Why your RTO strategy needs purposeful in-person experiences (not mandates)
Instead of RTO mandates, what if organisations designed purposeful events that people actually want to attend? Mark Griffith of FourthWall shares insights from people leaders at Lloyds Bank, DHL and Lockton, who are creating in-person activations that deepen connection to purpose and build genuine belonging.
Why flexible working is a lifeline for disabled women
As we approach International Women’s Day on 8 March, it’s worth examining who benefits most from flexible working – and who suffers when it disappears. For disabled women, flexibility isn’t a perk but a lifeline that determines whether they can stay in work at all. Diane Lightfoot, Chief Executive Officer of Business Disability Forum, explains why the decline in remote jobs threatens inclusion, equality and the government’s own disability employment targets.
RTO mandates: Policy vs reality with Jane Young, Head of Future of Work, HubStar
RTO mandates – and their failings – still make headlines six years on from the pandemic. Why do so many employers struggle to create hybrid working policies that work for both their people and the business? Jane Young, Head of Future of Work at HubStar, says the problem lies in poor data visibility, an unwillingness to embrace complexity, and a lack of managerial autonomy.
Ask these five questions to prevent your hybrid work policy from failing
Responsible for updating your organisation’s hybrid work policies? To avoid making the same mistakes that put Amazon and Paramount in the headlines, Jacqueline Towers outlines five strategic questions to explore before policy change begins.
Five pitfalls of measuring workplace productivity
Most workplaces chase productivity metrics, but this approach often backfires. Jacqueline Towers of HubStar explores five critical pitfalls of measuring productivity – from outdated metrics to damaged wellbeing – and reveals what truly drives performance. Discover why trust, autonomy and psychological safety matter more than monitoring, and what your organisation should focus on instead.
Five psychological safety challenges for hybrid workplaces
Building psychological safety is a complex venture for any organisation. But the very nature of hybrid work makes it even more difficult to foster. Here, Jacqueline Towers of Hubstar presents five common barriers to speak-up cultures in hybrid settings – and how to remove these through small changes to everyday behaviours.
Return to office: How not to upset almost everyone
With return-to-office (RTO) mandates back in the news, Quentin Millington of Marble Brook explains why there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy for where to work. Here, he outlines eight questions HR leaders can pose to their organisations to encourage meaningful thinking, rapid decisions and practical action.
How to avoid a war over the return to the office
At a time when conflict is growing over return-to-office mandates, Paul O’Donnell, Managing Director of CMP, considers how HR can defuse tensions and help shape a new ‘normal’ for working practices.
Can the office pay in 2025?
Pre-pandemic office setups will be a poor investment for organisations in 2025. Employers looking to encourage more in-person working should consider redesigning their workspaces to offer amenity-rich and purpose-led environments.
Next-level relationships: Reset the balance between burnt-out employees and coasting colleagues
How can leaders build transparent, inclusive, adult-to-adult relationships with their teams? How can they re-set the balance between overworked employees and their coasting colleagues? Culture expert Ella Overshott shares tips and candid opinion on building next-level relationships.
Hushed hybrid: The ticking talent time bomb
Hushed hybrid is the latest pushback against rising return-to-office mandates. How should people professionals respond to this trend? Culture expert Deborah Hartung shares six ways to gain senior buy-in for greater flexibility.
Psychological safety in hybrid work environments
In a hybrid environment, there are additional challenges to creating a culture of psychological safety. Here are six practical tips for building it in a hybrid environment.
Work-life balance is outdated: Why HR should focus on integration
With the rise of remote and hybrid work environments in an increasingly flexible and shifting world, could it be time to send the concept of ‘work-life balance’ out to pasture?
How do you know if your hybrid approach is working?
Many organisations have got stuck in a ‘default’ approach to hybrid that isn’t fully serving the needs of the organisation, teams or individuals. Here’s a quick checklist to help you decide whether it’s worth refreshing your approach.
Is Lord Alan Sugar right about working from home?
As the latest series of The Apprentice kicks off, Sir Alan Sugar is making the headlines (again) for his comments about remote workers. His recent statement that he will not be recruiting people who want to work from home will chime with the groundswell of CEOs calling employees back to the office – does he have a point?
Did your 2023 work predictions come true?
As we head towards the end of the year, nine HRZone writers candidly reflect on the accuracy of their crystal-ball gazing.
Hybrid working: Is two days in the office the magic number?
Employees are now spending on average two days in the office per week. Is this genuinely optimal or are we stuck in default mode?
Should we follow Zoom’s lead in the home vs office debate?
Why we need to deliver a structured hybrid approach that works for the majority.
Hush holidays: Another HR hype to quash
We should be empowering our people to work in whatever ways get them the best results and not shaming them for their choices.
What leaders can learn from Gen Z
Is it time for senior leaders to re-evaluate the way their organisations work?