Columnists
May 20, 2024
Bringing workplaces back to their prime requires a holistic approach
by Steve Elliott • Comment, Workplace design
The pandemic radically changed the way we work and kick-started the proliferation of the hybrid model and widespread remote work. Now the picture has shifted once more, with headlines pointing to increasing return to the office policies introduced by organisations, with greater productivity and collaboration among their top reasons for doing so. Dubbed the year […]
May 16, 2024
We need a cultural revolution in the way we talk about women’s health
by Siera Torontow • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace
Recent advancements in workplace inclusivity, focused on flexible working arrangements, parental leave, neurodiversity, and gender equality, have set the stage for the next significant corporate challenge: improving attitudes towards women’s health in the workplace. Human Resources leaders are pivotal in driving this necessary cultural shift. Consider the fact that about three-quarters of people, regardless of […]
May 15, 2024
Mastering GenAI: how to bridge skills gaps and boost employee confidence
by Bill O'Shea • Comment, Workplace
Six in ten employees will require training before 2027 according to the World Economic Forum, which estimates that the talent shortage will exceed 85 million people by 2030. The introduction of GenAI in the workplace means this skills gap is set to expand. In Udemy’s recent Global Learning & Skills Trends Report, we found that […]
May 14, 2024
Marcie Incarico: a tribute
by Mick Jordan • Comment
We were deeply saddened to hear that Mix Interiors’ board director, Marcie Incarico, had lost her battle against cancer. Marcie was a tour de force, bringing boundless energy and strong leadership to her team. Marcie always strived for excellence, whether working on behalf of her clients or delivering her own company’s products and events. This, […]
May 13, 2024
We must embrace AI for sustainable workforce transformation
by Christian Rebernik • AI, Comment, Technology
Each technological revolution has gotten faster; and the era of Artificial Intelligence is accelerating at an unprecedented rate—an intimidating prospect, given Musk’s recent prediction of AI surpassing human intelligence. Some say the tech will take on “80 percent of the jobs that exist today”, but history has shown that technological advancements have consistently led to […]
May 2, 2024
Beware the workplace mouse trap
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace
Life imitates art part 94. Scientists have discovered that lab mice may be conducting their own experiments on us. A paper published in the journal Current Biology and summarised here, speculates that mice seem to be testing their testers. They do this by deviating from simple expected behaviours such as responding to rewards to work […]
April 29, 2024
Stress, anxiety and a beamish response to it all
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Legal news, Workplace
We now have a policy of not offering ourselves as an outlet for any of the deluge of comment pieces and surveys that are published each year to accompany the various days – and increasingly weeks and months – dedicated to certain conditions like stress and anxiety. They are a gift both to and from […]
April 29, 2024
Workers may have new rights to request flexible working, but let’s not celebrate too soon
by Molly Johnson-Jones • Comment, Flexible working
The new flexible working rules which came into force this month have been touted as a win – normalising and bringing clarity to the world of flexible work. However, in reality, they will do the very opposite. Under the new rules, workers now have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment. […]
April 27, 2024
A philosophical take on meaningful work
by Caleb Althorpe • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace
April 23, 2024
Trust gap on AI in the workplace must be overcome if businesses are to get ahead
by Rob Smedley • AI, Comment, Technology, Workplace
With many AI firms increasingly pivoting towards developing specialised tools for easier integration into the workplace, it may come as a surprise that half of the companies Freeths recently surveyed have no plans at all to implement them, with only 15 percent reporting that investing in artificial intelligence tools for human resources was a strategic […]
April 22, 2024
AI is not coming for your job. But it will make it better
by Barry Murphy • AI, Comment, Technology, Workplace
“Artificial intelligence will outsmart humans, resolve all IT and business problems, and humans will not be needed in the workforce!” These are some of the most common misconceptions that too many companies and workforces currently have around AI and automation. To date, workforces have been inclined to broach AI with apprehension due to concerns that […]
May 22, 2024
Some questions about AI, a world drowning in content and the human centipede of creativity
by Mark Eltringham • AI, Comment, Technology
One unintended but welcome result of the new fixation with AI is that many of the people who became experts on the workplace in 2020 are now experts on AI. You’ll find them on social media and they’ll have written a book about it by May to sit on the shelf alongside the one […]