The Drama Triangle: Why your conflict training isn’t reaching the people who need it most
The Drama Triangle is a dysfunctional dynamic that can be deeply damaging to business. Emma Georgiou says it’s time to start thinking like a Traitors contestant who’s just worked out the game. What’s your next move?
Faking productivity: Do you know the difference between a pulse and a purpose?
How do we actually measure the value of knowledge work? Deborah Hartung delves into the misconduct that’s holding up a mirror in the knowledge economy, warning that if we continue to manage by signs of life, we should not be surprised when people learn to fake a heartbeat.
April’s employment law shake-up: What HR needs to do right now
The first wave of the Employment Rights Act lands this month. Charles Hipps, Founder and CEO of Oleeo, breaks down what the changes mean for HR practitioners.
Stop asking why Gen Z are difficult and start asking what they are showing you
Whether you’re Gen Z, millennial or Gen X, work has to meet intrinsic needs. Most of us want the opportunity to make a difference, to grow and develop and to be recognised and valued. Blaire Palmer explains why abandoning outdated principles and getting curious is the route to understanding and getting the best out of Gen Z.
The ‘fake perks’ problem: How misleading job ads are fuelling ghosting
One in five job adverts dress up legal rights as perks. Appreciation expert Chris Britton assesses the damaging impact of ‘fake perks’ on candidates and companies alike and underlines the need for HR to show up authentically.
The global payments problem: Why your payment infrastructure is a workforce strategy issue
Global payments shouldn’t still be this hard. For businesses managing cross-border contractors, the complexity isn’t a minor operational annoyance, it’s a strategic constraint that shapes which talent is actually accessible. Bryan Pena, Workforce Strategy Consultant at Defiant Solutions & Papaya Global, makes the case for treating payments as infrastructure, not an obstacle.
Pay transparency WILL come to the UK: Are you ready?
While the EU Pay Transparency Directive doesn’t apply to the UK, its effects already do. Gethin Nadin argues that pay transparency is already here. The question is: Will we shape our own framework, or adopt the one being written next door?
The future of flexibility: Preparing for reforms to zero-hours contracts
With reforms to zero-hours contracts on the horizon, specialist employment lawyer Philip Pepper advises that the time to act is now and offers practical guidance on the decisions employers should be making today.
AI won’t take accountability, will you?
Effectively judging situations and acting appropriately under pressure are inherently human skills. But new research suggests that the ability to take accountability is largely contextual. Ella Overshott explores resonant findings and how they can be applied in practice by establishing a culture of accountability.
The empathy gap in management: What HR needs to know
Empathy has become essential to leadership, yet new research reveals that managers consistently score lower than the general population in emotional sensitivity. Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at Zety, explains why this gap might exist, and how HR can help managers stay connected to their teams whilst maintaining the decisiveness their roles demand.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week: Designing an environment where neurodiverse talent thrives
The statistics speak for themselves; neurodiversity is prevalent in the workplace and beyond and yet misunderstanding and discrimination remain. What can organisations do to bring out the best in their neurodiverse employees?
How smart and driven managers fail
Whereas average managers quietly wend their way to retirement, the best performers may account for your greatest headaches. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook looks at how ‘smart and driven’ managers fail, and offers ways HR can support people to make the most of their rare strengths.
HR isn’t “bloated”. The debate is just oversimplified
A recent Times feature argues UK HR teams have become “bloated”, costing the economy £10bn. Rena Christou, CEO of The Empowering People Group, explains why this headline-grabbing claim oversimplifies a far more complex reality.
Neurodiversity inclusion must move from awareness to workplace design
On Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Atif Choudhury, CEO of Calling All Minds, urges employers to move beyond awareness campaigns and start actively removing barriers. Sustainable inclusion can only be achieved when workplace systems are designed with diversity in mind – a philosophy that the City of London is embodying through its Neurodiversity in the City initiative.
Why your RTO strategy needs purposeful in-person experiences (not mandates)
Instead of RTO mandates, what if organisations designed purposeful events that people actually want to attend? Mark Griffith of FourthWall shares insights from people leaders at Lloyds Bank, DHL and Lockton, who are creating in-person activations that deepen connection to purpose and build genuine belonging.
The suspicion economy: Why low-trust organisations are racking up ‘AI cultural debt’
A new Deloitte study finds that artificial intelligence is creating what researchers call ‘AI cultural debt’. When organisations move quickly on implementation whilst leaving trust, clarity and behaviour to chance, the hidden costs compound. Culture transformation expert Deborah Hartung explores the growing suspicion economy and how to address the cultural fallout.
Are your grievance procedures escalating workplace conflict?
Even well-run grievance processes fail when psychological safety is absent, warns employment lawyer Gillian Melville. When procedural rigidity takes precedence over lived experience, employees can feel unheard and more inclined to litigate. As employment tribunal cases rise, HR needs to consider a more nuanced approach to conflict resolution.
The legal risks of AI-driven recruitment and redundancy (and how to govern them properly)
Over half of business leaders regret layoffs made using AI-driven tools. But regret is not the biggest concern here – legal risk is. Carolina Merlin, Compliance Manager of Mauve Group, highlights the dangers of giving too much control to AI in HR decision-making, and why proper governance is essential at every stage of the employee lifecycle.
Why flexible working is a lifeline for disabled women
As we approach International Women’s Day on 8 March, it’s worth examining who benefits most from flexible working – and who suffers when it disappears. For disabled women, flexibility isn’t a perk but a lifeline that determines whether they can stay in work at all. Diane Lightfoot, Chief Executive Officer of Business Disability Forum, explains why the decline in remote jobs threatens inclusion, equality and the government’s own disability employment targets.
RTO mandates: Policy vs reality with Jane Young, Head of Future of Work, HubStar
RTO mandates – and their failings – still make headlines six years on from the pandemic. Why do so many employers struggle to create hybrid working policies that work for both their people and the business? Jane Young, Head of Future of Work at HubStar, says the problem lies in poor data visibility, an unwillingness to embrace complexity, and a lack of managerial autonomy.
