+44 (0)1233 627 275

Dakota Blue Consulting Blog

The candidate experience

The candidate experience

The recruitment process is vital to the success of any business in finding new talent. Too often it is approached as a corporate process and not viewed from the candidate’s perspective. It is an opportunity for the candidate to evaluate the company and gain an insight into the company’s culture. It is the company’s opportunity to effectively recruit the top talent out there and increase their brand strength and referrals. Creating a good candidate experience is essential and not a complex task, read on for how you can improve the candidate's experience when you are recruiting.
Read More.

What can go wrong in a performance review?

What can go wrong in a performance review?

Performance reviews are important tools for managers, they can boost performance and productivity and are key for talent retention and a positive working culture. These are all vital for the overall growth and productivity of an organisation. There are common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid when conducting reviews, if you don’t they can go very wrong leaving an employee disgruntled and disengaged. Read on for how to avoid these pitfalls in a performance review.
Read More.

What does the triggering of article 50 mean for your business?

What does the triggering of article 50 mean for your business?

This week we will see the momentous triggering of article 50, it will be one of the most complicated negotiations of political history. But what exactly does it mean for your business? Read on for areas that could see change and could have an impact on your business.
Read More.

How to have a constructive conversation about pay

How to have a constructive conversation about pay

As a manager and leader, you will face having challenging conversations with your employees. One of the most emotive conversations is around pay and people are likely to become defensive. When having a conversation with a member of staff about their pay, you will need to be able to manage emotions and manage the exchange to make it a constructive conversation. If you get it wrong you may find the employee goes absent, becomes disengaged and their performance suffers, or they may even resign. This blog gives advice on how to have a constructive conversation about pay.
Read More.

Employment law - key dates

Employment law - key dates

Key employment law dates at a glance.
Read More.

Achieving work-life balance as a business leader

Achieving work-life balance as a business leader

Do you find yourself wondering where the day has gone? All the goals you’d set yourself at the beginning of the day have been pushed to one side dealing with unexpected issues. Maintaining peak performance at work is demanding and can be stressful. Business leaders can find themselves under enormous pressure with so many responsibilities and deadlines, which can easily seep into their personal life, with their work and personal life boundaries becoming blurred. This blog addresses the importance of achieving a good work-life balance.
Read More.

The feedback sandwich

The feedback sandwich

The feedback sandwich approach has often been used to give negative feedback to employees. You literally sandwich the criticism between two pieces of positive feedback. But is it the most effective method to deliver negative feedback? We take a look at how it could be undermining not only the feedback you are trying to deliver, but also damaging your relationship with your employees.
Read More.

Organisational design for SMEs

Organisational design for SMEs

Do you know what a well-designed organisation looks like? People often equate organisational design with organisational structure. However, it encompasses much more, it is about aligning all aspects of the organisation with the overall goals and objectives of the business. As an organisation evolves so must the organisational design, this will enable the business to work effectively, helping with communication, productivity and innovation. This blog examines organisation design and how it can work for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
Read More.

Managing relationships in the workplace

Managing relationships in the workplace

It’s February and with Valentine’s Day upon us, we’re thinking about relationships in the workplace. Whatever size your business is, in all likelihood you employ people who also have personal relationships with each other outside of work. In fact many relationships begin with people meeting at work, these may form in to long term partnerships or friendships. You may also employ members of your own family or have employees that are related. Whilst these relationships should not be viewed as a problem, this blog looks at the complexities of relationships in the work place, with a particular focus on family businesses.
Read More.

Recruiting for less desirable roles

Recruiting for less desirable roles

Do you find certain roles in your company harder to recruit for than others? Perhaps you think the role is undesirable and rather boring. Just take a moment, remember that one size doesn’t fit all. Just because you don’t enjoy doing something doesn't mean someone else won't. Knowing who you need to attract and where to find them is essential. Here are some tips you should consider when you are recruiting for less desirable roles.
Read More.

Get more articles like this, Free HR E-Books and tips direct to your inbox: