Ethical business: attracting and retaining top talent needs actions, not just words
Companies must back up ethical claims with real actions to attract and retain top talent. Today’s workers prioritize meaningful work and social impact alongside compensation, expecting employers to demonstrate genuine commitment to community, sustainability, and employee wellbeing through concrete actions rather than words alone.
How AI can benefit the employee experience
Discover how AI can enhance employee experience through improved team communication, mental health support, and unbiased recruitment practices. Learn practical ways to implement AI in your workplace to boost efficiency, wellbeing, and diversity.
Digital wellbeing: caring for employees in an ‘always on’ culture
As digital technology blurs work-life boundaries and creates constant interruptions, organizations increasingly recognize the need to support employee wellbeing in an “always on” culture. Research shows excessive device use impacts sleep quality, focus, and productivity while making it harder for workers to disconnect from work.
Business after Brexit: the changing needs of UK employees
Brexit uncertainty is reshaping UK employee expectations, with staff turnover rising as workers seek greater purpose and engagement at work. Organizations must prioritize employee retention through values-based culture and talent investment to navigate economic turbulence ahead.
Science fiction and HR: imagining alternative futures
Science fiction develops imaginative capacity to envision alternative futures, offering HR and organizations tools for strategic thinking beyond short-term planning. Companies increasingly hire SF-background professionals to enhance scenario planning and navigate technological change.
Change management: how to shift the behaviours and mindsets of your people
Successful change management requires shifting both behaviors and mindsets together through a cyclical approach. The 4Es framework—Educate, Engage, Empower, and Enable—helps leaders involve people in the change journey rather than simply instructing them, while managers play a crucial role in creating conditions for organizational transformation.
Why a ‘no-blame’ company culture brings out the best in teams
A no-blame company culture shifts focus from individual mistakes to collective accountability, encouraging teams to identify all contributing factors and improve together. This approach builds trust, maintains morale, and drives continuous improvement across the entire organization.
Flexible working: the four-day working week in the eyes of four generations
Four-day working weeks offer significant benefits to both employers and employees, according to Henley Business School research. Businesses implementing this model report improved talent retention, higher productivity, and annual savings reaching £92 billion across the UK. However, customer-facing industries and companies concerned about equity among staff remain hesitant to adopt the arrangement.
How to overcome the business myth of gender blindness
Gender blindness is a myth—most organisations still hold unconscious biases that disadvantage women. Dr Marie Luise Sunde and Isabelle Ringnes share personal experiences of gender discrimination and provide an action plan for businesses to address inequality effectively.
Migraines: five ways to tackle the workplace productivity killer
Migraines cost the UK economy £8.8 billion annually in lost productivity. Employers can support affected employees through workplace adjustments and better understanding of this common neurological condition that impacts working-age populations.
Company culture: the single issue at the heart of organisational failure
Toxic company culture drives organisational failure across industries, yet most businesses struggle to measure and address it effectively. New behavioral analytics now enable companies to quantitatively assess culture, identify harmful behaviors, and align strategy with values to improve performance and reduce risk.
Managing employee stress: a vital technique for protecting workplace mental health
Work-related stress costs UK businesses millions in lost productivity annually. HR professionals play a crucial role in protecting employee mental health by creating a supportive workplace culture, identifying stress hazards, and providing resources to build employee resilience and reduce stigma around mental health discussions.
Why ‘investors’ (not ‘savers’) are the secret to a high-performing company culture
Companies sustain high performance through “investors”—employees who feel genuine attachment and share the organization’s values—rather than merely competent “savers.” Creating a culture of engaged investors drives better customer satisfaction and long-term resilience.
Managers and workplace culture: a precarious symbiosis
Managers shape workplace culture but often lack the support and flexibility needed to thrive. Rigid organizational structures, inadequate training, and poor communication practices can overwhelm managers and create reactive rather than proactive work environments, ultimately harming both employee and manager wellbeing.
Performance management: time to ditch the annual appraisal
Many companies are abandoning annual performance appraisals in favor of continuous feedback and conversations. This shift toward frequent check-ins and real-time recognition better engages employees and reduces administrative burden on HR teams.
HR hygge: three culture lessons from Scandinavian business
Scandinavian companies lead in employee happiness through equality, transparency, and work-life balance. Drawing from countries like Denmark, which tops global happiness rankings, businesses can adopt Nordic culture practices that prioritize fair treatment, authentic communication, and employee wellbeing over financial rewards alone.
Financial wellbeing: why women are being left behind
Women face significant financial disadvantages throughout their careers and into retirement, earning less, saving less for pensions, and accumulating less wealth than men. Despite government initiatives to address gender pay gaps, employers must prioritize financial education and wellbeing strategies that account for barriers women encounter, including career breaks for childcare and unequal pension outcomes.
The five biggest mistakes in employee engagement
Many companies fail at employee engagement by not emotionally connecting employees to organizational purpose and values. Leadership must involve employees in creating mission statements and demonstrating genuine commitment to purpose-driven goals to build lasting loyalty and engagement.
Three ways to avoid the disengagement danger zone
Learn three essential strategies to keep your workforce engaged: establish transparent communication across all levels, provide regular recognition and clear company direction, and foster meaningful relationships through social activities and community-building initiatives.
Mental health at work: why employers need to embrace psychological diversity
Employers must move beyond basic wellbeing programs to embrace psychological diversity, recognizing that mental health exists on a spectrum and is shaped by unique biological, psychological, and social factors affecting each employee differently.
