People Management publishes articles on all aspects of managing and developing people at work. It is the official magazine of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, with a fortnightly circulation of over 120,000 copies - by far the largest in its field.
If you are interested in submitting an article for publication, please first read the contributors guidelines below, and then contact us by e-mail: editorial@peoplemanagement.co.uk or phone: 020 7324 2729.
If you are interested in advertising in PM magazine or online, contact: 0207 880 6200, email: advertising@peoplemanagement.co.uk
Submitting articles
In the first instance it is useful for us to receive a summary of your ideas for an article. Proposals should be no longer than two pages.
We commission feature articles two months in advance of publication date, so if you want your idea to be included in a particular issue, please ensure it’s offered well in advance. Proposals for articles should be addressed to the commissioning editor, and sent to editorial@peoplemanagement.co.uk.
Please include your contact details and an e-mail address with the summary.
We will follow up ideas that we think have potential and will contact you one way or the other. Due to the high number of feature proposals that we receive, we are normally unable to provide feedback on rejected ideas.
If we do commission you to write the article, we will give you a deadline, and you will receive a copyright letter setting out the legal agreement to publish.
Complete articles should be submitted by email wherever possible.
The publishing process
Once we have accepted an article and received the copy by the specified deadline, we will edit it to ensure it reads clearly, fits the initial brief and that any queries are answered and missing information supplied. If substantial changes are made it will be returned to you for final approval.
The article then passes to the sub-editors who write headlines, sub-headings and introductions ("standfirsts") to the articles, edit them for grammar, house style, and to fit the exact word count for the page. The article goes directly from this stage to print, and you will not be able to view the proofs. You will receive a complimentary copy of the issue of the magazine in which your article appears.
Features
People Management has around 14 pages of original feature articles written by specialist journalists, HR practitioners, consultants and academics in every issue. We publish articles about best practice and "leading-edge" ideas and act as a forum for debate on topical issues.
We do not normally accept articles that have been published elsewhere or that aim to promote a particular product or service or are purely promotional copy for the organisation involved.
• General features
These are usually 1,000 to 1,600 words in length (two to three magazine pages) but occasionally may be longer. They include investigations of current issues and developments, business case-studies or reports on recent research. We like to link theory and policy with examples of practice, so features often contain a panel with a "mini case study" to illustrate the point being discussed.
• Cover feature (the lead feature)
These often have a theoretical, strategic or policy theme. They are normally 2,000-2,500 words in length and contain a number of panels, case-studies and text-boxes of additional information.
• "How to" features
These are normally 700 words in length. They are highly practical articles designed to convey best practice principles and be of use to practitioners in their everyday work. They will be written in a logical, step-by-step fashion, with practical hints and tips for successful application, bullet-pointed summaries and sources of further information.
• Close-up
This section is normally 700 words in length, including a short ‘Lessons Learnt’ panel. Please contact editorial@peoplemanagement.co.uk if you wish to be considered for ‘Close-up’. It is every issue and we consider both HR and learning and development practitioners.
• Law at work
Articles in this section are usually around 800 words long, short case write-ups about 200 words. Contributors are generally employment law solicitors. Each piece focuses on a new development in employment law, or a fresh approach to an old problem. Articles can include boxed copy, such as a ‘key points’ list, or be written in a ‘top tips’ or ‘question and answer’ style. All cases mentioned are referenced.
• HR Family Tree
An illustrative guide to HR functions in various organisations. If you wish to be considered please contact editorial@peoplemanagement.co.uk
• Briefcase
Please contact rima@peoplemanagement.co.uk if you wish to be considered. This is always about building a business case.
• Career Ladder
Please contact lucy@peoplemanagement.co.uk if you wish to be considered for ‘Career Ladder'.
• Soapbox
Soapbox covers the entire range of subjects in the field and addresses a key topical issue.
Contributions to these columns should be focused on a specific issue or subject and concisely argued, using relevant business examples and statistical evidence where appropriate. They should express a firm opinion, and/or challenge some aspect of policy or practice. The Soapbox is 350 words.
• Research
This is a 400-word column in which academics within the HR field and consultancies who have undertaken in-depth research have the opportunity to summarise their latest findings. The article follows the same formula of a short explanation of the hypothosis and the methodology, followed by the findings, and finally a short list of bullet points (or ‘learning points’ summarising the research).
• Troubleshooter
There are two parts to this column. Contributors can either provide a brief overview of a specific HR dilemma or a potential solution to the dilemma.
Contributors wishing to a highlight a problem should outline what the situation is and how they/the organisation has been affected by it.
Contributors usually remain anonymous.
The responding contributor should provide comment on a potential solution to the problem. Responses are normally commissioned, but potential contributors are welcome to put themselves forward for future troubleshooters stating their field of expertise.
Dilemmas should be no longer than 350 words and solutions around 300 words.