Employee monitoring: a guide to best practices
Employee monitoring can help ensure productivity and accountability among employees, as managers can track their work progress and identify areas where improvement is needed. Monitoring enhances data security by detecting and preventing unauthorised access or data breaches and additionally, it enables you to adhere to regulatory and compliance requirements, reducing legal risks. The key thing to remember is that workplace surveillance is perfectly acceptable, as long as you can legally justify your reasons, and it is always better to be ‘overt’, not ‘covert’. A report shows that despite normality returning to working life post-pandemic, demand for employee surveillance software is 49% above 2019 levels. Our eBook, ‘Employee monitoring: a guide to best practices’, provides insight from top experts in the field including: Keith Rosser, Director of Group Risk and Reed Screening, Reed Hayfa Mohdzaini, Senior Research Adviser, CIPD By downloading this eBook, you will discover: What employee monitoring is Whether it's needed for your businessConsiderations for introducing workplace monitoring The benefits and drawbacks Potential impact of surveillance on the workforce Your duties as a responsible employer “Monitoring software that employees see as intrusive and unnecessary is more likely to erode mutual trust in the employment relationship. Employers need to show how using monitoring software can benefit employees, while respecting their privacy.” -Hayfa Mohdzaini, Senior Research Adviser, CIPD.
Teacher resignation letter template – free download
Resigning from a teaching role can be difficult, regardless of the length of time spent at a school. It can be something of an emotional rollercoaster, with the excitement of the future dampened by the prospect of sharing your news with the department head or head teacher. The manner in which a teacher resigns can have a lasting impact. A positive resignation process not only benefits the departing teacher but also the school community, and the first step of the journey involves writing the resignation letter, which is arguably one of the hardest tasks. Resignation etiquette: getting it right However thrilled you may be about leaving your teaching role, it’s imperative to maintain professionalism. By providing ample notice and following proper procedures, you demonstrate your commitment and respect for the school you are leaving. This reflects well on your reputation and can contribute to maintaining good references for future career opportunities. Teachers are bound by set resignation dates to allow for suitable replacements to be found, so planning ahead is key for a smooth departure at the end of the spring, summer or autumn term. Resigning well helps minimise disruption to students’ education and ensures continuity in the learning environment. Resigning with integrity also allows teachers to depart on amicable terms, preserving professional relationships and networks. In the small world of education, where connections often extend beyond individual schools, maintaining relationships with former colleagues and administrators can be invaluable for future career opportunities, whether through networking, references, or collaboration on future projects. A resignation letter template can facilitate the exit process by providing a structured framework. Templates ensure that essential information, such as the intended last working day and any necessary follow-up actions, is clearly communicated, while also allowing personalisation to reflect gratitude for time spent at the school and reasons for leaving. Using a resignation letter template also helps ensure that all necessary details are included, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or oversights during the exit process. This can help to streamline the administrative aspects. Take some of the stress out of resigning. Our template will ensure you leave on a high note, freeing you up to focus on a happy and productive notice period. Download our free teacher resignation letter template to help smooth your exit using the button at the top of this page.
Manager’s guide to offboarding – the complete kit
An employee resignation can be a stressful time - but getting it right is essential to maintaining team performance.This kit takes you through the leaving process step by step, ensuring you cover all of the vital actions, gather valuable information from the departing team member, and keep morale high while minimizing disruption."If handled incorrectly, someone leaving can result in a missed opportunity - all that information just walks out the door."This kit will help you toMinimize disruption and keep morale high with a stress-free offboarding processFuture-proof your team from resignations with actionable feedback from the leaving employeeRecruit, reallocate, or restructure? Find the best way to deal with your vacancyThe kit containsAn expert guide featuring a step-by-step offboarding plan, failsafe handover process, information on effective exit interviews, and how to fill the team skills gap assessment.Time-saving tools and resources include an offboarding checklist, a nine-box succession planning grid, announcement email templates, and an exit interview template.
Employee satisfaction: building a happier workforce
In the wake of the Covid pandemic, Reed decided to investigate the subject of employee satisfaction to find out what people most want from their working lives. We surveyed 2,000 employees in a variety of sectors to do this.Key findings from the survey revealed:24% of workers are planning on changing jobs in the next two yearsOver a third (36%) feel their pay is too low for the work they doWorkplace friendships are the most satisfying element of working for their current company (45%), with flexibility of working hours (40%) and salary (33%) closely followingTwo thirds (65%) stated their company does not offer rewards for good performanceThis eBook looks primarily at the ingredients of employee satisfaction: the measures to which managers should aspire to keep their workforce satisfied, also addressing the more aspirational theme of engagement. Throughout, experts in the field share their insight and methods for raising staff satisfaction, using tried and trusted ideas that might be useful to integrate into your organisation. Experts featured in this eBook include:Carolyn Nevitte, Director, People InsightMatthew McDonnell, Director of Employee Experience, Willis Towers WatsonKatie Whitehouse, HR Director UK&I, ServiceNowChris Brindley, Head of Reward & Co-member Experience, ReedNiamh Macaskill, Head of People and Experience, CamelotA happy workforce is a productive one and listening to employee views is the first step employers can take to make changes for the better.By downloading this eBook, you will understand:What employee satisfaction meanAs well as in their day-to-day tasks, staff satisfaction is closely linked to how an employee feels about a company’s style of management and organisational culture – the traits that define the business such as internal communication, staff development policies, and recognition of employee performance.Key considerations in raising employee satisfactionFor satisfaction at work, employees need a direction and a sense of purpose that keeps them going. Therefore, leaders must be clear about their strategy and goals to help employees feel connected, valued and fulfilled. Best practice in designing a satisfaction surveyA well-designed, well-timed employee satisfaction survey can reap rewards for your business in the long term, maintaining a workforce that can be trusted to deliver. Surveys shouldn’t just be saved for times of hardship.How to use survey data to implement changeOne way to generate high employee satisfaction is to focus directly on those areas that matter most to employees – and regularly review them to ensure they remain relevant.The future of employee satisfactionTo be an ‘employer of choice’ in the future, employers cannot merely offer competitive rewards, development opportunities, and healthy company culture. They’ll need to provide a consistently positive employee experience as well.
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A guide to entry-level jobs
What is an entry-level job?Entry-level roles are for those with little to no formal work experience and are usually aimed at those just starting out in their chosen career, school leavers, or university graduates.These roles also provide an opportunity for employers to mould the individual into the professional their company needs.Employers hiring for an entry-level job will not usually require any experience but would likely expect at least a General Education certificate. This presents more opportunities for those seeking entry-level jobs without a degree or specialist qualification, and that all-important first step on the ladder.Depending on the role, the skills in the highest demand differ. However, there are some transferable and soft skills (i.e., innate skills and traits) that are universally required. For example, communication, time management, organisational skills, numerical and language skills, and basic IT skills.Entry-level roles to suit personality typeNot everyone will have good interpersonal skills. Introverted students, for example, may be very intimidated by the prospect of starting their careers, having never worked in a professional environment. It can be difficult to navigate both the demands of the role itself and the social situations that can come with working life.Therefore, many school leavers and graduates are choosing to start their careers remotely or find work that requires minimal social interaction.There are plenty of entry-level jobs for introverts, including:Data entryTranscription and bookkeepingAnimal trainingDelivery drivingFreelance writingGraphic designOthers love working with people and might look at entry-level jobs that make a difference to the welfare of others. This might be working in education, social care, public sector positions, third sector roles, or other caring jobs.Entry-level salaries and benefitsThe average salary for an entry-level can be different depending on where in the Middle East you are located. Locations such as Dubai could see an average of AED2,500 per month, for example.While individuals in entry-level jobs will often be paid less than those in more senior positions, they will typically be given the most support and training, and just as much opportunity to progress as anyone else.In addition, company benefits are generally standardised and equal to everyone throughout the business, whether the employee is just starting out or a senior-level executive. Most employers will offer retail and hospitality discounts, healthcare options, a company mobile phone, cycle-to-work schemes and more, but it varies by company.How students can find entry-level jobsJobseekers can search for roles on reedglobal.us by their location or by job title. They can choose a sector and upload their CV to our sites or speak to a consultant whose details are listed on Reedglobal.us on their local office pages.How to succeed in an entry-level roleTo succeed in an entry-level role, the employee needs to realise they have a lot to learn and that they won’t be expected to know everything straight away. Most companies will provide training and support to their new starters to help their progression.Entry-level employees will do well if they listen to their peers and manager, absorbing as much information as they can about how the company works and why their work is important to the wider organisation. Understanding the context of the role, and asking the right questions early on, helps professionals develop a good foundation to grow into a valuable employee, and to learn and progress quickly through the business.Are you looking for the first or next step in your career? Contact us today.
Build a more diverse and inclusive technology team: downloadable eBook
Our eBook, ‘Making tech inclusive: strategies for developing a more diverse workforce’, has been designed to help you reflect on what’s working and what’s not when it comes to your I&D policies, and improve in areas you may have overlooked.There will always be room for improvement when working to achieve an equal and inclusive environment for everyone, as needs change over time. This comprehensive guide can help you gauge the needs of your workforce and allow you to attract and retain the best talent in IT.By downloading this free eBook, you will find out:How diverse the technology sector isWhat diversity and inclusion mean and why they’re differentWhat workplace challenges people from minority backgrounds faceHow to eliminate bias from your recruitment processWhy inclusion and diversity benefit your businessHow upskilling can contribute to inclusivityTips on expanding and diversifying your talent poolHow to improve attraction and retention through inclusionThe value of offboarding correctlyDeveloping a robust diversity and inclusion strategy doesn’t just help employees who are outside the societal norm, but everyone in your company. It will also have a positive impact on your bottom line. Here are some of the dos and don’ts of inclusive recruitment – you can find out more in the guide:This guide is for:Tech employers who want to widen their talent pool and diversify their workforceBusiness leaders who have policies in place but believe they can do more for their employeesAnyone interested in adopting a more inclusive mindset."Removing the invisible barriers to inclusion by showing that your company is open to all will inevitably help you form a more diverse network, customer base and talent pool."