Brexit and the free movement of people: where are we now?

As we approach a possible exit from the EU on 31 October 2019, clarity on the rights of EU, EEA and Swiss nationals in the UK remains crucial for employers.   If the UK leaves with a deal   The EU Settlement Scheme has been open since March 2019, with over 1 million individuals already […]

Ethical business: attracting and retaining top talent needs actions, not just words

Right now companies face one of the biggest challenges ever faced in attracting and retaining new talent and every business, large or small, will be affected at some point in the future.   The corporate world may be changing, few can argue with that, but talent is changing too and with a multitude of layers, […]

How AI can benefit the employee experience

AI is here, and it’s ready to transform your employee experience. While most businesses recognise the power of AI, many are unsure of how to implement it in their own workplace. Here are some examples of how AI can benefit your employees at work. Communication When we are at work, our interpersonal relationships have a huge […]

Digital wellbeing: caring for employees in an ‘always on’ culture

In today’s world, digital technology is everywhere and within a relatively short time it has become embedded in our social fabric. Such is the speed of technological change that its absorption into our day-to-day lives has occurred very rapidly, but without the research into its impact that precedes the introduction of medical interventions. As a […]

Business after Brexit: the changing needs of UK employees

Ahead of the uncharted waters of Brexit, the UK labour market appears to be continuing to shrug off the wider signs of economic doom and gloom. According to Office of National Statistics data, the UK labour market has charted its strongest earnings growth in 11 years, with annual growth in average weekly earnings for employees […]

Science fiction and HR: imagining alternative futures

It is more than 200-years since 19-year-old Mary Shelley published her widely acclaimed novel, ‘Frankenstein’– known to some as ‘the first work of science fiction.’ Although it was popular at the time, even Shelley, with her remarkable foresight could not predict how popular her novel, or the genre she was forming, would become. Today, science […]

Change management: how to shift the behaviours and mindsets of your people

Why do people resist change? It’s a simple question and yet it is one that sits at the heart of successful change management. The first step in understanding people lies in understanding yourself. Gallup’s 10 reports to share with your leaders in 2019 includes the statistic that managers account for at least 70% of the […]

Why a ‘no-blame’ company culture brings out the best in teams

A striker is through on goal in a football match and takes a shot. The goalkeeper seems to catch the ball at first, but they drop it and it goes past them into the net. It’s a winning goal for the other side in the dying seconds of the match. Whose fault is it that […]

Flexible working: the four-day working week in the eyes of four generations

Working four days instead of five every week? While earning the same salary? That would sound amazing for employees – but is it? Would all employees want a four-day working week? What about employers, would they be willing to accept such an arrangement? To help answer these questions, Henley Business School has published a white […]

How to overcome the business myth of gender blindness

Many individuals and organisations claim to be ‘gender blind’, but this is a fallacy. In this article, Dr Marie Luise Sunde and Isabelle Ringnes share their personal experiences of gender discrimination and explain how organisations can begin to address this issue. You may have heard the riddle that goes: a father and his son are […]

Migraines: five ways to tackle the workplace productivity killer

Although migraines are a big contributor towards workplace productivity loss, little is being done to support affected employees with this painful, often disabling, neurological disorder. Those who suffer from migraines know very well that the experience is not merely just a ‘bad headache’. The grim combination of pain, sickness, and visual and audio disturbances can […]

Company culture: the single issue at the heart of organisational failure

Almost every organisational failing – from Oxfam to Barings Bank, from Arcadia to Boeing – can be linked to a single issue: toxic company culture. Despite this, most businesses don’t understand how to accurately measure culture, let alone change it. It is now possible to measure the genuine behaviours within a business and establish the leading […]

Managing employee stress: a vital technique for protecting workplace mental health

HR professionals have many roles within an organisation. They’re there to design, shape and implement workplace policy. They shape recruitment processes, make key organisational decisions and – perhaps most importantly – protect the wellbeing of their employees. When it comes to mental health, more often than not, we can see the focus shift towards people […]

Why ‘investors’ (not ‘savers’) are the secret to a high-performing company culture

There are organisational cultures that deliver great performance, and then there are organisational cultures that not only deliver great performance, but crucially, ensure that performance is sustained: next week, next month, when things get tough, when leaders change. Whatever is thrown at the culture, it copes and is exceptionally resilient yet, at the same time, […]

Managers and workplace culture: a precarious symbiosis

It’s a universally understood concept that managers play a crucial role in workplace culture. As key people to implement policy, ensure team effectiveness and productivity, and promote a mentally healthier working environment, we ask a lot from our organisations’ managers. Asking them to be a leader, change facilitator, disciplinarian, visionary, motivator, HR process implementer, counsellor […]

Performance management: time to ditch the annual appraisal

HR professionals are starting to harness new technology to streamline their processes and improve employee experience. Performance management is an integral part of the role of HR departments, yet current practices often involve laborious annual appraisals – dreaded by all those involved. Performance management processes, like a lot of things in the sector right now, […]

HR hygge: three culture lessons from Scandinavian business

According to the global 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey, younger generations are feeling disillusioned with traditional businesses motives. The survey uncovered a rise in feelings of pessimism and unease when it comes to social and economic progress and the role of millennials in the world. In this climate of increased anxiety in the workplace, companies are […]

Financial wellbeing: why women are being left behind

There’s been a recent flurry of interest in the issue of financial wellbeing from many organisations, but no one is addressing the elephant in the room – the fact that women are at a huge disadvantage.   Last month, the UK’s first female defence secretary, Penny Mordaunt launched the government’s roadmap to financially empower women. […]

The five biggest mistakes in employee engagement

Leadership teams often think their employees are engaged, without really understanding if this truly is the case. Here’s how to really understand what’s happening on the ground – and make sure your team is fully engaged.  In our work with cultural transformation, I am fortunate to meet many executive leaders and gain insights into companies, […]

Three ways to avoid the disengagement danger zone

An engaged workforce is a productive one, so how can you make sure your employees are fully invested in the business and avoid the highway to the disengagement danger zone? Engaged employees have a deeper understanding of their company, allowing them to make better decisions for their company and clients. They love what they do […]