Three ways to help solve the HR productivity problem
HR professionals spend seven hours weekly managing multiple HR applications, totaling 367 hours annually. This article explores three strategies to boost HR productivity: reassessing technology to eliminate redundant systems, planning communications in advance, and improving workflows to focus on high-impact tasks like talent retention and employee engagement.
AI for recruitment: can robots really offer HR teams complete bias-free hiring?
AI recruitment tools like Tengai claim to eliminate bias through standardized interviews, but experts argue they actually perpetuate existing biases embedded in their programming and may hinder diversity efforts through one-size-fits-all approaches.
Mental health awareness: spotting the signs and starting the conversation
Mental health problems affect over half of employees in their current workplace, yet most staff doubt their managers would recognize warning signs. While employers are increasingly taking proactive approaches to workplace wellbeing, creating open communication and supportive environments remains essential for addressing mental health at work.
Wellbeing at work: why we need a culture shift, not just a policy change
Workplace wellbeing requires a fundamental culture shift, not just policy changes. Creating a wellness-focused organization involves tailored strategies like generous leave policies, financial security, and employee engagement to address the significant impact mental health issues have on business performance and absence rates.
Nudging: what HR professionals should understand about behavioural science
HR professionals should understand that nudging—using behavioral science to influence employee decisions—is more complex than exploiting cognitive biases. Effective nudging requires following the scientific method to understand behavior drivers and validate solutions, while careful ethical consideration is essential to avoid manipulating employees without awareness.
Employee benefits: why annual leave is an untapped rewards opportunity
Many UK employees aren’t taking their full annual leave entitlement, missing out on wellbeing benefits. Employers can transform standard leave into a motivating reward by helping workers actually use it and connecting it to meaningful experiences outside work.
The death of hierarchy: why open source leadership is key to business success
Hierarchical business structures are giving way to open source leadership, where humble, transparent leaders prioritize creativity and employee autonomy over traditional command-and-control management. This shift reflects changing workforce expectations, particularly among millennials who value company culture and positive working environments.
Behavioural excellence: an essential quality in high performance leaders?
Behavioural excellence—encompassing emotional intelligence, active listening, self-awareness, and continuous learning—sets high-performing leaders apart. These soft skills enable leaders to connect authentically with diverse teams, build trust, and achieve sustainable business results through integrity and empowerment.
Why data will underpin the transformation of modern leadership
Data-driven leadership is transforming how organizations make decisions about talent, performance, and change management. Rather than relying on intuition and assumptions, forward-thinking companies are adopting structured data approaches to evaluate leader capability, employee engagement, and cultural fit—mirroring their success with customer and financial analytics.
The problem with modern leadership: diversity, inclusion and the ‘hero’ complex
Modern leadership suffers from a dangerous “hero complex” that prioritizes individual confidence over collective wisdom. Research shows that homogeneous, male-dominated leadership groups consistently fail to anticipate crises like Brexit and the 2009 financial collapse. Diverse and inclusive leadership teams are not just socially just—they’re essential for better decision-making and organizational resilience.
Three trends gleaned from gender pay gap reporting round two
The second annual gender pay gap reporting shows little progress, with eight out of ten companies still paying men more than women. Analysis reveals three key trends: shrinking bonus gaps, improved junior-level recruitment, and a critical need for senior leadership advancement of women to achieve meaningful pay equity.
Wellbeing initiatives: are employers expected to be life coaches?
Workplace wellbeing initiatives are expanding rapidly, but employers may be overstepping by trying to address every aspect of employee life rather than focusing on core workplace factors like management quality and flexible policies that genuinely impact wellbeing.
Wellbeing at work: how self-care and success work hand-in-hand
Self-care directly impacts workplace success and employee performance. By prioritizing physical and mental wellbeing through simple practices like walking meetings and healthy habits, businesses can reduce burnout and foster a more positive, productive office culture that values staff overall.
How can HR meet challenges along the many routes to future work?
HR professionals need clear organizational destinations and objective skills assessments to navigate multiple routes to future work. By collaborating with executives and stakeholders to understand products, services, and market positions, HR can identify gaps and roadblocks early, then adapt strategies faster than traditional approaches allow.
Talent retention: giving employees what they want (part two)
Help your organization retain top talent by understanding what employees truly value. Learn how to ask the right questions about why they joined and left previous roles, then create a workplace culture that offers autonomy, purpose, and clear communication.
Talent attraction and retention: what employees want, what they really, really want (part one)
UK employers face rising voluntary turnover, with 61% of organizations reporting increased departures in recent years. Understanding what employees want—from career development to workplace culture—is essential for improving retention and reducing costly recruitment.
Soft skills: how to increase empathy in business
Developing empathy in business organizations improves employee engagement and financial performance. While empathy can’t be taught through training alone, it requires consistent practice from leadership and must become embedded in company culture to drive successful transformation.
HR technology: how smart feedback transforms employee engagement and retention
Modern HR technology enables continuous, people-centric feedback that replaces outdated annual surveys. Regular dialogue with employees reveals deeper insights into engagement and retention, helping organizations address concerns quickly and demonstrate genuine commitment to employee development and growth.
The future of HR: three things companies must do to attract and retain top talent
As automation reshapes the workplace, companies must prioritize three key strategies to attract and retain top talent: personalizing employee development, creating a clear talent strategy aligned with business goals, and leveraging AI to streamline HR operations. Strong people managers, strategic workforce planning, and learning-focused cultures are essential for success.
Onboarding: why new starters need a ‘travel guide’
Effective onboarding should work like a travel guide for new employees. By providing clear information about company basics, structure, tasks, teams, and culture, organizations can reduce stress and help new starters integrate faster into their roles.
