Culture

Creative people, meeting and high five for team building, success or achievement at the office. Happy group with hands together for teamwork, celebration or support in trust or startup at workplace

Cultivating trust: The foundation of strong relationships 

Karen Carey

Explore the profound impact of trust in workplace dynamics with practical insights, takeaways and tips. Karen Carey explains why trust isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the lifeblood of robust relationships Trust, the elusive elixir of relationships, is a dynamic force shaped by personal experiences. In the professional space, the impact of trust is significantly influencing the very core of workplace dynamics.   Trust brings self-reflection. Leaders often overlook the power of looking inward  Reflecting on my own journey, a pivotal moment unfolded…

Trust

Why the way we do business needs to change 

Blaire Palmer

Stuck in old ways in a new business world? Blaire Palmer shares key tips to modernise your approach and succeed today With a few minor tweaks, we still run our organisations and organise our people the same way we have done for more than 200 years. We judge people by their working hours, we have a career ladder which goes only in one direction – up. We try to motivate employees with a new job title, a pay rise and…

Workplace harassment

Global workplace turmoil: the unresolved crisis of violence and harassment

Aaron Gardner

As one in five report experiencing violence and harassment at work, Aaron Gardner looks at what has been done to create safer workplaces  Around the world, violence and harassment in the workplace is a major issue. Data from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll indicates that more than one in five (21%) workers globally have experienced violence and harassment at work.   The next stage is to take action, and there are clear and effective steps that can be…

Book review glass cliff

The Glass Cliff – book review  

Natalie Savery

Book: The Glass CliffAuthor: Sophie Williams I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that a book about women in leadership being under-represented and undermined was released the day before International Women’s Day. The day where women and their contributions are celebrated is an annual reminder that there is still much to do around equity and inclusion, but nothing quite prepared me for the bleak reality provided by Sophie Williams in this book.   I found myself looking forward to starting the next…

Psychological Safety

My whole self – creating psychologically safe cultures at work

Simon Blake

Simon Blake on the importance of feeling valued and empowered to be our ‘whole self’ at work When I feel safe at work, I am me without worrying about whether I am being judged. And when I am confident about that, I can be innovative. I push and stretch myself, and explore new ideas because my focus is on my work, not on worrying about what other people think of me.   This extract is not verbatim, but captures the essence of the…

Reality Check Ahead sign on

Out of touch? The stark reality of the cost-of-living crisis and the responsibility of the C-suite 

Rob Russell

As more employees report feelings of stress and overwhelm, Rob Russell suggests eight ways to help the C-suite play an active role in company culture The cost of living in the UK and across the world has been on the rise since 2022, presenting unique challenges for businesses and individuals alike – and it’s not getting any easier. With 76% of employees reporting feelings of stress and overwhelm as a direct result of living cost hikes, there has never been…

Walking on a tightrope

C-suite and HR disconnect: can L&D redress the balance?

Stan Massueras

HR is often undervalued by the C-suite. Stan Massueras shows how to demonstrate the link between people programmes and business outcomes As workplace trends continue to evolve and businesses drive for greater productivity, performance and profitability, HR and L&D leaders are feeling increased pressure and scrutiny to show the value of their work. In the midst of that, however, it appears that a growing disconnect between the C-suite and HR strategy is developing.   L&D has a vital role to play…

Watching content on screen

Organisation culture at the movies 

David Buchanan

David Buchanan and Steve Macaulay suggest the movies to watch and the questions to discuss  Organisation culture is a ‘soft’ issue for most managers – vague, and intangible. But dysfunctional cultures have disastrous consequences. How can we get this message across?  Films have learning advantages. The narratives are entertaining… and the events are often controversial   Conventional methods don’t overcome the ‘soft topic’ problem. Sessions with charismatic speakers, colourful PowerPoints, compelling evidence, and case studies are not convincing. Instead of useful debate, you get BOPSAT –…

Neurodiversity concept. Brain from puzzle and a hand holds a piece with an inscription of the word neurodiversity.

What can employers do to create more neuroinclusive workplaces?

Leanne Maskell

Leanne Maskell highlights that we want a neurodiverse workforce and shares practical ideas for how to manage differences Although 55% of organisations believe they have a neuroinclusive culture, research has shown the opposite. Only 37% of neurodivergent employees polled felt their employer offered meaningful support, and only 52% felt able to talk about neurodiversity at work. 1 in 5 have experienced harassment or discrimination at work.  We are all neurodiverse, as we all think differently from one another, so neuroinclusion…

Big juggernaut truck with futuristic design and "AI" on the side of it. Created by Dall-e with prompts from Jo Cook

Remaining relevant in the transformational juggernaut of AI – part two

Conrad Gottfredson

Conrad Gottfredson and Sara Chizzo continue part two of their feature to focus on the need for different ways to develop people so that L&D can compete with AI solutions In part one: Conrad and Sara delved into the transformative impact of technology and AI on the workforce and organisational learning, emphasising the critical need for businesses to adapt their training strategies to secure their value. Stopping work to learn is the most significant cost in every organisation’s training investment…