hybrid work model can create a happier and more diverse workforce; it also demands new skill sets, new policies, and a new generation of digital tools.
Thinking outside of the box has become a physical reality as an increasing number of offices favour open plan designs.
Photo: Nick Otto for The Washington Post
Thinking outside of the box has become a physical reality as an increasing number of offices favour open plan designs. The behemoth of the tech world, Facebook is leading the charge with largest open plan office in the world. Could this be the year that your company changes how things work?
Well personally, I feel that open plan offices are an effective way for an organisation to work. At Bradfield we benefit from being able to speak across the floor. Without barriers my colleagues and I, are able to collaborate easily due to the absence of doors or partitions. It’s the perfect environment to encourage innovation and the exchanging of ideas, or as Facebook calls it “friction-less” working.
Another great advantage to this type of seating arrangement is the building of relationships. At Facebook there are 2,800 employees spread out in the Frank Gehry designed building having no partitions means that they are all easily accessible. Facebook and Bradfield are not the only business leading brands that use open plan offices other big names include: Apple, Google and the financial firm American Express.
However, it would be unwise to only extol the virtues of open plan working without considering the drawbacks. For people who are more inclined to being introverted, a noisy open atmosphere can be highly distracting. Introverts may need alone time to focus and can be easily overwhelmed by external stimuli. A lack of dividers between desks leads to an environment where introverts are unable to thrive. In extreme cases there could be a negative on productivity. A 2013 study backs this theory up as it reported that nearly half of the employees surveyed said the lack of sound privacy was a significant problem.
I’ve got some tips to help you survive the challenges of an open plan office:
Take a break on your own. It will allow you to reset your mind. Alternatively go outside for a quick walk or eat your lunch in a nearby green space to find the alone time that you need.
Use headphones to indicate that you would rather not be disturbed. Your own private playlist can be the noise barrier against the cacophony from your colleagues.
Position your desk alongside a wall or window to create a wall on at least one side of your work station. You could be clever by using plants or a coat hanger to create a false barrier.
Book meeting rooms for some quiet-me time to get your work done.
If you are in favour of following Facebook and making your office space open here a couple of things you should consider.
Only make the move once all levels of your organisation understand the benefits of doing so.
Seek professional advice in designing workspaces to suit the different working patterns of your business.
Whether you are thinking of making changes in your organisation or need help coping with ongoing issues speak to myself or one of my colleagues for some friendly HR advice on 0207 977 9200 or email enquiries@bradfield.co.uk
On behalf of all the team, I would like to thank everyone for their patience during the past few months as we have worked to get through such a tough time.
We are delighted to announce that effective immediately we will be returning to the classroom for some of our new courses. We have worked closely with all our venues to ensure the safety of all trainers and students and will continue to follow government advice regarding social distancing. We will be continuing to deliver a large proportion of our programmes in our online classrooms through Zoom software to ensure that all learners can work in an environment that they are most comfortable in.
If you have any questions on this please get in contact.
Bradfield Learning and Development are hosting a number of CIPD Taster Sessions across the Gulf at the beginning of March. These sessions will focus on the topic of employee engagement and are designed to give attendees a sample of how Bradfield’s tutors deliver their training and for potential students to ask any questions they may have about our training. All of these sessions are free to attend and complimentary refreshments are provided. Details of the sessions are as follows:
Monday 2nd March – Muscat – Novotel Muscat Airport – Delivered by Director of Learning & Development Engin Mustafa. Registration opens at 6pm with the session starting at 6.30pm. To register for this event please complete this form REGISTER
Monday 2nd March – Doha – City Centre Rotana – Delivered by Training Associate Tim Doyle. Registration opens at 6pm with the session starting at 6.30pm. To register for this event please complete this form REGISTER
Wednesday 4th March – Dubai – Towers Rotana – Delivered by Training Associate Lauren Brennan. Registration opens at 6pm with the session starting at 6.30pm. To register for this event please complete this form REGISTER
Engin Mustafa (Director of L & D) gave a series cutting edge conference talks on ‘Leadership in a VUCA World’ in the Gulf Region. Engin covered the evolution of leadership theory, the new world environment and recently published research in this field of management development. Engin is a thought leader across many areas including Leadership and Management. If you are interested in finding out more please contact us.
Alongside MOL, Bradfield is offering the CIPD Level 7 Diploma. This qualification is available on both an open programme and in-house (minimum 10 delegates) basis. This qualification is fully digital and can be supplemented with workshops on an in-house basis. (Conditions apply)
The CIPD Level 7 qualifications are designed for professionals with significant HR or strategic experience.
They are prestigious qualifications and a differentiator in the marketplace, demonstrating that a student can both work and study at a strategic level. It is only upon successful completion of a Level 7 qualification that a candidate can apply for Chartered Membership of the CIPD.
Open Programme – Starts February 2020
Core Modules:
Leading, managing and developing people
Human resource management in context
Investigation of a business issue from a HR perspective
Developing skills for business leadership
Managing employee relations
Resourcing and talent management
Organisational design and organisation development
Leadership and management development
Course Overview:
Length: 24 months
8 x modules
24/7 access to the VLE
Access to the LTE Group online library
Corporate Programme
Bradfield offer a Bronze, Silver and Gold Package depending on the amount of support you would like for your learners through their studies. Please enquire for further details
Strategic Talent Management – A series of interactive workshops
If it is the quality of the people that makes an organisation great, how can HR ensure that we are successfully managing the attraction and development of key talent to meet the needs of the business?
In this interactive workshop, delegates will discover best practice strategies to enable them to identify, recruit and retain high potential and high performing staff – giving them an opportunity to implement the practical tools and techniques top organisations utilise to help them win “the war for talent”.
Learning outcomes
Understand the importance of strategic talent management and the link to organisational success
Review the impact of talent management on effective succession planning
Identify practical tools for workforce and talent planning – go to market or grow your own?
Effectively identify potential – what is high potential and what are the 4 key cornerstones of talent?
Develop strategies for attracting, developing & deploying talent in the organisation
Keeping the best – how to ensure that you retain talent within the organisation
Our Speaker
Andy Callaghan is a Senior Learning & Development Consultant with Bradfield, delivering programmes in the GCC region.
In his previous roles, he has been responsible for implementing Talent Management programmes, Sales & Leadership training, appraisal processes and also rolled out a coaching programme across the 80,000 staff in one of the UK´s largest banks.
There are a few HR trends emerging in 2018. An outstanding HR department will be able to analyse and identify these trends to adjust for how they will impact their company.
Bradfield Learning & Development has identified 4 HR trends which companies must strive to embrace in order to attract and keep the best applicants and candidates.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming HR
AI technology will not put HR managers and staff out of work. AI tech promises to transform HR departments, not to make them redundant.
Next generation of employees
Generation Z will soon be arriving for job interviews and internships. These young people have some interesting traits compared to millennials, baby boomers and Gen-Xers. All employees will need to learn to work together.
Continuous Performance Management
It helps employees to channel their talents toward organisational goals. If you company has continuous performance management, your employees will have the tools they need to improve their work performance.
Adding value to the business through work-life balance
In today’s fast paced business world, the ability to achieve work life balance is becoming more and more difficult. It is not only important for your personal health and relationships, but it can also improve the efficiency at your workplace.
By anticipating trends in different HR areas, HR departments put themselves in a position to make their companies successful in 2018 and beyond.
The 4 main differences between training and development
Employee training and development is an important part of the Human Resource function and management.
These are the four differences that will help you to distinguish between these two concepts and which you must always take into account when talking about training or development:
Training
Training is mostly short term with a concrete goal.
Training fuces on the role.
Training aims at a specific job or role requirement.
Training revolves around an immediate or present need.
Training enhances the knowledge or skills for a particular job or role.
Training programs are group focused, where more than one individual participates in organised group events.
The company takes the responsability of training.
Development
Development is a long-term activity, with goals that are open-ended and ongoing.
Development focuses on the person.
Development is more conceptual and focuses on overall progression of the individuals.
Development activities are about the future.
Development is a self-assessment procedure, where nduviduals are held responsible for creating and owning their development plan & activities.
with Bradfield, delivering programmes in the GCC region.
