HR is watching you: Why pulse surveys are killing trust
Workforce diagnostics and engagement surveys are everywhere and yet engagement stagnates and turnover is increasing. Brian Bakeberg warns that when we measure without providing the agency to act, employees start to feel less heard and more surveilled.
The Drama Triangle: Why your conflict training isn’t reaching the people who need it most
The Drama Triangle is a dysfunctional dynamic that can be deeply damaging to business. Emma Georgiou says it’s time to start thinking like a Traitors contestant who’s just worked out the game. What’s your next move?
Faking productivity: Do you know the difference between a pulse and a purpose?
How do we actually measure the value of knowledge work? Deborah Hartung delves into the misconduct that’s holding up a mirror in the knowledge economy, warning that if we continue to manage by signs of life, we should not be surprised when people learn to fake a heartbeat.
Stop asking why Gen Z are difficult and start asking what they are showing you
Whether you’re Gen Z, millennial or Gen X, work has to meet intrinsic needs. Most of us want the opportunity to make a difference, to grow and develop and to be recognised and valued. Blaire Palmer explains why abandoning outdated principles and getting curious is the route to understanding and getting the best out of Gen Z.
The ‘fake perks’ problem: How misleading job ads are fuelling ghosting
One in five job adverts dress up legal rights as perks. Appreciation expert Chris Britton assesses the damaging impact of ‘fake perks’ on candidates and companies alike and underlines the need for HR to show up authentically.
AI won’t take accountability, will you?
Effectively judging situations and acting appropriately under pressure are inherently human skills. But new research suggests that the ability to take accountability is largely contextual. Ella Overshott explores resonant findings and how they can be applied in practice by establishing a culture of accountability.
The human cost of megamanaging: Why your leaders have an attention deficit
We’re now in the era of the megamanager, with the average team leader now overseeing 12.1 direct reports. As spans of control expand, managers are consuming information more superficially than ever. Matt Poepsel, VP of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index, explains why this combination is dangerous and how attention management has become 2026’s most critical leadership capability.
How connection insulates employees from seasonal disengagement
While winter is a high-risk season for disengagement, the strain is predictable, allowing organisations to plan and respond effectively. How, exactly? Research from Dr Jonathan Thorp shows that connection can act as emotional insulation, preserving team effectiveness when the winter blues take hold.
Three leadership norms that harm trust and collaboration
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer describes a highly insular world. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook considers how HR professionals can, by questioning three longstanding norms of leadership, enable their organisations to build trust in the face of differences.
Edelman Trust Barometer 2026: 70% retreat into insularity
As fears about the state of the world grow, people are turning inward, new research from the Edelman Trust Barometer reveals. For workplaces already navigating complexity, this retreat into familiarity poses a serious threat to collaboration, innovation, and productivity. But there’s an opportunity here: leaders and HR can act as trust brokers to bridge the divide.
HR predictions for 2026: Navigating a “clusterbomb of challenges” in the workplace
The work landscape in 2026 will bring a “clusterbomb of challenges” for HR to wade through. What will this likely entail? We share predictions from 10 workplace experts covering everything from grievance claims and flattening hierarchies, to improved HR wellbeing and, of course, AI transformation.
Team diversity: How to work with people who are different to you
Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn provide seven tips for working successfully with people that are different than you.
How to ensure your 2026 HR priorities are business-led
This guide explores how to build your 2026 priorities by starting with what keeps your business leaders awake at night – not with HR’s favourite frameworks.
Are staff surveys making employees too entitled?
When you use employee surveys as ‘happy meters’ you risk making employees entitled, warns Natasha Johnson, Founder of Organic P&O Solutions.
Asking ‘what do you want?’ is a slippery slope towards bold demands that don’t drive performance or enhance organisational culture. So what should you ask instead?
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.
How wellbeing platforms can boost benefits engagement
HR and reward leaders, be warned. While 60% of your profession believes they deliver an excellent employee experience, only 19% of employees agree. How can you combat this disconnect? By making the process of accessing benefits less mystifying, time-consuming and stressful, says Oliver Atkinson, Senior Wellbeing Lead at Benifex.
Sweet ideas that you can implement TODAY to build a happy workforce
Sometimes the smallest gestures spark the sweetest moments – and a 35% reduction in employee churn. Here, Jonathan Dee of Swizzels (the makers of Love Hearts) reveals how this confectionery company’s micro-rewards strategy boosted employee happiness without a big budget, reducing turnover by over a third.
Productivity with purpose: How to reconnect a disengaged workforce
When workplace purpose is genuine – not just a mission statement slide – it is HR’s next best productivity tool. But what does ‘authentic purpose’ look like in practice? And how can you build it? Sanjay Lobo MBE, CEO of OnHand, will reveal all at the Culture Pioneers Leadership Forum 2025 on 16th October in London.
Quiet cracking: A buzzword masking a mental health crisis at work
A ‘new’ trend has hit the workplace (and our Instagram feeds). But what does ‘quiet cracking’ actually mean? How does it impact performance? And is it actually new, or just an existing problem rebranded? Culture transformation expert, Deborah Hartung, uncovers what HR needs to know.
From 30% to 50% satisfaction: How Refresco’s employee benefits strategy won over a deskless workforce
When only 30% of your workforce feels they have “special and unique benefits,” you know something needs to change. In this revealing case study, Sarah Tomson, Head of HR Services and Reward at Refresco, shares how her team transformed not just their benefits offering, but also rebuilt trust from the ground up.
