​Group Dynamics definition Group dynamics is the study, analysis and understanding of the behaviours and psychology surrounding group interactions. The field typically differentiates between interactions within a social group (intragroup dynamics) and between social groups (intergroup dynamics). The field is based on a belief that the whole is more complex than the sum of the parts, and that an understanding […]

​Gross Misconduct  Gross misconduct refers to an employee’s negative behaviour deemed so severe it warrants summary dismissal without the usual contractual obligations of a notice period. Employers should take note that summary dismissal does not mean immediate dismissal, and that failing to follow procedures – even if the employee was caught red-handed – could result in a claim for unfair […]

​Golden Parachute definition Golden parachutes refer to contractual clauses that provide significant severance packages should the employment relationship be terminated. Traditionally golden parachutes refer to termination as a result of mergers and acquisitions, although recently the term has come to mean termination for any reason, which has historically referred to golden handshakes.  Proponents of golden parachutes and golden handcuffs say they […]

​Golden Handshake definition Golden handshakes are contractual clauses that guarantee an executive a substantial severance package should they lose their job due to restructuring or in some cases retirement. The package tends to include a combination of cash, equity and beneficial stock options. Only senior leaders who bear a high degree of personal risk for a company’s performance are likely […]

​Golden handcuffs definition Golden handcuffs are contractual clauses that provide financial and non-financial benefits to executives that are forfeited if the executive leaves the company. Organisations use golden handcuffs to disincentivise executives from moving to competitors. In some cases golden handcuffs may stipulate that executives have to give back bonuses and stock options should they leave, or if they leave […]

​HR word of the day – Career anchors A career anchor is ‘that one element in a person’s self-concept that he or she will not give up, even in the face of difficult choices’. In Career anchors: discovering your real values, Edgar Schein explores how personality, motivation and values affect career choices and preferences, through the metaphor of an anchor […]

​Goldbricking definition Goldbricking refers to the practice of passing something worthless off as something valuable, akin to coating a normal house brick with gold plating and passing it off as bullion. In an employment sense, employees that do less than they could – while maintaining an air of being studious – are said to be goldbricking. Although goldbricking refers to […]

​HR word of the day – Human Capital Supply Chain “Human capital supply chain” refers to the integration of business planning, strategic workforce planning, staffing and recruiting processes and technology to enhance corporate productivity and profitability. Employing methods of common manufacturing and distribution supply chain management principles to human resources and human capital, corporations create an end-to-end, human capital supply […]

​Ghent System definition The Ghent system refers to arrangements where responsibility for paying unemployment benefits is undertaken by trade unions rather than government agencies or departments acting on behalf of the government. The system is named Ghent because it was first implemented in the city of Ghent in Belgium. Today it’s popular in Scandinavia, including in Denmark, Sweden and Finland […]

​Gender Divide definition Differences between women and women in society, used in a range of fields including sociology, politics and economics. Within the HR function, refers to differences in how men and women are treated in jobs market and workplace with regard to recruitment, pay, progression, job function, treatment, benefits and perception by colleagues and managers. Commonly referenced in discussions […]

​HR word of the day – Workplace flexibility  Flexibility in organization can be viewed in two main ways – flexibility for organisations and flexibility for individuals. Alis et al (2006) have made the distinction between flexibility of and flexibility for employees. The first of these is where organisations look for flexibility in the way in which they utilities the labour […]

​HR word of the day – Aesthetic labour  Aesthetic labour is where employees are required to look (dress, self-presentation) or sound (voice, language used) in a particular way as part of their paid employment, normally in order to match the desired image of the organisation.  The term aesthetic labour has been coined by Warhurst et al (2000) to refer to […]

​Gag Clause definition A gag clause is a contractual stipend that prevents employees from disclosing certain sensitive information amount a business, the way it operates, its intellectual and physical assets, and any future innovations. Gagging clauses are often discussed alongside whistleblowing – the clauses are often designed to prevent employees from speaking out about perceived wrongdoing in the workplace. Gag clauses differ […]

​Functional Job Analysis definition Functional job analysis, developed by the Employment and Training Administration of the United States Department of Labor, is concerned with qualitative analysis of a job role and worker that produces unique information based on the employee’s behaviour and actions. FJA breaks down job roles into seven areas: things, data, worker instructions, reasoning, people, maths and language. Analysis of […]

​Fraud Triangle definition The Fraud triangle is a framework designed to explain the reasoning behind a worker’s decision to commit workplace fraud. The three stages, categorised by the effect on the individual, can be summarised as pressure, opportunity and rationalisation. Broken down, they are: Step 1 – the pressure on the individual – is the motivation behind the crime and can be […]