong and what their professional responsibilities are. This helps to prevent misunderstandings and encourages conversation between staff members.

A competent school leadership team further helps members of staff to work together. If they are understanding of each others’ responsibilities, this makes them more appreciative of each others’ skills and capabilities, in turn increasing respect between job roles. If your school leadership team can bring leaders with different mindsets and skills together, and there is mutual respect for these differences, then your team and your school will thrive.

Not only does leadership in education help the teachers in your setting, but it also benefits the students, too. A harmonious leadership team generates positive energy and pupils will have trust in those that teach them. As a result, students will be more likely to engage positively with their elders and will easily be able to identify who they should speak to if they have a problem, as there is a clear hierarchy and reporting line in place.
Furthermore, strong school leadership makes behaviour management more effective for teachers within the classroom. If there is a problem in the classroom, the teacher knows exactly who they should contact for further help and support. For example, it might be that the classroom teacher reports to their head of department, who then reports to their head of year if the issue cannot be resolved. This clear escalation structure ensures consistency and reliability for both students and teachers.

Looking to Learn More?

To support those who work in education, we offer a range of CPD Courses for Teaching and Education. This includes Leadership and Management and Coaching and Mentoring.

Leadership Styles in Schools

It’s important to recognise that there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to school leadership and there are many different leadership styles to follow. The style of leadership you choose will depend on your personality, your values, your experience and the needs of your school – you might adhere strictly to one particular leadership style or you might pick and choose bits from several. What’s important to note is that your leadership style is unique to you.

Below are six different leadership styles in schools. When selecting a school leadership style, consider which style works best for you and which works best for your school.

1. Instructional leadership

Instructional leadership is an authoritative leadership style and involves the leader establishing targets for teaching staff and then guiding and inspiring them to achieve the goals. It often focuses on improving teaching quality to ensure students get the most out of their education. An instructional leader is seen as a mentor who guides team members and encourages them to achieve common goals.

2. Coaching leadership

Coaching leadership focuses on the needs of the team by identifying people’s strengths and weaknesses. It is most effective for the long-term development of the leadership team. Coaching leadership helps teachers to become more self-aware, recognise their strengths and develop them further, as leaders who follow this leadership style are committed to getting the best out of each individual through clear direction and support.

3. Emotional Leadership

Emotional leadership is a leadership style based on emotional intelligence. An emotional leader recognises what motivates staff members and uses this to help them develop their skills. It takes the focus away from ticking boxes in order to progress and instead focuses on how teachers feel, and how these feelings can be used to enhance their strengths and improve on their weaknesses.

4. Democratic leadership

A democratic leader makes or approves the final decision but encourages all teaching staff to share their opinions and contribute towards discussions. Democratic leadership enables teachers to talk about their problems and collaborate to find a solution, instead of relying on the most authoritative person to solve the issues alone. A democratic leadership style can help to improve communication and teamwork amongst the school leadership team.

5. Constructive leadership

Constructive leadership aims to empower staff members and build their confidence by encouraging them to solve their own problems. This leadership style requires teachers to talk with each other to share ideas and then collaborate to reach a solution. The leader is simply there to provide guidance and support where needed.

6. Transformational leadership

Transformational leadership is focused on influencing and inspiring. A transformational leader leads by example and acts as a role model for staff, encouraging staff members to ‘do as they do’ in order to deliver positive change. In a school, this type of leader works with teachers to identify what needs to improve and then creates an inspiring vision to resolve it. Transformational leadership gives a leadership team a strong sense of purpose and direction.

How to Achieve Effective School Leadership and Management

To achieve effective school leadership, you should look to identify which leadership style you should adopt. Are you more of an emotional leader or a democratic one? To help identify your school leadership style, be sure to consider:

• What you want to achieve as a school leader.
• Your personality and which style suits you best.
• How you currently lead a team and which style you currently use.
• What you’d like to change about your current style.
• Which style would fit best with the staff you lead.
• Whether different styles are better for different situations.

Keep in mind that you may not want to choose one leadership style and stick to it – you may need to adapt your style depending on the situation, so always be flexible. It’s also possible to pick and choose qualities from different leadership styles to create your own, unique style if none of the categories feel quite right for you or your school.
What’s most important for your school leadership style is consistency. No matter how you choose to lead, your educational setting will benefit from a consistent approach where staff members know what to expect, how to contribute and what their responsibilities are.

Having a strong and effective leadership team in your education setting is crucial for a positive school environment, as it helps your school, your staff and your pupils to feel united. Adopting an appropriate leadership style in education also inspires staff members to work together and respect each other, which in turn generates trust with students and ensures they get the most out of their education.

Further Resources

• Leadership & Management Training Online Course
• 6 Types of Leadership: Which Leadership Style is Right For Me?
• 5 Ways to Maximise Pupil Voice
• What is Effective Teaching?

The post Leadership in Education: Hierarchy and Leadership Styles appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will outline what the phrase micromanagement refers to and the signs you should look out for. We will also provide you with guidance on what to do if you suspect micromanagement in the workplace.

What is Micromanagement in the Workplace?

Micromanagement in the workplace is a form of surveillance and control that is considered to be extreme. It tends to refer to the behaviours people exhibit to monitor and control aspects of team members’ work and decision making. Most often, micromanagement is attributed to those in managerial positions, but employees can also behave in a way that is considered to micromanage their colleagues. For example, if someone has been given leadership responsibilities on a project and hasn’t received training or guidance in how to do so effectively, they may unintentionally micromanage the team members working on the project.

Like the employee in the above scenario, many people who micromanage don’t start out with the intention of doing so. Most micromanagers don’t realise that they are in fact micromanaging. They often have good intentions and think they are behaving in a way that will deliver results, but their behaviours can have a significant, damaging impact on individuals and teams. This type of behaviour at work can prevent other employees from developing professionally, as they aren’t given the opportunity to experience having ownership of tasks or making decisions independently.

If you feel as though you are being micromanaged, you may experience a lack of morale, feel under pressure to perform and lose confidence in your abilities. Micromanagement in the workplace can be very frustrating, because you aren’t given opportunities to develop your own skills and develop. Often, tasks must be signed off by the person doing the micromanaging which can result in employees feeling as though they aren’t trusted to complete work.

Prolonged micromanagement in the workplace can lead to a decline in the creativity and confidence of team members. In some cases, employees may experience a decline in their mental health due to the stress and anxiety caused. Employees may feel as though they have no option but to leave the company to seek employment with more opportunities and autonomy elsewhere.

Did you know…

The Worker Protection Act 2023 changes came into effect for all businesses in October 2024. The Act places a new legal obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Our Sexual Harassment Training course helps businesses comply with their new responsibilities.

Signs of Micromanagement

Some of the signs that may indicate that you, or another employee, are being micromanaged in the workplace include the individual displaying the following behaviours:

• Heavily involved in the work of their employees or their team.
• Makes decisions themselves, with limited input or discussion with others, and prevents individuals from making their own decisions.
• Requests frequent updates on projects or tasks and wants to be kept constantly informed.
• Unwilling to delegate tasks and instead tries to complete them themselves.
• Adamant that their decisions and opinions are correct and unwilling to try to understand other peoples’ perspectives.
• Has high, and often unrealistic, expectations of employees and establishes unachievable deadlines.
• Critical of employees’ work and highlights small mistakes in a non-constructive manner.
• Detail-oriented.
• Oversteps boundaries.
• Instructs employees to complete a task in the way they want it to be done, stifling any creativity or independent thought.
• Excessively monitors employees to know what they are working on and their progress.
• Makes changes to the work of employees once it’s been completed, rather than raising and discussing it with the individual to then make the changes themselves.
• Retaining information that would be useful to others. This ensures that their employees and others have to rely on them to answer queries or solve problems.

Examples of Micromanagement

An example of someone overstepping boundaries and exhibiting signs of micromanagement in the workplace could be if a manager takes on some of the responsibilities of someone else who has been designated to lead the project. They may act as project manager when there is already someone assigned to this role for a task. Behaviours may include trying to make decisions about the direction of the project, checking what work has been completed and to what standard or suggesting changes and giving their input when this hasn’t been asked for.

Alternatively, someone who is micromanaging may display behaviours that indicate they want full control and everything to go through them. For example, they may require an employee to reach out to someone in another team or to an external stakeholder. Rather than delegate this responsibility and give them full control, a micromanager may expect to be overseeing all conversations that take place. They may request to be CC’d on every email exchange or to attend meetings where there is no need for them to also be present. These behaviours could indicate to the employee that they aren’t being trusted to carry out these tasks independently and they may feel as though they are constantly being supervised.

Is Micromanagement Bullying?

In some cases, micromanagement can be seen as a form of bullying, particularly if the individual is perceived to be using harassment and other techniques to control their employees. Micromanagement in the workplace can take many different forms, and can range from minor micromanagement tendencies to an extreme need for control and oversight over tasks and employees.

The effects of micromanagement can be akin to those experienced by someone being bullied, and so it should be avoided as a management strategy. A micromanaging employee can create a toxic work culture where others feel distrusted, disengaged and unhappy. You may feel stressed and anxious at work, which can have an impact on how you feel both at work and outside of it. If you are experiencing these emotions, you may find the guidance contained in our articles How to Manage Stress at Work and How to Deal with Anxiety at Work useful.

The person who is perceived to be micromanaging may not believe that their behaviours are such, but employees who are on the receiving end may feel differently. If someone is suspected of micromanaging, it’s important that their potentially damaging behaviours are brought to their attention.

Why Do Managers Micromanage?

As mentioned, some people who micromanage don’t realise that they are behaving in this way. They may not know that they are having a negative impact on employees or preventing them from developing their skills. Instead, they might assume that their keen eye for detail and willingness to take on tasks is positive for the business. These traits can, of course, be beneficial for individuals to possess, but when taken to the extreme they can have the opposite effect.

Another reason why someone may micromanage their team may be due to their own fears about losing control over projects. They may struggle with giving responsibilities to others, which may be due to past experiences of individuals failing to complete tasks to a high standard. Instead of approaching this problem by trying to do things themselves instead, they should look at why this individual didn’t perform as hoped. Perhaps they lacked clear instruction, or there are gaps in their learning that could be filled with training.

Managers may also have a poor self-esteem and feel as though they need to prove that they are good at their job. They may fear that allowing others more autonomy could lead to them being seen as inadequate when others succeed. These feelings may form part of the micromanager’s personality, or develop due to a poor work culture and competitiveness with an organisation. 

Finally, someone may micromanage because they are an inexperienced manager, or they haven’t had suitable training to be successful in their role. A manager may adopt a poor management style because they have copied the behaviours of another manager and think this style is effective. Organisations must support their employees by providing development opportunities for managers to improve their style. If employees are given management responsibilities and are not properly trained, they may develop poor behaviours that can lead to micromanagement in the workplace.

Want to Become an Effective Manager?

High Speed Training’s Business Essentials courses are designed to support and develop successful employees. Our catalogue of online training courses include Communication Skills, Workplace Bullying & Harassment, Leadership and Management, Effective Leadership and Performance Appraisal Training for Managers.

How to Stop Being Micromanaged

As an employee, you may experience micromanaging from your manager or from a colleague. If you are concerned about someone at work’s behaviour or think you might be being micromanaged, it’s important to speak up. Otherwise, their micromanaging will likely continue and you may find that you start to lose confidence in yourself and become unhappy at work. Your colleagues may also be experiencing similar effects as a result of micromanagement.

If you experience micromanaging you should remember that this is likely due to the individual’s own insecurities and style, rather than to do with you. It’s important to have a good relationship with your manager and colleagues and there may be some things you can change to improve this. For example, to build trust, you could consider why someone is observing you and exerting control. You may have previously missed deadlines or made numerous mistakes on a task. If this is the case, you may be able to alleviate some of the micromanaging you experience by improving your own behaviour. However, remember that it is not your responsibility to stop anyone from micromanaging.

Ultimately, organisations must prioritise creating a positive workplace culture which excludes micromanaging. Managers and those leading teams on tasks must be appropriately trained to carry out their work effectively, and this includes how they manage their colleagues.

How to Handle a Micromanaging Boss

If you believe that your manager is micromanaging you, or exhibiting behaviours which could lead to micromanagement, you may feel as though you can have an open conversation directly with them. In some cases, the micromanagement may not be severe and you may otherwise have a good relationship with your manager. If this is the case, you may feel comfortable raising your concerns with them during a one-to-one or catch up meeting. During this meeting, you should explain what behaviours and actions you are concerned about and how they make you feel on the receiving end. Many managers will be reasonable and understanding, and want to improve themselves to become the best manager possible for their team. If this approach doesn’t work, and your manager is resistant to change, you should then speak with the HR team.

In some situations, you may not feel as though you can approach your manager about their micromanaging behaviour. You might be worried that your manager won’t receive your concerns well and that it could make things worse. You should reach out to your organisation’s HR team for a confidential discussion about your situation. They will then respond to the matter sensitively and appropriately and support you throughout.

How to Deal with a Micromanager Co-worker

You should approach dealing with a micromanaging colleague in a similar way. If you feel comfortable talking to them about the impact of their behaviours, have a discussion in a non-confrontational manner. If this doesn’t result in a positive change in their behaviour, or you don’t want to discuss your concerns with them, you could approach your manager for advice. Alternatively, you could speak to your HR team about what you are experiencing and the impact it is having on you and your work.

Want to Learn More?

Micromanaging behaviours can have a detrimental effect on your self-confidence and how you feel about and approach your work. If you find yourself struggling to speak up in meetings or communicate confidently at work, take a look at How to Speak Up in Meetings for guidance. You may also find information on How to Develop a Growth Mindset in the Workplace useful to improve your resilience during difficult situations.

Micromanaging is typically not an effective style of managing employees. It can result in employees feeling as though they can’t be trusted and aren’t capable to complete tasks independently, disengaged from their work, distant from their team members and under pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines and goals. If you suspect that you are being micromanaged in the workplace, you should speak up and discuss what you are experiencing and how you feel with either your manager or the HR team.

Further Resources:

• What are Personal Development Goals for Work?
• How to Manage Stress at Work
• Business Essentials Courses

The post How to Deal with Micromanagement at Work appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

It’s important to recognise that leadership differs from management in many ways. The main difference is that leadership is about motivating and encouraging employees, while management is about ensuring tasks are completed as intended.

Whether you are a leader, manager or employee, it’s useful to understand the different types of leadership and how these can shape and change an organisation. This article explains six common leadership styles and the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as which leadership style is considered the most effective.

What are the Different Styles of Leadership?

There are many different styles of leadership and various theories, with some overlap between these. Leaders frequently adopt a range of leadership styles and an effective leader will understand how to adapt their style depending on the situation. However, they will often have one particular leadership style that they use most of the time. 

We will be covering six common types of leadership here, though there are numerous others:

• Coaching Leadership
• Transformational Leadership
• Servant Leadership
• Democratic Leadership
• Authoritative Leadership
• Autocratic Leadership

Coaching Leadership

Coaching leadership focuses on the needs of the team by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of individual members and the overall team. This provides individuals with direction to work to their strengths and develop themselves in weaker areas. Coaching leaders are committed to getting the best from each individual in their team through clear direction and support. The leader works with individuals to help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to understand how they can improve.

The leader must support their team with their development and provide each member with constructive feedback to improve performance. They should encourage the team to consider solutions to problems they encounter by asking prompting questions, rather than the leader making all the decisions. In doing so, team members feel included and listened to and will develop their ability to find solutions themselves.

Advantages of coaching leadership include:

• Objectives are clear and team members understand what is expected of them.
• Team members enjoy working as part of a group towards a shared outcome. 
• Effective communication and collaboration is encouraged.
• Weaknesses are addressed and individuals are supported to improve.
• Team members feel trusted and empowered, resulting in them being motivated and productive.
• Organisations develop talent, creating a skilled workforce.

Disadvantages of coaching leadership include:

• It can be time consuming to successfully implement because it includes one-on-one time with all team members.
• The leader must have the necessary skills and experience. They must be an effective communicator to ensure they deliver feedback in an appropriate way so that team members feel encouraged to improve, rather than criticised and unmotivated.
• Some teams may not want to work together in this way or want this type of leader. Individuals may resist attempts at coaching leadership and be uncooperative which can cause problems for the wider team.

Want to Learn More?

Our Coaching and Mentoring online training course is designed to give you the practical tools and techniques needed to get started with successful coaching and mentoring. We also offer a range of articles on the topic, including How to Develop Coaching and Mentoring Skills and Coaching vs. Mentoring: What’s the Difference?

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Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is characterised by leaders who take control and influence others through emphasising change and transformation within people and organisations. They engage others by recognising their needs, motivating them to succeed and developing a relationship of trust and participation. This type of leadership involves strong communication to encourage team members to feel invested in a shared vision. As with coaching leadership, there is a focus on people, with each individual’s potential recognised and leaders working with them to achieve this.

Advantages of transformational leadership include:

• The organisation innovates and changes for the better. People are guided by the leader to adapt to change and the challenges that may come with it.
• Team members feel motivated and have a sense of purpose. They understand and believe in a clear vision established by the leader and the part they play in achieving it.
• Individuals are supported to develop and grow professionally, increasing their skills and capabilities.
• Relationships within teams and across organisations are strong due to the trust placed in the leader.
• As a result, performance and productivity often improves.

Disadvantages of transformational leadership include:

• Individuals may experience burnout and feel overworked due to the perceived pressure to perform. If a leader is highly committed to an organisation, team members may feel as though they need to display the same level of commitment by working unreasonable hours.
• Individuals may feel under appreciated if they aren’t motivated or the leader fails to recognise their achievements.
• Some team members may require more structure and support than being led by example.
• Unless the leader provides clarity on the tasks that need to be completed, team members may be confused about responsibilities. This can result in a decrease in productivity.
• Team members may not raise concerns. As transformational leadership involves promoting a shared mindset, issues or different approaches may not be recognised or raised. Individuals may not feel comfortable with raising concerns if these could be interpreted as going against the shared mindset.
• For the leader, maintaining a high level of enthusiasm and engagement can become time-consuming and emotionally draining. 

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Servant Leadership

This type of leadership originates from the idea that leaders serve their team. Instead of exercising all power themselves, the servant leader shares this power with others, putting their needs first and supporting them to develop and perform well. The growth and well-being of the team is at the forefront of decisions.

Successful servant leaders must have the ability to listen, empathise and be self-aware. Servant leaders lead by example and are willing to carry out any task that needs doing in order to help their team. They strive to include all team members in decisions, ensuring that everyone feels heard, and make decisions that benefit those involved.

Advantages of servant leadership include:

• Team members are encouraged to be creative and empowered to share their ideas, resulting in more effective processes and greater investment in the organisation.
• It creates strong working relationships within teams and a productive working environment.
• Teams are inspired by the example set by the leader and feel motivated to do their best.
• Communication is effective. Leaders take the time to listen to their team and take action with this in consideration.
• When combined, these advantages establish a people-oriented culture which results in a decrease in employee turnover.

Disadvantages of servant leadership include:

• As the main focus is on ensuring team members are happy and included, leaders may be less demanding which could result in targets not being achieved.
• Some individuals may need a leader who holds them to account in order to work most effectively.
• The leader may be perceived as weak and lacking authority, particularly by those who are used to a more traditional style of leadership.
• For the leader, the role can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort to succeed in.
• Decisions and progress may be slow due to the required input of many people.
• In larger teams or organisations, it’s difficult to have frequent, effective direct contact with every team member.

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Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership is where team members play a participative role in decision-making. The leader makes or approves the final decision, but everyone is encouraged to participate by contributing their opinions during discussions. All team members have the opportunity to share their input, knowing they play an important role in the decision-making process.

As well as overseeing the final decision, the leader must direct and guide the team to ensure that they don’t dedicate time to planning decisions that aren’t feasible and stray from the objective. Leaders should facilitate these conversations and support the team to reach a joint decision.

Advantages of democratic leadership include:

• Individuals are empowered to contribute to the decision-making process and feel engaged. This can increase their job satisfaction.
• Employees have confidence in themselves and their capabilities and aren’t afraid to share their ideas.
• More suggestions are put forward which leads to greater innovation and creativity.
• Teams learn to listen to one another and respect their one another’s valuable input. This creates mutual respect and fosters more effective teamwork.
• Productivity increases when individuals are motivated and involved.

Disadvantages of democratic leadership include:

• Involving more people in decision-making can slow the process down and cause delays.
• If there are differing options within a team, it can be challenging to reach a consensus that everyone is happy with.
• Some members of the group may not have the knowledge required to contribute to decision-making discussions.
• It can be difficult to maintain a clear focus if many different ideas are put forward for discussion. This can lead to confusion unless the leader is able to steer the team in the right direction.
• Leaders have a lot of responsibility which can result in them feeling overwhelmed.
• Team members may become frustrated if a decision is made which they believe isn’t the best option or they don’t feel as though their ideas are given enough consideration.
• Employees may expect to be involved in all decisions. This could lead to conflict if they don’t understand why they aren’t included in some decision-making processes.

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Authoritative Leadership

Authoritative leadership is a hands-on style which involves the leader establishing targets and processes and overseeing them to completion. Instead of simply giving orders, they explain their thinking and manage expectations. If successful, an authoritative leader makes quick decisions that deliver effective results.

This type of leader is seen as a mentor who guides and inspires team members and encourages them to follow them to successfully achieve common goals. By getting to know each team member well, the leader can provide them with tailored guidance and support to motivate them to succeed.

Advantages of authoritative leadership include:

• Fewer mistakes are made because the processes and rules are clearly defined by the leader.
• Clear processes and structure improves productivity.
• Leaders can look ahead and present an actionable vision.
• Employees feel motivated to succeed and perform well as a result.
• Difficult decisions can be made quickly without the input of the whole team.
• Team members feel supported and recognised by the leader.
• It’s an effective leadership style if an organisation is undergoing significant change or uncertainty.

Disadvantages of authoritative leadership include:

• There is a risk of leaders micromanaging their team which can cause individuals to feel as though they aren’t trusted or fearful of doing something wrong.
• Leaders may become overbearing, causing teams to disengage with their work and lose enthusiasm for the vision. 
• Extreme pressure may be put on the leader if they have to always be seen as leading by example.
• Failures in projects or processes are the responsibility of the leader who must accept accountability.

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Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian, follows a top-down approach to decision-making processes. The leader makes decisions based on their thoughts and ideas, with limited involvement from others in the organisation. It is expected that team members will follow instructions given to them by the autocratic leader and there is limited room for discussion. Power is held by the leader and isn’t distributed in any way to the team members.

This type of leadership is used less frequently in organisations today, though it may be suitable in some situations. For example, if a critical decision needs to be made immediately.

Advantages of autocratic leadership include:

• Team members are given clear instructions and understand how to complete tasks.
• Results are delivered on time and to a high standard. 
• Work environments are highly structured with everyone knowing what is expected of them and others.
• For team members, pressure can be relieved in stressful situations.
• The leader provides clear direction to the organisation.

Disadvantages of autocratic leadership include:

• Team members are discouraged from sharing their ideas and lack a voice in decisions.
• Morale can be low across the team and wider organisation. Some may be fearful about speaking out about poor leadership practices.
• Creativity and innovation are suppressed. Individuals can feel as though they aren’t valued or able to grow professionally. New perspectives and ideas which could hugely benefit the business aren’t shared.
• The leader may be under immense pressure as they feel responsible for everything.
• There may be tension and conflict in the workplace. 
• Morale can be low. If team members don’t feel satisfied at work, they may disengage and underperform, or seek employment elsewhere.

What is the Best Leadership Style?

Research by Kurt Lewin and his team in 1939 established three core leadership styles – autocratic (authoritarian), democratic (participative) and delegative (laissez-faire). Lewin’s study identified democratic leadership as typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders encourage input from team members, while giving guidance and having the final say in decisions. This empowers and encourages team members to contribute creative ideas and play a key part in processes, often resulting in individuals with higher job satisfaction.

Today, most theorists argue that it’s important to recognise that there isn’t one leadership style that works the best in all organisations and situations. Instead, a strong leader will know how to adapt their leadership style accordingly and incorporate different skills to ensure the best outcome for the team and task. This is called ‘situational leadership’. Situational leaders are able to identify and meet individual needs, adapt between different leadership styles successfully, gain their teams’ trust, analyse problems and guide towards a solution and know how to support individuals with feedback.

However, in some environments, a certain type of leadership style will likely be more successful than others. If you work as a teacher in a school, you may find that transformational leadership style is the most well-received. Using this style, you can encourage and inspire your students to achieve their full potential. While, for army conflicts, an autocratic leader may be the most appropriate type to relieve pressure in stressful situations.

To find out which leadership style you should adopt, you need to consider what you want to achieve and the organisational circumstances in which you operate within. You should also consider your personality and how you currently lead teams. With this in mind, you could determine which leadership style you currently use and what you want to change and improve on. As there are numerous leadership styles and none are superior, you can experiment and see which delivers the best results for you, your team and your organisation.

Recognising which leadership style is right for you will enable you to develop your skills further and become the most effective leader possible. You must understand which style is appropriate and actively seek out constructive feedback from those you lead to understand what works well and how you could improve. As well as providing successes for the organisation, effective leaders develop and improve their teams to achieve their potential too.

Further Resources:

• Leadership & Management Training Online Course
• Leadership and Management Quiz
• 10 Development Areas for Managers
• How to Deliver Effective Feedback in the Workplace
• How to Motivate a Team
• Leadership in Nursing: Importance and Leadership Styles
• A Guide to 360 Degree Feedback: Free Template

The post 6 Types of Leadership: Which Leadership Style is Right For Me? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

The cost of presenteeism is high, as not only does it cause productivity to drop, costing employers money, but it also adversely impacts workplace morale, health and safety and the wellbeing of employees. 

In this article we’ll cover what presenteeism is and what can cause it, as well as the financial and human costs it creates. We’ll also explain some of the things you can do to reduce presenteeism in your organisation.

What is Presenteeism?

Presenteeism is defined as reduced productivity at work due to health problems. It occurs when someone attends work despite being either physically or mentally unwell. Although, in most cases, they will be trying to work as hard as usual, their productivity and quality of work suffers because of how they’re feeling. 

This creates a ‘productivity gap’ between how productive they would usually be and what they can achieve while unwell. Presenteeism is costly for employers who are paying the same amount for lower quality or less work, as well as harmful to the person doing it and potentially those around them. 

Identifying and measuring presenteeism is challenging. Employers may not recognise that it’s happening because employees still show up to work and may hide any symptoms of being unwell. Or, they may not know what presenteeism is or be inclined to ignore it, thinking that the more their employees work, the better.

However, you can measure the impact of presenteeism on employee productivity using the Stanford Presenteeism Scale.

Presenteeism in Remote Workers

The increase in hybrid and remote working has made identifying presenteeism more difficult. Many peoples’ homes have become their workspace and, while working from home can offer freedom and flexibility, it can also cause the line between work and life to blur. 

This can mean that some remote workers struggle to ‘switch off’ and will work from home when they wouldn’t have gone to work otherwise. For example, if a remote worker is unwell, they may be more likely than a non-remote worker to still attend work as they don’t have to leave the house and won’t infect other people. 

There’s also less risk of their coworkers or managers realising they’re unwell or working at a reduced capacity when they’re only communicating through screens. They may even feel more obligated to attend work while sick because of the flexibility remote working affords them and this is just one of the reasons why presenteeism is on the rise.

Presenteeism Vs Absenteeism

While presenteeism involves an employee attending work when they shouldn’t because they are unwell, absenteeism is the opposite and occurs when an employee repeatedly does not come to work, without good reason. 

It may come as a surprise, but presenteeism is actually a bigger drain on workplace productivity than absenteeism. This is because people who take time off work can rest and recover, while those who attend work unwell can prolong their illness and, in turn, the time they spend in the productivity gap. The overall cost of presenteeism can end up being more than if they had just taken a day off. 

Leavisim is another workplace occurrence that drains productivity. This is when employees use their annual leave either to recover from sickness instead of taking a sick day, or to catch up on work at home. 

You may think that leaveism would benefit employers by increasing the hours employees work, without increasing pay. In actual fact, like presenteeism, leaveism stops employees from taking a well-needed break from work which can reduce their overall productivity and eventually result in burnout or brownout.

Burnout is where a person becomes completely overwhelmed, primarily by overworking or work-related stress, and has a physical or mental collapse. It can result from presenteeism.

Brownout is a form of presenteeism where a person comes to work but is tired, withdrawn, disinterested and discontent with their role or workplace, leading to reduced motivation and unproductiveness. You can learn about managing stress at work here. 

These phenomena are all detrimental to workplace productivity and all stem from flaws in an organisation’s culture and policies. 

Causes of Presenteeism

Presenteeism can happen in any kind of workplace but is more common in offices rather than settings that measure productivity based on physical acts, such as a construction site.

Presenteeism is also common among workers who feel responsible for others in their role, such as health or social care workers. However, there are lots of other factors involved in why someone might choose to come into work while unwell, including: 

• A lack of job security and/ or fear or seeming dispensable. 
• Fear of being reprimanded or perceived as not working hard enough. 
• Worrying they have taken too much time off already. 
• Feeling obligated to work remotely.
• Being unable to afford a sick day and/or a lack of paid sick leave. 
• Thinking they are the only person who can perform their role in a company or that others will be impacted if they are absent, particularly if there are staff shortages.
• Not wanting to miss a deadline or having a heavy workload. 
• Company loyalty and desire to be reliable. 
• Perceived pressure from management. 
• Unwillingness to disclose the reason for absence or feeling it isn’t ‘good enough’, for example, worrying that disclosing a mental health condition will lead to stigma or lose them opportunities. 

Effects of Presenteeism in the Workplace

Whilst presenteeism can cause your business to lose money and valuable working days, the real cost of presenteeism is a more human one. Alongside the impact it has on the UK economy, presenteeism also causes the following problems:

• An unhealthy workplace – if an employee comes to work with a contagious illness, they can easily pass this illness on to the people they work with, causing them to become unwell, too. This can lead to increased absence rates and even more presenteeism. 
• Employee’s aren’t able to recover – if an employee repeatedly comes into work while unwell, particularly if they are suffering from a mental health issue, they won’t get the time they need to rest and recover which could prolong or worsen their illness. If they are unable to work at their usual capacity or quality they may miss targets or deadlines which can cause a great deal of stress. 
• Lower workplace morale – working alongside a team-mate who is unmotivated, unhappy or disinterested can be an emotional drain on all members of the team and affect relationships. This can negatively impact morale and the workplace atmosphere, reducing motivation and productivity all round.
• Unsafe working – employees who come to work while unwell are more likely to have and/or cause workplace accidents as they are less focussed on performing tasks properly and safely. This puts both them and others at risk. 
• Lack of progress – presenteeism can cause a lack of personal and professional progress. If people aren’t giving tasks their full commitment then they’re unlikely to develop their skills and, if they’re not feeling great, may be less interested in developing themselves. What’s more, a lack of progress can cause roadblocks for other colleagues who may be waiting for the sick employee to get back to full health before assigning them tasks or waiting for them to get on top of their to-do list. 
• Reduced quality of work – even if someone is producing the same quantity of work while unwell, it’s likely that the quality will suffer and they may make mistakes that cost time and money. This can have a ripple effect, impacting other people’s work if they are relying on this person or working as a team.

Need a Course?

Our Resilience Training Course will help workers to build on their own levels of personal resilience and understand why it is important. To do this, it provides actionable steps for developing the five pillars of resilience: emotional wellbeing, inner drive, future focus, relationships and physical health.

Presenteeism Statistics in the UK

Presenteeism is becoming more and more common in UK workplaces, particularly among remote workers, and it’s an issue that employers, managers and supervisors literally cannot afford to ignore. The following statistics show the true cost of presenteeism in the UK: 

• The cost of poor mental health of employees is estimated to be between £42bn and £45bn per annum, of which £29.3bn is due to presenteeism.
• 65% of HR staff report observing presenteeism in the workplace, while 81% report observing it among those who work from home.
• Almost half of workers (46%) admit to working despite not feeling physically or mentally well enough to perform their role.
• In 2022, employees lost 20.2% working hours from being unproductive, the equivalent of 51 productive days per employee, per year.

How to Reduce Presenteeism in Your Workplace

As an employer you need to look at whether some of the causes of presenteeism we listed earlier may be at play in your workplace. If so, there are some changes you can make to encourage healthier working among your employees, including: 

• Promoting a wellness culture – your organisational culture should promote the mental and physical wellbeing of everyone working there. You could introduce health promoting benefits, such as a cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships, subscriptions to mental wellbeing apps or private healthcare.
• Establish and communicate a strong sickness policy – you must communicate to employees that taking time off to recover when they’re unwell is important, encouraged and will not have negative consequences. Managers must also follow this policy to set a good example.
• Providing job security – if you can, offer guaranteed hours of work for employees rather than zero hour contracts and provide sick pay. This will give employees confidence that they can take time off for sickness without facing any negative repercussions.
• Improving communication – one problem with remote working can be a lack of regular communication. When line managers regularly check in with employees, they can identify if a worker is unwell or struggling with their workload and needs support. Managers should be trained to recognise the signs of physical and mental health problems and know how to provide support. You can learn about supporting mental health at work here. 

Mental Health Awareness

To increase your understanding of mental health and wellbeing, including how to support others suffering with their mental health and initiate conversations about mental health, you can take a look at our Mental Health Awareness course.

• Review absence policies – having a strict absence policy can drastically increase presenteeism. To make your absence policy less threatening to employees, make trigger points after certain lengths of absence positive rather than negative. For example, rather than giving a ‘warning’ after a length of absence, offer a wellness discussion to determine any issues and potential support you can provide to help them get healthy and back to work.
• Consult your staff – to get to the root cause of presenteeism in your workplace, you need to know what your staff think. You can put out an anonymous survey to staff to find out if there is anything that would put them off taking a sick day, such as an excessive workload or pressure from management. This will help to identify where changes need to be made in your organisation. 

When people don’t feel well, they can’t do their best work or be their best selves. If you want to create an organisation where employees are motivated, engaged and productive, you must accept that absences will happen, within reason. It’s your responsibility as an employer to promote wellbeing to reduce presenteeism, but also to make sure your employees feel they can take a day off when they need it.

Further Resources:

• How to Promote Positive Mental Health for Healthcare Workers 
• Managing Mental Health & Wellbeing in Hospitality 
• Work Related Stress: Your Responsibilities as an Employer
• Resilience in the Workplace: What are the Benefits and How Can Businesses Develop It?
• 6 Types of Leadership: Which Leadership Style is Right For Me?
• How to Motivate a Team
• Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course 

The post The Cost of Presenteeism in the Workplace & Why it’s Not Just About Money appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.