Why Innovation Is Stalling in HR. And what we need to do about it
I was speaking to a potential new client the other day. A senior HR professional, part of my network, who reached out with some organisational health concerns. The usual things: decent engagement scores, yet high absenteeism; a respected quality mark, but scathing Glassdoor reviews; strong values on paper, but no leadership buy-in; a sense of […]
What if Gen Z isn’t demanding too much, but seeing more clearly?
Their critiques of work; excessive control, outdated rituals, burnout as a badge of honour are not new, but they are becoming impossible to ignore. Crucially, many of the values Gen Z champions, including autonomy, inclusion, clarity, and purpose, align with global psychosocial risk frameworks designed to build healthier, higher-performing cultures. So, what if we stopped […]
Work Isn’t Working: And Why the ‘Problem’ Might Actually Be the Solution
For a long time, workplace behaviours were shaped more by tradition than effectiveness. Things like dressing formally every day, working long hours to “show commitment,” or always being available, were seen as signs of professionalism. But younger generations, particularly Gen Z (born roughly between 1997 and 2012), are beginning to question whether these habits actually […]
GUEST ARTICLE: Frustration in the Workplace – Where it comes from and what to do about it.
“What do you do?” asked a friend of mine as we drove to a music festival in Bilbao, 10 years ago. I had taken two calls from the car. In the first, I was part of team negotiating a €15M deal; on the second, I was asked to approve the purchase of a washing-up liquid. […]
The Time Trap: Why Reclaiming Control Over Our Hours Is Essential to Performance Improvement
I just need more time. It’s a common refrain in business meetings and strategy sessions. Targets are missed, teams feel overwhelmed, and everyone’s calendar is full, yet output plateaus. The instinctive fix? More people, more tools, more pressure. But what if the issue isn’t how much time we have — it’s how little control we […]
The Four-Day Week: Smart Strategy or Fantasy Fix? It Depends.
For knowledge workers, the five-day week is a relic. We’re not paying people to stand on a production line anymore – we’re paying them to solve problems, generate ideas, and process complexity. But instead of protecting the very systems that support that kind of thinking – the brain, body, and psyche – we’re stretching them […]
What Leaders Should Really Be Doing While Everyone’s on Holiday
It’s August. Out-of-office replies are everywhere. Meetings are sparse. Staff are scattered across holiday destinations or quietly working at reduced capacity. And while many organisations accept this as a throwaway month, smart leaders know this lull isn’t useless. It’s underrated. In fact, these quieter weeks are often the best time to do the kind of […]
Forget Trust Falls: How Nature Builds Real Team Connection
Guest article by Susana Filipa Ribeiro In a world where connection is often reduced to video calls and team-building means awkward icebreakers, Susana Filipa Ribeiro brings a refreshingly grounded perspective. As a certified Forest Mind® Instructor and experienced facilitator in human development, Susana helps individuals and teams reconnect — not just with each other, but […]
Summer, But Not Off-Duty: Rethinking Flexibility in a Time of Competing Pressures
In large parts of the world, July and August are billed as the months we all collectively exhale. But for many employees, they’re anything but restful. Childcare disappears. Deadlines don’t. Inbox guilt piles up. And while organisations proudly promote “flexible working,” what that often translates to is: “Just make it work.” In reality, summer exposes […]
From Noise to Insight: How to Fix Your Employee Survey Strategy
Most employee surveys tell you how people feel — not why they feel that way. And if you don’t understand the why, you can’t fix the what. For years, employee engagement has been treated as a vital sign of organisational health. Companies launch surveys, track scores, and roll out initiatives in pursuit of a more […]