HR in 2026: Key challenges and priorities with Craig McCoy, HR Connection Group
As we step into 2026, HR leaders face a myriad of challenges – from regulatory upheaval to skills shortages and economic pressures. Craig McCoy, Chair of HR Connection Group, shares insights from conversations with HR directors across the UK, revealing what’s weighing on the minds of people leaders and where opportunities lie amid the turbulence.
The awkward culture conversations we avoided in 2025 (and how to confront them in 2026)
What tricky conversation have you been avoiding? Whether it’s about an uncollaborative team member, a demotivating micro-manager, or a knee-jerk decision maker, if left unchecked the ramifications can be significant. Here, Ella Overshott of Pecan Partnership outlines the most common workplace culture issues we struggle to talk about and simple strategies for starting the conversation.
What is the UK salary increase budget for 2026?
UK salary increase budgets for 2026 are holding at 3.6%, matching 2025’s actual increases. This stability signals a fundamental shift – employers are moving from reactive, inflation-driven pay rises to strategic compensation planning that targets resources where they’ll create the most impact.
UK unfair dismissal reform: Get ready to update your probation period
Changes to UK unfair dismissal rights are on the horizon. Are you ready? Employment law expert Emma O’Connor shares essential guidance on revising your organisation’s probationary periods and processes.
Five evidence-based system shifts that build neuroinclusion at work
When you design workplaces to support neurodiversity, everyone benefits. In this evidence-based guide, neurodiversity workplace strategist, Rowan Ahmadi-Nameghi, shares five system shifts that can make neuroinclusion a reality – not just an awareness event.
AI co-therapy: Will it fill the gap in employee mental health support?
You know about the waiting lists. You’ve seen employees struggle between counselling sessions. AI co-therapy is now cautiously stepping in to fill that gap, says Karl Bennett, Chair of the EAPA UK. This tool is not there to replace human counsellors, but to support them.
HR predictions for 2026: Navigating a “clusterbomb of challenges” in the workplace
The work landscape in 2026 will bring a “clusterbomb of challenges” for HR to wade through. What will this likely entail? We share predictions from 10 workplace experts covering everything from grievance claims and flattening hierarchies, to improved HR wellbeing and, of course, AI transformation.
Financial wellbeing in 2026: The crisis is real, but not insurmountable
The latest research is alarming. Financial stress drives absence, distraction and lost productivity – and almost half of UK adults now feel the strain of money troubles. In this evidence-packed piece, Benifex’s Gethin Nadin highlights the crisis we’ve arrived at. In 2026, he urges employers to take one clear, tangible step to build financial resilience and, in turn, improve performance.
Emotional intelligence: Do you know the four basic components?
Uncover the four core pillars of emotional intelligence and how to build these skills to succeed.
Time to reflect – why does it matter in the workplace?
If the period between Christmas and New Year is a quieter one for you, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect. Here, Wellbeing and leadership coach Karen Liebenguth provides a relfection toolkit to help you get started.
The eight personalities involved in change management programmes
Change programmes succeed or fail based on people. This framework identifies eight distinct personality types you’ll encounter in any change initiative – from Champions who drive momentum to Saboteurs who undermine progress – and shows you how to work effectively with each one.
Team diversity: How to work with people who are different to you
Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn provide seven tips for working successfully with people that are different than you.
How to ensure your 2026 HR priorities are business-led
This guide explores how to build your 2026 priorities by starting with what keeps your business leaders awake at night – not with HR’s favourite frameworks.
Hiring executive leaders in the US: What foreign companies need to know
If you’re organisation is looking to break into the US market, securing a strong leadership team in America is essential. Without external recruitment support, you risk making a bad hire and delaying your expansion. Thomas Lore from Pact and Partners highlights the complexities of hiring US executives and how a smart search partner can help you navigate the confusing world of compliance, pay and employer rules.
Almost half of disabled workers say it’s harder to hold down a job due to their disability
New research from Business Disability Forum reveals the persistent barriers disabled employees face at every stage of their workplace journey – from job hunting to career progression. The findings reveal an urgent need for senior leaders to proactively build an inclusive workplace through role-modelling and removing barriers.
Should HR own the organisation’s AI strategy?
As AI tightens its grip on our workplaces, who should own the organisation’s AI strategy? And, what is the role for HR as organisations embrace this disruptive technology? Quentin Millington of Marble Brook looks at what makes sense, in terms of both strategy and practice.
Are staff surveys making employees too entitled?
When you use employee surveys as ‘happy meters’ you risk making employees entitled, warns Natasha Johnson, Founder of Organic P&O Solutions.
Asking ‘what do you want?’ is a slippery slope towards bold demands that don’t drive performance or enhance organisational culture. So what should you ask instead?
Essential lessons from 2025’s employment tribunals: What HR needs to know before 2026
With employment tribunal claims having shot up by almost a third in 2025, what lessons should HR take from the firmer lines being drawn? Here, legal expert Nicholas Jones shares five key tribunal trends to help you prepare for the Employment Rights Bill and a shifting legal landscape in 2026.
Restoration strategies for those who really need it: A guide to finding rest in the age of exhaustion
Too drained to even think about rest? Executive and leadership coach Karen Liebenguth presents four neuroscience-backed strategies for finding restoration when you need it most – from tiny daily habits that rebalance your nervous system to culture-shifting practices that make rest a non-negotiable.
HRZone’s 2025 most popular reads
Which HR and work issues caught your attention in 2025? It’s time to reveal HRZone’s 12 most popular reads…
