The employment landscape has shifted faster than many of organisations can keep pace with. Hybrid and flexible working are now normalised; employee expectations have risen; and the after‑effects of the pandemic continue to shape productivity, wellbeing and engagement. In short: the context for people leadership has changed, and it’s still changing.
At the same time, organisations are making tough headcount decisions while trying to protect the culture, morale and performance of those who remain. Balancing commercial necessity with genuine care for people has become one of the hardest leadership challenges of our time. Layer on rapid advances in AI, the growing demands of data‑driven work, and an external environment where regulation and stakeholder scrutiny are intensifying, and the pressure on internal HR teams becomes obvious.
The regulatory pivot: From Advice to Action
The biggest change facing UK organisations right now is the introduction of the Employment Rights Act 2025. At a time when many businesses are already under considerable strain, HR teams are preparing for what is expected to be the most significant shift in employment law in decades. Access to high‑quality legal advice is essential. The greater challenge, however, is converting that advice into practical, operational change within the business and/or having the resource to do so. For many HR and business leaders, how they convert legal advice into workable, timely action in their specific context, without exhausting already stretched teams is the question to be answered. At a recent Employment Rights Bill seminar hosted by Eversheds Sutherland, the consensus amongst HR leaders in attendance was that capacity is tight, the workload is rising, and the implementation risk is real.
The management capability gap and why it matters now
CIPD’s evidence continues to show that management capability is uneven. Many managers lack the skills and confidence to handle conflict, performance and sensitive people matters, despite being the first line of response. In fact, capability gaps around conflict management remain a consistent barrier, with lack of line‑manager confidence frequently cited by employers.
Only about half of managers’ report receiving enough training and information to manage people effectively. This signals enablement hasn’t kept pace with the complexity and challenge of our new working environments.
For further information, please contact:
Rachel Morris, Partner, Konexo
rachelmorris@konexoglobal.com
