The role of HR has never been more prominent. Battling the likes of a global pandemic, the ever present threat of burnout, and the emergence of a ‘quiet quitting’ mindset are just a few examples of the storm that HR has been weathering these past few years – and yet, just when it seems all hope is lost, HR proves it is immortal in the face of adversity.

This is why this month we have chosen to read Marc S. Miller’s book Immortal HR: The Death and Resurrection of Ms H. (Harriet) R. (Rose) Job.

Marc S. Miller is a well-known HR and HR Technology consultant, keynote speaker, lecturer, and author. He is considered by clients, cohorts and peers to be an industry insider and exceptional thought leader, known for his New York style, fun, creativity and attitude.

And this certainly comes across in his book, as Marc introduces us to the fictional character of Harriet Rose Job (also known as HR Job), whom some readers may already be familiar with. In his previous book, The Death of HR: Who Killed H. (Harriet) R. (Rose) Job?, Marc depicted HR Job as being done away with by her organization for being an ‘obstacle to progress’ and ‘non-strategic’.

However, in his latest book, HR Job experiences a resurrection, prompted by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic – who, in this story, is aptly personified as Ms Connie Vid. This crisis thrust HR into a central role, requiring rapid adaption to support remote working, ensure employee wellbeing, and implement new policies.

The book goes on to introduce us to a smattering of other familiar characters as it follows HR Job’s transformation. These include Mr. Tali Managementi (Talent Management), Mr. Bebe Boomer (Baby Boomers), Mr. Mel Lenial (Millennials), Ms. Jennifer Zee (Gen Z), Mr. Gene Exer (Gen X), Mr. Chet G. Petee (ChatGPT), and Ms. Anna Lytics (Analytics). Together, they navigate the complexities of introduced by the pandemic, leading HR Job onto the path to immortality.

Marc combines this storytelling component with over 400 pages of commentary, research, opinions, forecasts, fun facts, and cartoons from HR and various HR technology leaders to bring his HR allegory to life.

This book is an absolute must-read for those employers who want to gain a deeper understanding of the current state and future possibilities of HR so that its capabilities can be fully utilized as a strategic business partner.

If you would like to discuss how we can offer fractional or full time HR support to your company, please get in touch with us today!

And in the meantime, be sure to grab a copy of Immortal HR – you can purchase it here in the US and here in the UK.

Every team has its share of diverse personalities, but managing a narcissistic employee can pose a unique set of challenges. On the surface, narcissistic individuals may appear confident, ambitious, and even charismatic. Beneath the surface, however, their behaviors can erode trust, disrupt team dynamics, and create an emotionally draining work environment.

As employers, it’s vital to understand what you’re dealing with, set clear boundaries, and lead with both empathy and accountability.

Understanding Narcissism in the Workplace

Narcissism isn’t just about egotism. Narcissistic employees often:

• Crave constant validation and admiration
• Exaggerate their accomplishments
• Take credit for others’ work
• React defensively or even aggressively to criticism
• Deflect responsibility and blame others
• Undermine peers to elevate themselves
• Lack genuine empathy

It’s also important to note that narcissism exists on a spectrum. Some employees may exhibit occasional traits under stress, while others may demonstrate a consistent pattern of disruptive behavior.

Covert narcissists, in particular, can be more difficult to spot. They may initially come across as cooperative or even vulnerable. Then their manipulative tendencies only become clear once they feel their ego is threatened.

Why It Matters

Unchecked narcissistic behavior can lead to:

• Declining team morale
• Loss of high-performing staff
• Toxic conflict
• Disruption of collaborative workflows
• Legal or reputational risk, particularly if behaviors cross into bullying or harassment

Managing these employees requires a strategic, informed approach. Left unaddressed, their conduct can cause more damage than their contributions are worth.

Signs You May Be Managing a Narcissistic Employee

Watch for consistent patterns like:

• Disregard for team efforts or overemphasis on individual recognition
• Gossiping, undermining peers, or triangulating colleagues against one another
• Refusal to take accountability or persistent victimization
• Inflated sense of entitlement or “special rules” mentality
• Resistance to feedback or excessive defensiveness

These behaviors may not be obvious at first. Often, narcissistic employees perform well in the early stages, winning trust with confidence and apparent drive. The problems often surface when they are asked to collaborate, follow leadership, or accept critique.

Strategies for Employers and Managers

1. Set Clear, Firm Boundaries

Establish performance expectations, behavioral norms, and communication standards early—and reinforce them consistently. Don’t shy away from difficult conversations. Narcissistic individuals often test limits, so clarity and consistency are essential.

2. Provide Direct and Documented Feedback

Avoid sugar-coating or overly emotional responses. Be factual, specific, and professional. Document all key interactions, especially those involving behavioral correction or conflict resolution. This protects your team and your organization.

3. Avoid Ego Confrontations

Narcissists often view criticism as a personal attack. Frame feedback around business outcomes rather than personal shortcomings. For example, instead of “You’re not a team player,” say, “This project requires collaboration – here’s how your individual work impacts the group.”

4. Reinforce Team Values

Create a culture where teamwork, empathy, and respect are visibly recognized and rewarded. A narcissistic employee may be less likely to act out if they see that individualism and self-promotion are not the keys to advancement.

5. Coach – But With Limits

Some narcissistic traits can be softened with coaching, especially if the employee is open to change. Focus on emotional intelligence, perspective-taking, and communication. However, don’t invest indefinitely. Know when the behavior is a pattern, not a phase.

6. Monitor Team Impact

Check in regularly with other employees. Are they feeling marginalized, undermined, or stressed? Don’t let one employee’s behavior diminish the performance or wellbeing of others. Maintain respect for all members of the team and avoid name calling or labelling that can isolate team members or encourage destructive gossip.

7. Avoid Rewarding Toxic Success

A narcissistic employee may drive results—but if it comes at the cost of culture, collaboration, and retention, the price is too high. Evaluate their impact holistically, not just through KPIs.

8. Enforce Consequences When Needed

If boundaries are repeatedly crossed or behavior escalates to harassment or bullying, follow disciplinary processes clearly and promptly. Narcissists will often push back—expect deflection, denial, or even retaliation—but holding your ground sets the tone for your leadership.

When It’s Time to Let Go

If all efforts at coaching, boundary-setting, and accountability fail, it may be in the best interest of your team – and your business – to exit the employee. Make sure you’ve documented everything, followed fair process, and consulted legal or HR support to minimize risk.

Final Thoughts

Managing a narcissistic employee is not easy, but with awareness, consistency, and firm leadership, it can be done. The key is to avoid personalizing their behavior; being manipulated by charm or blame-shifting; and sacrifcing team wellbeing for short-term results.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build a healthy workplace that is built on mutual respect and shared goals, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com.

Most of us will have experienced the impact of redundancy at some point in our lives – if not directly, then through a friend or family member. It is one of the most intensely stressful events that an individual will ever experience, ranking closely with divorce, serious illness, and the death of a close relative – and knowing this makes having to deliver the news of redundancy one of the most difficult challenges facing any manager or team leader.

So, in this article I will offer my advice on how managers should prepare themselves for redundancy meetings and share videos of my own online meeting rehearsals with a colleague where we address three of the most common employee reactions: withdrawal, anger, and pragmatism.

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Redundancy conversations are never easy, and I know highly experienced managers who have sleepless nights worrying about how they are going to break the news to their people. Some try to bottle up their emotions to the point where they can appear somewhat cold and callous. Others try to distance themselves from the decision to make redundancies – “if it was down to me we wouldn’t be letting people go”.

None of this is helpful to the individuals who are at risk of losing their jobs.

In my experience, the best approach for one-on-one redundancy meetings is to deliver the message briefly, simply, and consistently, giving the employee clear and precise reasons why their role is at risk – and then respond to each individual’s reaction to that message with care and compassion.

Immediately after the meeting, a letter reiterating the redundancy message and giving further details of the process should be given to the employee along with any additional supporting documentation.

There are seven key stages to ensuring a successful outcome to these meetings:

1. Legal Considerations: Managers need to be clear whether the one-on-one meetings they are having with their people are either (a) to give the employee notice of dismissal, or (b) to make employees aware that they are at risk of redundancy and that a consultation process will now take place. It is also good practice for managers to make the employee aware of any internal right of appeal procedures.

2. Documentation: Most redundancy programmes will require a series of letters to be sent to the employees who will potentially lose their jobs. The first letter will confirm that jobs are at risk and that the organisation is entering a period of consultation. This should include details of the terms being offered. The second letter confirms that the employee has provisionally been selected for redundancy. The final letter gives formal notice of redundancy. The appropriate letter should be sent to the employee immediately after meeting with their manager.

Internal communications to inform employees who will not be impacted by the redundancy program should also be prepared. These should explain the process and highlight which groups of employees will be impacted. Where appropriate, organisations should also prepare communications for external stakeholders.

A timetable at the start of the process is also useful as a guide both for employees and managers. The timetable should include any steps that the employee needs to take, e.g.: the opportunity to consider alternative vacancies that might be available within the organisation.

3. Frequently Asked Questions: Managers should work with their HR colleagues to identify and sign off approved answers to questions which might arise during the redundancy meetings e.g.: Would my pay be the same if I am offered an alternative role within the organisation? Am I entitled to ask for time off to find new work and attend interviews? What happens to my pension?

Being able to answer these questions in the meeting rather than having to go back to the employee will reassure them that the redundancy process has been properly thought through, and that the concerns of employees have been addressed.

4. Location: When face-to-face meetings are possible, it is important to meet in a quiet, private room free from the risk of interruptions. In glass-walled meeting rooms, seating should be arranged to ensure that the employee is not looking out into a public area.

If managers are meeting with their people online, however, the location is significantly less controllable. Planning and preparation are, therefore, even more important – thinking about what each employee will need in order for them to have the best meeting possible. For example, if an employee is working from home and typically has family members in close proximity, the manager might suggest that for this meeting they need to find a private and quiet space.

This is vital because the conversation must not be rushed or interrupted. Employees need time to process what they are being told. Managers need to be able to read the employee’s emotions and think about how best to react. As a result, there are likely to be long pauses in the conversation, and in some instances it might be appropriate to have a follow-up call later in the day or the following morning.

5. Timing: Most redundancy conversations can be concluded professionally and compassionately in about 15 to 20-minutes – however, it is always wise for a manager to assume they will take half an hour. Managers should also allow sufficient time after the meeting for the employee to adjust to having heard the news before having to spend time with their family. For these reasons, meetings should be booked for the morning or early afternoon. As a follow-up call may also be required, meetings should be avoided ahead of days-off and holidays.

6. Rehearsals: The purpose of rehearsals is to ensure that managers remain in control of the meeting at all times. In preparation for these rehearsals, managers should write down the key points they need to make. This not only helps structure a personal narrative, it also acts as an aide memoire if a meeting becomes emotional and the manager needs to bring it back on track.

It should be noted that some organisations require a pre-scripted statement to be read out to employees, so managers should check the organisation’s policy on this ahead of rehearsals.

Below I have posted videos of three of my own online redundancy meeting rehearsals. Click on the images to see the videos and, as you’ll see, these are not ‘perfect’ meetings – far from it. Rather, they were an opportunity for my colleague and I to review the content and delivery of our key messages and address any issues before meeting with employees.

The first meeting is with “Jo” who I thought would be very upset but who would try to suppress her emotions:

The second meeting is with “Pat” who I expected to respond angrily to the news:

The final meeting is with “Cindy” who tends to be positive and optimistic in most situations:

7. Conducting the meeting: I’ve said that employees who are to lose their jobs are entitled to consideration and compassion. So, what constitutes compassion? I suggest the following:

• The meeting should convey a clear message with no element of ambiguity or doubt. If the employee is to be dismissed at the meeting this should be clear and unequivocal. However, if the meeting is designed to start of redundancy consultation process it should be made equally clear that a final decision has not yet been taken and will only be made once the consultation process is concluded.
• The employee should be told where any notice period will be worked. Alternatively, the employee should be informed that they will be leaving immediately and paid in lieu of notice.
• If the organisation is making any ex-gratia payments (i.e.: payments that are in addition to the basic entitlement) then this should be made clear.
• The employee should be informed that the proposed terms for the severance will be given in writing following the meeting. If the employee wishes to discuss severance terms in more detail the manager should commit to arrange a meeting with a member of the HR team or another line manager the next day or certainly soon after. (Managers should check how the organisation wishes these requests to be met ahead of their meeting with the employee).
• If job search or outplacement support is being provided by the organisation to help an individual find a new position or move into self-employment or retirement, this should be highlighted in the meeting with details provided either in writing or in a follow-up meeting.

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In summary, to conduct a redundancy meeting with professionalism and compassion requires thorough and detailed preparation. The process will never be easy, never be comfortable – but enabling an employee to exit the organisation with dignity is something the very best managers strive to deliver for their people.

If you would like to discuss this article, or have any questions about how you can implement a caring and compassionate redundancy programme in your organisation, I can be contacted at therese@orgshakers.com.

HR professionals are at the forefront of navigating the evolving dynamics of workplace culture.

So, with more and more organizations increasing the number of in-office workdays, the rise of ‘hushed hybrid’ working – when front-line managers quietly allow employees to work remotely despite official Return to Office (RTO) mandates – presents a critical challenge that demands immediate attention.

The Current Landscape

In 2024, several major organizations, including Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and AT&T, issued strict RTO mandates, requiring employees to return to the office five days a week.

These policies have sparked a significant pushback, with surveys revealing that a significant percentage of employees are either ignoring these mandates or considering leaving their roles due to the lack of flexibility.

This resistance underscores a growing disconnect between senior leadership and front-line management and employees.

The Risks of ‘Hushed Hybrid’ Practices

‘Hushed hybrid’ working may seem like a practical workaround for front-line managers aiming to balance employee satisfaction with company policies. However, this approach is unsustainable and fraught with risks:

• Employee Tensions: Allowing some team members to work remotely while others are required to be in the office can create feelings of unfairness and resentment.

• Erosion of Trust: The secrecy inherent in ‘hushed hybrid’ arrangements undermines transparency and can lead to a toxic workplace culture.

• Policy Compliance Issues: If managers are bypassing RTO policies, it raises concerns about adherence to other organizational policies, signaling potential governance issues.

The Role of HR in Bridging the Gap

HR professionals play a pivotal role in addressing the root causes of ‘hushed hybrid’ working. Here’s how you can act:

• Facilitate Open Dialogue: Create channels for middle managers to provide honest feedback to senior leadership about the challenges and employee sentiments surrounding RTO mandates.

• Reassess RTO Policies: Collaborate with leadership to evaluate the effectiveness of current RTO policies and explore more flexible, hybrid models that align with employee needs and organizational goals.

• Promote Transparency: Foster a culture of openness where policies are clearly communicated and consistently applied across all levels of the organization.

• Support Middle Managers: Equip managers with the tools and training needed to navigate the complexities of hybrid work arrangements while maintaining compliance with company policies.

Building a Sustainable Workplace Culture

The rise of ‘quiet’ workplace trends like ‘hushed hybrid’ working highlights the need for proactive measures to strengthen organizational culture. By addressing these challenges head-on, HR can help bridge the gap between policy and practice, ensuring that your organization remains an employer of choice in an increasingly competitive talent market.

If you would like to discuss how we can help coach your leaders in communication, as well as foster a culture of openness in your workplace, please get in touch with us.

When an employee seems disengaged or downcast, they may be suffering a new phenomenon that’s becoming increasingly common in workplaces around the world – ‘resenteeism’.

So, here’s a comprehensive look into this unproductive mentality, which has been dubbed the “silent productivity killer”.

What is Resenteeism?

Resenteeism happens when an employee stays in a job despite being unhappy.

They actively dislike their job and feel frustrated with their work or employer but feel trapped in their role due to financial obligations or other responsibilities.

Resenteeism is not to be confused with quiet quitting – when employees take control of their work life balance and push back on additional tasks and responsibilities outside of their job description.

Both concepts are a result of workplace dissatisfaction, however staff with resenteeism are perhaps more vocal about their dislike of their role, employer, or work environment.

Someone experiencing resenteeism may continue to be productive – which can make it difficult to spot – yet can have a damaging impact on employee morale and workplace culture.

Is Resenteeism the Same as Presenteeism?

While presenteeism refers to employees being physically present at work but unproductive, resenteeism involves maintaining satisfactory productivity but feeling frustrated and trapped.

Unlike presenteeism, which is passive, resenteeism is active and can be more destructive to workplace morale and culture.

Resenteeism is often harder to detect as employees may not vocalize their feelings to their managers, instead expressing their discontent to colleagues.

Causes of Resenteeism

Several factors contribute to the rise of resenteeism, including:

• Economic Pressures: Fears of recession and the rising cost of living make job security a priority, discouraging job changes.

• Workplace Trends: The ‘great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ have left remaining employees feeling undervalued or forgotten.

• Pandemic Aftermath: The lingering effects of Covid-19 continue to affect workplace dynamics.

How to Spot Resenteeism

HR professionals should be vigilant for the following signs:

• Change in Attitude or Behavior: An employee showing consistent negativity or frustration may be experiencing resenteeism.

• Lack of Enthusiasm: Declining new opportunities or career development can indicate discontent with their role.

• Emotional Detachment: A lack of motivation and engagement in work or office activities is a red flag.

• Decline in Work Quality: A noticeable drop in work quality suggests an unhappy and disengaged employee.

Preventing Resenteeism

To tackle resenteeism, employers can take the following steps:

• Encourage Open Communication: Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing their feelings and concerns.
• Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage regular breaks and vacations to help employees recharge.
• Support Mental Health: Provide resources and normalize conversations about mental health.
• Offer Professional Development: Create opportunities for learning and growth within the organization.
• Enhance Employee Experience: Act on employee feedback to improve workplace conditions.
• Show Appreciation: Recognize and reward employees’ efforts, celebrating team successes to build a positive culture.

Resenteeism is a growing concern in today’s workplace, but with proactive measures, HR professionals can help create a more engaged and motivated workforce.

If you would like to discuss how we can help your organization tackle this silent productivity killer, please get in touch with us.

The theme of bettering ourselves is prominent as we head into a new year. Many of us endeavour to make changes to ourselves and our lifestyles, often spurred on by a new year’s resolution or two. But how do we increase the chance that our resolutions will stick around past January? How can we avoid the February fizzle?

Good news: we know something about managing change from our work lives and those best practices can help us with the changes we want to make outside of the office. When you think about it, rolling out a new performance management system or reworking an internal communications strategy can be straightforward, as they rely on the more technical aspects of change. We create new processes, document new procedures, and train teams on what to do differently.

But when it comes to mindset shifts – getting people to think differently – the challenge is greater. Changing a mindset goes beyond altering the way we do things – we have to alter the way we perceive the world around us, and this requires time, intention, and effort. Adapting a few best practices from change management can help:

• Set a clear objective and definition of success

Ask yourself: Why am I trying to adopt this new mindset? What do I hope to achieve? Perhaps you want to develop a more growth-oriented outlook or become more patient in your leadership style. Without a clear objective, it’s difficult to measure progress or stay motivated.

In change management, we establish clear success criteria and milestones. When managing your own mindset shift, it helps to do the same: define what successful change means to you. Is it when you instinctively approach challenges with curiosity instead of frustration? Or when your team starts to notice and appreciate your more open-minded approach? Defining success helps keep you focused and provides a sense of achievement along the way.

• Prepare your stakeholders and create accountability with supportive partners

Every mindset shift has a ripple effect on those around us—whether it’s our colleagues, friends, or family. Ask yourself: Who are my ‘stakeholders’ in this change? How might my new mindset affect them, and how might they react? Providing some ‘advance notice’ to those affected can help manage expectations and foster support.

Accountability partners can dramatically increase the likelihood of a successful mindset shift. Just as we engage sponsors and champions in organizational change efforts, we can enlist trusted colleagues or friends to act as our personal support network. These individuals can provide encouragement, offer feedback, and help hold us accountable.

• Build in some structure

In the workplace, we implement policies and tools to support technical change, so think about how this can be adapted for personal mindset shifts: structural changes might include setting up reminders, scheduling regular check-ins with your accountability partners, or keeping a journal to track progress and reflect on lessons learned. These reinforcements create an environment conducive to lasting change.

• Be kind and patient with yourself

Finally, be realistic and kind to yourself. Organizational change takes time, and so does personal transformation. Don’t expect an overnight shift. Set realistic expectations for how long it might take for your new mindset to become second nature and remember that setbacks are part of the process…the key is to keep moving forward, one step at a time.

You may be thinking: “Best practices from work?  Really?” This approach may feel like overkill, but it is great way to demonstrate respect for your efforts through good planning. Applying proven change management principles to personal change increases the likelihood that your new mindset will take hold, and come February, those changes will be here to stay.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you build or strengthen a change management mindset, please get in touch with me at gordon.robinson@orgshakers.com or via our website.

OK, so what do you think the office is really for?

What was once seen as a logical and efficient way of working has now been brought into question by the “work-from-home” / “return-to-office” tug-of-war which has broken out between employees and business leaders in many organizations.

So, to work out where we’re going – we first need to rewind.

From the 15th-century scriptoriums of medieval monks to the modern skyscrapers dotting urban landscapes, the ‘office’ has always been in a shifting state with innovations like artificial light, telephones, typewriters, elevators, and computers progressively reshaping the working environment.

Then came the lockdown. An abrupt shift that turned traditional office dynamics upside down. Those able to work from home found their productivity and job satisfaction often increased. Today, nine in ten jobseekers say hybrid work is now as important as financial benefits.

This shift challenges employers to rethink how office spaces can boost productivity while supporting employee well-being in remote settings. The strategy for this transformation focuses on policy, place, and purposeful leadership:

• Policy: Clear and well-communicated hybrid and remote work policies are essential. Define when employees need to be in the office and when they have the flexibility to choose. Transparency in policy-making fosters trust and loyalty.
• Place: Office space must cater to diverse needs. Some employees may need a quiet workspace every day, while others might prefer the office for collaborative tasks only once a week. Whether it’s a Superdesk for collaboration or cubicles for concentration, the office should accommodate various working styles.
  But beware! There is no ‘best way’ to do it – a recent study found that actively trying to make creative office spaces could be stifling creativity, whilst another discovered that changing from cubicles to open-plan saw a 70% drop in face-to-face interactions!
• Purposeful Leaders: Leaders play a crucial role in implementing these policies and ensuring the office space delivers value. Effective leaders highlight the benefits of coming to the office, promoting collaboration, and enhancing company culture. This can transform the office from a chore to a place employees are excited to be.

Employers must recognize the benefits of hybrid and remote work, leveraging these models to optimize productivity rather than viewing them as obstacles. The purpose of the office is evolving, and it’s time to lead this change.

We are here to help you navigate this transformation, optimizing organizational effectiveness in hybrid work, crafting policies, and coaching leaders to meet your company’s unique needs and those of your workforce. So, to continue this conversation, you can either head over to our contact page, or reach out to me directly at andy@orgshakers.com

A staple of entering a new year is New Year’s Resolutions. Many of us will take a moment of self-reflection to look inside ourselves and identify a list of resolutions that we feel will improve us as a person in the year to come. The ‘new year, new me’ mindset will remerge across social media platforms like it always does and many of us will be begrudgingly attempting to lower alcohol and meat intake across Dry January and Veganuary.

And yet, despite this mindset seeming slightly performative, the idea of reflection and inciting change is actually a very positive thing to be doing – especially if you are a leader or executive in an organization.

For those in positions of power in the workplace, reflection on current working policies and practices is vital for ensuring that the cogs of your business continue to spin without any kinks. However, when things remain the same way for too long, these cogs can quickly start to rust…so, when it comes to the ‘new year, new me’ mindset in leaders, what are some things that leaders should be leaving behind in 2024 to ensure a prosperous 2025 for their organizations and for their people?

• Any thinking that AI is a technical event/opportunity/phenomenon – it’s absolutely tied to the way we get things done across all the enterprise. It’s not an IT thing!
• Any constraining of employee experimentation with AI or AI tools – good practices will emerge if we let people play with new processes and thinking — let this happen with AI!  Get out of their way! Instead, find a way for people to share their discovery of how to use AI in their jobs.
• Any constraining of the strategic nature of the CFO role – the Chief Financial Officer is no longer just the ‘numbers’ person, they are a strategic thinker and contributor to the C-suite team. They are increasingly in charge of the large-scale, strategic investments that have broad impacts on company infrastructure and strategic positioning, meaning that their voice is critical in the ideation and trade-offs for such investments.
• Similarly, any constraining of the CHRO role – the Chief Human Resources Officer can be a powerful, strategic role, and it is key to harnessing a varied, complex workforce.
• Stop allowing politicization of best practices that work – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)…these are strategic approaches that are tried and true, and that drive success. They are key to innovation and good decision-making.

If leaders truly want to embrace a ‘new year, new me’ mindset, then they should start to consider the leadership practices which will propel them and their company forwards. This is where our Executive Action Series can help; a leadership development program that is laser-focused on supporting your senior leaders and executives with their strategic goals in order to yield long-term resilience and drive sustainability.

If you would like to discuss this service in more detail, please get in touch with us at anya@orgshakers.com or gordon.robinson@orgshakers.com

Last year, we asked the OrgShakers team what practices and ideologies they thought employers should be leaving behind as they ventured into the New Year.

Now, as another year comes to a close, we wanted to see what they believe should be left behind in 2024 in order to help propel sustainability and growth in the year to come:

• Our Founder David Fairhurst believes that the end of the year is a great time for HR leaders to be considering their key areas of focus for 2025, and this includes looking at what practices should be left behind in order to foster more innovative, inclusive, and employee-centric workplaces. This could be done by adopting outcome-centered models of managing performance, or placing a greater focus on strategic workforce planning to ensure the workforce is a future fit, or even looking into comprehensive wellbeing strategies to avoid employee burnout, to name a few. But what’s important to remember when looking at new practices is to be realistic, and this can be done by thinking of HR strategic objectives on three levels:
  • What are the basics that need to be maintained?
  • What are the areas that must continuously improve?
  • What are the big moves we need to focus on which will offer a transformative impact?
• Anya Clitheroe would like to stop hearing managers complaining about the Gen Z workforce! This year she has heard so many managers making the blanket statement that Gen Z have been spoilt and they don’t want to work hard or that they don’t show any initiative. Instead, Anya would like them to find a way to engage the younger workforce in a way that interests them. Have they clearly communicated ways of working expectations, and have they found out what does motivate them? At the very least, they need to see that not every Gen Z can be identical in their workstyle preferences!
• Speaking of leaders, Marty Belle believes that employers should leave behind rigidity and paternalistic leadership operating styles. These areas of inflexibility include enforcing Return to Work practices in cases where remote workers are more productive, or only offering fixed work schedules without taking into consideration some workers may not be morning people and would choose to work mid-day rather than early morning. Additionally, more flexible scheduling would accommodate childcare needs and parental involvement in their children’s extracurricular activities.
• Building on this, Lauren Kincaid believes that employers should be leaving behind a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to employment policies and employee benefits. The more personalized the employment experience, the more seen, heard and valued an employee feels, resulting in better employee engagement, loyalty and performance.
• Echoing Marty’s sentiment of rigidity, Sayid Hussein also believes employers should leave behind in 2024 a “9-to-5, in-office only” mentality. With advancements in technology and changing workforce dynamics, it’s time to embrace flexible working arrangements that prioritize outcomes over hours. Trusting employees to manage their time fosters creativity, improves retention, and acknowledges the diverse realities of modern life.
• Speaking of mindsets, Karen Cerrato believes that employers should be leaving behind short-term thinking. Whether at a corporate level or a management level, if we want longevity out of our employees, Kanen believes that need to start thinking strategically and long term. The days of people staying in a job for 10 yrs + “just because”, are long gone; we need to give them a reason to want to stay:  
  • Reactive decision-making: Shift toward proactive strategies that prioritize long-term growth and stability.
  • Underinvestment in talent: Invest in professional development and career growth opportunities for employees.
  • Top-down communication only: Foster two-way communication to engage employees and encourage innovation.
• Amanda Holland believes that employers need to be conducting their final Covid pandemic clean up: it’s time to finish assessing any processes or procedures developed specifically during the pandemic. Operationalize any efficiencies your company will be keeping by ensuring the language is up-to-date and free from pandemic references. Eliminate those policies, processes, and procedures that are no longer needed or applicable.
• Ken Merritt believes that employers should be leaving behind ‘reluctance’. Several companies have been slow to hire and fast to retire because there has been a ‘cloud of reluctance’ hanging over the economy since 2022 – it’s time for employers to be leaving that behind for good in 2024.
• Therese Procter knows that 2024 has been a very challenging year, with the key topics of remote working, political uncertainty, and the skills gap taking many of the highlight spots. But an area that she believes is often pushed down the agenda (whether this be due to the amount of effort and/or cost it requires) is mental and financial wellbeing. That’s why she believes that employers should be leaving behind poor and ineffective mental health support strategies and programs that are outdated and not fit for purpose, and instead take on a fresh approach to wellbeing this new year that better supports mental and financial aspects of life.

If you would like to get in touch with us about any of the points raised by our team, or if you have a different concerns that you were hoping to leave in 2024 and need assistance in shedding it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!

Equally, if you want some on-demand advice and strategies, why not book in a 1-hour private consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals? Take a look at our OrgShakers CL!CK service for more details!

From all of us at OrgShakers, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Grief is often linked directly to death. Our minds will picture someone who has lost a loved one, thus kickstarting the grief cycle – also known as the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance).

But grief is more insidious than many employers and employees realize. Humans can feel grief for a variety of different reasons; we may grieve after a breakup, the time we wasted,  even knowledge or a skill set that has become outdated.

Just as loss comes in many forms, so does grief, and there are many instances in the workplace that can trigger the grief cycle. For example:

• Loss of a Team Member – Employees today are much more mobile – especially with the mass adoption of remote working. Workers may find themselves grieving the loss of a valued team member who has moved on in their career. Or they may grieve the loss of comradery they experienced when they worked side by side rather than virtually.
• Loss of a Leader – When a company leader moves on or retires, the stages of grief can flare to life. Leaders have a significant impact on a company and on team members. When leaders leave, it can take time to adapt to the workplace without them and employees may experience intense grief. To further complicate the experience, employees may be grieving while simultaneously having to adapt to a new leader.
• Loss of Expertise – Individuals can experience acute grief when the work itself minimizes their hard-earned experience or expertise.  New technology can lead to new skills and knowledge, resulting in a previous expert becoming a novice overnight. Constantly changing mandates, policies, or procedures can also prompt the grief cycle when workers lose their standing as the resident expert or go-to resource in a given field, process, or system.
• Loss of a Role – In-house promotions or job changes can result in compounded grieving. The new role has new responsibilities and requirements, which can emphasize a loss of proficiency. Concurrently, the newly promoted is no longer the go-to person for their previous role. This can manifest grief in those employees who relied on them as a resource. Sometimes, employees will deny the loss by expecting the individual to perform portions of their old job as well as the new role.

Sound familiar? These are just a few examples of the low- to mid-level grief employees can experience in the workplace. And while employees are going through this loss, employers may see an effect on productivity, engagement, and wellbeing. These reactions to loss are rarely recognized as grief behaviors and therefore take longer to understand and process effectively.

Employers who intentionally equip their teams with the mindfulness tools they need to recognize, acknowledge, and process their low-level grief can help employees advance to the ‘acceptance’ stage more efficiently, increasing overall employee wellbeing and engagement. Grief management activities can range from offering workshops around change management and grief in all its forms to actively promoting self-care and emotional intelligence. It’s also important for employers to highlight where employees can voice their concerns, reaffirming the wellbeing support available to the workforce.

It can feel silly to use such a heavy word like grief when talking about grappling with seemingly minor loss and change, but feeling loss is a very normal and common feeling that can have long-term, significant negative impact. Knowing how to recognize and manage grief can be a game changer in the pressure-filled retention and engagement arena. It can be the difference between working through a rough patch and being disrupted by a major roadblock.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build grief management skills and mitigate the effects of loss in the workplace due to change, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com

More than one in ten employees have been victims of bullying in their workplace. As employers, this is an alarming statistic to hear, and this is why many workplaces have strict anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies in place to ensure that the culture of the workplace remains inclusive and welcoming to all.

However, it can get a bit trickier to manage bullying behaviors when they begin to slip into that elusive ‘grey area’. This is behavior that doesn’t necessarily fall into the black and white definitions of bullying (repeated unreasonable behaviour by an individual towards a worker (or group of workers) which creates a risk to health and safety) or harassment (behaviour that is or may be perceived to be offensive, abusive, belittling or threatening towards an individual or group or people based on a discriminatory characteristic). And yet, these behaviors still have the potential to have a negative impact on an employee and the wider work culture.

So, what are some of the grey areas of bullying that employers should be aware of?

• Shouting – more than half (57%) of employees don’t consider shouting at work to be bullying, but is this always the case? Shouting at work has something that has become almost normalized by entertainment media creating the stereotypical angry boss character. But in reality, could shouting be considered bullying? It all comes down to context – are you shouting at one person in particular? Are you shouting aggressively or passionately? And is there ever really a need to shout at work in the first place? These things all need to be considered by employers in the face of an employee feeling bullied for this very reason.
• Nicknames – nicknames are, more often than not, a harmless way of expressing camaraderie in the workplace, but employers must ensure that these names don’t use language that could be interpreted as demeaning in any way, as this can lead to individuals feeling victimized. 
• Banter – the current workforce has the largest ever mix of generations working together, which means that lot of workplace banter risks being ‘lost in translation’ due to the fact that the boundaries of acceptability and what is tolerated have shifted so much across the decades. Consequently, what one person may intend as a joke, another may perceive quite differently. Having managers who have been trained to understand what is acceptable means that they can diffuse these situations and act accordingly if someone feels that banter is going too far. 
• Physical Contact – physical contact can be a tricky one, but more often than not employers should encourage everyone to keep their hands to themselves (but this doesn’t mean that a friendly high five or introductory handshake can’t be shared). But for the most part, it’s best to avoid anything physical for fear this can be misinterpreted as a suggestive gesture.

With the rise of cancel culture and movements like Me Too, employers are now more obligated more than ever to ensure they are fostering a working environment where everyone feels safe and included. So, when it comes to managing these grey areas, employers simply have to take it as it comes. Context will play a key role in all of the above scenarios, and any more that may arise. It’s important to listen to the employees involve and investigate accordingly.

If you would like to discuss how we can help strengthen your anti-bullying policies, please get in touch with us today.

There has always been this outdated idea that in order to climb the ranks and come out on top you have to be ruthless, cutthroat, and manipulative. But in reality, there isn’t much evidence that supports this – one longitudinal study conducted over 14 years found that those who were selfish, aggressive, and manipulative were actually less likely to move up the ranks. It was those who were generous, kind, and agreeable who were more likely to be promoted to a position of power.

So how might they continue to be their authentic, kind self when in a position of authority? We can already see that kindness is by no means a symbol of weakness, but with a leadership role comes a certain expectation of having to make the hard decisions, delegate tasks, and maintain a sense of authority that some may feel gets diluted by a kind demeanour. The secret is not blurring the lines between kindness and friendship.

Kwame Christian – known for his work around compassionate curiosity – discusses how the best advice he was ever given was that to be successful, you need to be respected rather than liked. And this notion is particularly poignant when it comes to balancing kindness and authority in a way that leads to the respect of your peers rather than their affection.

Leaders have to actively be reinforcing professional boundaries with their team; you don’t have to be friends with the people who work for you to know them and what’s important to them, both in and outside the workplace. It’s about having and fostering that benevolent concern for your team in a respectful way.

As with many aspects of communication, it’s important to check your intention. Leaders should always be taking a step back when making a decision and think about why they are deciding this. This can be incredibly helpful when having to deliver difficult decisions or an undesired outcome to an employee, as it offers them an insight into why you have come to this conclusion and why it is a necessary one for the wider health of the company.

What I have personally found to be particularly effective in these instances is having an insight into the workstyle preferences of the people I am working with. Years ago, I had a boss who would frequently change her mind on the direction she wanted something to go in, which would require consistent reworking from me to the point that I once ended up on version 37 of the draft! Whilst this was frustrating, I now realize that if my boss and I had undergone a process like SurePeople’s psychometric assessment, I would have seen from her Prism profile what kind of a leader she was and how her decision-making process worked. Having that insight would have helped me better understand how to work with her needs, just as her having access to my own profile would give her an insight into how I worked best. Leaders who have access to tools such as Prism will find it much more manageable to have those more difficult conversations with their team members.

Overall, it can be a tricky thing to be a leader who is nice and kind but whose authority is still respected. That’s why I believe it’s best to steer away from the notion of being the leader who wants to be pals with everyone and instead focus more on being the leader who offers everyone respect and expects this back in return.

If you would like to discuss the executive coaching services that we offer, or if you would like to get a deeper understanding into the Prism psychometric profiling technology, please get in touch with me at anya@orgshakers.com