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 […]
If You’re Not Rethinking Your Organisational Health Diagnostics in 2025, You’re Already Behind
Five years ago, we were in the thick of the first wave of COVID-19 Offices were closed. Strategies thrown into chaos. People were in survival mode. Looking back, it feels more like a weird dream rather than our lived reality. Since then, almost everything has changed – how we work, where we work, the type […]
Airbnb Case Study: Belonging, Wellbeing, and the Business Case for Human-Centred Culture
As holiday season approaches, many of us will use Airbnb to book getaways, family visits, or summer adventures. But beyond the app and the quirky rentals, Airbnb offers something business leaders rarely pause to consider: a blueprint for how to build a workplace where people truly feel they belong. In the following, we shift focus […]
GUEST WRITER: Not Everyone Wants to Lead, Some Want to Grow
Welcome to the first in our new monthly guest series on Wise Talk — spotlighting fresh, bold perspectives from people shaping the future of work. This month, we’re kicking things off with Tetiana Mykhailiuk, SVP of People & Culture at Bayzat, as she challenges one of the most persistent myths in career development. When I […]
When the Roots Are Deep: Building a Workforce That Withstands the Winds of Change
An African proverb wisely states, “When the roots are deep, there is no need to fear the wind.” This sentiment resonates profoundly in today’s business landscape, where change is the only constant. Organisations that invest in deeply rooted foundations—particularly through their people—are better equipped to navigate the storms of disruption, whether from technological advancements, economic […]
Intent Is Everything in Successful People and Culture Initiatives
When it comes to workplace wellbeing and culture initiatives, the intent behind the tactic will make or break its success. Many organisations are quick to roll out new benefits, policies, or programs, but too often these are little more than surface-level gestures designed to appease employees rather than genuinely improve their experience. When intent is […]