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Birthday leave is one of those emerging workplace perks that catches attention because of its simplicity. It is designed to boost employee satisfaction, strengthen culture, and help organizations stand out in a competitive labor market. But the real question for HR leaders is: does offering a day off on an employee’s birthday actually make a difference in retention and engagement? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Birthday Leave?

Birthday leave, sometimes called a birthday holiday, is an extra day of paid time off that employees can use on or around their birthday. While it is not yet as common as core benefits like health insurance or 401(k) contributions, it has been gaining popularity as organizations look for ways to show they value employees as individuals, not just workers.

It is a small gesture, but one that carries symbolic weight. In practice, you are adding one extra day to the PTO balance, but in reality you are creating an opportunity to build a stronger connection between employees and the organization.

Why offer Birthday Leave to Employees?

1. Strengthening Emotional Connection
When employers recognize personal milestones, employees feel seen and appreciated. Acknowledging a birthday with a dedicated day off signals that you care about employees’ lives outside of work. This emotional connection often translates into greater loyalty and discretionary effort.

2. Supporting Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance continues to be a top driver of job satisfaction. For many employees, birthdays are personal milestones they want to spend with family, friends, or simply recharging. Providing paid time off for that day shows sensitivity to wellbeing, reduces stress, and contributes to a healthier workplace culture.

3. Standing Out in the Talent Market
Recruitment remains challenging in a competitive economy. Candidates are evaluating organizations not only on compensation but also on culture and benefits. Policies like birthday leave are a visible way to differentiate your EVP, signaling that your organization prioritizes employee experience. Even small perks can help attract attention on employer review sites and job boards.

Considerations Before Implementing

Birthday leave is not a “set it and forget it” policy. HR leaders should think through:

  • Fairness: Ensure the policy applies consistently across the workforce.
  • Coverage: Plan for operational needs so essential roles are not left uncovered.
  • Sensitivity: Some employees may not celebrate birthdays, so consider offering flexibility such as a “personal day” option that can be used instead.

Best Practices for Rolling Out Birthday Leave

If you decide this is the right step for your organization, a few best practices will help smooth implementation:

  • Decide on the structure: Some employers offer a full day, others a half-day or a floating holiday that can be used anytime during the birthday month.
  • Create clear guidelines: Be explicit about when the leave can be taken and how it should be scheduled.
  • Communicate the “why”: Frame the policy as part of your commitment to employee wellbeing and recognition, not just another HR checkbox.
  • Launch at the right time: Rolling out at the beginning of a calendar year avoids confusion and ensures no one feels they missed out.

The Bottom Line

Birthday leave will not solve every retention challenge, but it can serve as a meaningful part of a broader employee experience strategy. When employees feel cared for as people, not just as job titles, organizations see real gains in engagement, culture, and employer brand reputation.

If you would like to explore how to design thoughtful perks like birthday leave as part of a holistic HR strategy, our team at OrgShakers can help.

Generation Z is no longer ‘the future’ of work – they are here, reshaping workplaces right now. Born between the late-1990s and 2010s, Gen Z already makes up a growing slice of the global workforce and is projected to account for almost a third of US employees by 2030.

For employers, this isn’t a challenge to overcome. It’s an opportunity to harness a generation that is ambitious, tech-fluent, and deeply invested in meaningful work.

What Gen Z Wants

Gen Z brings different priorities compared to previous generations. Deloitte’s 2025 Global Gen Z & Millennial Survey shows 86% of Gen Z rate mentorship and guidance as important, while only 6% see leadership titles as their primary career goal. In other words, this group wants learning and growth more than hierarchy.

Flexibility matters too, but the data is nuanced. Only 23% of remote-capable Gen Z prefer fully remote work. Younger workers actually crave the social learning and connection that come with in-person collaboration, yet they also report the highest levels of workplace loneliness – a tension that smart employers can address by designing hybrid work around meaningful human interaction.

Why Employers Should Welcome This Shift

The traits Gen Z are asking for – mentorship, continuous learning, wellbeing, and authentic connection – align perfectly with what businesses need to thrive. When organizations create pathways for growth and meaningful interaction, they see higher retention, faster upskilling, and stronger cross-generational collaboration.

Rather than seeing Gen Z as ‘hard to manage’, employers should recognize them as the generation most likely to modernize culture and push for healthier, more balanced workplaces.

How to Deliver What Gen Z Needs

  • Mentor-First Onboarding and Development – pair Gen Z hires with accessible mentors (and this can be peers, not just senior leaders) and track progress with micro-certifications. This directly answers the call for growth that is being asked for.
  • Redesign Hybrid Work for Connection – shift from arbitrary office mandates to team-based collaboration days that prioritize workshops, social learning, and cross-team projects. Have staff work in the office on set days, but ensure these days are purposeful, and that they are not just doing the same work they could be doing remotely.
  • Train Managers to Be Coaches – adjust KPIs so managers are measured on how they develop talent. With the right tools and support, managers become the mentors Gen Z expects.
  • Prioritize Wellbeing in Practice – go beyond surface-level perks: offer mental health resources, visible EAPs, and time-off policies that encourage balance.
  • Measure What Matters – use pulse surveys to monitor mentorship quality, perceived learning, and social connection, and try to act promptly on feedback. This immediately reassures staff that these surveys are not just tick-box exercises.

The Business Case Is Clear

By investing in Gen Z’s aspirations, employers don’t just keep young workers engaged, they future-proof their organizations. The return comes in faster skill development, stronger retention, and a culture that attracts talent across all generations.

Gen Z isn’t just dreaming of better work – they are asking employers to help shape it. And the companies that listen will lead…so, if you would like to discuss how we can help your company make its dreams of sustainability a reality through Gen Z talent, please get in touch with us today.

Remote work is now firmly embedded in the modern workplace.

For employees, the benefits are clear: improved work-life balance, cost savings, and more time with family. For employers, when managed well, it can lead to higher morale, productivity, and performance.

But alongside the advantages, remote working creates new challenges for HR leaders. With employees less visible, stress and burnout are harder to spot, boundaries blur between work and home, and feelings of isolation can take hold.

Supporting wellbeing for remote employees is not just a nice-to-have, it is a business-critical priority for engagement, retention, and long-term organizational health.

Here are seven strategies HR teams should consider when designing effective wellbeing support for remote workers.

1. Create a Culture of Listening in the Workplace

Every workforce is unique, so the first step is understanding what your employees actually need. Regular pulse surveys, one-to-one check-ins, and anonymous feedback channels help HR leaders identify the challenges remote employees face, from technology gaps to digital literacy and social isolation.

For example, some organizations run monthly wellbeing surveys to quickly surface concerns and tailor responses, whether that’s providing better equipment, offering virtual training, or creating more opportunities for connection.

2. Address Financial Wellbeing Too

Employee wellbeing is not just about mental health. Financial stress is one of the biggest drivers of distraction and disengagement at work, and remote employees can feel this strain even more acutely if communication is limited.

Practical solutions include offering financial literacy workshops, partnering with external advisors, or providing access to confidential debt support services. Making resources easy to access without the need for uncomfortable conversations with managers helps remove stigma and ensures employees can get help when they need it.

3. Reduce Loneliness and Isolation

Despite constant digital connection, many remote workers report feeling lonely. In fact, nearly half of employees working from home say their sense of belonging to their organization has decreased.

HR leaders can tackle this by:

  • Encouraging regular check-ins that focus on wellbeing as well as performance
  • Creating virtual and hybrid social opportunities (e.g. informal drop-ins, virtual coffee breaks, or hybrid team events)
  • Reviewing policies that may inadvertently reduce opportunities for interaction, such as discouraging meetings without providing alternative connection points

Loneliness is more than an individual issue; it directly impacts engagement, productivity, and retention.

4. Support Managers’ Well-being too!

Line managers are on the front line of employee wellbeing, but they are also at high risk of burnout themselves. With the added responsibility of supporting remote teams, managers need training, resources, and their own wellbeing support.

Practical actions include:

  • Providing mental health training for managers so they feel confident in wellbeing conversations
  • Encouraging managers to model healthy boundaries (finishing on time, taking breaks, disconnecting outside working hours)
  • Ensuring managers have access to support networks, coaching, or peer groups

A sustainable wellbeing strategy must protect managers as much as their teams.

5. Reinforce Boundaries Between Work and Home

Remote employees often feel pressure to be “always on.” Without clear boundaries, this leads to longer hours, stress, and eventual burnout.

HR can help by encouraging:

  • Rituals that simulate a commute, such as a walk before and after work
  • Policies that reinforce breaks and discourage out-of-hours communication
  • Practical support such as co-working allowances, which help employees separate home and work environments

The most important factor is trust. When employees believe they are evaluated on outcomes rather than presence, they are more likely to establish healthy work patterns.

6. Strengthen a sense of Belonging for Remote Teams

Belonging is a cornerstone of engagement. HR leaders can foster belonging among remote workers by connecting them to the company’s mission, values, and vision. Recognition programs, values-based awards, and regular all-staff events (virtual or hybrid) are all opportunities to reinforce shared purpose and celebrate contributions.

7. Balance Wellbeing With Workload

Remote employees are at risk of both overwork and disengagement. HR should encourage managers to set SMART goals, review workloads regularly, and provide both formal and informal check-ins.

Leading by example matters. If managers take breaks, block out no-meeting times, and normalize healthy working practices, employees will feel more empowered to do the same.

Final Thoughts

Wellbeing in remote work is about more than offering perks; it is about rethinking how culture, policies, and leadership practices support employees in a digital-first environment. By proactively addressing financial stress, isolation, boundaries, and manager support, HR leaders can create healthier, more resilient organizations where remote work thrives.

If you would like to discuss how OrgShakers can help you design tailored wellbeing strategies for remote and hybrid teams, please get in touch with us today.

Hiring today is more competitive than ever, and employers are under pressure to stand out – not just to customers, but to candidates too.

One powerful way to do that is by ensuring every applicant feels respected and supported throughout the hiring process. That’s especially true for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) candidates, who bring valuable skills but often face unnecessary barriers during interviews.

However, by taking simple, proactive steps to make interviews accessible, employers not only open the door to a wider pool of talent but also improve the overall experience for all candidates.

Why this Matters for Your Hiring Goals

Every barrier an employer removes for a D/HH candidate usually improves the experience for all candidates. This translates to clearer agendas, structured questions, and better technology, which is process hygiene you will feel across every hire, not just those who are hard of hearing. So, what accommodations should employers be making in their interview processes?

A Simple, Inclusive Interview Playbook

1) Signal inclusion early

  • Add a plain-English accommodations line to job postings and scheduling emails:
    “If you need an accommodation (e.g., ASL interpreter, CART captioning, or extra time), tell us, we are happy to help.”
  • Include an accommodations request link or recruiter email to reduce friction.
    This both complies with ADA expectations and increases candidate trust.

2) Offer options, don’t wait to be asked

When you send interview invites, proactively list choices: ASL interpreter, CART/live captions, text-based chat during virtual interviews, or written copies of any timed exercises. Making options visible reduces the burden on candidates to disclose.

3) For virtual interviews, turn on captions by default

Major platforms support live captions/transcripts. Train coordinators to enable them as a standard step; it’s a universal design win and helps all candidates follow complex questions.

4) For onsite interviews, plan the logistics

  • Book a quiet, well-lit room with minimal background noise and clear sightlines.
  • If using ASL interpretation, schedule a certified interpreter and build in a quick pre-brief with interviewers (e.g., speak in first person, pause for interpretation, don’t say “tell them…”).
  • Provide written agendas and names/titles of interviewers in advance.
    These are standard reasonable accommodations for interviews.

5) Use structured, skill-based questions

Structured interviews reduce bias and improve signal. Pair questions with clear criteria and allow additional response time if interpretation or captioning is used.

6) Mind the “can we ask…?” boundary

Pre-offer, don’t ask about disability or medical details. Do ask if the candidate needs any change to the process or job to perform essential functions; you can also ask candidates to describe or demonstrate how they would perform a task.

7) Close the loop inclusively

Share written next steps and timelines. If there’s an assessment, provide instructions in writing and ensure captioning or interpretation is available for any live component. These small moves improve fairness and candidate experience for everyone.

And whilst this is a great tool for inclusion, revamping the interview process to be more inclusive also reaps many business benefits too, such as stronger talent pipelines (as hearing disabilities are the most likely disability group to be employed) and reduced risk of miscommunication because of use of captioning and crystal-clear agendas.

Inclusive interviewing isn’t a detour, it’s the fastest route to better hiring. With a few accessible defaults and a clear playbook, employers can create a candidate experience that makes deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals feel genuinely valued. If you would like to discuss how we can help ensure your interview process is accommodating for D/HH individuals, please get in touch with us today!

When it comes to attracting and retaining top talent, two terms dominate HR conversations: employer brand and employee value proposition (EVP).

While they are closely connected, they serve quite different purposes within an organization’s talent strategy.

Understanding the difference, and how they work together, is crucial for HR leaders looking to build a competitive and sustainable workforce.

So, what is an employer brand?

An employer brand is essentially how an organization is perceived by current employees, potential candidates, and even the wider marketplace. According to CIPD, it is “a set of attributes and qualities, often intangible, that makes an organization distinctive, promises a particular kind of employment experience, and appeals to those people who will thrive and perform best in its culture.”

Think of your employer brand as your company’s reputation as a workplace. It is shaped by:

  • Your values and organizational culture
  • HR policies and people practices
  • Corporate social responsibility efforts
  • How employees talk about their experiences internally and externally

A strong employer brand should align with the company’s corporate brand, reinforce ethical standards, and highlight what makes the organization stand out. Like customer marketing, it is about telling a compelling story that attracts the right talent and keeps employees engaged.

What is an Employee Value Proposition (EVP)?

An employee value proposition describes what an organization stands for, requires, and offers as an employer. It is the “deal” between employer and employee, covering expectations, beliefs, and obligations. In short, the EVP answers the question: Why should someone work here, and why should they stay?

Traditionally, organizations crafted one overarching EVP, but today many are moving toward segmentation. Just as customers are not a homogenous group, employees have diverse needs and priorities. For example:

  • Younger employees may prioritize career development and flexibility.
  • Mid-career professionals may value stability, benefits, and clear career progression.
  • Caregivers may need tailored policies like flexible hours or family support.

Segmenting the EVP allows organizations to emphasize different benefits to different groups while maintaining consistency with the overall employer brand.

The global and organizational context

For multinational organizations, the challenge is whether to adopt a single employer brand and EVP worldwide or adjust messaging for different regions. Global values must often be interpreted locally to respect cultural differences and diverse market needs.

Similarly, during mergers or acquisitions, both employer brand and EVP may need review.

Employees often feel uncertain or disconnected after such transitions, so re-establishing the “deal” between employer and employee is critical for retention and trust.

Employer brand vs EVP: which matters most?

The truth is that neither stands alone. Your employer brand and EVP are two sides of the same coin.

  • The employer brand is the external and internal reputation of your workplace.
  • The EVP is the actual substance behind that reputation, detailing what employees can expect and what is expected of them in return.

Without a strong EVP, an employer brand becomes hollow marketing that employees will quickly see through. Without a compelling employer brand, even the best EVP will struggle to attract new talent or inspire pride in existing employees.

Both must be reviewed regularly to remain aligned with organizational goals, employee needs, and shifting market dynamics. HR leaders should treat them as interconnected strategies that together shape the employee experience and organizational success.

Our Final Thoughts

So, which is more important: employer brand or employee value proposition?

The answer is both.

An EVP provides the foundation of the employment experience, while the employer brand communicates that promise to the world.

HR professionals who build a consistent connection between the two will be best placed to attract talent, strengthen engagement, and retain top performers in today’s competitive labor market.

Interested in finding out how best to strengthen your EVP & Employer brand? Get in touch with orgshakers to find out more today.

Grief is one of the most universal human experiences, yet it remains one of the most difficult to address in the workplace. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, the passing of a colleague, or another profound life event, grief has an undeniable impact on an employee’s wellbeing and ability to perform at work.

Despite this, grief often carries a taboo in the workplace. It can feel uncomfortable, even inappropriate, to acknowledge something so personal within a professional setting. But ignoring grief does not lessen its impact. In fact, research shows that grief has a direct effect on employee engagement, productivity, and retention – and organisations that fail to offer meaningful support risk long-term costs.

The Impact of Grief on Mental Health and Work

Grief is not a linear process. For many employees, it brings with it cycles of sadness, anxiety, fatigue, and sometimes depression. Studies highlight that grieving employees are more likely to take sick leave, struggle to concentrate, and experience ongoing stress. Left unsupported, these challenges can escalate, with some employees choosing to resign because they feel unable to cope at work.

Managers play a critical role here. With the right training, they can recognise the warning signs of an employee in distress and signpost them towards appropriate resources, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), mental health first aiders, or counselling services. Just as important is creating a safe space where employees feel able to say, “I’m struggling,” without fear of stigma.

Flexibility Matters During Bereavement

The practical realities of grief often extend well beyond the funeral. From handling family affairs to reorganising childcare or simply managing fluctuating energy levels, grieving employees may need greater flexibility in how, when, and where they work.

For HR, this means reviewing policies around compassionate or bereavement leave and considering whether flexibility around hours or remote working can help staff through this difficult period. The goal should be to provide the breathing space employees need to find their footing again.

Reviewing Benefits and Practical Support

Grief can also require administrative changes, such as updating health insurance, pensions, or beneficiary information.

While these tasks may seem procedural, for the employee they can feel overwhelming. Employers should approach these discussions with sensitivity, ensuring that timing is appropriate and that employees feel supported rather than burdened.

Reassurance and Compassion

Grief can make employees feel like they are falling short of expectations, of performance, of their own sense of control.

What matters most from employers is reassurance. A manager’s compassion, patience, and willingness to listen can make all the difference in whether an employee feels like a valued part of the team or an inconvenience.

Training people managers to avoid language or behaviour that isolates grieving employees is vital. Compassion does not just support the individual – it can strengthen trust across the entire workforce and demonstrates that the organisation sees its people as humans first.

Why Grief Support is a Business Imperative

Often, workplaces that acknowledge and accommodate grief not only help employees heal, but also create loyalty and long-term engagement.

Productivity will always ebb and flow, and personal lives will inevitably overlap with work. By recognising this and supporting employees through some of the hardest moments of their lives, employers show that they truly care.

For HR professionals, the challenge is clear: grief support cannot be an afterthought. It must be a built-in part of wellbeing strategies, leadership training, and organisational culture. When it is, businesses are rewarded with healthier employees, stronger teams, and a more resilient organisation overall.

If you would like to discuss how we can help design and implement tailored wellbeing strategies that address grief and bereavement, please get in touch with us today.

Each year, Equal Pay Day reminds us that fair compensation remains an urgent and unfinished priority. For employers, ensuring pay equity isn’t just about meeting legal requirements – it’s about building trust, improving retention, and reinforcing a company’s values.

And one of the most effective tools for doing this is a pay equity audit.

But let’s be honest: audits can feel overwhelming. The data, the systems, the legal concerns…it’s a lot to navigate. Fortunately, with the right approach, a pay equity audit can be clear, actionable, and surprisingly pain-free. Here’s how to get it done without the headache:

1. Plan with Purpose and Support – start by defining your ‘why’. Is your goal compliance with local laws, a DEI strategy checkpoint, or responding to employee concerns? Gaining leadership and legal buy-in early will smooth the path ahead and ensure the audit’s insights lead to real change.

2. Collect Clean, Inclusive Data – you will need reliable data from your HRIS and payroll systems (think base salary, bonuses, job titles, tenure, education, and demographics like gender and race, if available). Anonymize this where needed to protect employee identities. Using audit platforms and tools can help streamline this process and improve accuracy.

3. Group Roles Thoughtfully – analyze comparable roles by grouping employees with similar job responsibilities, levels, and locations. You are aiming to compare apples to apples, not an intern and a senior manager. Clear grouping sets the foundation for a fair analysis.

4. Analyze for Gaps – now it’s time to run the numbers. Use statistical analysis or simple averages to identify disparities between demographic groups. If women in a specific band earn 93% of what their male colleagues make, and there’s no clear justification, that’s a red flag.

5. Investigate Root Causes – for each gap, ask: Is this difference justified by experience, education, or performance? If not, document it. Some gaps may be the result of historic practices or negotiation discrepancies, but that doesn’t make them acceptable.

6. Take Action – once you have identified unjustified gaps, create a compensation adjustment plan. This might be immediate or phased, depending on budget constraints. But even small, intentional steps show employees that fairness matters.

7. Communicate Transparently – after the audit, communicate your findings and actions carefully. Be honest about what you discovered and what you are doing to fix it – without breaching confidentiality. Employees value openness, even when solutions are still in progress.

8. Make It Ongoing – audits shouldn’t be one-off events. Schedule regular reviews (annually or biannually) and integrate pay equity checks into your compensation strategy. In addition, be sure to use audit tools that allow easy follow-ups and progress tracking.

You might be finding yourself asking if this really is still a pressing issue in modern society, but sadly the numbers tell us it is. In 2025, women in the US earn approximately 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, with Black women earning closer to 66 cents. Even when controlling for similar roles, unexplained gaps persist. Without intentional efforts, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take over 130 years to close the global gender pay gap.

Pay equity audits may seem complex, but they are one of the most impactful actions a company can take. With clarity, collaboration, and commitment, you can turn data into fairness, and fairness into a better workplace for everyone. If you would like to discuss how we can help assist you conduct a pay equity audit and identify actionable steps from its results, please get in touch with us today.

At its core, Human Resources is about people. Every organization depends on people to create value, build relationships, and deliver results. Yet managing people well has always been one of the most complex challenges in business. This is why the HR function was created, and why it continues to be essential today.

By looking back at the origins of HR, we can better understand its purpose, its ongoing evolution, and why it is more important than ever in 2025.

What Is Human Resources and Why Do Organizations Need It?

A Human Resources department is the part of an organization dedicated to supporting its people. At its simplest, HR ensures employees are recruited, paid, and treated fairly. But its purpose goes much deeper.

HR exists because:

  • People drive performance. Without engaged and capable employees, no strategy can succeed.
  • Workplaces are complex. Employment relationships involve contracts, compliance, culture, and careers. HR helps to manage this complexity.
  • Fairness and trust matter. Employees want to feel valued and respected. HR ensures policies and practices create consistency and protect both people and the organization.

Put simply, HR is about creating the conditions where people can do their best work while protecting the organization from risk. It is both a service to employees and a strategic function for leadership.

A Brief History of Human Resources

The need to manage people at scale became clear during the industrial revolution, when factories employed hundreds or thousands of workers for the first time. Early “welfare officers” and “personnel managers” were tasked with keeping records, resolving disputes, and ensuring safe conditions.

Some of the key turning points include:

  • Early 1900s: Companies like National Cash Register pioneered personnel departments. Frederick Taylor introduced “scientific management,” emphasizing efficiency and task matching.
  • 1920s–1940s: Personnel administration emerged, focusing on hiring, training, and managing labor relations. During wartime, HR focused on mass recruitment and onboarding.
  • 1950s–1970s: Psychology and employee well-being became part of HR, alongside growing attention to employee rights and anti-discrimination laws.
  • 1980s–2000s: Technology reshaped HR operations, while the function began to influence organizational strategy.
  • Today: HR is expected to be a business partner, culture shaper, and driver of employee engagement, inclusion, and growth.

This evolution shows how HR adapted to social, economic, and technological change, moving from administration to strategy.

Personnel Management vs. Human Resource Management

Understanding the difference between early personnel management and today’s HR helps explain why HR is still needed.

  • Personnel Management: Primarily focused on record-keeping, compliance, and industrial relations. Employees were often treated as costs to be controlled.
  • Human Resource Management (HRM): Views people as assets to be developed. It focuses on talent acquisition, training, performance management, culture, and long-term business strategy.

The shift reflects a recognition that employees are not just workers but partners in organizational success.

Why HR Matters for Modern Organizations

So why does HR continue to be essential in today’s workplaces? Because organizations without HR risk losing their most valuable asset: their people.

HR ensures:

  • Compliance and protection. Employment law, workplace safety, and anti-discrimination rules are complex. HR helps organizations stay compliant and fair.
  • Attraction and retention. In competitive labor markets, HR builds compelling employee value propositions that help recruit and keep talent.
  • Engagement and performance. HR creates structures for feedback, recognition, and development, giving employees reasons to invest their energy at work.
  • Culture and inclusion. HR sets the tone for workplace culture, ensuring people feel respected, supported, and included.
  • Adaptability. HR helps organizations prepare for change by upskilling employees and aligning talent with future needs.

In short, HR is both guardian and guide: it protects organizations from risk while helping them unlock the full potential of their people.

The Future of HR: Returning to Its Purpose

As HR embraces new technologies, analytics, and AI, it’s worth remembering its original purpose: to care for people and enable them to contribute fully to their work. The terminology may have changed, but the need has not.

Going forward, HR leaders will be measured not just on policies or processes, but on whether they can create environments where people thrive. This means combining compliance with compassion, strategy with empathy, and data with humanity.

For organizations, HR is not an optional function. It is the foundation of long-term success. By returning to the roots of why HR was created – to support people – modern HR can continue to evolve as a vital strategic partner for the future.

Global talent mobility has rapidly evolved from a logistical function into a core element of HR strategy. In 2025, the pace of change in mobility reflects broader shifts in the workplace such as technological advances, new generations entering the workforce, and heightened employee expectations.

Handled well, talent mobility bridges skills gaps, fosters innovation, and strengthens leadership pipelines. Handled poorly, it risks widening divides between employees, wasting investment, and damaging trust. For HR professionals, the question is not whether mobility matters, but how to manage it strategically in the years ahead.

Diversity, Technology, and Generational Shifts in Mobility

Despite years of awareness, women and minorities remain underrepresented in international assignments. Opportunities for career progression at managerial levels are still limited, and pay parity remains unresolved.

Diverse mobility is not only an inclusion issue but a business driver. A broader talent pipeline brings new ideas, stronger leadership potential, and measurable business performance.

Technology is often positioned as a solution to bias in mobility decisions, yet it can also entrench inequities if the success criteria are too narrow. HR must ensure analytics are applied fairly and that digital tools empower decision-making rather than reinforce systemic barriers.

Generational dynamics also play a role. Younger workers may adopt digital tools more quickly, but older professionals hold critical skills and cross-cultural expertise that organisations cannot afford to lose. HR must balance development opportunities across generations to create a truly inclusive mobility strategy.

Redefining Mobility for a Flexible Workforce

Mobility in 2025 extends far beyond relocating employees. Organisations are experimenting with virtual assignments, short-term placements, and job mobility that brings roles to people instead of people to roles. This flexible approach broadens access to opportunities while reducing costs and supporting employees’ personal needs.

At the same time, HR must address the growing divide between insiders and outsiders. Contractors, freelancers, agencies and project-based workers are a growing part of the workforce. Without clear integration strategies, organisations risk fragmenting culture and losing knowledge transfer. HR leaders should consider how to engage contingent talent while also protecting career development for permanent employees.

Not all assignments deliver equal value, so mapping career accelerators and aligning them with employee aspirations is key. Done well, mobility becomes a catalyst for employee growth, leadership readiness, and long-term organisational resilience.

Communication, Consistency, and Long-Term Vision

The success of mobility programs often comes down to communication. Employees notice whether leadership models international success stories or whether promises are left unfulfilled. HR should articulate a simple “mobility elevator pitch” that explains what global assignments mean for career growth, lifestyle, and organisational priorities. This clarity helps set expectations and builds trust.

Equally important is balancing short-term business pressures with long-term talent strategy. Quick cost-cutting decisions may undermine mobility pipelines and weaken leadership development. Instead, global talent mobility should be positioned as a strategic enabler, helping organisations access wider talent pools, improve agility, and retain top talent.

When managed intentionally, mobility drives innovation, strengthens inclusion, and equips businesses to thrive on the international stage. For HR leaders, the challenge – and the opportunity – is to embed mobility into wider people strategies, ensuring it delivers for both the organisation and its people.

👉 If you would like to discuss how OrgShakers can help your organisation align global mobility with HR strategy, please get in touch with us today.

As an HR professional deeply committed to building truly inclusive workplaces, I often think about the invisible barriers that quietly hold back talented colleagues.

These are not headline-grabbing issues – but their impact is profound. From hidden caregiving roles to class-based assumptions, recognising and addressing these quieter exclusion points offers a real opportunity for cultural transformation in any workplace.

Caring Responsibilities: Invisible, Yet Impactful

In the UK, around 44% of the workforce juggle paid work with unpaid caring responsibilities, with working women especially affected, as they make up 85% of sole child carers and 65% of sole carers for older adults…yet many remain invisible in the workplace. Research shows nearly one in eight workers hide their caring duties from employers, fearing it might jeopardise their career prospects or lead to poor perceptions.

This invisibility carries costs—not just for individuals, but for businesses too. Employers lose substantial value through reduced engagement, productivity losses and turnover, and alarmingly, 43–48% of working carers report worsened mental or physical health since taking on caring roles.

But here’s the opportunity: when employers proactively acknowledge and support carers – from day‑one flexible working rights to internal carers networks and paid support policies – retention, wellbeing, and engagement are all found to improve.

Socio‑Economic Background: The Unseen Class Ceiling

Socio-economic background often lurks behind professional assumptions and acts as another key invisible barrier to inclusion. Despite visible gains around gender and ethnic diversity, ‘class’ remains under‑attended in many DEI agendas. In FTSE 350 organisations, over 70% of board members come from higher socio-economic backgrounds, while only 15% hail from lower socio-economic groups.

Ignoring this dimension not only overlooks deserving talent, it risks perpetuating homogenous leadership and missing out on fresh perspectives. Social mobility initiatives and skills‑based recruitment – such as removing degree requirements and broadening apprenticeship entry routes – are shown to boost both inclusion and performance. Firms taking action (for example, mentoring first‑generation professionals or embedding pay transparency) are unlocking value, especially among ambitious segments of the workforce.

Turning Invisible Barriers into Inclusion Opportunities

So, how can employers begin to transform these hidden challenges into drivers of an inclusive workplace culture?

  • Normalise the Conversation – create safe spaces (networks or forums) where people can share non‑parental caring commitments or socio‑economic experiences without penalty, and use regular check‑ins to uncover hidden pressures.
  • Flexible Policies That Truly Help – go beyond the statutory one week unpaid carer’s leave under the Carer’s Leave Act (2023), and consider paid leave, backup care support, or flexible hours that recognise unpredictable needs.
  • Objective Progression Structures – mitigate class‑based bias by implementing skills‑based assessment, transparent promotion criteria, and structured sponsorship for employees lacking legacy networks.
  • Measure What’s Invisible – collect data on caring status and socio-economic background confidentially, and see where staff from these groups fall off in promotion or pay progression. This can then be used to track inclusion impact over time.

Invisible barriers matter – but they’re also solvable. By bringing caregiving and socio-economic disparities into clear view, employers can drive thoughtful inclusion that benefits individuals, teams, and the broader organisation.

If you would like to discuss how we can support you in addressing these invisible inclusion barriers, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com

Redundancies are becoming more common globally as organisations grapple with financial pressures, automation, and shifting market demands. For HR teams, this means rethinking workforce strategies to ensure not only compliance and compassion, but also long-term resilience.

Compassionate and legally compliant redundancy processes should protect brand reputation, maintain workforce trust, and minimise risks. At the same time, HR leaders must look beyond short-term cuts and consider alternatives that deliver sustainable efficiency and cost savings.

Here are some considerations for how HR teams can navigate headcount reductions and cost-saving strategies in 2025.

Delivering Compassionate and Compliant Redundancy Processes

High-profile cases in the media have shown how easily redundancy processes can damage brand reputation when mishandled. Missteps in communication or compliance can lead to instability, legal challenges, and reputational harm that affects future talent acquisition.

A well-managed redundancy process requires HR to:

  • Provide transparent and empathetic communication with employees.
  • Ensure decisions are fair, consistent, and based on objective criteria such as skills and qualifications.
  • Consider alternatives before finalising redundancies, such as redeployment or retraining.
  • Align decisions with long-term organisational goals while showing sensitivity to employee experiences.

Redundancy should never be used as a means of addressing poor performance. Instead, it must be a genuine response to structural or strategic business needs.

The Human Impact of Redundancies

The consequences of redundancies go far beyond those who leave the organisation. Employees who remain may experience anxiety, low morale, or even “survivor guilt.” This can decrease productivity, increase attrition, and weaken the employer brand.

Knowledge loss is another major risk. Employees often take years of expertise and institutional memory with them, leaving behind costly skills gaps that slow growth and innovation.

Long-Term Strategic Alternatives to Redundancy

While redundancies may sometimes be unavoidable, short-term cost-cutting should not be the default. More sustainable strategies can strengthen the organisation’s foundation while avoiding the negative ripple effects of layoffs.

Empowering Managers

When managers are equipped with the right tools and training, they can resolve issues earlier, support employees more effectively, and drive engagement. For example, technology-enabled employee relations platforms can help managers manage people matters with confidence, reducing sickness absence, minimising disputes, and improving performance.

Leveraging Technology

Technology that streamlines employee relations processes can prevent small issues from escalating, saving time and resources. Automation and analytics can also highlight trends, such as absenteeism or workload pressures, so organisations can take proactive action.

Upskilling and Redeployment

Forward-thinking companies see upskilling as a smarter investment than downsizing. Redeployment builds a future-ready workforce that adapts to changing business needs while retaining valuable knowledge. Training and development should be embedded into long-term strategy, ensuring employees grow alongside the organisation.

Data-Driven Insights

Using analytics to identify skills gaps, cultural challenges, or performance patterns enables targeted interventions. This creates a more agile, adaptable workforce and reduces the need for future large-scale cuts.

Best Practices for When Redundancies Are Unavoidable

If redundancies are necessary, HR teams should follow best practices that balance compliance with compassion:

  • Consultation: Provide employees with opportunities to ask questions, raise concerns, and understand the rationale behind decisions.
  • Transparency: Clearly explain the criteria for selection and the support available.
  • Support: Offer outplacement services, career coaching, or wellbeing resources to ease the transition.
  • Consistency: Use structured processes and tools to ensure fairness, accountability, and accuracy across all decisions.

Technology platforms can also streamline redundancy consultations. For example, meeting management tools can simplify scheduling, provide tailored consultation scripts, and track compliance across the process. This ensures employees receive a fair and supportive experience, while HR maintains oversight.

The Bottom Line

In today’s volatile climate, organisations cannot afford to rely solely on short-term cost cutting through redundancies. By focusing on compassionate processes, exploring alternatives like redeployment and upskilling, and empowering managers with the right tools, HR leaders can protect their workforce, strengthen resilience, and secure long-term success.

If you would like to discuss how we can help your organisation design people-first strategies that balance cost management with workforce engagement, please get in touch with us today.

September 11th, 2001, remains one of the most defining and devastating days in modern history.

As we mark another anniversary, we pause to remember the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the extraordinary courage of those who responded in the face of tragedy.

For many, the memory of 9/11 is deeply personal. Yet even for those who were not directly impacted, the day reshaped the way we think about safety, resilience, and community – in society, and in the workplace.

The Human Side of Crisis

In the aftermath of 9/11, workplaces became more than just offices.

They became places of refuge, solidarity, and healing. Colleagues supported one another through shock and grief, proving that compassion and connection are just as vital to an organisation as strategy or process.

For HR professionals, this is a reminder of the responsibility to nurture cultures that protect not just productivity, but people. Crises, whether global or personal, test our workplaces. How we prepare and respond makes all the difference.

What Employers Can Learn & Promote

1. Prioritise Safety and Preparedness

The events of 9/11 led to a renewed focus on critical emergency response planning. Today, organisations must go further – ensuring safety and disaster policies are not just documents, but lived practices that employees understand and trust are there in case of severe extreme disasters.

2. Support Mental Health in Times of Trauma

The long-term mental health impact of 9/11 is well documented. Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and grief were widespread. Employers now have a clearer responsibility to provide access to mental health support, destigmatise conversations, and build frameworks that enable people to seek help early.

3. Strengthen Community and Connection

One of the most enduring legacies of 9/11 is the sense of unity that followed. For organisations, this highlights the power of community at work. Encouraging strong connections among employees creates resilience that can carry teams through even the hardest times.

4. Remove Workplace Discrimination and Bias

After 9/11, many individuals and communities experienced discrimination and bias. This painful reality underlines the importance of discrimination/hateful speech policies today. Respecting and valuing difference is not only morally essential, it builds trust and cohesion within teams.

5. Balance Security with Humanity

While security measures became a priority after 9/11, employers also learned the importance of balance. Protecting people is vital, but so is ensuring that security practices do not erode trust or create unnecessary fear is just as important.

It’s important on today’s reflection to remember we are all “human” and as human resources teams, we should ensure that we empower a workplace with community, connection, security and safety that allows us to come together in light of difficult times.

A Legacy of Resilience

Twenty-four years on, 9/11 remains a solemn reminder of loss – but also a testament to resilience, solidarity, and the human spirit. For HR leaders, it calls us to ask: how do we prepare our organisations not only to withstand crises, but to care for people through them?

By focusing on safety, wellbeing, inclusion, and community, employers can build workplaces that honour the legacy of resilience shown in the aftermath of 9/11. In doing so, we not only remember the past, but we also create cultures strong enough to face the future.

If you’d like to read more articles, on various areas covered within this article, you can visit our full blog.

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