People Managers

Asian Businesswoman Leading Meeting At Boardroom Table

How can companies increase gender diversity in the workplace? 

Scott Sullivan

Fostering inclusion policies is vital to closing the gender gap and attracting the top talent. Law firm HR Director Scott Sullivan shares his tips  UK businesses still have considerable work to do to increase gender diversity. Many struggle to close the gender pay gap and fairly represent women. The gender pay gap in Britain was 14.3% in 2023, and women need to work an extra 19 years to retire with the same pension savings as men.  Employers who don’t fairly…

Lifelong learning gives career advancement. A cause and effect relationship.,3d illustration

Skills England – what to expect from the expected

Mandy Gill

Lifelong learning, apprenticeships and partnerships between businesses, education establishments and government – can it all work? Mandy Gill explores the shifting skills landscape Just over a month in and the new Labour government has not delayed in progressing one of its key manifesto commitments – the creation of Skills England. Skills England aims to bridge the current skills gap and support UK competitiveness on the global stage The bill was announced in the King’s Speech and by 22 July, the…

above top view photo of young relaxed student with closed eyes lying on a carpet and dreaming on the floor at home

Slothing and surfing: The impact of sleep on employee training and learning new skills 

Ricci Masero

Discover how quality sleep can turbocharge your learning and transform training results for your team, by Ricci Masero  During a recent trip to Costa Rica, I did my fair share of slothing around in hammocks. I also set my mind (and somewhat out of shape body) to a lifelong ambition of learning to surf. After an initial 90-minute lesson full of frustration, consistently falling backwards into the foam and not catching a wave, I decided to call it a day. …

An empathetic leader for whom the well-being of employees is crucial, promoting a friendly and open work culture. His compassionate and respectful approach fosters trust and teamwork

Wake up and smell the silicon: How to be human in an AI workplace  

Laura Thomson-Staveley

Cultivate your human skills and embrace the four Cs to thrive in an AI-driven world, writes Laura Thomson-Staveley   Back in 2016, I had a moment where I realised how significant artificial intelligence (AI) could become in our daily lives. I was listening to a neuroscientist talk from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) in the US which has a $3bn a year annual budget for research activities which invariably focuses on AI, and it struck me that we were on…

Two business women sit at desk discuss project details, diverse female colleagues met in office, share opinion, working on collaborative task, sales manager makes commercial offer to company client

What is executive coaching and how does it differ? 

Zoé Lewis

Executive coaching is more than one-to-one support; it’s a game-changer that drives real business impact. Zoé Lewis explains  The phrase ‘coaching’ is used to describe a broad spectrum of services. From mentoring to training to working with teams, people have coaches for many different reasons. Coaching for business leaders has become more commonplace in recent years, and this has led to the popularity of executive coaching. But what really is executive coaching and how does it differ from ‘normal’ coaching? …

Concept of digital diagram,graph interfaces,virtual screen,connections icon on blurred background.Coworking team at business meeting.Group of colleagues working with startup project in modern office.

Closing your digital skills gap: quick wins for your team 

Jayne Mather

Uncover strategies to help narrow your organisation’s digital skills gap with our detailed, comprehensive guide. Jayne Mather offers best practices for immediate impact  No matter what your industry is, your organisation needs to embrace digital transformation to modernise, sustain and advance your business. That means replacing your ageing legacy systems, utilising cloud-based solutions, embracing AI, automation and other cognitive computing advances, strengthening your cybersecurity measures, and making the most of your data.     Digital upskilling programmes are needed in conjunction with…

Successful group of business people at work in office

Navigating and leading in the multi-generational workforce 

John Zettler

Teams with Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z can thrive with the right strategies. John Zettler reveals how  In today’s workplace, leaders are faced with the unique challenge of managing teams comprised of individuals from multiple generations. With so-called Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials (Generation Y), and Generation Z all working side by side, leaders must adapt their leadership styles to accommodate diverse perspectives, preferences and work habits. Navigating a multi-generational workforce requires a nuanced approach that recognises the…

Boss screaming at employee in office. Toxic work environment

Bespoke bullying legislation is long overdue 

Thomas Beale

UK laws on workplace bullying are outdated and ineffective, leaving many victims without proper recourse. Thomas Beale highlights why bespoke legislation is crucial for real protection  Reports of unacceptable workplace behaviour have gained significant attention in the media in recent years, indicating that issues such as workplace bullying have become worryingly commonplace. Such conduct can have detrimental effects on the psychological wellbeing of employees, and it is imperative that victims are aware of the legal avenues that are available to…

Female mentor teaching employees group analyzing online project explaining strategy

Employees keener than ever to learn new skills 

Becky Wallace

HR and L&D professionals are seeing a surge in employees eager to learn new skills. Becky Wallace examines how this trend is transforming talent development in the workplace  Employees have an increasing appetite to learn on the job and develop their skills. No longer relying purely on a university education to secure a career, they’re proactively seeking out employers that offer comprehensive and tailored learning and development opportunities.   Skills development has become more of a focus recently due to a…

do you speak english? in a signboard

Cambridge study on enhancing career progression and language skills

Nisreen Ash

In an era where English language skills are essential for global business, Nisreen Ash from Cambridge University Press & Assessment reflects on new research which shows the positive impact of the online English test Linguaskill Developing business English skills in a global job market helps with employability, and the way you learn and prepare can have an impact on confidence and proficiency, according to recent global research. I am part of a team in Cambridge that investigates the impact of…