Latest news

Managing and Supporting Mental Health at Work: Disclosure Tools for Managers

Posted 4th January 2012

The CIPD and MIND have jointly published a report entitled 'Managing and Supporting Mental Health at Work: Disclosure Tools for Managers' which addresses the taboo of disclosing mental health issues in the workplace. Mind found that employees have a real fear of disclosing mental health problems in case their career prospects were affected and they might face discrimination in the workplace. CIPD worked with managers to find out what might help them to support employees, and this joint publication offers an excellent practical guide to help managers talk about stress and mental health problems with their staff and put in place support structures to enable them to stay well and in work.

Take a look at the report here.

CiC Autumn Seminar – Dealing with the Unexpected

Posted 28th November 2011

CiC run two seminars a year that focus on corporate issues that are relevant to the current challenges to our customers in HR and other interested departments, such as business continuity.

CiC's Autumn Seminar
Rupert Reid and Chris Larkin at the National Liberal Club in Whitehall, London

Rupert Reid and Chris Larkin held an interesting seminar to a capacity crowd, some of whom were CiC existing clients and others who were new to CiC. The day centred around the important issue of continuity planning and crisis management focussing on the role of HR professionals in continuity planning and in managing the human and psychological impact of such incidents. The delegates were given different case scenarios and entered into lively debate and learning.

There was a great atmosphere at the seminar and the delegates really engaged with the exercises.

The day ended with a buffet lunch and there were plenty of opportunities for delegates to discuss and share their ideas with other professionals from their field and to find out more about CiC training courses and EAP provision.

CiC Breakfast Seminar - Retirement Transition within the Legal Profession

Posted 30th June 2011

Although this talk was entitled 'Clinging to the Ivy' – bringing to mind old engravings of ageing lawyers grimly hanging onto ancient creepers against the red brick wall of a nineteenth century office building, Marie Eastwood produced even stronger and more challenging images in her talk on Retirement Transition. She spoke of phrases used by those facing huge change in the third major transition of the human life cycle – such as 'facing the chasm' and 'standing on a cliff edge'. People struggling with loss of identity and meaning, unable to move forward with confidence and discover new purpose and activity in their lives.

Marie Eastwood
Mairi Eastwood, co-founder of leading executive coaching firm, Praesta Partners LLP

Her skilful presentation moved between commercial and very practical considerations for the legal sector. The recent economic climate has produced a dilemma – senior partners less likely to venture out into more of an unknown world, fewer available positions and younger lawyers thus blocked from moving up the career ladder in ways that would have been familiar even ten years ago. She spoke of the challenges facing so many law firms in these areas, and outlined possible solutions for companies keen to nurture the next generation and also help those leaving familiar territory to face the future with optimism.

Experienced lawyers nearing the end of their profession are very often interested in becoming non-executive directors on Boards of other organisations but can find themselves at a disadvantage. They may be seen in a stereotypical way as only lawyers who can block clear decision making (always seeing two sides to the problem!). One positive intervention might be to offer a training programme to such people which trains them to be principals on a Board – remodelling existing skills.

Kate Nowlan and Marie Eastwood
Kate Nowlan(right) and Marie Eastwood

Training programmes that can help people prepare for retirement offer commercial payback almost immediately, and those images of cliff edges and chasms can be transmuted by showing people that they can be useful, effective and valuable in another way – the trauma effect of not being needed disappearing as they become aware of new options. This has a positive effect on the company in two ways. Firstly on the senior lawyers themselves (not to mention their families) but also on the younger generation who can see the firm looking after older people in transition and a strong modelling for their own future development. The sooner that these programmes can be introduced the better – preferably linked with focussed coaching, personal business planning, leadership skills training etc

CiC is running a programme of retirement transition workshops for all sectors and will be delighted to give details on request.

Kate Nowlan
Chief Executive, CiC.

CiC was proud to co-host this year's Employee Assistance European Forum's Conference

Posted 17th May 2011 Employee Assistance European Forum's logo

EAEF 2011 Conference – London, United Kingdom
15th – 17th June 2011
RESILIENT PEOPLE, RESILIENT ORGANISATIONS
A EUROPEAN CHALLENGE

CiC Summer Seminar - Re-energising the Survivors

Posted 21st April 2011

Led by Richard Wilkes of Steps Drama Learning Development.

This half-day workshop was a thought-provoking, engaging and interactive (although no one was asked to role play). Those attending left with practical skills on motivation, support and conflict management that they could take back to their organisations. There was also thw opportunity to meet peers from different sectors, share ideas and discuss best practice.

CiC hosted the event from the National Liberal Club in Whitehall, London.

CiC Breakfast Seminar: Sustainability within the
Construction and Engineering Industry

Posted 8th March 2011
Andrew Pace, Director for HR and Communications of Balfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering
Andrew Pace, Director for HR and Communications of Balfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering

Andrew Pace, Director for HR and Communications of Balfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering, presented a powerful and visionary seminar on sustainability at the Swissotel in central London on 1st March with leading professionals from major Construction and Engineering Industries.

Focussing on sustainability in the construction industry he drew delegates' attention not only to the environmental issues of climate, change, waste, water, materials, energy and the overall ecological factors but also to the crucial subject of the 'people aspects' of sustainability in the workplace.

For people, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of employee well being and engagement, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions and is a collective responsibility.

He explained that although initially the Balfour Beatty sustainability initiative met with some barriers such as project size, high cost, worthwhile value, it was not long before employees began to see the merits of implementing such an ethical approach, which brought tangible advantages resulting in reduced costs, greater diversity policies and advantageous in generating new business.

As part of the overall vision, much emphasis is put on building healthy communities both internally by engaging employees in sustainability and externally by improving life in the communities in which we live.

Andrew outlined the Balfour Beatty 2020 Vision for engaging people in sustainability:

  • Allowing employees to develop their creative ideas
  • Keeping People Safe
  • Increasing Employee Satisfaction and Engagement
  • Valuing Diversity
  • Developing Leaders and attracting and developing people of high potential
  • Implementing communication programmes promoting healthy lifestyle
  • Looking in detail at work-life balance
  • Offering health lifestyle advice and benefits available to employees
  • Involving 90% of staff in appraisal programmes
  • Carrying out employee satisfaction and feedback surveys
  • Including leading sustainability in leadership models
  • Sustainability objectives for Managers
  • Staff Academy for training courses
  • Providing an EAP to all employees and their families

The partnership with CiC is proving to be of immense value in supporting the vision. CiC enhances Balfour Beatty's commitment to the wellbeing of its staff. It provides:

  • 24/7 adviceline
  • Services for all work/life issues
  • Wellness campaigns
  • Outplacement
  • Bespoke training courses
  • Online services
  • Critical Incident Support
  • Managerial Consultancy Helpline

The CiC Managerial Consultancy helpline is widely appreciated by those responsible for enhancing employee engagement and those who may have to deal with the emotional impact of managerial decisions. The online services provided by CiC offer wide ranging information to maintain employee wellbeing both at home and work, and the partnership between the two companies is proving an invaluable resource for the sustainability project.

Lively questions followed the presentation on such issues as talent retention in a financial downturn and all delegates took the opportunity to explore similar themes from their own places of work in both construction and engineering industries.

For further information on our EAP, please contact Javier Paredes on 020 7938 0923 or email javier.paredes@cic-eap.co.uk