A new People and Culture Function for 2026: In conversation with David Liddle, The TCM Group
Is your HR function stuck in a cycle of risk mitigation and retribution? David Liddle, CEO of The TCM Group, argues it’s time for a radical shift. In this Culture Pioneers conversation, he reveals how transforming HR into a strategic People and Culture function can unlock high performance and make you the trusted partner your organisation needs.
Polymorphic organisations: The next evolution of people-centric design
What if your company could shift shape as quickly as the world around it? Here, Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR introduce the polymorphic organisation – a living system that adapts to multiple forms based on context – and why HR’s role must evolve from maintaining order to orchestrating continuous transformation.
From sore heads to disciplinary hangovers: Time to rethink your work Christmas party?
As Christmas party season approaches, HR adviser Kate Palmer explores how changing drinking habits – particularly among Gen Z – are reshaping workplace celebrations. With one in three UK workers calling in sick after drinking with colleagues, and younger staff feeling pressured to drink, it’s time to rethink traditional festivities and ensure inclusive alternatives.
The perfect storm: Middle-aged men, AI disruption and mental health
Men aged 45–49 have the highest suicide rate in the UK, and many now watch AI tools replicate expertise they spent decades building – all while shouldering peak financial pressures. Thom Dennis, CEO of Serenity in Leadership, explains why generic wellbeing initiatives aren’t working, and what you need to do differently this Movember.
Your absence policy isn’t enough: Why cancer needs its own framework
With 96% of UK organisations lacking dedicated cancer policies, more than one million working-age employees are left navigating life-threatening illness through generic frameworks. Veronica Foote from Working With Cancer explains why this gap matters and how cancer-specific policies can transform workplace support.
If Gen Z needs AI to speak to colleagues, maybe it’s not them who’ve lost the plot
Half of Gen Z workers use AI to prepare for work conversations, a new study finds. Is this the demise of social skills? Or is something else going on? Culture consultant Deborah Hartung explores where Gen Z’s anxiety for perfection might be coming from.
Intrinsic motivation: Rethink your rewards strategy
Are your people truly doing their best work? Managers often rely on extrinsic rewards such as performance-related pay to motivate their team members. But research shows such bureaucratic systems are too rigid for modern work. Here, Quentin Millington of Marble Brook looks at intrinsic motivation and how HR can encourage people to value activities for their own sake.
The UK’s financial inclusion strategy signals a new era for workplace financial wellbeing
Following the launch of the HM Treasury’s strategy on boosting UK financial resilience, Gethin Nadin highlights the central role of employers in this mission. Companies like Bupa and Suez are already making strides here – will your organisation follow suit?
When ‘too slow’ becomes discrimination: What an NHS trainee’s tribunal win teaches HR about inclusion
A recent tribunal ruling has redefined what counts as disability discrimination and reminded organisations that inclusion begins with culture, not compliance. Here, inclusion specialist Atif Choudhury explores how HR can move from reacting to complaints to designing workplaces that prevent them.
Strategic stress management: HR can’t be left out of the equation
On Stress Awareness Week, Dr Jo Burrell explores how chronic stress is harming the HR profession – and why only systemic solutions will create lasting change.
Is it time for low-paid industries to embrace employee benefits?
Retail, hospitality and healthcare have long treated employee benefits as a luxury they can’t afford. But Gethin Nadin, Chief Innovation Officer at Benifex, argues that the data tells a different story. With turnover rates soaring and talent draining to other sectors, can low-paid industries still afford to hold back?
What’s on your HR agenda for 2026?
The data tells us HR is stretched, expecting big recruitment challenges ahead and focused on AI integration. But does this reflect your experience? We’re asking HR professionals to share what’s really on their minds as we head into 2026 – because your honest perspectives matter to us.
Transform your workplace: Join the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition 2025
The CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition returns to Manchester Central on 5–6 November 2025, bringing together over 7,000 people professionals ready to tackle the biggest challenges facing modern organisations. As a media partner, HRZone invites you to join this flagship event, designed to turn HR theories into practice and embrace the latest research and innovations. […]
Autonomy vs authority: Finding the balance that works
How much freedom should you give your team, and when do they need clear direction? Too much control stifles creativity and breeds resentment. Too little structure leaves people floundering. Internationally renowned conflict specialist Jane Gunn explores what happens when organisations sway too far in one direction – and shows you how to get the balance right for your team.
Are AI and empathy mutually incompatible?
AI promises to remove bias and free up time for human connection – but what happens when algorithms miss the nuance that matters most? Sarah Lardner from Innecto Reward Consulting examines whether AI can truly support empathetic HR practices, or if we risk reducing people to data points in pursuit of efficiency.
Black History Month: Polite inclusion at work is keeping people comfortable
As Black History Month celebrations draw to a close, what does your organisation do next? Put the work into designing real inclusion, or shut down the campaign until next year and maintain an air of ‘polite inclusion’? Judith Germain of The Maverick Paradox invites you to reflect honestly on your organisation’s approach, and offers strategies for redesigning systems that merely present an illusion of progress.
‘Bossware’: How workplace surveillance harms wellbeing and productivity
As firms introduce closer monitoring of employee activity, managers risk abusing their power. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook considers how surveillance harms employee wellbeing and productivity, asking, ‘Is ‘bossware’ merely evidence of weak leadership and a failing culture?’
How to support Black employees impacted by domestic abuse
Domestic abuse affects one in four employees, yet Black victim-survivors face unique barriers that keep many suffering in silence. Susan Bright and Kristin Thue from the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) explore why systemic racism, cultural stigma and institutional bias demand a more thoughtful response – and what you can do to create truly safe workplaces.
The business impact of family care breakdowns and what employers can do
Family care breakdowns are an unavoidable part of life. But these disruptions don’t just affect your caregiving colleagues – their impact ripples outward to the wellbeing, morale, and productivity of your wider workforce, too. Here, Chris Locke of Bright Horizons highlights the real cost of care-related absences and strategies for reducing them.
Menopause after cancer: The missing workplace conversation
Without tailored support for menopause caused by cancer treatment, organisations risk losing valued talent and gender diversity in leadership. Barbara Wilson of Working with Cancer sheds light on this hidden HR issue during both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Menopause Awareness Month.
