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.
The human cost of megamanaging: Why your leaders have an attention deficit
We’re now in the era of the megamanager, with the average team leader now overseeing 12.1 direct reports. As spans of control expand, managers are consuming information more superficially than ever. Matt Poepsel, VP of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index, explains why this combination is dangerous and how attention management has become 2026’s most critical leadership capability.
An HR guide to retaining knowledge (and talent) through career fluidity
When employees can’t see how they progress, engagement dips and retention suffers long before you notice. Sarah Lardner, Director of Business Innovation at Innecto, provides a practical guide to building career clarity now – from auditing your current approach and updating job architecture to leveraging technology that places career ownership in employees’ hands.
How to sidestep four common AI training pitfalls
Are your employees slow to adopt AI, despite your efforts to train them? You’re not alone. Alice Burks of Deel highlights four common errors organisations make in their AI training – from murky rules to theory-heavy content – and how to avoid them.
UK organisations ‘fumbling in the dark’ with employee benefits
One in five UK employers has no clear objectives for their employee benefits. This lack of strategy is becoming a costly blind spot, as new research finds workers increasingly factor benefits into their decision to change jobs.
Everyday experience: A magic wand for better performance?
With complex work, occasional development is not enough. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook reveals the learning that lies within everyday experiences and shows how managers and their teams can, at zero cost, turn hectic days into easier collaboration and stronger performance.
McKinsey’s State of Organizations 2026: 75% fail to build high-performance cultures
New McKinsey research finds leaders are under mounting pressure to boost productivity amid AI advancements and geopolitical disruption – but over three-quarters of organisations are struggling to build and sustain a high-performance culture.
Whistleblowing and workplace culture: HR lessons from a redundancy dispute at Google
What are the legal risks for employers when whistleblowing disclosures are followed by redundancies (even if unrelated)? An ongoing tribunal case involving Google UK serves as a reminder to tread carefully. Rhys Wyborn, Partner at Shakespeare Martineau, highlights key considerations and safeguards for HR leaders as legislative change unfolds this year.
Re-humanising work: Why employee experience matters more than ever at the Employee Xperience Expo 2026
As employee expectations rise and AI disrupts work, creating a great people experience has never felt harder – or more pressing. On 24th February at Excel London, the Employee Xperience Expo will address some of the biggest challenges people professionals face today, offering practical ideas, expert insights and renewed confidence to elevate your EX offering.
2026 imperatives for the AI-aware CHRO: Preparing for the superagent
Meet the ‘superagent’, an AI advancement that will become further embedded in HR this year. Global industry analyst Josh Bersin explains how this development could eliminate up to 30% of workflow steps in employee services, and what this means for the humans of HR.
The Employment Rights Act risks halting recruitment plans for 37% of UK employers, CIPD finds
The CIPD’s Labour Market Outlook suggests Employment Rights Act measures could “act as a further handbrake” on UK hiring plans.
Ask these five questions to prevent your hybrid work policy from failing
Responsible for updating your organisation’s hybrid work policies? To avoid making the same mistakes that put Amazon and Paramount in the headlines, Jacqueline Towers outlines five strategic questions to explore before policy change begins.
