Opinion
The global team trap: 5 mistakes leaders keep making
Leading teams across time zones means more than adding Zoom calls. Mykhailo Voitovych explains five common mistakes that derail multicultural, distributed work, from fuzzy definitions of “done” to undocumented decisions and clumsy feedback. He shares practical fixes: structured handoffs, decision logs, and flexible communication norms that keep progress steady globally. In the era the World Economic Forum labels as one of “geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions”, businesses seek flexibility. For leadership and talent development, it means multicultural teams are popular…
Hard data for soft skills: Measuring behaviour change that matters
Budget cuts are squeezing L&D, yet the cost of stagnant management capability shows up in burnout, disengagement and lost productivity. This article argues for shifting from transactional coaching training to enquiry-led habits built into daily work. It shows how to measure behaviour change with operational metrics and protect future budgets. L&D teams are facing a perfect storm of rising expectations and shrinking resources. As organisations tighten their belts, new research reveals a 22% cut to learning and development budgets; for…
The AI bottleneck is people
AI adoption is racing ahead, but most organisations are blocked by people, not technology. Skills gaps, weak data fluency and shaky governance turn pilots into bottlenecks. Mehdi Paryavi explains how HR and L&D can build AI literacy, upskill leaders, embed guardrails and create continuous learning that keeps pace with change. Artificial Intelligence is transforming economies, industries and workplaces. A report from LinkedIn found that three times more C-suite executives are adding AI literacy skills to their profiles than they were…
The apprenticeship metric L&D teams can’t afford to ignore
Qualification Achievement Rates are one of the most practical indicators of whether apprentices reach the finish line, yet many employers overlook them when selecting providers. Harry Hobbs argues that completion is where training becomes productive capability, calling for clearer, comparable data so provider choice strengthens retention, performance and long-term skills. The latest statistics from the UK Department for Education (DfE) highlight significant variation between apprenticeship providers on Qualification Achievement Rates (QAR). With rates varying by as much as 82.1 percentage…
How smarter training cultures could spark the next wave of productivity
New research with insights from 2,000 employees shows strong appetite for lifelong learning, yet confidence in emerging skills is fragile and access to practical development tools varies sharply by sector. Emma O’Dell argues employers must move from episodic training to continuous learning, equitable digital access, and pathways built for change. There is a particular kind of frustration that comes from wanting to grow and finding that the opportunities around you haven’t yet evolved to match your ambition. New research from…
Skills, not job titles: Rethinking workforce strategy in the AI age
AI is accelerating change, but so many organisations are still built for stability, not speed. Toby Hough argues that shifting from job titles to a skills-first operating models helps businesses see capability, redeploy talent and retain people. With AI powering skills visibility and managers enabling growth, organisations can adapt faster. AI is reshaping work at speed. New tools are emerging regularly, automating tasks, augmenting decisions and changing what “good” looks like at every level. However, while technology is evolving quickly,…
Faster hiring or better hiring? Finding the human balance with AI
As artificial intelligence reshapes Talent Acquisition, organisations are gaining speed, scale and consistency across screening, scheduling and candidate engagement. Yet automation can amplify bias, erode trust and weaken human connection. Kavneet Kaur explores where AI delivers value, where it falls short, and how recruiters can protect fairness, empathy and judgment. The landscape of Talent Acquisition is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). What was once a largely manual and relationship-driven function is now…
The real secret to business success is your team
A motivated team doesn’t happen by accident. It takes leaders who practise empathy, build trust, invite different perspectives, and spot when people need support to recharge. In this article, Dalip Jaggi explains how personalising relationships and investing in growth creates a healthier culture, stronger collaboration, and creates lasting business success. What do you think is the secret to running a successful business? When asked this question, most people jump straight to things like “high-quality products” or “great customer service.” Although…
The skills crisis is a funding crisis
Jeni Burckart argues the skills crisis is not motivation but money: workers expect massive skill shifts by 2030, yet many pay out of pocket or skip training entirely. She explains why ‘figure it out yourself’ fails, and how upfront employer-funded pathways, apprenticeships and micro-credentials boost retention and promotions dramatically today. The World Economic Forum’s Jobs Report projects that 39% of workers’ core skills will need to change by 2030. Workers see this coming and want to develop those skills, but…
Are we ready to prove L&D’s impact?
The TJ Readiness Index survey is a quick, practical way to see what’s helping, and what’s getting in the way, of evidence-led progress in L&D. If you want the background and detail, it’s all in the TJ L&D Influence Report 2026. For you personally, it’s a fast reflection tool. In a few minutes, you’ll sense-check your current reality across access to decision-makers, usable data, permission to run tests, and the support needed to implement and scale what works. It can…
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