​Induction definition Induction is the process of introducing a new employee to the company culture and processes with the aim of bringing them up to speed as quickly as possible as well as making them feel socially comfortable and aware of their professional responsibilities.  Companies will typically have an induction programme in place and follow the same processes for all […]

​Independent Contractor definition Independent contractors are self-employed individuals who provide work under a contract for services. For legal and tax purposes they are not classified as employees.  Independent contractors typically have specialist skills or knowledge that is required on a fixed-term basis. They also provide their own tools and equipment.  Commonly-cited advantages of working as an independent contractor include relative […]

​Incentive Pay definition Compensation awarded for results rather than for time worked. Incentive pay, also known as pay-for-performance, is so-called because the prospect of financial compensation is supposed to be an incentive for an employee to remain motivated, work hard and strive for the best possible results.  Commission, where sales staff get paid a proportion of each sale they make, […]

​Human Resource Planning definition A process that starts with an organisation’s future human resources needs and defines the path to get there. Defined by Bulla and Scott (1994) as ‘the process for ensuring that the human resource requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements.’ Human resource planning is a growing remit for a […]

​Human Relations Movement definition The human relations movement was founded by sociologist George Elton Mayo in the 1930s following a series of experiments known as the Hawthorne studies, which focused on exploring the link between employee satisfaction/wellbeing and workplace productivity. Essentially the Hawthorne studies concluded that when employers take an interest in workers and make decisions based on their natural […]

HR Service Delivery definition HR provides many functions to the organisation, such as payroll processing, employee benefits and career advice. These services must be delivered to large workforces and the ways these are delivered are based on what’s known as the HR service delivery model. There are two main types of model. The traditional model of ‘generalist’ HR staff revolves around […]

​HR Policies definition Mostly refers to codified documents that set out the company’s stance on issues, such as internet use or dress code, but can also mean a stance communicated verbally. Policies are crucial to effective functioning of the HR department as they help define the relationship between employer and employee. Employees must understand what the company’s position so there’s […]

​HR Audit definition A comprehensive and wide-ranging review of an organisation’s HR policies, procedures, systems, documents in order to provide recommendations for operational improvement and ensure compliance with relevant employment law. Audits may or may not include qualitative research based on employee perception of workplace culture, as well as interviews with HR staff. If employee relations are included in the […]

HR word of the Day – boomerang employee A Boomerang Employee is defined as any employee who returns to work for a former employer. There are several different types of boomerang employees: 1.Those who left the company to further their careers. 2. Employees often state that they left their job because they wanted to learn new skills and gain new […]

​HR Business Partner definition HR business partners are HR professionals who work closely with an organisation’s senior leaders in order to develop an HR agenda that closely supports the overall aims of the organisation. The process of alignment is known as HR business partnering and may involve the HR business partner sitting on the board of directors or working closely […]