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.
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.
Everyday experience: A magic wand for better performance?
With complex work, occasional development is not enough. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook reveals the learning that lies within everyday experiences and shows how managers and their teams can, at zero cost, turn hectic days into easier collaboration and stronger performance.
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.
World Cancer Day: Line managers hold the key to cancer support at work
On World Cancer Day, Veronica Foote explores this year’s theme ‘United by Unique’, which reminds us that every cancer experience is different. Line managers need to understand that cancer is not a linear journey to recovery. There is no standard approach to support.
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.
Are we really facing a leadership crisis. Or is Gen Z simply changing the rules?
Rather than rejecting leadership, Gen Z is reshaping it, argues Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer at Remote. Here, she challenges outdated models and pushes companies to reimagine leadership as flexible, authentic, and aligned with values.
The loneliness-conflict loop: How HR can break the cycle
The rise of social isolation among employees has coincided with another worrying trend – an increase in workplace conflict. How can HR leaders break this concerning cycle? Anna Shields, Director at Consensio, explores how emotional intelligence, manager training and early intervention can help teams reconnect, communicate better – and handle conflict with confidence.
Gallup 2025: Employee engagement decline causing US$438 billion in lost productivity
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report makes for bleak reading. Last year, employee engagement fell by 2%, equating to US$438 billion in lost productivity. Here, HRZone’s Managing Editor Becky Norman explores the study’s major findings and shares responses from industry experts and practitioners.
Snowflakes or Boundried? The truth about Millennial managers
Millennials now make up the largest group of managers in today’s workforce, yet outdated stereotypes continue to undermine their influence. Ella Overshott, Director of Pecan Partnerships, explores the real traits of Millennial managers, debunks the ‘snowflake’ myth, and offers actionable insights on how organisations can better support and empower this vital generation of leaders.
Love bombing: How to spot and combat the issue at work
Love bombing is in the air this Valentine’s Day. But how does this play out in the workplace? Guy Thornton from Practice Aptitude Tests explains how leaders can spot the signs and how to combat the problem.
Five ways to sabotage relationships at work
Good relationships enrich the workplace and help us get things done. But human connections are fragile and common behaviours harm our efforts to build trust. Quentin Millington of Marble Brook examines how we wreck, and how we might protect, our workplace relationships.
How to reverse the Gen Z trend of ‘conscious unbossing’
Research from Robert Walters finds over half of Gen Z professionals in the UK don’t want to take on a middle-management role. How can organisations reverse this ‘conscious unbossing’ trend?
How to turn managers into culture catalysts
Managers often feel powerless in effecting cultural change at work. David Liddle, CEO of the TCM Group, shares five practical ways managers can turn themselves in culture catalysts and make a lasting impact.
How to create a winning culture at Man Utd
Over the last 11 years, Man Utd football club has seriously underperformed against its peers and its own expectation. As its about to appoint a new manager, Andrew Loveless outlines how the club might finally create a winning culture (and why the same principles apply to organisational culture).
Difficult colleagues: Relationships with people who think differently
Struggling to work with difficult people? Quentin Millington of Marble Brook explores the Strengths Deployment Inventory and why the problem so often lies in a clash of motives rather than toxic behaviours.
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.
Performance management: How relationships beat systems
Talk of performance management and we usually think first of systems, data and processes. But in our complex world, vibrant human relationships are the surest way to enable the outcomes and behaviours we expect.
Should more employers be considering dual tracks for progression?
Kellie Plummer, Director of People at Progeny and a Culture Pioneers Award winner, explores the benefits of dual career tracks for both organisations and its people.