Does #ThrivingAtWork risk your employees’ mental health?
Work pressure and unrealistic expectations can significantly harm employee mental health, with 330,000 people losing jobs annually due to mental health issues. Creating a workplace culture where discussing mental health is normalized and supported is essential to prevent burnout and long-term psychological damage.
It’s time for fewer management buzzwords and more buzz-worthy management
Modern management relies too heavily on buzzwords rather than practical strategies that genuinely engage employees. While technology offers potential to revolutionize workplace creativity and innovation, many companies still apply it to outdated management models that prioritize productivity over fostering an environment where employees can think creatively and thrive.
It’s not personal, just business – reflections on the CIPD’s Essential Interpersonal Skills Course
The CIPD’s Essential Interpersonal Skills course explores how workplace success depends on mastering difficult conversations and listening skills rather than technical expertise. Through interactive exercises and group reflection, participants discover that personal reputation, communication style, and emotional awareness—not competition—determine whether colleagues follow or resist you.
No laptop, no desk, no phone – a disappointing welcome for 42% of the world’s new employees
A global survey reveals 42% of new employees lack essential tools like laptops, desks, or phones on their first day. Poor onboarding experiences lead to significant employee turnover, with 15% declining job offers and 10% leaving within days, increasing recruitment costs for businesses worldwide.
HR technology implementation: the Building Blocks
This guide to HR technology implementation explores how to lead your project through the critical in-project phase. Learn to make contextual configuration choices, work effectively with consultants, and avoid common mistakes by taking an active role rather than passively following supplier recommendations.
How can organisations improve job quality?
Organisations can improve employee wellbeing by developing high-quality jobs that offer skill variety, autonomy, reasonable demands, and manager support, combined with supporting HR practices like training and performance management. Research shows that integrated approaches to job quality improvements are more effective than isolated changes.
How big data can eliminate bias and elitism in candidate selection
Big data and predictive analytics can reduce recruitment bias by identifying talented candidates beyond elite university networks, but algorithms must be carefully designed to avoid inheriting existing prejudices or reinforcing societal biases in their underlying data.
Checking the facts: why background screening is crucial
Background screening verifies that candidates’ claimed skills, experience, and qualifications are accurate, protecting businesses from costly hiring mistakes and reputational damage. While HR teams face pressure to recruit quickly, thorough background checks remain essential to managing recruitment risk and ensuring informed hiring decisions.
Employee mental health and wellbeing – are you doing enough?
Seven in ten UK employees have experienced mental health conditions like stress and anxiety, yet many employers lack genuine support policies. Research reveals that 45.6% of workers would seek alternative employment if their employer didn’t provide mental health support, highlighting a critical gap in workplace wellbeing initiatives.
Becoming a balanced leader – getting more yin for your yang
Effective leadership requires balancing multiple styles and roles rather than sticking to one default approach. Drawing on ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, this piece argues that good leaders adapt to situational demands and consciously develop abilities outside their comfort zone for genuine influence and growth.
Creating a work-life balance: Why flexibility needs to be a two-way street
Achieving work-life balance requires flexibility that benefits all employees, not just parents. Companies should implement supportive policies like flexible schedules and family-friendly workplace options to help workers manage personal responsibilities while maintaining productivity and reducing turnover.
The ‘datafication’ of HR – how will this impact reward?
Datafication is transforming HR reward management from administrative process automation toward evidence-based decision support. As HR software providers integrate analytics capabilities, reward practitioners can evolve beyond traditional budget management to enable business leaders with data-driven insights that improve compensation decisions and organizational outcomes.
Three strategies businesses should adopt to retain talent
Rising employee turnover requires businesses to rethink retention strategies beyond perks and salaries. Research shows employees leave due to boredom, poor work-life balance, and limited career growth. High-performing organizations address this through personalized development, career mobility, and a supportive growth culture.
Leadership development challenge: implementing AI in the workplace
Leaders implementing AI in the workplace face significant challenges beyond technology adoption, including managing workforce disruption, maintaining human involvement in decision-making, and developing staff skills for an AI-enabled future. Success requires balancing efficiency gains with brand identity and company culture while addressing the human impact of automation.
Anti-bullying week 2017: stopping the timer on workplace bullying
Workplace bullying extends beyond obvious threats and abuse to include being ignored through emails and online communication. During anti-bullying week, Acas emphasizes how small unresolved conflicts can escalate into serious problems, and advocates early intervention and mediation to prevent bullying from developing.
Digital understanding: “This is not optional. We need to own it.”
Baroness Martha Lane Fox emphasizes that digital understanding is essential in today’s workplace. Speaking at the CIPD Annual Conference, she highlighted the need to drive inclusion, improve personal relationships with technology, and foster diverse teams to bridge the digital divide affecting millions.
“People analytics teams must balance partnerships with technology vendors and with HRBPs.”
People analytics leaders must balance partnerships with technology vendors and HR business partners while combining data insights with gut instinct. According to Unilever’s VP of People Analytics, success requires focusing on high-impact metrics like attrition, prioritizing business value, and knowing when accuracy must outweigh speed.
Why HR can’t rely on best practice anymore – part 2
HR departments must adapt beyond traditional best practices to remain relevant as the gig economy reshapes the workforce. With over one-third of US workers and 1.1 million UK workers now in flexible roles, organizations need to strategically integrate contingent talent while safeguarding worker rights and building long-term relationships with skilled freelancers.
Equal Pay Day 2017: How to close the gender pay gap in your company
Equal Pay Day 2017 highlights the UK’s 26.8% gender pay gap, where women effectively work unpaid from November onwards. HR departments can close this gap through immediate pay adjustments, transparent reporting, and unconscious bias training for managers to ensure fair compensation regardless of gender.
HR – no longer the poor relation of the business
HR departments must invest in specialized technology to deliver measurable business results and shed outdated myths. Moving beyond spreadsheets to modern HR software enables data-driven decision-making, reduces administrative burden, and positions HR professionals as strategic business enablers rather than administrators.
