Sliced Cheese: 5/14

More great stuff from the Cheesester this month, as he pops in to a couple of debates of genuine interest to the HR community. Lately, he’s been all about young entrepreneurs and that oft-overlook catalyst for engagement and productivity – the workplace.

But first, the young ‘uns. The CIPD is publishing a series of reports on entrepreneurs, and the latest (the third) reckons that helping young people start their own businesses could be a great fillip for youth employment.

At the launch of the report, attendees learned that 36 per cent of 18-24 year olds have considered setting up their own business, but 42 per cent fear a lack of business know-how will hold them back.

On the CIPD blog, Cheese suggests that it’s up to businesses to work with policy makers and schools to encourage a wide range of access routes into employment.

“Everything entrepreneurs need to learn can’t be on the national curriculum,” he said. “Signposting other opportunities for support is key.”

Even if we can’t always do something about the wider issue from our bunged-up-with-stuff HR desks, it’s good to know how the argument’s going. There’s stuff here that we can grab to meet other challenges too. (How do we attract and grow entrepreneurs within our own organisations, for example?)

Working workplaces

Elsewhere, 350 delegates bustled into the ThinkFM’s annual conference to explore the theme of ‘workplace’ through a series of sessions and guest speakers.

The Cheese spoke on how the workplace impacts on the workforce and why it is vital that those tasked with managing these key resources need to work together to maximise the value of its employees.

At the conference, the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) showcased FM TV, a new development in conjunction with ITN Productions. (Shame it wasn’t a radio platform, as it could have been called FM FM. Arf, arf.)

The Cheese’s interest in workplace extended to attendance at the ABP Workforce Experience Awards, which ‘focus on demonstrating how applying an understanding of the science of human behaviour can impact Workforce Experience and deliver commercial and practical value to organisations.’

What with the neuroscience theme floating around HR at the moment, and now this ‘science of human behaviour’ malarkey, it can’t be long before everyone in HR is wandering around in white coats and carrying clipboards.

About the author

Andrew Baird

Andrew is the CEO of HRville. He is also Employer Brand Director of Blackbridge Communications, Editorial Director of Professionals in Law and an associate of The Smarty Train. Previously, he was the MD of TCS Advertising.