This month, we’re talking about the rise of the Digital Workplace, looking at a rejection letter to end all others and showcasing a great new internal social network.

We’ll also be rounding up some recent HR news, including new lunchtime regulations at Google and the employees who won’t be leaving the office during London 2012. Enjoy.

While Blackbird agrees that constructive criticism can be beneficial, does this US employer go one step (or bullet-point) too far with this excessive rejection letter?

The 3000 word email, written by Shea Gunther, was sent out to respondents to an ad he placed on Craigslist for staff writing jobs at his new clean tech website. Gunther ‘summarises’, in no less than 42 bullet-points, his dos and don’ts for writing job applications. Blackbird is amused by the contradiction in point #10 which reads, ‘Do keep it short and sweet.’

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Robert Newham, Digital Strategy Director at Blackbridge, presented The Digital Workplace to The Charities HR Network at Unicef’s London offices last week. Believing the intranet (as it currently exists) is a broken concept, Robert detailed how we must develop new and meaningful ways to reach out to people and offer easy to use, modern tools to aid conversation.

Blackbird agrees that the Digital Workplace is a great idea. Organisational communications should be made available anywhere, irrespective of location, on any device. They should also be engaging, interesting and easily understood. Intranet, email, messaging, video and applications - the entire digital working environment in one resource.

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Blackbird is proud to report that the clever folk at Blackbridge have done it again, delivering a successful project for Shepherds Bush Housing Group.

Champions of inclusion and diversity, the Group wanted to create a communications platform which spoke to their younger demographic, whilst incorporating their mission and vision.

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As businesses plan continuity strategies for the London 2012 Olympics, Blackbird hears tell of companies ensuring that their employees are not subjected to nightmare commutes… by making them never leave the office.

Co-location services provider Interxion were one of the first companies to install a number of sleeping pods in their London data centres. The “spacious” pods, resembling Japanese capsule hotels, offer what Wired magazine has described as ‘the special kind of burrowing thrills you can only usually get from an MRI’.

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Journalist Samantha Brick has recently caused controversy by suggesting that ‘good looks’ have put her at a disadvantage throughout her career.

She bemoans the plight of attractive women in the workplace and suggests they will be shunned by jealous female HR workers should they include a photograph with their CV.

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The offices of Google have long been renowned for their abundant offerings of free food and cafeteria facilities.

However, Blackbird hears that the company’s HR teams are making plans to cut the calories. Jennifer Kurkoski of Google’s People Analytics division (their data-driven HR unit) explained the initiative. ‘When employees are healthy, they’re happy. When they’re happy, they’re innovative.’

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