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Penna in the Press

Penna consultants are often asked to contribute features and comments to the press. You might have spotted our name mentioned most recently in the articles listed below.

Journalists seeking a contribution from Penna should contact Rebecca Drury in the first instance. She can be contacted by email rebecca.drury@penna.com or by calling +44 (0)20 7933 8359.

December 2006 - Director

Leadership

Jonathan Perks responds to an earlier article (“From battlefield to boardroom”, November) saying that a lot can be learnt from army Chief General Sir Richard Dannatt. “Truly caring for employees is what is making the real difference in business today, even if it seems dangerous to your career to stand up and be counted for doing the right things, not just for doing things right.”

December 2006 - Director

The gloves are off

Jonathan Perks comments in this article on boardroom spats on the dangers of promoting people based on intellect rather than emotional intelligence, “A high IQ and big ego often go hand in hand with a fragile personality that is unable to see others points of view. That can do huge collateral damage.”

Click here to read the full article on the Director website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

30 November 2006 - Daily Mail

Wacky ways to get that perfect job

Penna's Paul Armstrong comments on how to make yourself stand out when applying for a new job.

23 November 2006 - People Management

Why Coaching is for winners

Oliver Johnston, Head of Leadership Services Ireland and Scotland, comments on the quality coaching services that exist in Scotland and disagrees with the myth that you need to go to London for top-class coaching. He also argues that coaching is not simply a remedial measure and is rather a way of improving top performers.

13 November 2006 - Financial Times, Special Report: Professional Development

Industry maps DNA of 21st-century movers and shakers

Stefan Stern speaks to Jonathan Perks about the various skills that the modern leader is expected to master. Perks comments “Businesses want their leaders to grow other leaders. That means having leaders who coach their people and don’t just tell them what to do, trusting them to grow and become more empowered.”

Click here to read the full article on the Financial Times website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

October 2006 - Sept/Oct 2006 – Venture

What’s next Coach? Management Coaching today and tomorrow

Management Coaching is an import from the US that has taken European organisations by storm. Having emerged from the world of sport in the 1960s, it is now widely used as a developmental resource to facilitate personal change and performance, building business, functional and personal capability. Penna’s Allard de Jong offers both an explanation for the dazzling rise of management coaching and a vision of its future role in business.

19 October 2006 - The Times

Don't just follow the crowd

Business strategy in a large organisation seldom leaves room for an individualistic approach, but Carly Chenoweth finds that those who are prepared to go their own way can make an impact. Jonathan Perks advises about how to go your own way in your job and to be honest with yourself about whether your values are in line with those of the company that you work for.

12 October 2006 - Personnel Today

Breaking down the age barrier

Kirstie Redford learns that providing training for older workers is not just about complying with new age laws. Penna’s Sue Howson comments that engaging with all staff is vital and suggests running career development workshops to help older workers refresh their careers and avoid boredom, burnout and disconnection.

Click here to read the full article on the Personnel Today website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

October 2006 - HR Director

BP/Penna Case Study

In 2004 BP decided to separate and sell off part of its Petrochemicals arm, displacing a significant number of employees. To manage this process and maintain employee motivation, BP worked in partnership with Penna, creating a resource centre to support employees and give advice and guidance in continuing their career. The full case study features in this month’s HR Director.

October 2006 - Public Servant

Police need to share services - and more

Although police mergers are off the agenda, a new vision for police modernisation must soon emerge. Stephen Reid, special advisor to Penna’s Force for change team and former programme manager for the National Centre for Policing Excellence, sets out to fill the current vacuum.

14 September 2006 - People Management

Lighting the way: Coaching Market Review

Sam Tulip analyses what the market leaders have to say about coaching. Jonathan Perks, Managing Director of Penna Leadership Services, comments on what to look for when choosing a coach.

Click here to read the full article on the People Management website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

5 September 2006 - Personnel Today

Baby Steps

Kirstie Redford interviews Oliver Johnston, Regional Head of Leadership Services at Penna, for this article on work-life balance. Johnston comments on what employers have to do in order to achieve true work-life balance for their staff.

Click here to read the full article on the Personnel Today website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

September 2006 - Coaching at Work

Can coaches be good in any context?

What are the conditions for successful coaching under any circumstances? Jonathan Perks, MD of Leadership Services in Penna, comments.

September 2006 - Human Resources

Losing grey power is commercial madness

Penna’s Bev White responds to an earlier article suggesting that the pending age legislation is the only reason that employers think to recruit older people. White argues that it is also for their knowledge, attitude and customer service. “With skills shortages looming and a declining population, it’s time that companies developed innovative and creative retention and rehiring strategies to attract and retain older people who would otherwise be looking at retirement.”

11 August 2006 - Financial Times

Remember, people make change happen

Penna's Trevor Lambert responds to an earlier article advocating the use of "Clean Teams" during acquisitions.

"Clean teams and consultants have a role to play. Detailed planning is essential. But it's people who make sustainable change happen," says Lambert.

10 August 2006 - People Management

Home office lacks inside skills

James Hunt, Managing Director of Penna Interim, advises on the use of Interim Managers in government departments. He argues that the civil service should not get bogged down by consultants but should instead reap the benefits from taking on external talent as a temporary measure.

Click here to read the full article on the People Management website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

August 2006 - Pay Magazine

More than a buzzword?

Creating a diverse workforce may be fashionable, but it can also have real benefits for your business. Pay Magazine's Cath Janes talks to Heather Staff about the need to embrace diversity if businesses are to survive and thrive.

25 July 2006 - Personnel Today

10 biggest agents of change / Surviving the storm

Margaret Kubicek looks at the leading agents of change and how HR can respond. Penna’s Grahame Russell is quoted throughout the articles and highlights the need to coach and develop line managers through periods of change so that they can come to terms with it themselves before leading others through change.

Click on the links below to read the articles in full.

10 biggest agents of change
Surviving the storm

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

25 July 2006 - The Times

Public Opinion – Grahame Russell

Penna’s Grahame Russell gives his view on the Police Service reform in the Public Opinion section of The Times. He argues that in order for the change in the forces to succeed there needs to be a clear vision defining the future service needs and a definitive plan for its execution. He goes on to say that Leadership will emerge as the biggest critical factor with the need to adopt a coaching style and “emotional intelligence” as well as the excellent mobilisation and crisis management that is already in place.

Click here to read the full article on the Times website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

24 July 2006 - Evaluation Centre

HR’s hottest seat

This article is based on the Penna paper ‘From Public Service Reform to Public Servant Reform’. Richard Reeves and John Knell stress the importance of HR professionals in the success of the public sector reform, and the need for them to transform their own role in order to rise to the challenge.

Click here to go to our 'Research and Opinion' page to download the full Penna paper ‘From Public Service Reform to Public Servant Reform’

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

July 2006 - The HR Director - Summer 2006

Case study: Controversial reform in the policing of diversity

Penna’s work with the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) features in the latest edition of the HR Director. As a result of political change and the Good Friday Agreement, an independent review of policing structures in Northern Ireland was set up which recommended a much smaller but efficient police service. PSNI selected Penna as lead career coaches to create and help run a Voluntary Severance Scheme to reduce numbers over 3 years.

Click here to see a case study of our work with PSNI

July 2006 - The Grapevine

Coaching to compete

Jonathan Perks, Managing Director of Penna Leadership Services, is interviewed about the benefits of executive coaching. He talks about his success with ‘rapid impact coaching’, used to help offset the risk of counter offers made to employees in the two months before they start.

13 July 2006 - The Times

Is it for real or is acting tough a part of the job?

Women who reach the top in business are often seen as pushy, aggressive and in some cases even masculine. Sarah Campbell learns what it takes for a woman to scale the corporate heights. Penna's MD of Leadership Services, Jonathan Perks, argues that whilst organisations are becoming more feminine and emotionally intelligent some aggressive women leaders 'dumb down' their more feminine characteristics.

Click here to read the full article on the Times website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

12 July 2006 - The Times

Is it about time you changed your career?

Penna’s Paul Armstrong provides advice about career breaks, advising that transferable skills are key when making a break. He suggests building contacts before and during the break to maximise a return to work while using your break to make an eye-catching CV.

Click here to read the full article on the Times website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

4 July 2006 - Personnel Today

How to… succeed as a team leader

The shift towards flatter organisational structures, where individuals are more empowered, has placed a premium on a new type of manager – one who can effectively lead teams.

Scott Beagrie gets Penna’s Jonathan Perks’ expert view on how to succeed as a team leader, “Understand that your [team] leadership style should be appropriate to the context in which you find yourself. It’s vital to know yourself well and be clear on the powerful question: ‘what inspires people to follow you?"

Click here to view the full article

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

June 2006 - Yorkshire Outsourcer

Positive ethnic diversity

This article on diversity and equality in the workplace refers to Penna’s Meaning at Work research which found that a third of all workers surveyed said they had been able to meet people from different walks of life through work, whilst a quarter of respondents felt work had helped to increase their knowledge and understanding of other cultures.

15 June 2006 - People Management

‘Bottom line’ drives public sector

This article refers to Penna’s new research which suggests a ‘bottom line’ in the public sector is driving improvements in diversity. The research, carried out by Penna for the Public Sector People Managers’ Association (PPMA), found that just over 96 percent of organisations had diversity as a feature of their corporate plan, and 86 percent had incorporated it into a clear mission statement.

Heather Staff, Media and Research Director at Penna Recruitment Communications, has found that although there is much enthusiasm for diversity in the public sector, there is little commonality of approach. She comments on the conflict between equality and diversity, “The public sector has to measure equality because of legislation. How can this fit with the ‘everybody’s welcome’ approach to diversity?”

2 June 2006 - Personneltoday.com

Police Service merger plans assisted by ‘Force for Change’ merger team from consultancy Penna

Penna has formed a 'Force for Change' team to assist HR professionals and leadership teams within the Police Service to get through the force's controversial merger process. Penna’s Grahame Russell, who is leading the Force for Change team, comments, "The most successful mergers are those with great leaders at the heart of them and it is leadership that will play a critical role in driving the change. The new structure for the Police Service will provide the UK with a more sustainable and inspired workforce."

May 2006 - Edge

Grey Matter

Impending anti-age-discrimination legislation can’t come soon enough for the millions of older workers battling ill-conceived ageist stereotypes. This article asserts that although many organisations are addressing the issue and are hiring more older workers, there is still a lack of over-50s in middle manager roles.

Penna’s Heather Staff comments “There’s much more of a business driver for diversity now. As demographics shift, the world of work is changing and businesses are facing a critical talent and skills shortage. I think HR people, in particular, are beginning to understand that to strive as an organisation they are going to have to embrace diversity – whether that’s to do with age, race, gender or sexuality.”

May 2006 - People Management / Human Resources

Bullying is not a strategy / Leaders should inspire not bully

Jonathan Perks, Managing Director of Penna Leadership Services, had letters published in People Management and Human Resources regarding the debate over bullies as bosses. Jonathan argues that the bully boy tactics of some leaders do not create a positive working environment. “While this fear might drive some people, the results are often short-term and unsustainable, and may even damage an organisation.”

He comments that inspirational leaders lead by example and help ordinary people achieve extraordinary results. “Senior figures should look to create a sense of meaning and purpose at work for employees. This is paramount to effective leadership and it ultimately delivers sustainable results.”

18 May 2006 - Daily Mail

Make perks pay for you

Penna’s Paul Armstrong is quoted extensively about how to negotiate the best benefits package at work, advising that the best time for negotiation is once you've been offered the job but before you accept, as this is when you have the best bargaining power.

May 2006 - Human Resources

Interim Managers Recruitment Special: Ready and waiting

If an interim manager doesn’t live up to expectations, it may not be entirely be their fault. It could be that the host company has failed to prepare the ground for their arrival, argues Erika Lucas. James Hunt, Managing Director of Penna Interim argues that there may be advantages to letting an interim discover some of the intricacies of organisational relationships for themselves, ‘They can sometimes find out things that other people can’t, because they are an objective third party. People will often open up to them.’

1 May 2006 - PharmaTimes

Penna enters top thirty

Penna’s placement of 28^th in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For was mentioned in May’s edition of the PharmaTimes. “The Company also ranked equal fourth for having open and honest managers (with a score of 83.2%), and eighth for its appreciation of staff doing a good job (80.0%).”

April 2006 - The Grapevine

Getting the most from your interim / Mixing business with pleasure / People Watching

Penna appears extensively throughout the latest issue of The Grapevine, with coverage of our Interim capability, our placing in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For and Chris Welford’s appointment as Head of Talent and Assessment.

11 April 2006 - The Times

"How to…Choose and use an interim manager"

If you give them guidance and the right information, an interim manager can be a godsend. Carly Chynoweth speaks to Neil Lupin, Head of Local Government, Penna Interim Executive, and gives ten tips on getting the most out of an interim manager.

11 April 2006 - The Times

Case study: Children’s Services at Kensington and Chelsea

The case study mentions Penna's role in providing an interim for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's reorganisation of its education and social services departments.

11 April 2006 - Personnel Today

The seven must-read management books

Scott Beagrie asked seven HR directors and consultants which management books they always go back to. Penna’s Chris Welford cites Karaoke Capitalism as his favourite management book stating that it gives a highly original perspective on the perplexing business world in which we operate.

28 March 2006 - The Times

Diversity still a sticking point

Penna’s research with SOCPO, ‘Diversity: Can anyone hear ticking?’ is referred to. The article particularly highlights how most HR directors have plans and mission statements on diversity but cannot agree on a definition, meaning that this can be used as an excuse to do nothing positive on the issue.

28 March 2006 - Personnel Today

How to… deal with losing your job

Scott Beagrie speaks to Alison Crossley, Head of Outplacement at Penna, about how to deal with losing your job and gives 5 top tips for those facing redundancy:

1. Develop and maintain your network

2. Don’t lose your cool

3. Seek legal advice

4. Take advantage of outplacement services

5. Retain a positive outlook

Alison Crossley gives an expert's view on the issues around redundancy and gives advice on how you can benefit in the long run. “Be a sponge to ideas, suggestions and advice and, if at all possible, take the time to make the best decisions, not necessarily the first ones that come to mind.”

To view Penna’s research into The Value of Outplacement, click here.

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

23 March 2006 - Municipal Journal

The MJ People

Chris Welford’s appointment as Head of Talent and Assessment for Penna is mentioned. Chris Welford is an experienced consultant who has had wide exposure to a number of industries in both the public and private sector, across the UK, and with multi-national companies.

9 March 2006 - The Times

Real inspiration is where you find it

This article presents some of Penna’s research into The Value of Outplacement; more of us are embracing redundancy as an opportunity, with 29% of those undergoing outplacement coaching planning to follow a new career path and 55% hoping to go straight into a new job.

March 2006 - Strategic HR Review

Closing the talent management gap

Penna’s John Ingham suggests that an organisation’s relationship with its talented employees needs to be fundamentally different from that of other employees if the strategy gap is to be closed. In this article he shares Penna’s experiences of working with various leading organisations, and offers four stages to help create a strategic talent management program.

5 March 2006 - Sunday Times

The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For

Penna is listed 28th in this annual survey of best UK employers.

The feature is based on the results of a series of independent and confidential staff surveys amongst 500 organisations and 86,500 employees against eight factors:

Leadership
Wellbeing
My manager
My team
Fair deal
Giving something back
My company
Personal growth

Penna also comes 4th in the list of organisations with the most open and honest managers, and 8th in the list of managers who express appreciation for a job well done.

click here to visit the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For website

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

1 March 2006 - Financial Times

You're fired: how to go straight to acceptance and renewal

Article stemming from Alan Sugar's The Apprentice. Jonathan Guthrie offers advice on how to deal with dismissal, stating that sudden unexpected redundancies are the preserve of Senior managers, the higher your profile, the more likely you are to be singled out for a misdemeanour. Gary Browning is mentioned saying that the sequence of emotions experienced by someone being sacked is denial, anger, acceptance, renewal.

February 2006 - Human Givens - Promoting Emotional Health and Clear Thinking

Creating meaning that works

Penna's Trevor Lambert describes how organisations can make work meaningful for employees, promote emotional well being and reap the benefits too.

February 2006 - The Grapevine

Weighing up work / Penna expands Resourcing team / Managing the interim manager

Penna appears extensively throughout the February issue of The Grapevine, with coverage of our Interim capability, our Meaning at Work report and Debbie Pask's appointment as head of our HR recruitment practice.

7 February 2006 - LBC Radio

The Anna Raeburn show

Penna Associate, Pam Kingsland, was invited on the Anna Raeburn LBC radio show to answer calls covering outplacement.

7 February 2006 - Evening Standard

Clarity is the key to keeping calm

Meeting deadlines and prioritising tasks can be very stressful, but they don't have to be. Jacky Hyams offers analysis and advice with contributions from Penna's Paul Armstrong.

26 January 2006 - The Daily Telegraph

Temporary Measures, permanent gains

A growing number of women are opting to work as interim managers as a way of breaking through the glass ceiling. Widget Finn speaks to Penna Interim Executive, recently announced as the UK's second biggest provider of interim executives.

Click here to see the article

Penna is not responsible for the content of external sites.

January 2006 - Microsoft Newsletter

Expert Opinion

Grahame Russell discusses the importance of creating a flexible working environment and the commercial benefits it brings. He refers to recent research from the CIPD that states, "27 percent of HR managers surveyed said flexible working options had had a major positive effect on staff retention."

2008 Press Coverage

2007 Press Coverage

2005 Press Coverage

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