Hr NETWORK Magazine January 2025 Volume 21 Issue 3
an experience, like no other
Our newly renovated showroom is open and ready to be rediscovered. We recently embarked on an incredible transformation to create a space that celebrates heritage whilst innovating with contemporary design.
16
COVER STORY
LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT. The perfect blend for a thriving workforce in 2025
Empowering growth through learning, skills, engagement and talent will be the perfect blend for a thriving workforce in 2025. According to prolific American author, Robert Greene, “The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways”. Andy Moore explores these key topics in more detail….
James Richardson, AAB People
Employment Law Update: Gender Pay Gap Reporting p. 14
Angela Cooke
Blick Rothenberg
Insight: Diversity, equity and inclusion in accountancy and advisory practice p. 42
Kirsty Maynor
The Firefly Group
Insight: Leading Effective Teams p. 43
Katie Obi
OneAdvanced
Insight: HR Striving to Lead AI Implementation, But Held Back by Three Key Stumbling Blocks p. 44
Vanessa Louise Moore
Vanessa Loves Life
Insight: How To Be An Emotionally Intelligent Leader p. 45
Founder and Publisher: Lee Turner lee@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Senior Associate Editor: Andy Moore editor@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Welcome to our January 2025 issue and we wish all our readers, contributors, advertisers and sponsors a very Happy New Year and we look forward to supporting you throughout 2025
With this first issue of 2025, we have reached a significant milestone with this first publication of the New Year as we celebrate 20 years this year of publishing the magazine. In that time, we’ve published over 120 editions of the magazine, throughout the good times and the bad and it’s a privilege for us to continue this long into the future too.
We were very proud to host the 17th Hr NETWORK Awards Gala Dinner back in November 2024 and we have another exciting Awards process planned again for this year including the hugely anticipated and very exciting Gala Dinner taking place in Glasgow on Thursday 13th November 2025.
The feedback from finalists and eventual winners, as well as all our sponsors and guests from the Gala Dinner back in November has been absolutely wonderful and plans are well underway to make sure that we can repeat this amazing event again in November 2025, with even bigger
numbers expected again this year and we’re excited about featuring the magazine’s birthday celebrations also.
Following last year’s wonderful annual Hr NETWORK Conference & Exhibition at the magnificent Murrayfield Stadium in May 2024, we will return to Murrayfield again this year for our ‘LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT.’ themed Conference & Exhibition 2025, taking place at the home of Scottish Rugby on Thursday 15th May.
Our Conference Planning Team is currently pulling everything together to make this our biggest and best Conference & Exhibition to date and we aim to make people feel connected and inspired and by attending they can realise the amazing benefits that come from the many networking opportunities too.
Hr NETWORK Awards Gala Dinner 2025
We are very excited at the prospect of hosting the 2025 Gala Dinner again in November with most of last year’s sponsors already indicating their intention to sponsor the award categories again this year and we already have a large number of organisations confirming their intention to host a Table of 10 again in 2025. We’re extremely grateful to all our sponsors and table hosts for their wonderful and continued support again this year. If you would
like to join us at the Gala Dinner with your guests, please contact the Awards Planning Team as soon as possible.
This Issue
In this latest issue, Andy Moore looks at the purpose of empowering growth through learning, skills, engagement and talent, which he finds is being much talked about as the key theme’s of successful workforce planning in 2025. These topics also form part of the theme of the Hr NETWORK Conference in May and Andy delves deeper into some of the examples from some organisation’s who are clearly prioritising workforce development in 2025.
The regular sections of the magazine include: Stats, the Bookshop and a range of Insight features on some hot topics in the people management & development world.
I hope you enjoy your online copy of Hr NETWORK Magazine and look forward to welcoming you to our events this year.
Lee Turner Publisher
Contributors: James Richardson, Angela Cooke, Kirsty Maynor, Katie Obi, Vanessa Louise Moore.
78% of business schools have integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the curriculum
A recent report has found that 78% of business schools have integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the curriculum or learning experience, according to new research by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
The report found that the most popular way that AI was integrated focused around exploring AI in society and business ethics (44%), closely followed by developing courses using AI in decision-making (43%) and adding practical applications of AI into the classroom (42%).
These findings come from this year’s GMAC Application Trends Survey – an annual report focusing on current trends in applications to graduate management education programmes across the world’s best business schools.
The report interviews applicants from over 1000 business school programmes, spread across almost 300 business schools, across 40 countries globally. The report identifies trends such as growth or decline in applications to programmes, the impact of financial assistance, and the characteristics of applicants.
GMAC’s 2024 Prospective Students Survey revealed a jump in the number of candidates who say AI is essential to their ideal business school curriculum—now up to roughly 40 percent.
The 2024 Corporate Recruiters Survey showed that employers are not too concerned about GME graduates’ knowledge of AI just yet—but its importance is expected to grow in the next five years, and likely will be the one of the most important skills for the future.
70%
of UK professionals are
struggling to
‘switch off’ from work
With the Government’s plans to double down on professionals’ ‘right to switch off’ deferred to their Next Steps To Make Work Pay document, new research from global talent solutions firm Robert Walters highlights that professionals are regularly finding their personal time interrupted by workrelated emails, tasks or calls.
Lucy Bisset, Director of Robert Walters comments: “Not being able to fully ‘switch off’ from work can result in a variety of negative side effects for professionals. From diminished concentration and motivation to their productivity and engagement levels dropping off.
“All professionals should feel able to relax and unwind outside of work – without the concern of having to pick up work-related tasks.”
According to the Robert Walters poll, 29% of professionals state that not being able to log-off properly from work has directly resulted in them losing sleep – whilst a quarter cite being unable to relax or reset themselves for the next day.
A further 35% of professionals have struggled with increased stress or anxiety because of this.
Lucy comments: “Missing out on hours of sleep, being unable to fully relax as well as experiencing increased stress or anxiety can pose a huge threat to professional’s ability to work, even carrying out regular tasks and activities. Not to mention, maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance.”
A key trigger of not being able to switch-off from work is the mounting pressure on professionals to be ‘always available’ – with 67% of workers across all professional services industries stating that this pressure has increased over the past 12 months.
76% admit to checking-in on work-related emails or calls when not in the office and a further fifth stating that their employer ‘frequently’ contacts them outside of office hours.
Lucy comments: “Over recent years the boom of workplace tech like Teams and Slack has meant that teams can be more easily tracked and contacted by their managers, whilst the rise of hybrid/remote working has caused professionals to literally bring work home with them.
An ‘always online’ workplace culture contributes to the blurring of lines between office hours and personal time as well as an increasingly unrealistic expectation for greater availability. This is something that if left unchecked can rapidly lead to increased cases of burnout across workforces.
A woman’s promotion is seen as ‘less fair’ if a company commits to gender equality
People view women and men’s professional success differently when organisations commit to gender equality initiatives, finds new research by WZB Berlin Social Science Center and the University of Cologne.
The study, conducted by ISS researcher Paula Protsch together with Lena Hipp and Kristin Kelley, investigated whether or not corporate values such as equal opportunities or women’s advancement, changed how people view women and men’s success.
The results show that when companies value women’s advancement or equal opportunities, women’s success is less likely to be judged as fair or attributed to intelligence and effort than when companies emphasize performance and uniform assessment standards.
In contrast, people believe intelligence plays a more decisive role in men’s promotions and view men’s promotions as fairer when organisations value performance principles.
In all organisational types, however, women’s promotions are seen as fairer, and their professional success is attributed to a greater or at least equal extent to their intelligence and effort as is the case for men. Presumably, respondents thought that women had to be smarter and harder-working than men to be promoted.
“Our finding is that the public believes that intelligence and effort play less of a role in women’s promotions in organisations that commit to women’s advancement,” says Paula Protsch.
In a survey experience, the participants each read a short description of a recently promoted employee in a large company. The survey randomly varied whether this employee was a man or a woman and whether the company was committed to performance principles, women’s advancement, or equal opportunities. The scenarios were identical in all other respects.
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wagamama transforms candidate experience and halves time to hire with inploi
Leading restaurant group wagamama has transformed its talent attraction process – with a focus on inclusive and accessible candidate experiences – by partnering with Inploi.
wagamama first partnered with inploi in 2021 to use its leading candidate experience technology for a management hiring campaign during the pandemic. After exceeding expectations, wagamama decided to expand the partnership, working with inploi to revamp its careers website. inploi configured a careers hub for them, making it easy for candidates to search and apply for jobs.
As a result, wagamama has cut time to hire by 50% and created a more accessible hiring process. This ensures equal access to all features and functions, with multiple adjustment tools including a seizure safe and ADHD friendly setting.
Before partnering with inploi, wagamama faced challenges with measuring the ROI of its recruitment tools. inploi’s solution provided hiring managers at each restaurant with better visibility on time and cost to hire, enabling wagamama to cancel three job board contracts that weren’t delivering sufficient ROI.
Martin Wonham, talent acquisition and employer brand manager at wagamama, commented: “inploi’s technology has optimised our recruitment from end-to-end while creating a more meaningful candidate experience. The whole team’s flexibility and dedication to our needs has been key in helping us deliver a market-leading candidate journey.”
Matt de la Hey, CEO at inploi said: “I am very proud that wagamama has chosen to renew their contract with inploi. On a significant growth plan with many new restaurant openings coming, wagamama needs a candidate experience that will continue to support its impressive growth. In addition to a revamped careers hub and next-gen search functionality, our advanced analytics implementation gives wagamama visibility from the point of first contact through each stage to the point of hire.”
89% of employers would value a better understanding of the risk profile of the health and wellbeing
of
employees
In research conducted by Towergate Employee Benefits, the vast majority (89%) of employers stated it would be valuable to have a better understanding of the risk profile of the health and wellbeing of their employees. However, less than half (46%) of employers strongly agreed that they have a good understanding of this in practice.
Employers see many advantages to risk profiling employees’ health and wellbeing; they state it enables them to tailor health and wellbeing support to:
• Keep employees healthy and in work: 60%
• Aid recruitment and retention: 54%
• Prioritise the most relevant support if they offer: 53%
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits says: “While it is clear that assessing health and wellbeing risk profiles can have benefits for employees, it can also benefit the business, with employers able to put the most appropriate support in place, and this can to aid recruitment, retention, productivity and reduce absenteeism.”
There are various options for assessing the risk profiles of employees in relation to their health and wellbeing. These range from questionnaires asking them about their lifestyle, to offering full medical assessments. The research shows that questionnaires are by far the most popular option, used by 53% of employers. Medical assessments, however are likely to prove more informative and accurate, and they do not need to be expensive. These are used for weight and fitness assessment by a third (33%) of employers, but for risk of serious illness by just 17% of employers. Of course, any of these options are preferable than the 18% of employers who undertake no risk profiling at all.
When employers have a fuller understanding of the needs of their whole workforce they can really tailor the support they offer.
Hanover Scotland secures Living Wage accreditation
HANOVER Scotland has achieved accreditation as a Living Wage employer, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to fair compensation for all workers.
This achievement, underscores the housing association’s pledge to ensure that all employees, including those hired through third-party suppliers, receive the real Living Wage—higher than the government-mandated minimum.
Headquartered in Edinburgh, Hanover Scotland has provided safe, supportive housing for over 40 years, helping older adults live independently. The organisation manages more than 5,000 homes and employs over 600 staff across Scotland.
Sarah Steel, Head of HR and OD at Hanover Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to be recognised as a Living Wage employer. This demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our employees and aligns with our strategy to be an outstanding employer.
“This accreditation reflects our dedication to fair pay as outlined in our 2022 pay framework review. At Hanover Scotland, we believe that everyone deserves a fair wage and are proud to champion this cause.”
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Jane Meagher said: “Over 80,000 people are living in poverty in Edinburgh and many have been pushed into deprivation because of insecure work. It really can happen to any of us and that is why the Living Wage is such a powerful tool.
“We work with employers to encourage them to sign up, and it feels like we’re witnessing real progress.
Edinburgh is home to 20% of Scotland’s Living Wage network. That’s over 750 businesses including Hanover Scotland who are now accredited.”
The accreditation aligns Hanover Scotland with over 3,750 employers in Scotland who prioritise worker welfare through voluntary adherence to Living Wage standards.
CEO’s Speak Out: Whitepaper Exposes Disability Inclusion Gaps at the Top
A first-of-its-kind white paper tackling disability has recently been published. Featuring insights from some of the world’s most influential CEOs spanning companies like Sky, Verizon, HSBC, KPMG, EY, and Virgin Money – it’s designed to spark real change at the top.
The report comes from The Valuable 500, the world’s largest partnership dedicated to ending disability exclusion. With over 500 organisations on board, Valuable is driving meaningful change for the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities around the globe.
After years of work, the whitepaper reveals the key barriers to disability inclusion in leadership and highlights the incredible $18 trillion USD opportunity represented by the disability market.
Key Findings include:
• 61% of CEO’s are concerned about judgement, perceptions of incompetence, or exclusion discourage disclosure.
• 33% of CEOs admit to a fear of “Getting it Wrong” – Leaders hesitate to act due to fear of using incorrect language or causing offense.
• Over half (54%) admit to unconscious biases and knowledge gaps perpetuate misconceptions about disabilities.
• 45% believe older leadership often clings to outdated views, contrasting with younger employees’ openness.
Disability inclusion remains absent from most C-suite and board agendas. Before joining the Valuable 500, only 25% of leaders in this study prioritised it at the board level. Even more striking, just 3% of current C-suite leaders disclose a disability or caregiving role. This lack of visibility and leadership at the top is a major barrier to meaningful progress.
Research shows CSR, organisational purpose and support for local driving R&I decisions
Organisations are continuing to adjust their rewards and incentives in line with changing employee and organisational needs plus changing working practices, according to new research.
In the research undertaken by Miconex with over 4000 organisations, employees and consumers in August 2024, 80% of organisations said they have changed some aspect of their reward and incentive initiatives over the past 12 months, prompted by changing employee needs (62%), changing working practices (22%) and changing organisational needs (16%).
From the perspective of changing organisational needs, 94% said their rewards and incentives align with their organisational purpose and values. 89% said supporting local businesses/their community was important to their organisation and 84% said corporate social responsibility has become more important to their organisation over the past 12 months.
Reasons for supporting local given by organisations in the research included that it enabled them to take an active role in the success of their community (20%) and because it was important to their staff/customers/ clients (30%).
In qualitative research, participants talked about how support for local positively impacted their public perception of their organisation, creating a ‘halo effect’.
From the perspective of changing employee needs, qualitative research with organisations showed a
preference for rewards that are ‘genuinely helpful’, including rewards that can be used in a practical way. 89% of organisations said offering choice to employees in their rewards and incentives was important.
In terms of rewards offered, 77% of organisations use gift cards for their staff rewards/incentives. 39% offer rewards and incentives at Christmas, 35% all year round and 18% at the end of the tax year. The majority (70%) of organisations said they offer rewards which are expected by staff. 66% of organisations surveyed expect their R&I budget to increase in 2025.
Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said: “While down from the 100% of organisations who had changed some aspect of their reward and incentive initiatives in 2023, our 2024 research suggests that organisations are still tweaking their R&I initiatives, with CSR and local support playing a prominent role.
“Larger organisations expressed a preference for one size fits all rewards that are suitable for all employees, no matter where they live, often leading organisations to Amazon or single retailer gift cards. Our new digital technology was introduced specifically to make supporting local easy, even when organisations have dispersed workforces.”
Closing the Skills Gap: How can businesses boost their digital skills training?
According to the Quantifying Data Skills Gap report, almost half of all workers surveyed had not received data skills training despite showing an interest, highlighting a disconnect between business and education.
The IT, software, and computer services sector is worth 50.7 billion annually to the British economy, so it’s little surprise that data skills have become the currency of success.
From data analysis to machine learning, organisations across industries rely on skilled professionals to extract insights, drive innovation, and make informed decisions.
David Banaghan, Co-Founder and Interim CEO at recruitment systems provider, Occupop said: “With an estimated shortfall of 178.000 to 234,000 roles requiring hard data skills, this represents a significant hole in the UK economy, which is particularly pressing in a highgrowth industry.
“With the supply of data scientists from the UK universities unlikely to exceed 10,000 per year, demand will continue to outpace supply, so businesses should look at improving access to digital skills training internally to remain competitive.”
Companies that reduce the flexibility for their employees are seeing an exodus of their people
Recruiters have reported a talent exodus from companies now offering their employees less flexibility in where they work.
Research among more than 500 in-house and agency recruiters revealed a surge in applications from employees at companies requiring their teams to be in a city centre office five days a week. Two thirds (67%) had seen an increase in candidates looking for new positions following mandates from current employers that require them to spend more time at a central office.
The study, undertaken by International Workplace Group, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace, follows announcements from a number of companies in recent weeks, while others are doubling down on offering more flexible hybrid policies to cement their positions as attractive employers.
The research demonstrates the growing importance of hybrid working to businesses that want to attract and retain the best talent. Three quarters (75%) of recruiters said they have had candidates reject job opportunities that don’t offer flexible working, while 72% said firms, which don’t offer hybrid working are becoming less competitive in the job market.
Mark Dixon, CEO and Founder of International Workplace Group, said: “Flexibility is no longer a nice to have for employees. Many will not consider new roles that require long daily commutes, they want access to workspaces closer to where they live in an environment that allows them to remain motivated and productive.”
UK Salary budgets continue to decline for 2025, as organisations struggle to find their ‘new normal’
Nearly half of UK organisations (48%) have reported that salary increase budgets for 2024 were lower than 2023. While salary increases continue to fall with 2025 planned increases projected to be 3.9% on average, compared to the 4.3% average budget awarded in 2024. That’s according to the latest Salary Budget Planning Report by WTW, a leading global advisory, broking, and solutions company.
After several years of higher salary increases following the pandemic, the Great Resignation and high inflation and now with budgets facing pressure following recent changes to employer’s national insurance contributions, companies are grappling with finding their ‘new normal’.
Despite steady declines over the past few years and a conservative outlook for 2025, salary increases still remain at a healthy rate by historic standards. Total payroll expenses (which include salaries, bonuses, variable pay and benefit costs) continued to rise in 2024, with 82% of organisations reporting higher payroll expenses than in 2023.
For those companies planning to reduce pay rise budgets, cost management (35%) and weaker financial results (31%) were the leading reasons. For those planning to increase salary budgets, inflationary pressures (44%) and tight labour markets (26%) were cited as the main reasons.
Overall, fewer organisations are experiencing difficulties in attracting and retaining employees, with just over a third (35%) of companies stating this as an issue, showing a decrease of 8 percentage points across the last two years.
Many organisations report having already taken action to improve workplace culture in light of the current market conditions, as half (51%) have placed broader emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, greater workplace flexibility (50%) and improving the employee experience (49%). In addition, a third (33%) intend to further improve the employee experience, while 28% are looking to increase training opportunities.
GENDER PAY GAP REPORTING: HOW CAN HR PROFESSIONALS DRIVE CHANGE?
By James Richardson, AAB People
Gender pay gap reporting has been a legal requirement for many UK employers since 2017, yet it remains a hot topic amongst us HR professionals. With public and organisational scrutiny of pay disparities showing no sign of easing, the responsibility to deliver transparent, accurate, and meaningful reports has never been greater.
In today’s world, the Gender Pay Gap remains a significant barrier to equality. Despite advancements in many areas, discrepancies in pay between genders persist, hindering not just individuals, but organisations and the economy overall. A diverse workforce, where everyone is paid fairly, is a more innovative, creative, and productive one. Hence, addressing the gender pay gap is not just ethically right, it’s a practice we would consider commercially astute too.
As we approach another reporting deadline, are you confident you’re not just meeting the requirements but leveraging the process to make a meaningful impact?
Reporting Requirements for Employers
The process of gathering and submitting gender pay gap data is not a simple task. It requires meticulous data collection, sorting, and analysis. Payroll software can support this, but our experience tells us that often the numbers can be more complex to manage than initially expected and shouldn’t be underestimated.
The Gender Pay Gap data must be accurate and submitted on time:
• Public Sector Employers: Public sector organisations must report by 30 March each year.
• Private Sector and Voluntary Organisations: Private companies and voluntary organisations have until 4 April each year to report their data.
Submitting your data is just the initial, surface-level requirement. The real work lies in interpreting the data and crafting a narrative around what it means for your organisation in practice. This narrative is crucial because it provides context for the numbers and can help explain why the gap exists, what steps are being taken to close it, and how it aligns with the company’s broader diversity and inclusion goals. It’s the most visible part of your submission and is likely to be scrutinised by your employees, investors, competitors, media, and the public. So, getting it right is essential!
What HR Professionals Can Do to Drive Change
Understanding the regulations and publishing your report is just the start. To truly tackle the gender pay gap, HR teams must think strategically. Here are some practical steps to consider:
1. Conduct a Deeper Analysis
Don’t stop at the mandatory calculations. Dig into the data to understand the root causes of pay disparities in your organisation. Is it a lack of women in senior roles? Are specific departments skewed heavily male or female?
2. Create a Narrative
When publishing your report, include a clear narrative that explains the numbers and outlines your action plan. This can help contextualise the data and reassure stakeholders that you’re addressing any issues.
3. Prioritise Career Development for Women
One of the most common causes of pay gaps is the underrepresentation of women in senior roles. Review your talent pipelines and invest in leadership development programmes targeted at women.
4. Review Recruitment Practices
Biases in recruitment can perpetuate pay gaps. Audit your hiring practices to ensure you’re attracting diverse talent pools and offering equitable starting salaries.
5. Introduce Flexible Working Policies
Care responsibilities often disproportionately affect women, making it harder for them to progress in their careers. Flexible working arrangements can help create a more level playing field for all.
6. Monitor Progress Regularly
Gender pay gap reporting isn’t a one-and-done task. Regularly track your progress and adjust your strategies as needed. Consider setting internal benchmarks to measure improvements year-on-year.
The Future of Gender Pay Gap Reporting
While the regulations currently apply to organisations with 250 or more employees, there have been calls to lower the threshold, bringing smaller employers into scope. Similarly, there is growing momentum for ethnicity pay gap reporting, which could soon become mandatory. Staying ahead of these changes will require HR teams to adopt a proactive, data-driven approach to pay equity which, whilst a time-consuming task, can help HR professionals drive change in their organisations, and lead to creating more inclusive and diverse workplaces.
Gender pay gap reporting may feel like a compliance exercise, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an opportunity to reflect on your organisation’s culture, policies, and practices. The numbers are important, but what you do with them and how they are communicated give opportunities to bring real benefits to organisations, their internal teams, and when attracting new talent.
As you prepare your next report, take the time to go beyond the legal requirements. Engage with leadership, communicate transparently with employees, and focus on building a workplace where everyone can thrive.
LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. THE PERFECT BLEND FOR A THRIVING WORKFORCE IN 2025 LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE.
SKILLS.
BLEND 2025 SKILLS. TALENT.
Empowering growth through learning, skills, engagement and talent will be the perfect blend for a thriving workforce in 2025. According to prolific American author, Robert Greene, “The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways”. Andy Moore explores these key topics in more detail….
LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT. – These topics will be key the key themes at Hr NETWORK’s annual conference in May this year so, as we turn our calendars to 2025, what will be top of the agenda for HR practitioners to enhance learning, skills, engagement and talent across their organisations?
With January 2025 now here, success in business and careers depends on developing all four, but equally important is applying skills that forge innovation and create value for organisations.
For many HR professionals, the elephant in the room might be getting to grips with AI adoption. Nonetheless, such powerful technology will have to make room for other hot skills trends for 2025, such as emotional intelligence, learning agility, problem-solving and leadership development.
Underpinning them all, EY (Ernst and Young) believes that skills intelligence can significantly reduce the costs related to workforce transformation. And this approach can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of critical areas such as hiring, training and attrition, it believes.
EY, in collaboration with iMocha, compiled a report on “Driving economic impact and realising value with skills intelligence.” Drawing on survey data from over 240 HR leaders and 340 employees, the report found that improved accuracy with skills intelligence can boost transformation efficiency up to five times.
For this year, the report discovered that the pace of change will render static skillsets obsolete. HR leaders must therefore develop lifelong learning for colleagues to remain relevant, as tools and technologies evolve rapidly.
This view is supported by Karl Edge, Chief People Officer at KPMG UK, who says: “Embracing a continuous learning mindset is a crucial component of a people strategy, helping talent to unlock its full potential. This ensures organisations have the right skills and expertise to address the most complex challenges.”
In 2025, organisations will have the opportunity to prioritise a culture of learning, recognising it as a strategic tool to close skill gaps. Learning agility will be a cornerstone for career resilience, enabling professionals to navigate constant disruption.
As technology challenges HR thinking, adaptability depends on mastering a blend of technical expertise and human-centric abilities for all professionals, from graduates to seasoned executives.
Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO at Salesforce UKI, explains: “Emerging digital technologies are revolutionising how businesses interact with customers and the way we work. However, to capitalise on this opportunity, we must ensure our workforce is digitally equipped. AI is ranked as the most important skill to have in the next four years.”
Digital skills charity, FutureDotNow, has launched the Workforce Digital Skills Charter, designed to galvanise and unite industry and civil society to commit them to pull their resources and collective power to drive change. The charity is calling on the new government to support a “Great Digital Catch Up” to improve economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity.
It believes that building a digitally capable workforce will secure and grow jobs, and boost economic opportunities.
Liz Williams, CEO at FutureDotNow UK, says: “The world has become digital by default, and it’s vital that we take action to help adults build strong digital foundations and confidence. A digitally fluent workforce will boost growth, productivity, and create new opportunities for all.”
But for talent to learn to use technologies to their full potential, practitioners and employees must also foster a culture of emotional intelligence and skills. High levels of emotional intelligence are key for HR to inspire teams, build trust and manage interpersonal dynamics.
Deborah O’Neill, Head of Digital Europe at Oliver Wyman, explains: “It’s clear the closure of skills gap can only be achieved through robust cross-sector collaboration. Furthermore, it’s important to recognise that closing this gap is crucial for driving the UK growth agenda, optimising productivity and unlocking new opportunities.”
Ultimately for HR, building a skilled and capable workforce in 2025 will help to secure and enrich jobs, and enhance a team’s performance.
So how does HR develop skills to achieve a more cohesive workforce?
“The world has become digital by default, and it’s vital that we take action to help adults build strong digital foundations and confidence. A digitally fluent workforce will boost growth, productivity, and create new opportunities for all.”
According to a 2024 Gartner Survey, enterprises that deliver the best business outcomes from their learning use a set of agile learning practices at least 1.5 times more than other enterprises.
Chantal Steen, Global Senior Director, HR Advisory at Gartner, sums up: “For organisations, learning produces the skills critical for adapting to change and executing a competitive strategy. The benefit of learning for employees is growing their skills to perform well amid change and to advance their value, career and earning potential.”
Want to learn more about the big trends in learning, skills, engagement and talent this year? Find out more at the Hr NETWORK Conference & Exhibition 2025, taking place on Thursday 15th May at Murrayfield Stadium in EDINBURGH.
LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT.
• Continuous learning will drive career resilience.
• Lifelong learning and learning agility are vital.
• AI and digital fluency will take centre stage.
• Emotional intelligence and adaptability are crucial.
• HR must foster emotional intelligence to inspire teams.
• Success hinges on human-centric abilities and technical expertise.
• Cross-sector partnerships critical to address skills gap
• Learning agility empowers employees to adapt to change.
One in two young people have missed work in the last year because of stress
–
a new global survey by Ipsos
Ipsos has released the fifth edition of the Ipsos World Mental Health Day report, a 31-country study looking at people’s perceptions to mental health and how they think their healthcare system treats mental wellbeing.
Key UK findings include:
• Six in ten (60%) Britons say they often think about their mental health.
• Over half (59%) of Britons say that they have felt stressed to the point where it had an impact on their daily life.
• 54% say that physical health is treated as more important than mental health by the healthcare system in the UK. This is 13pp higher than the global average.
• Nearly eight in ten (79%) Britons believe that mental and physical health are equally important.
• 36% of Britons say that they felt stressed once or several times to the point where they could not go to work for a period of time. Great Britain ranks 8th out of the 31 countries surveyed for this.
• Over half (56%) of Gen Z women have needed to take time off work due to stress, versus 29% of Gen Z men.
Key global findings include:
• Younger generations missing work due to stress. One in two of Gen Z (54%) and Millennials (47%) say they have felt stressed to the point that they could not go to work during the past year.
• Gen Z women struggling more than their male peers. 40% say in the last year there have been several times where they have felt depressed to the point that they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for a couple of weeks or more. 29% of Gen Z men say the same.
• Moreover, most people say stress has affected their daily life. Almost two-thirds (62%) on average across 31 countries, say they have felt stressed to the point where it had an impact on their daily life at least once.
Levels of reported stress range from a high of 76% in Türkiye to a low of 44% in Japan. Overall, a slightly higher proportion of women (66%) say they have felt stressed than men (58%). In our Health Service Report mental health is seen as the biggest health issue.
• Health of mind and body seen as equal. Just over three in four (76%, global country average) say mental and physical health are equally important, with a majority in all 31 countries saying this is the case. While mind and body are seen as equal people are more likely to say they often think about their physical (72%) than their mental wellbeing (60%).
• Healthcare systems prioritise physical issues. The public believe the emphasis by healthcare professionals is often still on the body. On average across the 31 countries, 41% say physical health is treated as more important than mental health by their country’s current healthcare system, 13% say mental health is treated as more important and 31% say both are treated equally.
International Enterprising Impactful Leading Strathclyde
The final word in business education
Our Masters programmes are consistently ranked among the best in the UK – and around the world. Our department of Work, Employment and Organisation is Scotland’s leading centre for research, knowledge exchange and professional education in human resource management and employment studies. As HRM experts, we understand the importance of providing high quality education that fits around your career:
We offer:
• A part time MSc/PGDip Human Resource Management programme which is completed in two years with classes from 1–7pm once a week.
• CIPD* approved postgraduate qualifications leading to Associate Membership.
• Cons tructive external engagement with policy makers and practitioners.
Make Strathclyde your destination.
www.strath.ac.uk/business
RECOGNISING, ACKNOWLEDGING AND REWARDING THE STARS OF THE SCOTTISH HR INDUSTRY
By Teresa Flannigan
The 17th annual Hr NETWORK National Awards 2024 took place at the hugely impressive Hilton Glasgow on Thursday 14th November 2024.
Returning to host the Awards for the second time was radio presenter and broadcaster Scott Wilson, who is one of the country’s best-known voices having spent over 20 years in radio broadcasting and appears regularly on TV & radio adverts, worldwide.
In his welcome address, founder of Hr NETWORK Lee Turner thanked all the sponsors, table hosts and guests for their continued and wonderful support of the Awards Gala Dinner and promised a brilliant night ahead.
Lee offered his congratulations to the finalists for 2024 and commiserations to those that weren’t shortlisted, and acknowledged the effort they contributed to the nominations process, despite not being shortlisted.
Lee also paid tribute to his late father-in-law, Peter Cormack, an inspiring and hugely supportive figure to Lee and his wife Donna in the period leading up to the launch of Hr NETWORK Magazine, 20 years ago. Peter passed away suddenly on 10th October and Lee dedicated the Gala Dinner to Peter with a touching video tribute.
The ‘Rat Pack In Vegas’ themed annual gala dinner this year attracted almost 700 guests from the world of human resources and people development & management, showcasing 18 award category winners from a wide range of sectors across Scotland.
NATIONAL AWARDS 2024
WINNER
The annual event, the largest of its kind for HR professionals anywhere in Scotland, recognised, acknowledged and rewarded the champions of the Scottish HR profession including: Aberdeen based Mintra (ESG Award) Aegon UK (HR Project Award) and Gleneagles (HR Team of the Year).
The coveted Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR award was awarded to Robertson Group’s Executive Director of People Tony Elliott and presented on the night to Tony’s colleagues Jennifer Smart and Jillian Nelson in Tony’s absence, as he was travelling overseas at the time.
On winning the award, Tony said: “It was both a surprise and honour to receive this prestigious award, made even more special by the fact that it was decided by a panel of my peers.”
Tony went on: “These awards help to showcase the HR profession and shine a spotlight on the great work that HR Teams carry out every day. From a personal perspective it is truly amazing to be awarded this. One of my colleagues said it was a career highlight and I would agree. I have always been an advocate of the People profession and the amazing work we do at Robertson.”
Tony concluded: “This accolade would not have been possible without the support of many people throughout my career, in particular the amazing HR teams at Robertson Group who always work hard to make this truly a great place for all employees.”
The chosen charity for the charity raffle draw was Ocean Youth Trust Scotland, a leading youth work charity and since 1999 they’ve been transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people through residential voyages. To date, the Trust has supported more than 15,000 young people from a range of backgrounds and circumstances.
On the night, almost £7,000 was raised for the charity, which will increase by up to 25% from gift aid.
List of category winners of the Hr NETWORK National Awards for 2024:
Attraction & Resourcing Award of the Year
Winner: Three UK
HR Graduate of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Khushboo Parikh, Strathclyde Business School
Employee Engagement Award of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Aegon UK
HR Assistant/Officer of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Erin McEwen, Turning Point Scotland
ESG Award of the Year
sponsored by:
Winner: SSE
HR Project of the Year sponsored by:
HR Manager/Advisor of the Year sponsored by:
Health and Wellbeing Award of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Aegon UK
Winner: Rebecca Lamb, Edinburgh Napier University
Winner: Hanover Housing Association
Organisational Development Award of the Year
Winner: Skyscanner
HR
Learning & Development Award of the Year
Specialist of the Year
Winner: Jonathan Pender, NHS Lanarkshire
Winner: Multrees Investor Services
Diversity & Inclusion Award of the Year Winner: Tata Consultancy Services
Best Employer/Workplace of the Year
sponsored by:
Winner: MDDUS
HR Business Partner of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Claire Jenkins, Highland Spring Group
HR Team of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Gleneagles Leading with Kindness Award of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Mintra
HR Director of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Emma Simpson, Gleneagles
Outstanding Contribution to Scottish HR Winner: Tony Elliott, Robertson Group
Further information regarding the winners and the gala dinner, including the official video and photographs from the evening can be found on the Hr NETWORK website: www.hrnetworkjobs.com/awards
Plans are now underway for the 18th Hr NETWORK Awards and Gala Dinner, which will celebrate 18 years of the Hr NETWORK Awards, which promises to be even bigger and better and takes place at the Hilton Glasgow on Thursday 13th November 2025.
For further details on attending the Hr NETWORK Awards Gala Dinner 2024, either as a sponsor or table host, please contact the Awards Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: awards@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
Additional sponsors Supporting Sponsors
BETWEEN the LINES
Human Resources Not Human Remains
By Tracey Chrystal
This book is for you, to give you a glance into the realms of HR along with the people nuances.
It is a snapshot and brief encounter of HR gained through knowledge and experience over the years. It provides a sharing of HR knowledge through fun stories and lessons learned. Where emotional feelings are almost like the fall out of a car crash, when things go wrong and scary and we need to minimise the blow. Not like a car crash, the end result is for HR to be unscathed and unscared by Human Remains.
The purpose of the book is to influence the HR Industry and HR Community that it is all right to talk about the taboo subjects.
People and Culture: A Practical Guide for HR Professionals an Leaders
By David Liddle
For business success, organizations need engaged employees working in high-performing teams. HR’s transformation into a progressive people and culture function means that it can co-create a workplace culture which is fair, just, kind, inclusive, sustainable and high performing.
Written for HR professionals and business leaders, this book shows how to adopt a people and culture approach in the organization rather than a people or culture focus. It features the innovative People and Culture Operating Model, providing practitioners with the tools they need to create a purpose-driven, values-based and people-centric approach to their company culture and their HR strategy.
Full of engaging real-world examples and practical advice, People and Culture provides practitioners with everything they need to optimize their organizational culture so people will flourish, teams will thrive and the organization will prosper. This includes guidance on aligning purpose, values, strategy, process and behaviours as well as dedicated support on systems thinking, emotional intelligence and communication skills.
Design Your Life: Your Career, Your Way
By Erifili Gounari
We don’t have to conform to traditional ways of working. Uncover how to build a successful career on your own terms and develop the skills you need for the future with Design Your Life.
Why settle with a conventional career path when you can build a future on your own terms? With innovations such as side gigs and personal branding, you can craft your own, authentic future. Design Your Life uncovers the key skills and strategies that will allow you to build a successful career as a young professional.
In this book, Gen Z business leader and expert Erifili Gounari draws upon original research and first-hand interviews to uncover how you can thrive and find success
What is the impact of change on your people?
How does effective Organisational Development better engage your people in times of change and transformation?
Over the last 75 years we have supported thousands of HR, L&D and senior leaders develop their OD practice, driving effective and sustainable organisational change in their organisations. Our globally renowned MSc in People and Organisational Development has been changing lives and careers for the last 30 years, and is just one of our solutions that can help you develop mastery and improve your skills and confidence.
The Roffey Park Institute’s signature programme was thoughtfully designed and thorough, challenging all of my assumptions and empowering me as a People and Organisational Development practitioner to discover the ‘Power’ in ‘Self’ in my practice. In this MSc, I have examined ‘Use of Self’ as part of my leadership and change management practice by examining ‘self’ in depth. The programme is liberating, and it gives you the tools you need to be a ‘Powerful’ catalyst through your presence and intervention.
Fiby Francis, United Arab Emirates
To find out how we can help you, and your organisation, make a
LEARN. ENGAGE.
LEARN. ENGAGE.
LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT.
Empowering growth through learning, skills, engagement and talent has long been the perfect blend for a thriving workforce. In today’s fast moving and constantly evolving workplace, continuous learning is the cornerstone of organisational success. The conference themes will explore how fostering a culture of learning can enhance employees’ skills, resulting in a highly engaged, motivated and talented workforce. By prioritising learning and development, organisations not only equip their teams to tackle future challenges but also nurture and retain the invaluable talent within their ranks.
Through SIX keynote sessions, including the popular panel discussion, the Conference will identify key strategies to create impactful learning experiences, align skills development with business goals, and build a people-first culture that celebrates and retains top talent. Delegates will leave inspired to make learning a strategic advantage, ensuring their workforce remains resilient, innovative, and ready for the demands of tomorrow.
This years’ conference experience will serve as a call to action for HR leaders and practitioners to unlock the potential of their people by making learning a central pillar of talent management, engagement and retention.
Experts will also deliver transformative insights on critical topics such as workforce resilience, the rise of AI in HR & Recruitment, strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, and the evolving role of DE&I within corporate culture.
Speakers from a wide range of award-winning organisations, who have successfully embedded these strategies in their organisation and have created and implemented a sustainable plan to develop future talent and leadership through learning and skills, will discuss how they succeed in tough market conditions and an ever-changing world of work.
Keynote Speakers
The Conference will feature SIX keynote speakers throughout the day, which also includes a panel discussion and debate. The keynote speakers and panel members will be confirmed very soon.
The organisers have provided an insight into the session topics and for a full list of session titles, please visit the Hr NETWORK website delegate booking page, to book your delegate place.
Keynote session topics include:
• Learning & Development – Understanding the improvements that can be made to employee performance and productivity through continuous skill enhancement.
• A Skills Based Approach - Promoting agile reskilling and up-skilling to meet emerging technological and market trends.
• Employee Engagement – Encouraging loyalty and reducing turnover through career advancement opportunities.
• Talent Management and Retention - Building leadership pipelines and nurturing internal talent for future roles.
• The Power of AI for HR & Recruitment professionals – Learning to streamline repetitive tasks with AI, allowing employees and teams to prioritise human empathy and innovation.
• Diversity & Inclusion - Attracting top talent by showcasing commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Please note that this is a sample of keynote session themes with many other theme’s being featured at the Conference and the full speaker programme will be published on the Hr NETWORK website in due course!
Delegate package includes:
• 6 Keynote Speakers
• Networking & Exhibitor Area
• Lunch & Refreshments
• Delegate Bag and Goodies
• Official Conference Programme
• Delegate List
Full terms & conditions for booking are available on request and the booking form is available at the link: www.hrnetworkjobs.com/events/conference/
Early Bird Delegate Cost:
£145+VAT*
The Early Bird discount for each delegate attending the Conference & Exhibition on Thursday 15th May is £145+VAT and we have group booking discounts for groups of 6 delegates or more.
*Please note that the Early Bird booking discount is available until 28th February 2025. From 1st March 2025, the cost per delegate increases to £195+VAT. Group bookings available - Details available on request.
Please note that costs quoted include full access to the Keynote sessions/Panel Discussion, Exhibitor area plus lunch and refreshments on the day.
Special Requirements:
Hr NETWORK welcomes a diverse group of delegates to the conference therefore please indicate any special requirements you have on your booking form and we will be very happy to accommodate you while you are attending the Conference.
COVID Safety Policy:
There is no requirement to wear a mask at the Conference. However, any delegates wishing to wear a mask may do so.
For further information on Sponsor and Exhibitor options or to book your Delegate place, please contact the Conference Planning Team on Tel: 0131 625 3267 or email: subscriptions@hrnetworkscotland.co.uk
www.hrnetworkjobs.com
Menopause Menopause STILL A TABOO
TOPIC AT WORK?
Menopause Menopause
Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace and they are willing to take their talent elsewhere without it.
A new survey from Catalyst, a global non-profit promoting gender equity and workplace inclusion, reveals that the menopause remains a taboo subject in many UK workplaces and over eight in ten employees (84%) are calling for more menopause support (85% globally).
The survey of 2,892 full-time employees who are either currently in menopause or recently finished experiencing it across eight countries* — including 650 respondents in the UK — finds that more than one in three UK employees (39%) say there’s a stigma surrounding the topic at work (36% globally), forcing over three-quarters (77%) to hide their symptoms (72% globally).
The issue is so severe that nearly one in four UK employees (18%) have left a job due to lack of support (12% globally), with 16% planning to quit for the same reason (13% globally). Meanwhile, 13% have already turned down job offers at companies without menopause support (12% globally).
Nearly all UK respondents (98%) report experiencing moderate to severe menopause symptoms (97% globally), such as sleep disruption, physical exhaustion and hot flushes; with 40% saying their symptoms negatively affect their work performance (37% globally) - a situation worsened in companies where stigma is high.
“Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace,” said Jennifer McCollum, president and CEO of Catalyst. “Menopause is one of the most common issues impacting women across the entire pipeline, from the front line to the C-suite. Employers should seize this opportunity to break the stigma and silence by providing menopause support in the workplace. To create truly inclusive work cultures, Organisations must meet employees where they are— with meaningful resources, conversations, and support.”
Lucy Kallin, Executive Director EMEA at Catalyst, said: “UK women are telling us that menopause is negatively impacting their work but too many are quietly struggling through it, not feeling able to speak up. Imagine being in a busy hospital or kitchen, feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable, yet finding it almost impossible to talk about what you’re going through. And for those working shifts, the irregular hours can make symptoms like sleep disruption and insomnia even harder to cope with. For office-based women, it’s no easier. Air-conditioned offices can feel freezing one minute, then a hot flush strikes, and suddenly you’re sitting there in discomfort, but don’t feel you can bring it up.”
Widespread Demand for More Support
The gap between what women need and what workplaces are providing is stark. While over eight in ten UK respondents (84%) want better workplace support for menopause (85% globally), only a third of UK companies (35%) have a menopause policy in place. However, the UK is ahead of the other surveyed countries, with France (11%) being the least likely to have a policy, followed by Sweden (13%), Canada (19%), Germany (20%), the United States (21%), the Netherlands (31%), and Australia (33%).
UK women are calling for greater workplace support:
• Time off and flexible work arrangements: 68% of UK workers want policies that offer time off and flexible working arrangements (60% globally). Currently, only 35% of UK companies offer these (25% globally).
• Adjustments to the working environment: 54% of UK workers want changes like cooling rooms or ergonomic considerations (50% globally), but only 25% of UK companies offer these (21% globally).
• Medical insurance: 38% of UK employees expect coverage for menopause-related treatments and therapies (48% globally), yet just 20% of UK employers offer this benefit (22% globally).
• Access to menopause health professionals: While 48% of UK employees are asking for this (46% globally), only 27% of UK organisations have responded with concrete offerings (22% globally).
• Education and awareness at work: 52% of UK employees want menopause education and awareness sessions for all employees (42% globally), but only 31% of UK organisations offer this (19% globally).
Lucy Kallin said: “Businesses are losing women at a stage when they should be reaching the height of their careers, taking with them invaluable knowledge and expertise. This unnecessary loss of talent is not only costly for businesses but also devastating for women who want — and often need — to continue working.
“Workplaces must create environments where women going through the menopause feel supported — whether that’s by reducing stigma, offering flexible working options, or ensuring access to healthcare. Policies should be sensitive to individual circumstances. For instance, not every woman will feel comfortable discussing her symptoms with a manager, so there must be a confidential and safe space to access the support and resources they need. Employers who implement thoughtful and compassionate measures around menopause will enhance workplace wellbeing and position themselves as leaders in inclusion.”
When asked why they haven’t disclosed their symptoms, most UK respondents (68%) cited menopause as a personal issue, while 12% found it embarrassing, and 8% feared being perceived negatively. Globally, of those who have shared their symptoms at work, only 21% confided in their manager, and just 8% felt comfortable telling HR.
Steps for a Menopause Inclusive Workplace
Proactively implementing menopause policies and benefits can create a more inclusive and supportive culture. In industries where competition for talent is fierce, addressing menopause support could be a game changer, enhancing your brand and attracting highcalibre candidates who value well-being initiatives.
There are five key actions organisations can take to support, retain and attract women experiencing menopause in the workplace:
• Create and implement practical and meaningful workplace menopause benefits aligned with business goals. Start by conducting a comprehensive audit and gathering employee feedback.
• Raise awareness and educate employees and managers about menopause and menopause stigma’s negative effect. Tap employee resource groups to combat stigma and listen to employees about what women experiencing menopause across intersecting identities need and their experiences in your company.
• Foster an inclusive and open workplace culture that normalizes conversation about menopause and reduces stigma. Train managers to engage in active listening, open communication and empathy and equip them with an awareness and understanding of menopause, so employees can openly discuss.
• Examine retention data and exit surveys for any patterns that suggest employees of menopausal age are leaving or not advancing in your organization. Use data to inform your retention strategy to keep top talent through the menopause life stage.
• Advertise menopause supportive policies and benefits in job postings, particularly for senior leadership positions, to help attract a gender-diverse pool of applicants.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion must be addressed by accounting and advisory firms worldwide
Diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in accountancy and advisory firms across the globe need to be addressed now according to many. Here Angela Cooke, Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing at Blick Rothenberg, who has been appointed to Allinial Global’s inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Board in order to support DEI initiatives and help member firms overcome DEI challenges encourages a drive to ‘celebrate individuality’ with an emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion.
DEI issues in our industry must be addressed now and firms worldwide need to work together to create a fairer, more inclusive future for all. As a member of Allinial Global, we are committed to driving this change.
Building a workforce made up of people from different backgrounds brings innovation and fresh perspectives, which, in turn, helps organisations add value to their clients and customers.
Furthermore, having a workplace culture where people can fulfil their potential and feel like they belong is more likely to result in improved engagement, wellbeing and productivity.
Not having an inclusive and diverse organisation risks poorer decision-making without challenge to the status quo, it risks poorer engagement from employees, and reputational damage if organisations get it wrong.
Because of this, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are at the heart of what Blick Rothenberg do – we believe that success is a people business, and we are living our purpose to improve the lives of our colleagues, clients and communities.
This is encapsulated by our drive to ‘celebrate individuality’ with an emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion. I look forward to collaborating with the other members of the Board to create lasting change and drive success.
In my role on the DEI Advisory Board I and the other members will create resources to help firms with DEI, track DEI progress, build partnerships with external DEI organizations and share best practices from firms leading the way in DEI.
As well as access to an extensive reach of high quality, dedicated firms across the world, this appointment is testament to the breadth of opportunities presented to us as part of our Allinial Global membership.
Allinial Global is an association of independent accounting and advisory firms in 109 countries. Blick Rothenberg works with other member firms to get advice for their international clients in areas such as accountancy support, local tax knowledge and payroll services.
Overcoming the top 3 challenges to leading effective teams
Leading an effective team goes beyond bringing together talented individuals. It’s about establishing alignment, trust, and collaboration to create a cohesive group that delivers results. Yet, many teams struggle with three common challenges: a lack of clear purpose, siloed working, and a deficit of trust. Here, Firefly’s CEO, Kirsty Maynor shares insights from the newly launched Firefly Online Learning Library on how leaders can overcome these obstacles and guide their teams to success.
1. Lack of a Clear Purpose
Do your team members know their purpose?
Unfortunately, many don’t, and when asked to describe it, responses often vary wildly. This lack of alignment can create confusion, making it harder to achieve shared goals.
To address this, leaders can begin by assessing alignment within the team, asking each member to describe the team’s purpose individually and identifying any gaps or overlaps in their responses. This process clarifies misunderstandings and ensures everyone is working toward the same goals. Leaders can also define how the team’s work fits into the broader organisation, helping members understand their role within the larger context. Additionally, communicating the value the team brings to the organisation reinforces their contributions and builds a sense of pride and shared focus.
2. Siloed Working
Siloed working—where teams or individuals operate in isolation—remains a stubborn issue. Breaking down these barriers requires a shared mission and behaviours that promote collaboration.
To overcome this, it’s crucial to establish a clear, shared purpose that forms the foundation for team integration. Encouraging open dialogue between teams is equally important, creating opportunities for cross-functional discussions that help align goals and encourage collaboration. Recognising and celebrating successes that emerge from teamwork further reinforces these behaviours, emphasising the value of cooperation and cultivating a stronger, more collaborative culture.
3. Lack of Trust
Trust is the foundation of any effective team, but it can often feel elusive. Even if there’s no obvious distrust, colleagues may still have concerns about hidden agendas or underlying competition.
Building trust begins with recognising the person behind the role. Leaders can create opportunities for team members to share their values and motivations, helping to build deeper connections. By modelling vulnerability and openness themselves, leaders set the tone for trust within the team. Encouraging trust-building behaviours, such as asking for help and acknowledging contributions, strengthens these relationships, laying the foundation for stronger collaboration and mutual support.
Moving Forward
Overcoming these challenges requires more than surfacelevel solutions. By clarifying purpose, dismantling silos, and building trust, leaders can create cohesive, highperforming teams ready for 2025 and beyond.
Firefly specialise in bringing extensive experience in collaboration with our clients to build high-performing, cohesive teams. Interested in creating a more impactful team? Discover how our Leading Effective Teams course can help.
Visit: fireflygroup.co.uk/online-library to start your journey toward a more connected and collaborative team.
HR striving to lead AI implementation, but held back by 3 key stumbling blocks
HR professionals welcome the opportunities presented by AI and are moving forward with implementation ahead of many other teams across the business, but are struggling with challenges within their organisations. Here Katie Obi, Chief People Officer at OneAdvanced finds that whilst HR is among those functions that have been most successful with implementing AI projects so far, a report reveals a lack of understanding of how to implement and use AI effectively.
According to the OneAdvanced 2024/25 Annual Trends Report, there is a lack of understanding of how AI can address business process issues, a siloed approach to AI within organisations, and a lack of confidence in data quality and human expertise to deliver good AI outputs. The data, which combines more than 6,000 senior executive voices from a cross-section of British businesses shows an overwhelming 96% of HR professionals say they are already using or are planning to use AI to enhance business processes.
Obstacle One: A lack of skills and understanding
The study also shows 39% have successfully implemented an AI-related project, which is more than almost all of the other functions surveyed. Of those HR professionals who have tried unsuccessfully to implement AI use cases, more than one-third (36%) said this was because they did not have the right skills and experience to manage the project.
AI adoption requires a variety of skillsets. Employees in organisations will need to be up-skilled on AI tooling and how to get the most out of AI products - for example effective prompt engineering. In addition, successful organisations will ensure a cross-functional skillset is involved in AI use case selection and implementation, including project management, financial, organisational change management, data privacy and protection, cyber security, ethics, user experience, technology, data and workflow skills are represented.
To truly unlock the real potential of AI, businesses must start with the end in mind and understand the problem they are looking to solve and value it will deliver, before deciding which technology solution can best solve the problem.
Obstacle Two: A siloed approach to AI
The report demonstrates a siloed approach to AI is undermining progress. Less than one-quarter - (23%) of HR professionals - say their organisation has put together a cross-functional committee to consider all of the governance, data protection, and end-user best practices.
Instead, 29% say that different functions within their organisation procure their own software, make their own policy, and have implemented their own guardrails and best practice. 26% say certain teams and departments are using AI tools independently, without a cohesive, company-wide strategy.
The highest performing teams operate cross functionally where complementary skills come together to solve business problems. The winning organisations will be those who take a holistic approach to the use of AI and the interconnectivity of its use cases.
Obstacle Three: Data quality and expertise
The third major stumbling block relates to data. Of those who have not been successful with AI implementation, 36% said this was because they had not sufficiently reviewed and cleaned up their data before embarking on the project.
29% put lack of success down to underestimating the level of data expertise and resource required and 22% admit their data is not organised or accurate enough to produce reliable AI outputs. The report also finds more than one in five (21%) say their organisation has not secured the required permissions or maintained a robust audit trail to ensure data integrity.
HR professionals have a responsibility to improve their own data skills and critical thinking around the use of AI, acting as pioneers for their organisations, whilst also equipping their organisations with the right skills for AI adoption and critical thinking.
How to be an emotionally intelligent leader
At the heart of every business is a dynamic which is crafted around mutual respect, honesty and understanding. Without the ability to communicate, a business will struggle to find its footing. Here, Vanessa Louise Moore, an emotional health coach and speaker, discusses wellbeing in the workplace and how leaders can promote a positive atmosphere. Over the last few years, employees have been demanding more empathy in the workplace. According to a survey of nearly 3,000 workers by MetLife, 42% of employees don’t feel cared for at work. As a result of this, wellbeing, happiness, and overall satisfaction at work goes down as individuals feel neglected.
Understanding personal strengths and weaknesses
Before any individual considers taking on a leadership role, they must know who they are on a deeper level. This can include looking at their motivations, learning and communication styles, but also reflecting on how they react to the world around them. Being self-aware and understanding their strengths and weaknesses will enable them to be their best self in the workplace. It also puts a leader in the best position to propel their employees toward success.
Helping employees grow
Leaders should seek to lift their employees up and hold a space for them to learn, grow and develop both in the workplace and as a person. This can take the form of showing compassion and empathy. Also listening with your ears and your heart to what your employees are saying and not saying. Being in tune with your employees will enable you to hear people differently and read between the lines. This may enable the workplace to curb burnout and enhance emotional fitness.
By prioritising the individual’s needs, challenges and potential a leader can best support their staff. Meanwhile, taking the time to understand the day-to-day employee experience can help shape policies. This comes hand in hand with embracing other perspectives and listening to what they have to say. It is only then that a leader can take supportive action.
Changing the narrative
Too often the mentality of leaders is ‘What’s in it for me?’ - yet it is most effective when it is ‘How may I serve?’. The narrative you form for yourself shapes how others perceive you. Leading by example is essential if you want employees to reflect the standards of the company. It can also help to create a culture of open communication and collaboration.
Leadership styles may also dictate your take on the work environment. For instance, an individual with a deflated ego may be a good leader, but often these types of individuals do not lead from the front – instead walking with the employees and working together like birds in a flock. These individuals show trustworthy qualities and use their emotional intelligence to show their vulnerable sides.
Effective communication
Effective communication without judgement will form hardy bridges both internally and with clients. Promoting an encouraging, listening and inviting atmosphere and ensuring employees are comfortable and able to develop.
Slight changes in the language used, such as shifting from ‘right or wrong’ to ‘a better way to do this might be’ can help employees grow and learn without being disheartened. This can also promote a reflection on consequences.
Furthermore, it is important that a leader can manage high-stress situations and break scenarios down from complex scenarios to simple elements.
Overall, an emotionally intelligent leader will both be in tune with themselves and able to read between the lines when speaking to and engaging with those around them. An ideal workplace dynamic will create a thriving emotional environment.
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Hr NETWORK Magazine
Inspiring People Development
Current: Hr NETWORK Magazine
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Location: Scotland, United Kingdom
About:
Hr NETWORK is ‘The Hub’ of Scottish HR and people development with an ‘Access All Areas’ pass to Scotland’s most influential human resource and business professionals across all sectors in Scotland. Providing daily news, updates and regular events for the HR profession through our Magazine, National Awards, and Conference & Exhibition, as well as our recently launched exciting networking and search platform Hr MARKET, there really is no need to go anywhere else.
Hr NETWORK Events - a range of events hosted by our partners and advertisers throughout Scotland.
Specialties: Networking, Marketing & Communications, Event Management, Corporate Publishing, Public Speaking, Advertising and Sponsorship, Gala Dinners,
Recommendations:
Hr NETWORK magazine is a great publication for HR professionals and is one, which I find really informative and helpful. It is a good read. The Hr NETWORK Awards ceremony is the highlight of my year. In November, every year, we celebrate the very best of HR in Scotland. HR is often referred to as a “back office function”. The Hr Network Awards, which are robustly and independently judged, proves beyond any doubt that HR is and should be at the heart of every organisation and that as a profession we make a significant and measurable contribution to the success of an organisation. Thank you Hr NETWORK.
Jacqui Jones, Director of HR, NHS Lanarkshire
Without a doubt, Hr NETWORK has been instrumental in us building a brand across Scotland. We have sponsored both the Hr NETWORK Awards and the Conference, both showcasing some of the best HR has to offer in Scotland. Lee and the team are total professionals offering a genuine non-partisan “all welcome” approach to their services and offer great value for money. These guys have become part of the Hunter Adams team and we couldn’t have done it without them.
Dean Hunter, Chairman, Hunter Adams
Great Conference and Magazine, but most of all an outstanding organisation for networking and connecting with senior HR colleagues across Scotland. If you want to stay connected I can’t recommend Hr NETWORK highly enough.
Greig Aitken, Head of People Strategy & Insight, Natwest Group
I have worked with Lee Turner and his team at Hr NETWORK for a number of years. Hr NETWORK has a key place in the Scottish HR industry and provides a unique platform for professionals to share information and best practice. The informative yet friendly approach that Lee takes has earned him a leading reputation within the industry. I have no hesitation to recommend Lee and Hr NETWORK to any person or business, who want to be kept informed and involved in the latest HR news and events.
Katie Drummond, Managing Director, Syme Drummond
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