Why Every Business Should Encourage Employees to Use Departmental or Corporate Vision Boards

In many successful organisations, planning is not just about spreadsheets, targets and meetings. 

Increasingly, businesses are discovering the value of visual planning tools, such as departmental or company-wide vision boards, to keep teams aligned, motivated and focused on shared goals.

A vision board is simply a visual representation of goals, ambitions and priorities. 

Traditionally used in personal development, businesses are now adopting the concept as a powerful way to communicate strategy, inspire creativity and help employees see how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

Turning Strategy Into Something Employees Can See

One of the biggest challenges in business is translating leadership strategy into something meaningful for staff. A vision board helps bridge that gap.

Instead of a long document outlining company objectives, teams can see visual representations of:

Key targets for the year

Customer outcomes the company wants to achieve

Product launches or service improvements

Cultural goals such as sustainability or community impact

When employees can see the destination, they are far more likely to understand how their work contributes to reaching it.

Boosting Engagement and Ownership

Vision boards are particularly effective when employees help create them.

Encouraging departments to build their own boards allows teams to define how they will contribute to wider organisational goals. This fosters:

Greater ownership of objectives

Clearer team identity

Increased collaboration

Higher engagement levels

Instead of goals feeling imposed from above, employees become active participants in shaping the future of the business.

Encouraging Creativity and Innovation

Most workplaces are dominated by written reports, data and presentations. Vision boards introduce a different way of thinking.

Using images, keywords, diagrams and milestones encourages teams to think more creatively about:

Customer experiences

Product development

Marketing strategies

Workplace culture

Sometimes the act of visualising ideas leads to new insights and innovative solutions that might never emerge during a typical meeting.

Keeping Long-Term Goals Visible

Another benefit is simple visibility. Business plans often disappear into shared drives or management reports. Vision boards, on the other hand, can be displayed in offices, meeting rooms or digital collaboration spaces.

This keeps key priorities front of mind every day, helping teams stay focused on long-term outcomes rather than short-term distractions.

Digital tools such as collaborative whiteboards, project management platforms and shared dashboards make it easy for remote teams to maintain living vision boards that evolve as projects progress.

Building a Stronger Workplace Culture

Vision boards can also reinforce company values and culture. Businesses may choose to include visual reminders of:

Their mission and purpose

Community initiatives

Environmental commitments

Customer success stories

These visual cues help employees connect emotionally with the organisation’s purpose, which can significantly improve morale and retention.

A Simple Tool With Powerful Results

Vision boards require minimal investment but can deliver meaningful impact. Whether displayed on office walls or created digitally for distributed teams, they offer a practical way to align strategy, inspire staff and keep goals visible.

For businesses seeking stronger engagement, clearer communication and a shared sense of direction, encouraging employees to develop departmental or corporate vision boards may be one of the simplest and most effective steps they can take.

Employee Appreciation Day: Why Recognition Is a Smart Business Strategy

In a world of rising costs, tight margins and increasing workplace pressures, one thing remains consistently powerful: feeling valued.

Employee Appreciation Day, traditionally marked on the first Friday in March, offers UK businesses a timely reminder that recognition is not a fluffy extra, it’s a vital, strategic advantage.

For small businesses, family-run firms, sole traders building teams, and larger organisations alike, appreciation can directly influence morale, retention and productivity. 

And in today’s competitive labour market, that matters more than ever.

Why Employee Appreciation Matters More Than You Think

Recognition isn’t about grand gestures or expensive perks. It’s about visibility.

When employees feel acknowledged:

Engagement increases

Staff turnover reduces

Productivity improves

Workplace culture strengthens

Customer experience often improves

Replacing an employee is costly, recruitment fees, training time, lost productivity. A culture of appreciation, by contrast, is relatively inexpensive and creates long-term stability.

For SMEs especially, where every team member plays a vital role, appreciation can be the difference between burnout and loyalty.

The UK Workplace Reality

Across the UK, many businesses are navigating:

Hybrid and remote working models

Cost-of-living pressures affecting staff wellbeing

Skills shortages in key sectors

Increased expectations around workplace culture

In this environment, appreciation is no longer optional. It is a retention tool.

Employees increasingly look for:

Respectful leadership

Clear communication

Meaningful feedback

Flexibility

A sense of belonging

Recognition helps meet all five.

Practical Ways to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

You don’t need a huge HR budget to make an impact. Here are scalable ideas for businesses of all sizes:

1. Personalised Thank You Messages

A genuine, specific note from a manager or business owner carries enormous weight. Mention particular achievements rather than generic praise.

2. Spotlight Achievements Publicly

Share team successes internally, or even externally via LinkedIn or your business newsletter (with permission). Public recognition reinforces value.

3. Offer Flexible Rewards

Not everyone wants the same thing. Consider:

Extra annual leave hours

Flexible working days

Gift cards to local businesses

Professional development budgets

4. Invest in Growth

Offering training, mentoring or funded qualifications signals long-term commitment. Development opportunities often mean more than one-off treats.

5. Support Wellbeing

Wellbeing initiatives, whether mental health support, team lunches, or simply reviewing workloads, demonstrate genuine care.

Appreciation Is About Consistency

One important caveat: appreciation should not be a once-a-year event.

If praise only appears on Employee Appreciation Day, it risks feeling tokenistic.

The most successful businesses embed recognition into their culture by:

Encouraging peer-to-peer recognition

Training managers in effective feedback

Holding regular check-ins

Celebrating milestones and progress

When appreciation becomes routine, it builds psychological safety and trust.

The Business Case: ROI of Recognition

Recognition has measurable impact:

Higher retention reduces recruitment costs

Engaged teams drive stronger performance

Positive culture enhances employer brand

Happy employees improve customer satisfaction

In a digital age where employer reviews on platforms like Glassdoor influence recruitment, culture transparency matters.

A respected workforce becomes your strongest marketing asset.

For Small Business Owners: A Personal Note

If you run a microbusiness or SME, appreciation is even more personal. Your team likely works closely with you. They see the pressures you face. They contribute directly to growth.

Taking time to recognise their effort doesn’t just improve morale — it reinforces partnership.

And partnership is powerful.

Employee Appreciation Day isn’t about balloons or branded mugs.

It’s about recognising that behind every invoice, every sale and every successful project are people making it happen.

In uncertain economic times, businesses that prioritise appreciation don’t just build happier teams — they build stronger, more resilient organisations.

And that’s not just good culture.

It’s good business.

Older employees need to continuously develop their skills to stay motivated. Report

Continuous learning and development in the workplace are key for people’s motivation, reveals new research by the University of Cologne.

The study, undertaken by Professor Anne Burmeister, investigated the positive and negative effects of workers over 45 seeking knowledge from their younger co-workers.

The findings show that older people seeking knowledge from the younger co-workers leads to higher work motivation and higher workability because they are able to learn something new.

“Old dogs can learn new tricks, in fact, older workers are more motivated at work when they can learn something new from their younger co-workers,” says Professor Burmeister.

However, the research also reveals that seeking knowledge from younger co-workers can be uncomfortable for older employees, and can leave them feeling embarrassed. This is because societal norms view the older workers as the knowledge providers, not the learners.

This effect was significantly reduced if older workers had higher levels of positive intergenerational affect.

“Creating opportunities for high-quality contact between employees of different age groups, allowing them to get to know each other and discover similarities can facilitate the development of higher levels of intergenerational affect,” says Professor Burmeister.

The study was published in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour.

CIPHR extolls the virtues of “Onboarding”

Series of activities demonstrate how to get the best from new hires

Computers In Personnel (CIPHR), a leading supplier of HR Software, Payroll, Absence and Recruitment Solutions, is dedicating a whole week to address and explain the issues surrounding Onboarding. Activities will include:

Monday May 14th - a new video depicting the topic of Onboarding

Tuesday May 15th - a second video walking viewers through the CIPHR solution for Onboarding

Wednesday May 16th - topical infographic showing the employee lifecycle

Thursday May 17th - white paper to download from the ciphr.com website covering the main issues around Onboarding and how they can be addressed

Friday May 18th 9.30am/2.30pm - free webinar hosted by CIPHR dealing with the issues covered over the course of the week and answering participants’ questions

Effective Onboarding is crucial because the decision to stay in a new job is usually made within the first 6 months and replacing an employee in the first year of their employment is known to cost organisations upwards of twice their annual salary. One of the most quoted reasons for people leaving their employment is lack of “cultural adaptation”. This can be addressed through the Onboarding process and starts from the moment the acceptance letter pops through the door.

Speaking about the week’s events, Chris Berry, managing director of Computers In Personnel, says, “Onboarding is something that all organisations do whether they know it or not. Some do it very well and others barely scratch the surface of what is necessary. The week that we have planned delivers a whole range of information that will help anyone who is struggling with the issues of getting the best from their new hires. It will show how to deliver knowledge and key details to them quickly and effectively, even before their first day of work. That way, when they start they are already ahead of the game!”

FACTFILE:
Computers In Personnel (CIPHR) is a leading supplier of HR Software, Payroll, Absence and Recruitment Solutions. It has been supplying best of breed people management solutions for over 26 years and remains one of the most established and trusted providers in the UK.

Every day, some of the UK's largest and most respected organisations, small businesses, charities, and public sector bodies rely on CIPHR to effectively manage their employee data. It provides a unique breed of sophisticated, integrated HR software solutions that can help organisations achieve their business goals.

For more information contact:
Fiona Keys
Marketing Manager
fkeys@ciphr.com
01628 814 229

Independent trustee services or DIY? Time to get sociable!

With such far-reaching changes taking place within the pensions world these days, it's small wonder many employees now feel a certain amount of bemused detachment, no doubt interspersed with a liberal dose of confusion, worry and perhaps moments of panic! 

Who can blame them given the drip-feed nature of 24-hour breaking news often adding layers of misinformation instead of clarity? Whilst it's the duty of trustees to answer questions and allay any fears pension scheme members may have, all too often lack of time or effort gets in the way. The use of independent trustee services in implementing an effective communications strategy just might be a way forward.

Too expensive! Ah yes, the predictable response in these cost-cutting, austere times we all seem to be living in. Now what? Start a meaningful dialogue with the company's IT department for starters. After all, this is the 21st century, the age of Facebook, Twitter, email and so much more. Like as not, many pension scheme members will have their own Facebook page at the very least, probably a Twitter account too.

The company has it's own web site, which is good, albeit infrequently updated. But no Facebook page, no Twitter, no forum on the web site and an email address buried deep within an obscure page no one is ever liable to come across in a month of Sundays! What has the company been doing for the last decade?

The answer, of course, is missing out on some very effective channels of communication ideal for pension scheme members with all manner of queries and questions which have never been satisfactorily answered. Now is the time to put all of that right. It shouldn't cost an arm and a leg either, which is good news for the bottom line. Facebook is free and so is Twitter. And good forum software is readily available, often at little or zero cost.

Naturally, it makes sense for someone on the trustee board to take overall responsibility for social media content and communications. Initially, they'll have to 'manually' spread the word amongst employees, which can be achieved easily through a newsletter, if the company has one, or by sticking up details on the company's noticeboard. However this is achieved, don't expect an immediate rush of questions. It'll take time for employees to get used to the idea and to articulate their worries, concerns and the like.

But whatever the level of 'traffic', all queries must be answered in a timely manner. There is no good setting up such communication channels if no one bothers to respond. Interest will quickly fall away. And depending on the number of pension scheme members, the level of queries is likely to vary greatly, too, from maybe one or two a week to perhaps dozens. Who knows? The only way is to try it and see.

We are all lucky to be living now, at a time when the number of ways we can instantly communicate with each other has increased so dramatically. While 'snail mail' will always have a place within our lives, social media has changed the personal landscape like nothing else in history has done. Time we all realised its potential and embraced it fully.

EPOS Software Leader, Total Retail Control Ltd., Selected as HRVision Distributor for UK & Ireland Retail Solutions Market

Integrity Testing Software will Help Ireland and UK Retailers Stop Employee Theft.

Employee theft is not something that any business wants to think about. But sadly, it can be a reality. And all retailers need to be able to deal with the problem before it becomes a problem.

HRVision Ltd., is pleased to announce the appointment of Total Retail Control Ltd. as their distributor for the Ireland and UK retail market. A leader in retail epos solutions, TRC will be offering HRVision's highly accurate and cost effective integrity testing software, SavvyIntegrity to complement the TRC Ltd. current retail solutions product suite.

"In the retail segment where employee theft is an especially crucial issue, TRC recognises the need to offer our clients innovative technologies that can effectively aid retailers in identifying dishonest candidates before they become employees," says Gavin Peacock, CEO, TRC.

SavvyIntegrity is HRVision’s revolutionary SaaS tool for the recruiting or loss-prevention division of an organization. It has high sensitivity to theft and fraud and lets recruiters identify potentially dishonest candidates before they become employees. Utilising proven and patented technology, the SavvyIntegrity system extends recruiters' ability to immediately identify the level of integrity of candidates.

“Having established a reputation for providing excellence in retail and hospitality solutions to a wide variety of clients across Ireland and the UK, TRC is keen on delivering the most advanced retail intelligence solutions to solve real-world retail challenges,” says Gavin Peacock, CEO, TRC. "As a comprehensive retail solutions provider, we are pleased to partner with a company known around the globe for their highly predictive tools in the field of employee assessment".

Sandy Erez, Director of Business Development, HRVision adds, "TRC customers can now accurately screen potential candidates without the cost and complexity associated with lengthy intensive screening. The 20-minute web-based test can be a game changer for TRC’s wide base of client retailers, who are unaware that such technologies exist. Retailers would be surprised to know that these technologies are user friendly and affordable."

FACTFILE:
Retail solutions empowered by TRC deliver the best retail intelligence to grow your retail operation. TRC retail insights help managing retail staff, managing retail suppliers, controlling retail cash, managing retail customers and managing your retail stock to boost your bottom line.

Total Retail Control (TRC) was launched in 1991 and over the past 21 years, the company has established a reputation for providing excellence in retail and hospitality solutions to a wide variety of clients across Ireland and the UK.  For more information about Total Retail Control, please visit: www.trcepos.ie or email sales@trcepos.ie.

Established in 1997, HRVision, is a leading provider of highly sophisticated employee assessment solutions software for organizations seeking a highly accurate and cost effective recruitment solutions suitable to the workplace environment and its diversity demands.

Seeking to address key challenges faced by organizations to perform cost effective but highly qualified mass recruitment, HRVision has created a suite of empiric employee assessment software solutions (Savvy Recruiter, SavvyIntegrity, SavvyExpert, SavvyCompetencies) that revolutionizes the way recruitment is done. Empowered by this breakthrough technology that hit the market in 2005, the HRVision solution has since proven its ability to significantly improve performance and reduce turnover for organizations worldwide.

Headquartered in Israel, HRVision has sold over 500,000 SavvyRecruiter Assessment and Integrity software tests worldwide, with sales channels in Brazil, UK, Holland, South Africa Israel, and Mexico. Available in 9 languages, HRVision's fully integrated, internet-based system utilizes sophisticated technology on a user friendly, multimedia testing and reporting platform making it the most advanced employee assessment system in the world. For more information please visit: http://www.hrvision.com/products-and-solutions/Integrity/.

Vebnet reveals lack of appreciation of the benefits package is a major concern for employers

Vebnet has revealed that for the third year running, over half of HR directors and rewards chiefs (56%) say lack of employee understanding or appreciation of benefits is their number one concern, yet the potential for better communication and greater financial education is still to be exploited by many.

This is one of the main conclusions to be drawn from the Annual HR Reward Survey, conducted in partnership with employee benefits and solutions provider Vebnet and leading long term savings and investment company Standard Life.

Other findings of the annual survey were:
- Less than a third (31%) of employers say they conduct frequent employee research to help them understand their employee's views and concerns around rewards and benefits.
- Just over a third (34%) of employers confirm their reward and benefit communications are personalised for each employee.
- Over half of employers (52%) don't currently offer their employees any financial education and have no plans to do so.

Richard Morgan, director of consultancy at Vebnet, said: "Many people are seeing an erosion of their income in real terms, thanks to pay freezes and inflation. So a drive for greater employee understanding and engagement has never been timelier. Benefits are typically worth 20-25% of salary and demonstrating this is an important message that is likely to be very well received in the current environment. More than ever, employees are likely to want to gain a much better understanding of how to plan for the future and to be extremely receptive to support in this area.

"But it appears that many employers are deferring addressing this issue. Clearly HR directors and benefit chiefs have many things to contend with just now, such as headcount reductions and budgets being squeezed. But they also need to tackle the issue of engagement and understanding head on. I believe the spotlight is about to turn towards engagement and that financial education is set to become as important as "wellbeing" in the workplace.

Ann Flynn, Head of Corporate Marketing at Standard Life added: "There is no doubt that the right communication is vital when it comes to employee engagement and with the introduction of auto-enrolment it can only gain in importance.

"We've already carried out additional research into auto-enrolment, which shows that when people are presented with the right information in the right way, they engage more and are likely to understand the value of their company pension scheme and stay opted in. That's why Standard Life and Vebnet are working closely with employers to ensure the right communications are used to help drive engagement so that employees have a full appreciation of the benefits their employers are providing."


FACTFILE:
Vebnet Limited is a reward and benefits provider. They work with some of the world's leading employers offering a range of services including reward and benefits strategies, reward and benefits technology, employee communication and administration services, including employee benefits consulting and employee benefits administration. Founded in 2000 and acquired by Standard Life in 2008, Vebnet is one of the largest providers supporting over 200 employers and 470,000 employees.

Keeping staff healthy is good for them and good for business

It makes good business sense pays to keep employees healthy. Research published today reveals as little as 15 minutes of physical activity a day can bring enormous health benefits.

The study, published in The Lancet, reviewed physical activity levels of over 400,000 people and found that just 15 minutes of exercise a day can reduce the risk of all-cause death by 14% and increase life expectancy.

The workplace is a great place to encourage physical activity, providing an estimated 54% of the global population with the opportunity to improve their health. But how can the effectiveness of increased activity be measured?

An answer to this question comes from iGlobalFitness, who announced at today’s rebrand as iGlobalWellness, their commitment to supporting organisations to improve the health of their workforce with a suite of revolutionary wellness services. iGlobalWellness is a wellness consultancy service built on years of experience building programmes specially designed to help employers reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and morale, and lower turnover rates.

“Wellness programmes help employees feel valued, empowering individuals, and increasing productivity and profitability. We have worked hard over the last three years to put together a set of world class wellness programmes for the 21st Century,” points out a proud Paul Tomlin, CEO of iGlobalWellness.

The health and wellness of the workforce plays a major part in the success of the business. iGlobalWellness use strategic programmes to help organisations to promote positive health and wellbeing among their employees, enhancing performance and helping businesses to gain a competitive advantage.

Measurement and sustainability are key to the services provided by iGlobalWellness, ensuring organisations can easily evaluate the effectiveness of wellness strategies and enabling employees to incorporate the programmes into their busy lifestyles.

"These studies back what we already know - that doing a little bit of physical activity each day brings health benefits. We hope these studies will help more people realise that there are many ways to get exercise, activities like walking at a good pace or digging the garden over can count too," said England’s Chief Medical Officer, speaking to the BBC today.

With a global network of personal trainers, wellness facilitators and qualified coaches, iGlobalWellness can develop new wellness programmes for businesses or provide existing wellness programmes with support to make them more sustainable and effective. At their rebrand, iGlobalWellness launched their latest wellness services to complement the range of programmes they already provide.

The Wellness for Life workshop educates employees about behaviours necessary to lead healthier lifestyles, focusing on four key areas; iPhysical, iNutritional, iEmotional, and iSpiritual.

The Stay Active Challenge, a fun and engaging competition between corporate teams, was launched earlier this year and has already proved popular among businesses due to the motivating Boot Camps, Pound Punchers and Nutrition Consultations provided to Challenge participants.

Personal Wellness Programmes are customised to employee needs and provide regular reviews of Lifestyle, Health, Nutrition, Exercise and Daily activity with support from Wellness Facilitators and Activity Coaches.

All iGlobalWellness’ programmes are enhanced by the iAM, an exclusive, advanced activity monitor and online coaching system.

FACTFILE:-
iGlobalWellness is the first company of its kind to offer a worldwide network of personal wellness training services for both the corporate and consumer market. They work with companies to develop effective wellness strategies using a global network of resources to offer a range of sustainable and measurable wellness services, designed to stimulate employee participation, increase performance and drive employee engagement. They work closely with ActionAid, making an automatic donation for every employee who takes part in their programmes.

www.iGlobalWellness.com

www.StayActiveChallenge.com

Faltering job creation highlights need for effective handling of employee relations

The latest employment figures from the CIPD and KPMG, which shows job creation is set to slow sharply, clearly demonstrates that a painful economic recovery, with all its associated cost-cutting and structural change, will be a fact of life for organisations for some time to come.

But what's more, continuing ongoing employee relations disputes this summer means employers increasingly see the effective handling of employee and industrial relations, particularly in the absence of a clear economic recovery, as an essential skill, a route to positive workplace engagement and an important way to increase value for organisations.

This is why Marshall-James Global Solutions, a leading UK specialist in employee relations, has produced ‘Creating Value through Employee Relations and Engagement’, the first conference dedicated to this subject. The event is for anyone who wants straightforward, practical strategic and tactical advice on how to turn the risks to employee relations and engagement in difficult times into opportunities that create a positive workforce. It will also add value directly to organisations and to their performance day-to-day.

A strong line-up of conference speakers and panellists will attend the event, to be held on Thursday 13th October in central London. These will include the Right Honourable Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, CEOs, senior HRDs, Employee Relations directors, union leaders, leading media commentators, business psychologists, academics and other experts. The conference will be chaired by Dominic Laurie, business presenter on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live, including the Today and Wake Up to Money programmes.

“Creating Value through Employee Relations and Engagement” is intended for senior HR and business leaders, line managers, union officials and reps and employee representatives who need clear answers to their employee relations and engagement challenges. This conference is relevant to anyone working in either a unionised or non-unionised organisation.

Subjects to be covered at the conference will include:-

• Why excellent employee relations are essential to a successful organisation.
• What the challenges and enablers to effective employee relations and engagement really are.
• The Government perspective: Francis Maude gives his view.
• How to engage front line managers to enthuse their teams.
• How to use reward to deliver good employee relations and engagement and create value.
• How to rebuild employee relationships, reputation and value.
• The challenges and opportunities facing the public sector.

The conference is already proving highly popular with delegates because it will deliver practical answers to key questions, including how to:-

• Deliver change to save money and improve productivity.
• Increase the value of your business through better employee relations.
• Identify opportunities through employee relations - and take advantage of them.
• Tackle and solve employee and industrial relation issues.
• Minimize the risk of uncertainty during employment change.
• Engage employees during difficult times.

To learn more about the conference at Marshall-James in general, please visit: www.mjgsl.com.