Culture
Rewriting the leadership playbook: Why burnout is a system failure
Burnout isn’t a flaw in individuals; it’s a warning light for broken systems. Mia Serra and Claudie Plen-McCormack argue that leadership and culture must evolve to prioritise inclusion, psychological safety and sustainable performance. Without structural change, well-being initiatives remain surface-level fixes in complex environments that continue to overstretch and exclude. Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a system failure. Yet in many organisations, burnout is still treated as an individual shortcoming, something to be “fixed” with a mindfulness session, an…
The AI acceleration of careers: Why the next generation of managers will arrive sooner than we think
AI is transforming early careers, not by eliminating them, but by accelerating them. John Schneider explores how companies like PwC are rethinking onboarding and leadership development, equipping new hires to supervise AI from day one. The challenge? Ensuring tomorrow’s leaders don’t miss the vital learning today’s grunt work once offered. There’s a common refrain in conversations about AI and the workforce: Entry-level jobs are disappearing. If AI can take over the repetitive tasks that have traditionally been the proving ground…
From cost centre to strategic asset — what gives L&D a seat at the strategy table?
L&D isn’t just about courses and compliance. In a world of constant change, it can be a powerful driver of growth and resilience. Jennie Marshall explores five ways learning teams can move from support function to strategic partner and earn the credibility they need to impact people, outcomes and organisations. For years, learning and development has wrestled with a perception problem. It’s often been seen as the department that organises training sessions, rolls out compliance modules, and occasionally delivers a…
Can strategic growth and people-first values truly go hand in hand?
High growth can strain culture, yet scaling with intent keeps people, clients and communities front and centre. Invest in learning, wellbeing and inclusive leadership; align acquisitions to values; embed in local economies; measure performance, not just speed. Heidi Thompson argues that the real challenge is to grow while protecting values. It is well documented that a strict growth mindset can often come at the expense of a people-first culture, demonstrated in McKinsey research, which shows that many high-growth companies struggle…
From slow lanes to sprints: how Agile transformed our L&D delivery
Doubling output without burning out, Nassia Katroutsou shares how Agile project management reshaped her L&D team’s approach to course creation. Through clear preparation, sprint cycles and regular SME feedback, they boosted speed and quality, proving that with the right mindset, even small teams can deliver big, sustainably and with impact. When I first took over a small team of instructional designers, our content delivery cycles were slow and unpredictable. The company’s products and processes were complex, the audiences incredibly diverse…
Curiosity over assumption: decoding digital body language in teams
Body language has always been tricky. Crossed arms, raised eyebrows, leaning in or looking away; all signals we interpret constantly, sometimes accurately, sometimes disastrously. Whilst we’ve had telecommunication for a long time, Covid transformed our work and learning spaces to be even more digital and virtual. Jo Cook shares more. Much of our professional life now is hybrid, online, and text based. That means our digital body language (DBL) — the emojis we use, the speed of our responses, whether…
The power of psychological safety in uncertain times
Psychological safety helps people speak up, share ideas, and learn from mistakes, essential in fast-moving workplaces. It’s not about removing fear but creating trust and openness. Steve Macaulay and David Buchanan explore what psychological safety looks like, why it matters, and how leaders can create a culture that supports it. Do you feel safe to speak up at work? Can you ask questions, raise concerns, and offer new ideas without hesitation? If not, you’re not alone, and your organisation could…
Neurodiversity at work: how inclusive policies drive success
Professor Adam Boddison OBE talks about APM’s latest survey that reveals nearly all project managers see clear benefits from adjusting policies to support neurodivergent staff. This National Inclusion Week, the findings highlight a profession already making progress while still seeking better guidance to ensure even greater inclusivity across the industry. An overwhelming majority of project managers believe their company has directly benefited from extra adjustments to accommodate neurodivergent staff, a survey conducted by the Association for Project Management (APM) has…
Talk saves lives – why suicide needs to be part of your wellbeing strategy
Suicide remains a taboo topic in many workplaces, yet managers are often the first line of support. Joseph Conway shares why it’s vital we break the silence, and how organisations can foster safer, more compassionate environments where people feel heard, supported and able to seek help before it’s too late. Whether it’s remote or in-person, work is where most people dedicate the majority of their time. This makes managers and leaders not only highly influential in shaping the employee experience,…
Remote work works: how clarity, connection and trust fuel success
Remote work isn’t just a legacy of the pandemic, it’s a powerful way to collaborate when done with intention. Nassia Katroutsou shares how her global teams built trust, accountability and performance through clarity, connection and agile practices, proving remote work can be inclusive, flexible and deeply human at its best. Working from home is often associated with the COVID era, yet it existed long before that, and it’s here to stay. While nobody doubts the power of meeting people face-to-face…
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