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.
Gender pay gap won’t close until 2056, says TUC
The gender pay gap won’t close for another 30 years unless the government ‘turbo charges’ its approach, TUC analysis reveals.
The leadership development paradox: Why your best leaders burn out first
A 20-year study by The Oxford Review found that the most effective, dedicated and authentic leaders are the ones most likely to burn out. Natasha Wallace, a leadership wellbeing and performance expert, examines why 72% of leaders now report burnout and what organisations must change to develop senior talent who can sustain themselves and their teams.
Financial Wellbeing is now a national priority – and the UK government is looking to employers to take action
Financial wellbeing has moved from an employee benefit to a national priority. At a landmark roundtable convened by the City of London Corporation and the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing, the message was made clear: employers must take serious action. Roundtable chair Gethin Nadin highlights that with 92% of UK workers experiencing financial stress, and the repercussions on productivity, organisations must take scalable action.
Why is workplace conflict on the rise?
Nearly half of UK employees have been involved in a workplace dispute in the past year, and levels are expected to rise as the Employment Rights Act comes into force. Phil Floyd of CMP examines data from the largest study on workplace conflict to uncover possible reasons behind this surge and how HR should respond.
How connection insulates employees from seasonal disengagement
While winter is a high-risk season for disengagement, the strain is predictable, allowing organisations to plan and respond effectively. How, exactly? Research from Dr Jonathan Thorp shows that connection can act as emotional insulation, preserving team effectiveness when the winter blues take hold.
The CHRO in 2026: A role under pressure
The CHRO role has never been more critical – or more complex. Research by Kathi Enderes at The Josh Bersin Company reveals that 86% of CHROs describe their role shift as ‘significant’ or ‘dramatic’, yet 70% are first-timers learning on the job. With demands outpacing capabilities, how can organisations support CHROs through mounting pressure?
Three leadership norms that harm trust and collaboration
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer describes a highly insular world. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook considers how HR professionals can, by questioning three longstanding norms of leadership, enable their organisations to build trust in the face of differences.
World Cancer Day: Line managers hold the key to cancer support at work
On World Cancer Day, Veronica Foote explores this year’s theme ‘United by Unique’, which reminds us that every cancer experience is different. Line managers need to understand that cancer is not a linear journey to recovery. There is no standard approach to support.
A practical framework for ethical leadership: How to navigate moral dilemmas at work
Struggling to handle moral predicaments at work? Leadership coach Karen Liebenguth provides a practical framework that will help you navigate ethical dilemmas – no matter how large or small – and make life-affirming choices.
Ramadan at work: HR best practice
A guide for HR professionals on how to support employees observing Ramadan.
Microshifting trend: 33% of managers have ‘covert’ flexible working agreements with employees
New research reveals that one-third of UK managers are secretly negotiating flexible hours with their teams, while three-quarters of workers remain dissatisfied with official policies. Could microshifting offer a way forward in the ongoing return-to-office debate?
Edelman Trust Barometer 2026: 70% retreat into insularity
As fears about the state of the world grow, people are turning inward, new research from the Edelman Trust Barometer reveals. For workplaces already navigating complexity, this retreat into familiarity poses a serious threat to collaboration, innovation, and productivity. But there’s an opportunity here: leaders and HR can act as trust brokers to bridge the divide.
The AI breakthrough that’s finally embedding and measuring culture change
Everyone agrees culture matters – yet most organisations still struggle to close the gap between their stated values and daily behaviour. Elie Rashbass, CEO of ScultureAI, explores how AI can finally transform culture from an aspiration on the wall into measurable, embedded behaviour change across your organisation.
NHS trust changing rooms tribunal ruling: What HR needs to know
A recent tribunal ruling found that an NHS trust harassed nurses by allowing a transgender woman to use a female changing room. Peter Daly, Partner at Doyle Clayton, explains what this means for HR teams navigating the interaction between sex, gender identity and workplace health and safety law.
The collaboration paradox: 97% say it’s critical, 50% prefer to work alone
Nearly all leaders say collaboration is critical for success – yet half of employees prefer to work alone. Professors Mike Brent and Guy Lubitsh at Hult Ashridge Executive Education explore why this gap exists, and reveal the 11 behaviours that distinguish great collaborators from the rest.
Setting boundaries in the workplace: Four lessons to learn from Gen Z
Generation Z are rewriting workplace rules with unapologetic boundaries around time, energy and wellbeing. While their approach may seem inflexible to some, could their insistence on protecting their health offer valuable lessons? Leadership coach Emma Georgiou PhD explores four boundary-setting practices that all generations can learn from – and what Gen Z can gain from more experienced colleagues in return.
