Performance reviews just got smarter: AI’s role in HR’s toughest process
What if your most dreaded HR process could become your most powerful? Bruce Walcroft from Betterworks reveals how AI transforms performance reviews by synthesising complex data, creating psychological safety, and delivering personalised coaching – turning annual anxiety into meaningful employee development that actually works.
Why 72% of employees don’t trust performance management – and how to fix it
Trust in performance management is at crisis point – with 72% of workers questioning their organisation’s processes. How can you rebuild confidence and unlock genuine performance? Gaelle Devins, Chief Customer Officer at Breitling, shares her research-backed approach to shifting from tick-box KPIs to people-centred metrics that actually drive results.
Augmented talent: Could AI skills reshape pay equity?
Two employees, same role, same pay – but wildly different output thanks to AI. While some workers harness these tools to supercharge productivity, others remain hesitant adopters. Here, Gethin Nadin of Benifex examines whether mastering AI should come with financial rewards – and what happens when we leave this transformation to chance.
The science behind what makes or breaks a team
Teams don’t fail because they lack talent – they fail because of invisible choices made every day. From the split-second decision to speak up or stay silent, to whether someone steps forward or holds back. Here, Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR reveal the science behind what really drives team success.
40% of workers experience weekly financial stress, as wages fail to keep pace with inflation
New research reveals the stark reality of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis, with two in five workers experiencing weekly financial stress while wages stagnate and essential spending cuts become the norm.
What is people science? Core theories that shape meaningful work
People science can teach us a lot about shaping meaningful work for employees. In the first of a three-part series, Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR introduce core people science theories, explaining why these ideas hold relevance as we navigate constant change.
Empowering quiet geniuses: 10 signs of a brilliant mind at work
People with brilliant minds have great potential to thrive at work, if nurtured correctly. But how do you spot these quiet geniuses? Neuroscientist Lynda Shaw shares 10 behaviours to look out for…
What’s the latest on the Employment Rights Bill?
Following the House of Lords’ Employment Rights Bill review, HR adviser Kate Palmer discusses the Bill’s latest amendments and what updates might mean for UK businesses.
Dangerous HR liaisons: Threats, knives and throuples
There’s a common misconception that HR’s role is limited to hiring and firing, but there is so much more to it than that. And many of the situations that an HR professional finds themselves dealing with are things that you’d never consider, even in your wildest dreams.
Executive bonuses: Rewarding failure or failing to reward?
As scrutiny intensifies on executive bonuses in public service firms, Simon Cook of Innecto Reward Consulting unpacks the thorny debate. Using Thames Water as a case in point, he explores whether tighter regulation is the answer or if a more balanced approach to reward could protect both public trust and business competitiveness.
HR is at the helm of the smarter work revolution
The phrase ‘working smarter’ is more than just a catchy slogan in today’s fast-moving workplace – it’s a critical survival strategy. For HR leaders, this necessitates harnessing digital tools to eliminate persistent productivity blockers and design a more agile, empowered workforce.
What’s the conversation you’re avoiding?
It’s natural to want to avoid a tough conversation, but silence has a cost. By choosing Catalytic Conversations, you can learn to spark change that matters.
New study reveals ‘shadow AI’ trend: 54% of workers would use AI without company approval
More than half of employees say they’d use AI tools at work without their company’s authorisation, according to new global research from Boston Consulting Group. The findings highlight rising security risks, with nearly two-thirds of workers also feeling undertrained in how to use AI effectively.
HR lessons from Dermalogica’s unfair dismissal dilemma
When a tribunal found Dermalogica guilty of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and breaching part-time workers’ rights, the legal implications were clear. In this expert analysis, employment lawyer Sandeep Leighs, Partner at Shakespeare Martineau, breaks down what went wrong – and what you must do to avoid making the same costly mistakes.
New risk assessment form for sexual harassment
Check that your organisation is maintaining compliance and taking reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of workers. Review this 10-point checklist and make use of the risk assessment form.
The quiet crisis: SME workers are turning to second jobs amid high cost of living
LinkedIn poll data suggests a growing number of SME employees are taking on second jobs to cope with the rising cost of living. Business coach and owner, Peter Boolkah, explores the implications of this trend in terms of productivity, morale, and company culture, highlighting the need for proactive leadership.
HR supervision: The support your people team deserves
The emotional toll of HR work is often hidden – and rarely supported. Dr Jo Burrell, Clinical Psychologist at Ultimate Resilience, makes the case for HR supervision as a critical tool to protect wellbeing, improve decision-making, and build stronger people teams in today’s high-pressure workplaces.
Snowflakes or Boundried? The truth about Millennial managers
Millennials now make up the largest group of managers in today’s workforce, yet outdated stereotypes continue to undermine their influence. Ella Overshott, Director of Pecan Partnerships, explores the real traits of Millennial managers, debunks the ‘snowflake’ myth, and offers actionable insights on how organisations can better support and empower this vital generation of leaders.
Apprentice dismissed after colleague ‘poked finger-sized holes’ in his sandwiches
A culture of ‘banter’ among apprentices at Scania truck depot quickly spiralled into a dismissal and employment tribunal. HR adviser Kate Palmer shares the cautionary tale of the tampered sandwich…
£1 million wake-up call over University of Edinburgh’s grievance failures
After a decade-long dispute, the University of Edinburgh has had to pay out over £1 million to an engineering professor for claims of unfair dismissal. Legal expert Rhys Wyborn examines where the university went wrong, and how businesses must use this as a cautionary tale to review their own grievance procedures.