The workplace showdown: me vs you
Workplace rivalries can damage your career and well-being. Learn how to handle difficult colleagues by staying calm, standing up for yourself when needed, and focusing on succeeding through your own values rather than seeking confrontation.
Why you must prioritise the emotional side of change
During organizational change, acknowledging employees’ emotional responses is essential for success. Rather than viewing emotions as obstacles, leaders should recognize that they influence behavior and adaptation, making emotional awareness critical to change management effectiveness.
Why it’s time to humanise the workplace
Meaningful workplace conversations are rare, but fostering deeper human connections at work is essential for mental health. By recognizing colleagues as whole people—beyond their intellect—and embracing emotions, intuition, and authentic dialogue, organizations can create healthier, more humane work environments.
Communications: how to be open and honest, even in times of growth
Transparent internal communication during business growth builds trust and employee engagement. By keeping staff informed about changes from the start—even uncertain news—HR leaders can reduce anxiety, prevent rumors, and help employees feel valued and involved in the company’s direction.
How to support an ageing workforce
Learn how companies can support and retain ageing workers by creating inclusive cultures, offering targeted employee benefits, and addressing the economic factors driving longer working lives. With nearly three-quarters of UK employees unable to retire at 65, employers must adapt HR practices to meet diverse needs.
If we’re okay, why are mental health absences going up and up in organisations across the UK?
Mental health absences in UK organisations are rising despite improved awareness campaigns, costing the economy £70-100 billion annually. Effective workplace mental health support requires open communication, addressing organisational stressors like workload and conflict, and breaking down stigma around disclosure rather than relying on wellbeing programmes alone.
Do your managers want to manage?
Many managers are promoted for technical skills rather than people management ability. With 75% of employee departures influenced by their line manager, organizations must ask managers if they actually want to manage and invest development resources accordingly.
How to earn employee trust in your business
Building employee trust requires understanding context and reading trust signals accurately. Rather than asking “do you trust me?” broadly, organizations must clarify what specific responsibilities employees should trust them with—from paying salaries on time to providing professional development. Misinterpreting trust signals can be damaging, so employers need awareness of how they’re actually perceived.
Why the workplace is an ideal context to practice mindfulness
Major companies like Google, eBay, KPMG, and BT are investing in workplace mindfulness programs to improve focus, decision-making, and employee well-being. The workplace is an ideal community setting for practicing mindfulness, as it provides built-in support and accountability that helps employees sustain the practice long-term.
Relationship intelligence: “We need to put the human element back into the workplace,” says Esther Perel
Renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel argues that strong relationships are essential to workplace success and personal wellbeing. As technology advances, soft skills like relationship intelligence become increasingly critical, replacing outdated emphasis on processes and productivity alone.
The secret about disciplinary investigations that HR professionals won’t tell you
Some HR professionals admit finding disciplinary investigations intellectually engaging—enjoying the investigative process, gathering evidence, and building cases. While not enjoying the distressing consequences, many find this work more interesting and fulfilling than routine HR tasks, similar to the principles of criminal investigations.
Employee engagement: decoding social media for the workplace
HR teams are increasingly exploring social media tools to boost employee engagement, with platforms like Yammer and Jive enabling staff to voice opinions, share ideas, and solve workplace problems in real-time across dispersed teams.
How to write job descriptions that attract great candidates
Writing effective job descriptions requires clear job titles with relevant keywords, an engaging opening that highlights role benefits, specific details distinguishing must-have from nice-to-have skills, transparent compensation and benefits information, and data analytics to optimize candidate attraction.
How fast should you respond to emails at work?
Email response speed affects workplace perceptions differently based on your status. Low-status employees who delay responses risk seeming less competent, while high-status employees may gain credibility by taking time with their feedback.
Clear communication: empowering non-native (and native) English speakers to write better
Implementing plain language standards in organizations improves written communication for both native and non-native English speakers. Clear, jargon-free writing reduces confusion, saves time, and builds trust with internal and external audiences, directly impacting productivity and growth.
Small company super-glue: how to grow up without growing apart
As small companies scale up, maintaining their original culture becomes harder without deliberate effort. This article outlines practical strategies—from communications and rewards to decision-making processes—to preserve your company’s cohesive spirit while growing from micro-business to established SME.
Communicating company culture: understanding the role of unique language in business
Every organization develops its own unique language and buzzwords—what experts call “tribal speak”—that reinforces company culture and creates insider identity. Understanding and intentionally cultivating this distinctive dialect helps bind employees together while signaling your brand’s values to the wider world.
Engaging employees in the age of social media
HR teams face growing challenges managing employee communications as social media blurs personal and professional boundaries. Using platforms like WhatsApp for business creates data protection risks under GDPR and reduces organizational control over how employee data is stored and archived.
Writing a business case for HR and payroll software investment
Learn how to build a compelling business case for HR and payroll software investment by understanding your audience’s priorities, structuring your proposal strategically, and demonstrating clear ROI. Tailor your message to stakeholder objectives—CFOs want immediate returns, while executives focus on business performance and culture impact.
Reputation management for HR professionals
HR professionals must actively manage their reputation, as it directly impacts their ability to lead effectively. Discover how to assess current perceptions, understand stakeholder views, and develop a strategic plan to shift how others see you and achieve your career goals.
