The best ways to motivate employees in 2026 are much the same as they were 50 years ago, but many employers continue to rely on tactics that have "zero" long-term impact, according to a performance specialist.
In a time of fatigue, fear, and retreat, diversity advocates are calling on executives and HR practitioners to sustain progress, emphasise the strategic value of DEI, and counter polarisation with the Australian ethos of a "fair go for all".
Many post-pandemic policies have broken the psychological contracts that exist between workplaces and employees, but they can be repaired, according to a global leadership expert.
Capability, rather than "courage", is what drives employees to act when they witness workplace misconduct or inappropriate behaviour, according to a people and culture expert.
The number one barrier to bystander intervention in the workplace isn't apathy, but employees thinking they don't have "permission" to act, a behaviour specialist says.
Return-to-office drives will encounter "intense headwinds" if they're perceived as more employer-friendly than employee-friendly, according to academics with advice for organisations' policies, messaging and implementation.
When there's "drama" in a team, leaders should look for habits and systems that drain people's energy rather than assume the problem is difficult personalities, a leadership specialist says.
When it comes to tapping into employee advocacy to strengthen employer brands, Australia needs to "play catch up" with other countries, a specialist says.
Workplace bullying complaints continue to pose significant challenges for employers, including where the behaviour doesn't meet the legal definition of bullying or the threshold to make a claim. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to understand key lessons from cases where bullying complaints interact with other claims and issues.
What constitutes "best practice" when managing neurodiversity at work is evolving all the time. Watch this HR Daily Premium webcast to learn how to embed neuroinclusive practices into HR programs and every stage of the employment lifecycle.