An assessment centre is where a number of candidates participate together, undertaking exercises as selection tests while being observed and rated by multiple assessors. The candidates are effectively in competition. Assessment centres can replace interviews and a host of other tools as methods of employee selection but they are misunderstood and controversial. Here's why.

Entrepreneurs and leaders must become managers and embrace management when they want to achieve something - when, metaphorically, they want to build ‘great big ships’. They must work with their people and help them excel, not demand performance and dismiss when that does not follow, or the relationship otherwise sours. Here's why - but take care, some managers may find that the truth in this offends.

This article explores effective staff development showcasing a simple but effective competency framework model that can be used by any firm of any size and complexity to explore their competence gap. To understand competence gap you need to know what competencies you have now, what you need for the future, and how you are going to develop your people to bridge the gap.

There's been a flurry of high profile cases with celebrities and MPs being accused of sexual harassment. In the workplace, the employer should deal with allegations of harassment. For harassment to be deemed to have taken place the alleged behaviour must have had either purpose or effect. Suspension is normal in any case where investigation would be hampered. The investigator then develops a report, setting out all the evidence. A decision is made based on ‘reasonable belief’. Here's more on the process.

Companies exist because they are the most efficient way of an entrepreneur gaining the services of others. And yet many gain the services of those working in their own firms, as sole-traders (or self-employed) and via agencies. This blog aims to elaborate on the simple case of workers employed by a firm to provide a complete understanding of the possible relationships between entrepreneurs and their companies and workers.

How can we be sure that a given training intervention will indeed change the company system and give return on investment? Training has to be transferred from the learning environment of trainer and trainee to the work environment of manager and worker. The efficiency of transfer of training depends on a huge number of variables, each associated with the characteristics of the manager, trainee, trainer and the work environment.