Leadership & HR Training

Workshops

Leadership & Training

A number of quality courses/workshops for managers &/or HR staff tailored to meet the needs of the business.  Main workshops available are as follows:

Leading & Managing Successfully

2 Day Course

Course Summary

(‘Open course’ version – to be adapted in response to client needs and wishes if running for an individual company)

‘Leading & Managing Successfully’ is a thought-provoking, enjoyable, participative and practice-changing 2 day course.

The objectives are that by the end of the course each delegate will have a strong understanding of the following, which now takes account of hybrid working where the clients operates this :

  • What theory, research and the group itself believe represents ‘Best Practice’ leadership (N.B. this is certainly not a theory-heavy course)
  • The barriers and constraints which explain why they may not lead in the ways being considered as best practice
  • How those barriers can be overcome
  • What motivates staff and, therefore, how they can best motivate their team
  • What are the underlying causes of poor conduct, performance and attendance and how they can prevent many such problems and minimise the impact of those they are unable to prevent
  • How they can most effectively communicate with their team
  • How they can most effectively organise and lead team meetings
  • How to lead though Change (including redundancy processes)
  • How to praise and critique (including at appraisal)
  • How to engage and empower
  • How to be assertive and influence
  • How to resolve conflict and deal with a number of (client-specific) difficult situations
  • informally managing poor conduct, performance and attendance
  • The legal context in which they manage; e.g. constructive dismissal. ETs etc.
  • The key elements required for successful recruitment & selection
  • The key elements required for the successful management of absence and ill health
  • The key elements required for the successful management of poor performance
  • The key elements required for the successful management of poor conduct

 

The course has been developed by Richard Boniface and has been successfully run many times over the past 15 years for a number of companies and organisations.  It is particularly aimed at middle and junior managers. 

Managing Misconduct
(Disciplinary problems and cases)

1 Day Workshop

Workshop Summary

This is a participative and stimulating one day workshop designed to enable managers to understand:

  • Why misconduct occurs
  • How they can often prevent misconduct occurring
  • How to deal with misconduct informally
  • How to deal with misconduct formally

 

This can be run as an open workshop but the summary below shows a version specially tailored to the policies, procedures and culture of the client company.

  • What types of behaviour constitute misconduct?
  • What are the underlying causes of misconduct?
  • How to prevent many instances of misconduct from occurring
  • How to informally manage issues (where an informal approach is appropriate)
  • The initial enquiry/checking
  • When are formal processes appropriate?
  • Arranging investigative interviews
  • Witnesses and gathering evidence
  • Investigative interview techniques, skills and requirements
  • Suspension – when is it required and how should it be managed
  • Investigation report – how to write and present
  • The Hearing – an overview and their role when the investigative manager
  • Decision-making – factors to be considered in reaching decisions on formal action
  • How to fairly dismiss
  • Appeals and the legal framework
  • Troubleshooting – e.g. what if an employee refuses to co-operate, submits a counter-claim or goes off sick during a process?
  • Misconduct outside of work
  • Realistic case studies and exercises
  • Key aspects of the organisation’s policy & procedure – blended into the workshop
  • Personal & business action planning

 

The course has been developed by Richard Boniface and has been successfully run many times (in its varying forms) over the past 17 years.  It is particularly aimed at middle and junior managers or HR staff. 

Managing Poor Performance & Sickness Absence
(Can be run as separate part-day workshops)

1 Day Workshop

Workshop Summary

This is a participative and stimulating workshop designed to help managers: understand how many occurrences of poor performance & problem sickness absence can be prevented; and develop the knowledge and skills base to effectively deal with problems when they do occur (both informally and formally). This can be run as an open workshop but the summary below shows a version specially tailored to the policies, procedures and culture of the client company. 

  • What are the common underlying causes of sickness absence and poor performance?
  • How to prevent many such problems occurring 
  • How to informally manage performance/sickness problems 
  • How to formally manage performance/sickness problems 
  • The impact of the Equality Act 
  • How to interpret and take account of Occupational Health and GP statements
  • Rehabilitation, changes to duties, alternative work and other potential options
  • Key aspects of the organisation’s policy & procedure – blended into the workshop
  • How to fairly dismiss
  • The issues surrounding pregnancy & maternity-related sickness and performance issues
  • Realistic case studies and exercises

 

The course has been developed by Richard Boniface and has been successfully run many times (in its varying forms) over the past 17 years.  It is particularly aimed at middle and junior managers or for HR staff. 

Appraisal/Personal Development Reviews

Part-Day Workshop

Workshop Summary

A part-day day participative workshop specially tailored to the policies, procedures and culture of the client company.  Participants will learn knowledge and competencies around the following:

  • Appraisal – positives and negatives (and how to prevent/manage the negatives)
  • Purpose, structure and design of client’s Appraisal system
  • The Knowledge Skills Framework (KSF) and the link to pay (for NHS client’s only)
  • The time required
  • Evidence – what can it be and how best and most efficiently to gather it
  • Personal reflection on receiving Praise and Criticism
  • How to give feedback (both positive and developmental/’negative’)
  • The link between year-round feedback and Appraisal
  • Objective Setting
  • Personal Development Plans
  • Development Methods
  • Golden Rules of Appraisals

 

Realistic group exercises and case studies are used throughout

The course has been developed by Richard Boniface and has been successfully run dozens of times (in its varying forms) over the past 17 years, primarily with this workshop for NHS clients.  It is aimed at anyone who will conduct appraisals/Personal Development Reviews. 

Recruitment & Selection

1 day workshop

Workshop Summary

This is a participative, thought-provoking and practice-changing workshop designed to help managers get the best person for the correct job.  The workshop can be run either as a full day (including role play) or a ¾ day (when not including role play). 

The workshop’s agenda includes (as adapted in response to client wishes if running for an individual company):   

  • Updating the Job Description
  • Getting the Person/Job Specification spot on
  • Understanding who your ideal candidate is
  • Writing a good advert and placing it in the right places
  • The use of agencies
  • Designing a selection day – including writing interview questions and the use of non-interview selection methods
  • Analysing the skills required for successful interviewing (as well as practicing them on the full day version of the workshop)
  • What you can and can’t ask at interview (and how, where appropriate, to legally find out the answers to those questions you feel you can’t ask)
  • Making best use of and interpreting references
  • How to decide who you want – e.g. should you use a scoring system?
  • Relevant legislation
  • Job offers & contracts
  • Finishing off the job – the vital importance of good induction
  • Personal & business action planning

 

The course has been developed by Richard Boniface and has been successfully run many times (in its varying forms) over the past 17 years.