Purpose – The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how a business can create a high performing workforce that provides a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. It seeks to provide a brief history of outsourcing to demonstrate that HR is neither too sensitive nor complex to...

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how global IT services provider Wipro Technologies addressed the early engagement issues associated with its fast pace of growth across geographic and cultural boundaries. Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies the problems...

Purpose – The economic downturn has created new priorities for HR, including a greater focus on organizational performance and less emphasis on recruitment. This paper seeks to outline the results of a new survey, which claims that HR teams are being asked to do more with less, and explains...

Purpose – This article is based on the recently published report, Managing Sickness Absence in the Police Service: A Review of Current Practices, which was commissioned by the Home Office and the Health and Safety Executive. It aims to use this to inform approaches to reducing the number of...

Purpose – When Ermenegildo Zegna's senior management team decided to transform the organization into a performance‐oriented culture, the decision was made to start with the HR function. The purpose of this paper is to outline the challenges they met and how they were overcome....

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to highlight the more strategic role HR departments can play in their organizations. By prioritizing the measurement strategy in organizations, HR leaders can demonstrate to leadership the impact employees have on the business and how an investment in...

Purpose – Work‐related stress is a major concern for employers, and the UK Health and Safety Executive has introduced Management Standards for employers to support them in managing stress in the workplace. Managers have a key role to play in minimizing stress‐related risks for their staff....

Purpose – HM Prison Service has over 48,000 staff and an annual payroll in excess of £1.4 billion. The aim of this article is to examine how this “people business” has radically overhauled its HR processes, placing HR in a strategic position where it can contribute to business growth....

Purpose – The aim of this case study is to show how HR can help an organization meet its business goals. Investing strategically in HR can result in cost savings, enhanced productivity and improved customer service. Design/methodology/approach – The case study feature follows the development...

Purpose – This paper seeks to explore how organizations might create flexible work programs to attract and retain older workers. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the literature on aging and work, the paper identifies an incoming HR challenge (leveraging an aging workforce), focuses...