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Richard Pell

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Consultant, Human Resource Solutions Plus - HRSP

213 points

HR generalist for 30+ years with experience in many overseas countries, the UK and across a range of industries. Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the UK. Current focus is supporting small and medium sized enterprises.

Richard Pell and 2 other people answered this question at this roundtable

Nov. 17, 2011

Lunch at the Compensation Café: Understanding International Rewards [11/15 @ 11 am]

Are the days of extravagant ex-pat compensation packages over?

I think the key word here is "compensation". If working in a highly challenging or dangerous environment one would expect the compensation to reflect that but not if the expat is working in an environment that is broadly comparable with the "home" environment. more

Human Resources

Compensation Cafe

Employee Rewards

Richard Pell and 2 other people answered this question

Nov. 17, 2011

What challenges do expatriate managers’ face when they return home?

Charlie's comment is very true (having experienced this myself to some degree). There is also a risk that the returner's experiences and challenges that he or she has dealt with while overseas are simply not understood back home. This means that the person preparing for ... more

Global Human Resources

International Business

Richard Pell and 18 other people answered this question

Nov. 17, 2011

POLL: Do you read job seekers' cover letters?

A.
Carla I think you have hit the nail on the head. While it can be tough for people looking for jobs in a difficult market there is no excuse not to try to target your letter and CV to the needs of the employer. ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 8 other people answered this question

Nov. 17, 2011

What is 'work'? How do you define it today?

With youth unemployment at an all time high here in the UK, work for a lot of young people is a dream that is increasingly difficult to realise. Time after time we hear young people commenting (often in quite colourful terms!) on the fact that ... more

General Management

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 14 other people answered this question

Nov. 17, 2011

At what size should a small business consider hiring a full time HR Manager?

An awful lot depends on what the business owner wants the HR Manager to actually do. With 50 employees, the time spent on the compliance element might be significantly less than with a company that has, say, 1000 employees. But equally it might be quite ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 38 other people answered this question

Nov. 17, 2011

Is it essential to have your own website in this information age?

I agree that it is essential to have a website - as others have said, even if it is very simple, most people will expect you to have one. more

Human Resources

Information Technology

Brand Management

Richard Pell and 3 other people answered this question

Aug. 26, 2011

What are your favorite exit interview questions to ask terminated employees?

If you had to describe our company to a complete stranger, how would you do this in one sentence? more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 13 other people answered this question

Aug. 26, 2011

Should HR interview salespeople?

This has proved to be quite contentious so here's my take on it. As an HR person I have often found that Sales people really dislike being interviewed by HR - and love being interviewed by a Sales professional.
In the past I have done ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 5 other people answered this question

Aug. 26, 2011

Is it deceiving to use the title "Customer Experience Specialist" for quota-carrying sales people?

Maybe it should be called "Potential Customer Experience Specialist" as it certainly seems to have a very strong sales emphasis. My first impression from the title was that the CES was someone who looked after existing customers so it does "feel" a little odd. more

Customer Service

Customer Experience Management

Richard Pell and 5 other people answered this question

June 27, 2011

Would you 'pay off' a bad hire in order to keep your rep as a good employer?

So much depends on why the person is a "bad hire". Occasionally it may make sense to quickly pay off someone who does not perform but ...care needs to be taken to ensure that the good performers in the organisation do not get resentful of ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 5 other people answered this question

Feb. 24, 2011

Why do managers & leaders in large organisations spend so much time in meetings?

There is something in the "make work" theory for sure but I also think there can be a sense of collective security if something is agreed in a meeting. That can be used by risk averse individuals to ensure that they cannot be blamed if ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 5 other people answered this question

Feb. 24, 2011

When is an employee post on Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media outlet grounds for termination?

In the UK it would normally be possible to take disciplinary action if the social media comment is defamatory or unlawful or otherwise undermines the duty of trust and confidence between the parties or brings the employer into disrepute. Of course it would help if ... more

Human Resources

Employee & Labor Relations

Employee Management

Richard Pell and 2 other people answered this question

Feb. 17, 2011

As a recruiter, what are some of the things to AVOID talking about with a potential candidate?

Mark's point is powerful - stick to the job criteria and avoid questions or discussions relating to things that you might have in common with the candidate which are not job related. So, for example, if someone has identified that they are ardent fans of ... more

Human Resources

Recruiting Tips

Richard Pell answered this question

Jan. 26, 2011

What's the best resource for finding HR jobs overseas?

This rather depends on where you are interested in working and for which countries you would be able to secure a visa/work permit etc.
Perhaps a good start point would be to locate HR organisations in countries that interest you and seek their advice.
Here are ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 15 other people answered this question

Jan. 26, 2011

Is it better to staff a position with anyone just for the sake of filling it?

The answer must be "no" I would have thought. Not only does a "just anyone" put a strain on fellow workers but it also raises the question of the hirer's competence in the eyes of the rest of the workforce.
I do understand (and have seen ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 2 other people answered this question

Jan. 26, 2011

Is it okay for self-identified employees to tweet about politics?

I would have thought that problems would arise mostly where a company or organisation has a public view on some political point or issue and the employee is tweeting a clearly contrary view. In those circumstances there may be an argument that the employee is ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 7 other people answered this question

Jan. 17, 2011

If you took over a company with a reputation for poor service, what would be your first change?

Pick out the top two reasons that your customers quote as being manifestations of poor service and tackle those ruthlessly. more

Customer Service

Angry Customers

Contact Centers

Richard Pell and 5 other people answered this question

Jan. 17, 2011

When recruiting what is more important Education or Experience?

Experience wins hands down. There may be a specific educational qualification required for a role which is fair enough but I also like to know if the person can DO the job. more

General Management

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 6 other people answered this question

Jan. 17, 2011

What do you think are the biggest limitations that HR managers face?

The main limitations are those that they impose or allow to be imposed on themselves in my view. There is always a chance for a good HR manager to contribute to the commercial success of a private company but many HR people just fall into ... more

Human Resources

Human Resource Development

Human Resource Management

Richard Pell is now following

Jan. 5, 2011

Brian Phelps selected a best answer for

Dec. 21, 2010

Would you rather be a 'jack-of-all trades' or a 'master of one'?

In today's job market would you rather be specialized in one area or have several areas in which you are good at? Why? more

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 1 other person answered this question

Nov. 30, 2010

Do you recommend cross-training your employees?

Cross training between functions that interact with each other has a huge benefit because people suddenly understand how their actions impinge on others. It also creates informal connections which are really valuable in times of crisis. more

Human Resources

Employee Training

Human Resource Strategies

Job Requirements

Richard Pell and 30 other people answered this question

Nov. 25, 2010

Best Practices in Reducing Employee Turnover: What are your 3 tips for reducing employee turnover?

A lot hinges on absolutely clear messages to candidates during the selection process and testing how they respond to those messages.
Be 100% sure that they "buy" the ethos of your organisation. Make sure that all of your hiring, documentation, orientation and management approaches/utterances reflect ... more

General Management

Human Resources

Employee Turnover

Richard Pell and 2 other people answered this question

Nov. 25, 2010

Do you have a surplus training budget at the end of the year?

An enviable position to be in I think in these recessionary times!
You could consider setting up a scheme in which people put forward a "bid" for training monies to be made available to them if there is a surplus.
So, for example, an employee who might ... more

Human Resources

Budget Analysis

Richard Pell asked a question

Nov. 25, 2010

Do you measure wellbeing/happiness in your company?

Human Resources

Richard Pell and 1 other person answered this question

Nov. 23, 2010

What are the benefits of having an internal HR department vs outsourcing?

Not a scientific study but here are my initial thoughts:
Some internal benefits:
- person has real commitment to business
- person can build rapport with employees
- can contribute to company goals (outside the HR remit) if part of the key management team
Disadvantages:
- cost, employment liability
- risk ... more

Human Resources

Richard Pell answered this question

Nov. 21, 2010

What do you think about mandatory HR training for your employees?

I would always include an element of such training in the orientation of new employees with more tailored training for key people such as those who carry out selection interviews, deliver training or conduct performance appraisals. more

Human Resources

Employee Conduct

Employee Training

Richard Pell and 3 other people answered this question

Nov. 21, 2010

If an employee leaves soon after training, can I require cost repayment?

Does your employee training lead to a qualification? It might be the case that your organisation has become known for providing such training so that people join you solely to obtain that qualification. Unlikely but just about possible I suppose.
If the training is really so ... more

Human Resources

Employee Training

Human Resource Development

Richard Pell and 14 other people answered this question

Nov. 18, 2010

What are the advantages in choosing an HR professional instead of an employment lawyer?

Horses for courses I think.
Cost is frequently an issue and generally speaking HR Professional rates are probably lower than lawyers.
But...an awful lot depends on the legal complexity and potential consequences of an issue compared with the practical application of policy in a commercial context.
When I ... more

Human Resources

Employment Laywer

Human Resources Professional

Richard Pell and 28 other people answered this question

Nov. 18, 2010

Should a small business use a Facebook Page instead of a Web Site?

Agree largely with Jim and others in here.
Instead of? No. Ultimately you need to have control over content and layout etc and not be constrained by someone else's format as others have mentioned.
As well as? Maybe. Depends on your business and target audience.
Vital that ... more

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