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.
Forget trust. Is AI reliable?
The prevailing narrative that people have to ‘trust’ AI in order to realise its benefits brings various risks. Quentin Millington looks at reasons we cannot, and should not, trust AI, and argues that a more relevant ambition is to seek AI systems that we can instead ‘rely’ on.
Day One SSP: Closing the gap between policy and practice
Day-one SSP is now in effect. But will it actually reach the workers it’s designed to help? HR Technical Consultant Sarah Kerr explains that the gap between policy update and real-world application isn’t in legislation, but in everyday decisions made by line managers.
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.
April’s employment law shake-up: What HR needs to do right now
The first wave of the Employment Rights Act lands this month. Charles Hipps, Founder and CEO of Oleeo, breaks down what the changes mean for HR practitioners.
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 Blaire Palmer explains why abandoning outdated principles and getting curious is the route to understanding and getting the best out of Gen Z.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.
Pay transparency WILL come to the UK: Are you ready?
While the EU Pay Transparency Directive doesn’t apply to the UK, its effects already do. Gethin Nadin argues that pay transparency is already here. The question is: Will we shape our own framework, or adopt the one being written next door?
The future of flexibility: Preparing for reforms to zero-hours contracts
With reforms to zero-hours contracts on the horizon, specialist employment lawyer Philip Pepper advises that the time to act is now and offers practical guidance on the decisions employers should be making today.
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 empathy gap in management: What HR needs to know
Empathy has become essential to leadership, yet new research reveals that managers consistently score lower than the general population in emotional sensitivity. Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at Zety, explains why this gap might exist, and how HR can help managers stay connected to their teams whilst maintaining the decisiveness their roles demand.
The suspicion economy: Why low-trust organisations are racking up ‘AI cultural debt’
A new Deloitte study finds that artificial intelligence is creating what researchers call ‘AI cultural debt’. When organisations move quickly on implementation whilst leaving trust, clarity and behaviour to chance, the hidden costs compound. Culture transformation expert Deborah Hartung explores the growing suspicion economy and how to address the cultural fallout.
The legal risks of AI-driven recruitment and redundancy (and how to govern them properly)
Over half of business leaders regret layoffs made using AI-driven tools. But regret is not the biggest concern here – legal risk is. Carolina Merlin, Compliance Manager of Mauve Group, highlights the dangers of giving too much control to AI in HR decision-making, and why proper governance is essential at every stage of the employee lifecycle.
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.
2026 imperatives for the AI-aware CHRO: Preparing for the superagent
Meet the ‘superagent’, an AI advancement that will become further embedded in HR this year. Global industry analyst Josh Bersin explains how this development could eliminate up to 30% of workflow steps in employee services, and what this means for the humans of HR.
The leadership development paradox: Why your best leaders burn out first
A 20-year study by The Oxford Review found that the most effective, dedicated and authentic leaders are the ones most likely to burn out. Natasha Wallace, a leadership wellbeing and performance expert, examines why 72% of leaders now report burnout and what organisations must change to develop senior talent who can sustain themselves and their teams.
The CHRO in 2026: A role under pressure
The CHRO role has never been more critical – or more complex. Research by Kathi Enderes at The Josh Bersin Company reveals that 86% of CHROs describe their role shift as ‘significant’ or ‘dramatic’, yet 70% are first-timers learning on the job. With demands outpacing capabilities, how can organisations support CHROs through mounting pressure?
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.
