HRZone

The awkward culture conversations we avoided in 2025 (and how to confront them in 2026) What tricky conversation have you been avoiding? Whether it’s about an uncollaborative team member, a demotivating micro-manager, or a knee-jerk decision maker, if left unchecked the ramifications can...

What culture conversations did you dodge in 2025?

From micro-managers to uncollaborative colleagues, avoiding the awkward stuff can quietly derail teams. This piece explores the conversations we sidestep and how to tackle them with confidence in 2026 👉 tinyurl.com/bdet3end

Five evidence-based system shifts that build neuroinclusion at work Transform your approach to neuroinclusion with proven methods to reduce cognitive load and improve team dynamics.

#Neuroinclusion is not a nice-to-have. Clinical and coaching frameworks show how simple system shifts can reduce cognitive load and boost #performance. Design work for the one in five minds that think differently, and everyone benefits.

Read on: tinyurl.com/ks28bmsk

AI co-therapy: Will it fill the gap in employee mental health support? You know about the waiting lists. You've seen employees struggle between counselling sessions. AI co-therapy is now cautiously stepping in to fill that gap, says Karl Bennett, Chair of the EAPA UK. Th...

Long waits. Gaps between sessions. #Employees left struggling. #AI co-therapy is emerging as a support tool for workplace #mentalhealth, not to replace counsellors, but to help bridge the gaps when human support is out of reach.

More: bit.ly/4qIx0wi

Stop the skills obsession: The six human states that drive real outcomes Have you jumped on the skills bandwagon? Most employers have. But skills alone won’t bring organisational success, warns Culture Transformation Leader Zhanna Zhuravleva. As AI increasingly picks up fu...

We are obsessed with #skills. But skills alone will not drive performance. As #AI takes on more functional work, real value comes from #human states like mindset, energy and lived experience. Focusing here could unlock better outcomes than skills frameworks alone.

More: bit.ly/4qHMYHf

HR predictions for 2026: Navigating a “clusterbomb of challenges” in the workplace Explore key HR predictions for 2026, from AI impacts to new employment laws shaping the future of work.

#HR in 2026 will not be short on challenges. From rising grievance claims and flatter hierarchies to HR #wellbeing and rapid #AI adoption, the year ahead looks complex.

Ten experts share what HR leaders should prepare for next.

👉 Read more: bit.ly/499J58a

Hiring executive leaders in the US: What foreign companies need to know If you're organisation is looking to break into the US market, securing a strong leadership team in America is essential. Without external recruitment support, you risk making a bad hire and delaying ...

Hiring executive leaders in the US is a different game - what foreign companies need to know. From compliance to compensation, getting it wrong can delay expansion.

Thomas Lore from Pact & Partners shares what foreign companies need to know to hire confidently in the US.

Read more: bit.ly/3LlJomX

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.

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.

Read more: bit.ly/4pkaj0t

#HRLeadership #FutureOfWork #PeopleStrategy

Five ways to tackle rising healthcare costs and boost employee wellbeing With healthcare costs climbing and employee wellbeing under pressure, waiting isn't an option. Oliver Atkinson, Senior Wellbeing Lead at Benifex, shares five practical strategies to protect your peopl...

Healthcare costs are rising and employee wellbeing is under real strain. Waiting is not an option. Here we share are five practical strategies to protect your people and your bottom line, starting with prevention, early support and clearer communication.

Read more: tinyurl.com/2wy85he9

Polymorphic organisations: The next evolution of people-centric design What if your company could shift shape as quickly as the world around it? Here, Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR introduce the polymorphic organisation – a living system that adapts to multiple fo...

Polymorphic organisations: What if your company could shift shape as fast as the world around it?

Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR share how a polymorphic organisation adapts and why #HR must move from keeping order to enabling continuous #change.

Read more: tinyurl.com/yxx29utb

The perfect storm: Middle-aged men, AI disruption and mental health Men aged 45–49 have the highest suicide rate in the UK, and many now watch AI tools replicate expertise they spent decades building – all while shouldering peak financial pressures. Thom Dennis, CEO o...

Men 45–49 face the highest suicide rate in the #UK, and many are watching #AI mimic skills they spent decades building while carrying peak financial pressure.

Thom Dennis says generic #wellbeing plans aren’t cutting it — support needs to be far more tailored: tinyurl.com/48pbre4e

If Gen Z needs AI to speak to colleagues, maybe it’s not them who’ve lost the plot Half of Gen Z workers use AI to prepare for work conversations, a new study finds. Is this the demise of social skills? Or is something else going on? Culture consultant Deborah Hartung explores where...

If half of Gen Z are using #AI just to prep for work chats, is it really their social skills that are failing, or is something else at play? Dive into why perfection #anxiety is shaping how the youngest employees connect at work.

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#WorkCulture

When 'too slow' becomes discrimination: What an NHS trainee's tribunal win teaches HR about inclusion A recent tribunal ruling has redefined what counts as disability discrimination and reminded organisations that inclusion begins with culture, not compliance. Here, inclusion specialist Atif Choudhury...

When ‘too slow’ becomes discrimination: What an #NHS trainee’s tribunal win teaches #HR about #inclusion
A new tribunal ruling expands how we understand disability discrimination, and it’s a wake-up call for HR.

Read more 👉 tinyurl.com/5n76umph

#DisabilityRights

Autonomy vs authority: Finding the balance that works How much freedom should you give your team, and when do they need clear direction? Too much control stifles creativity and breeds resentment. Too little structure leaves people floundering. Internatio...

Autonomy vs authority: Finding the balance that works
How much freedom should your team really have? Too much control stifles creativity; too little leaves people lost. Find out how to find the sweet spot.

More: tinyurl.com/5ew5crxz

Are AI and empathy mutually incompatible? AI promises to remove bias and free up time for human connection – but what happens when algorithms miss the nuance that matters most? Sarah Lardner from Innecto Reward Consulting examines whether AI ...

Are #AI and #empathy mutually exclusive?
AI promises fairness and efficiency but can algorithms really grasp human nuance? Sarah Lardner of Innecto Reward Consulting examines whether AI can enhance empathy in #HR, or if we’re at risk of reducing people to data points.

More: tinyurl.com/4w2h38ps

‘Bossware’: How workplace surveillance harms wellbeing and productivity As firms introduce closer monitoring of employees, managers risk abusing their power. Find out how workplace surveillance harms wellbeing and productivity.

#Bossware: Is workplace #surveillance helping or harming?
As monitoring tools spread, are we really boosting performance or breaking trust? Quentin Millington of Marble Brook explores how ‘bossware’ can hurt wellbeing, productivity, and culture.

More: bit.ly/4o87Vdn

#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture

How to support Black employees impacted by domestic abuse Domestic abuse affects one in four employees, yet Black victim-survivors face unique barriers that keep many suffering in silence. Susan Bright and Kristin Thue from the Employers' Initiative on Domes...

#Domesticabuse affects 1 in 4 employees, yet Black survivors face unique barriers rooted in racism and stigma. Susan Bright and Kristin Thue of EIDA share how employers can create safer, more inclusive workplaces for everyone.

More: bit.ly/3L9Mbzl

#HR #Inclusion #Wellbeing

The business impact of family care breakdowns and what employers can do Family care breakdowns are an unavoidable part of life. But these disruptions don’t just affect your caregiving colleagues – their impact ripples outward to the wellbeing, morale, and productivity of ...

Family care breakdowns affect more than caregivers, they impact wellbeing, morale and productivity across teams. Chris Locke of Bright Horizons shares the real cost of care-related absences and how employers can reduce them.

Read more: bit.ly/4qmHSAD

#EmployeeWellbeing #HR

Four progressive stages of male allyship – and how HR can support the journey Men are not simply ‘for’ or ‘against’ engaging with gender equity issues. A new global study reveals a developmental pattern at play – four progressive stages that men move through towards allyship. H...

Men aren’t simply for or against gender equity their engagement evolves in stages. A new global study reveals four progressive stages of male #allyship. Dr Debbie Bayntun-Lees shares the findings and a model to help #HR support each stage.

👉 bit.ly/46Zarvq

#DEI

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 f...

Are we facing a leadership crisis – or are Gen Z just rewriting the rules? Barbara Matthews argues it’s time to move past outdated models and embrace leadership that’s authentic, flexible and values-driven.

Read more: tinyurl.com/4by4dr6d

The Big Five at work: Engineering personalities into collective strength What if you could decode the invisible forces that shape how your team really works together? Perry Timms and Kirsten Buck of PTHR reveal how the Big Five personality traits act as the hidden operatin...

What really drives your team’s success (or failure)? It’s not just skills or strategy. The hidden forces of personality shape every interaction. Discover how decoding the Big Five can turn friction into high performance: tinyurl.com/msrskc27

#TeamDynamics #HR #Leadership #PeopleScience

Let’s talk about what really affects our mental health at work: workload, poor leadership, isolation, discrimination & lack of autonomy.
What changes made a difference for you? What still needs to change? 👇
#WorkplaceWellbeing

When #leaders dodge tough decisions, #HR is left to pick up the pieces.

Join the Culture Pioneers Leadership Forum 2025 in London on 16 October to explore how culture can transform leadership and performance through expert insights, peer discussions, and practical takeaways.

More: bit.ly/4lczdNu

Age discrimination or a polarising world? Four ways to tackle distrust and misinformation at work A recent survey shows 90% of older workers experience workplace ageism, but other research reveals fear of discrimination spans all demographics. The real culprit? Growing societal polarisation, warns...

90% of older workers face #ageism, yet fear of bias spans all ages. The deeper issue? A polarised world. Blaire Palmer shares 4 ways #HR can rebuild trust through openness, awareness and collaboration.

Read on: tinyurl.com/4use6fz8

#Inclusion #WorkplaceCulture

Interview: How Tesla’s former DEI director, Kristen Kavanaugh, chose courage over fear Explore Kristen Kavanaugh's insights on courage and DEI at Tesla during challenging times for diversity and inclusion.

What does it take to stand up for your values when the easier option is silence? Former #Tesla #DEI director Kristen Kavanaugh shares what courage looks like inside a company pulling back on #inclusion.

More: tinyurl.com/4rc2bfys

#Leadership #Courage

#Quietcracking is the latest workplace buzzword – but behind the trend lies a serious mental health crisis. Deborah Hartung examines the true meaning of performance and what HR must do next.

More: bit.ly/3HUAprs

#WorkplaceWellbeing #MentalHealth

What the Capgemini tribunal teaches us about reasonable adjustments for neurodiverse employees A recent employment tribunal has highlighted critical gaps in neurodiversity support. When Capgemini failed to implement key recommendations for an ADHD employee, the consequences extended far beyond ...

What the Capgemini tribunal teaches us about #neurodiversity at work: failing to make reasonable adjustments for an #ADHD employee carried consequences far beyond legal liability. What must change?

More: bit.ly/4gdxYgh

#HR #Leadership

Have you forgotten that you have two jobs? Everyone has two jobs: the first revolves around tasks; the second, relationships. Ironically, the ‘people’ orientation of HR causes stress that renders the second role especially hard. Quentin Millin...

Have you forgotten your second job?
We all have two: tasks and relationships. For #HR, the stress of the first often overshadows the second. Quentin Millington explores why building relationships matters as much as hitting KPIs.

Read more: bit.ly/4mPUrT8

#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture

Would you know what to say if someone told you they were thinking about suicide?
Join our online Suicide First Aid course, 1 & 2 Oct (12:30–4pm). Learn to spot the signs, talk with confidence, and connect people to help.
📩 hello@mentalhealthscot.land
#SuicidePrevention #MentalHealthAwareness

Why 72% of employees don't trust performance management – and how to fix it Trust in performance management is at crisis point. Learn how to rebuild confidence by shifting from tick-box KPIs to people-centred metrics.

72% of employees don’t trust performance management.

Most workers doubt their organisation's approach. The fix? Shift from tick-box KPIs to people-centred metrics that inspire real results.

Read more: tinyurl.com/bddp5uh8

#Performance #HR

Augmented talent: Could AI skills reshape pay equity? Two employees, same role, same pay – but wildly different output thanks to AI. While some workers harness these tools to supercharge productivity, others remain hesitant adopters. Here, Gethin Nadin o...

Augmented talent: Could #AI skills reshape pay equity?

Two employees. Same role. Same pay. Yet output differs wildly thanks to AI. Should mastering these tools bring higher rewards, and what happens if we leave this shift to chance?

Read more: tinyurl.com/bdzxh8m5

#FutureOfWork