Pause for Thought
Happy New Year! I’m never sure what the protocol is for this greeting. Is it acceptable for the first day of January, week or longer? Well, whatever it is I still wish you a happy 2026.
As we progress to another year, we will be faced with challenges and opportunities whereby the decisions and actions we take will determine the outcomes we experience. Undoubtedly 2026 will throw us a few curve balls namely around the way we work and how we adapt the shifts in expectations. Globally, human capital is changing. Expectations of them and from them and who we need for what roles will all come into play in the coming months, and with rumours of the AI bubble bursting we could find ourselves back in the times where there will be more jobs than there are people to fulfil them. Couple this with lack of experience and skills to perform the tasks and we have a perfect storm on the horizon.
I am a fan of the Undercover Boss programme shown in the UK on Channel 4. I wrote an article for LinkedIn a number of years ago sharing my observations of this programme, with 3 common factors that seemed to appear in every episode of the top boss going undercover in their organisation. To add to this, more recently I have observed an alarming fact that seems to be creeping in to the modern workforce. The series covers organisations from the UK, USA, and Canada with the most episodes focusing on businesses in the USA. The alarming trend I have witnessed in the American episodes (and I do appreciate this is televised and edited), is the ‘sink or swim’ method of training new people in the organisation. Remember the new recruit is in disguise and is being trained up on a variety of roles within the organisation. All too often the established member of staff in charge of training the new individual is an ‘expert’ in the job role and has limited if any understanding what it is like to be a beginner. Their level of expectation after a rapid shadow is way too high and disabling.
We need to invest time and effort imparting knowledge and skills to facilitate application and performance improvement. There is no hack or cheat method to accelerate performance to the desired state. We need to remember what it felt like being new in any job role or tasks set. Learning takes time and progressive steps to convert into accomplished performance. When we design and deliver our Train the Trainer programme, we focus on measuring the learning application to ensure there is acceptable speed to competence thus capitalising on return on investment from recruitment and promotion.
Whatever happens in 2026 we will need to take stock of what we need to survive, thrive and compete in our respective organisations then look at our behaviours and structures to meet these needs. Undoubtedly, we will need to re-invest in our people and their development to ensure we are all fit for purpose. Not just tick a box or go for the cheap option but choose the right option to bring about the best results.
News
I found an interesting article on ‘How training can play a part in solving the UK productivity puzzle’. It makes the case that the UK’s productivity problem is closely tied to how little employers invest in training. While businesses regularly point to skills shortages; especially in areas like AI, digital technology, cybersecurity and green jobs, spending on staff training has actually fallen by 28% in real terms since 2005 and is now less than half the EU average. This comes at a time when government and industry data show demand for higher-level skills is growing fast, and the economic payoff from training is clear. Treating learning as a “nice-to-have” might save money in the short term, but in reality it’s holding back productivity, innovation and growth across the economy.
The article also highlights a growing gap between what workers want and what employers provide. Many employees expect training and see it as key to their career progression, yet cost and time are still major barriers. New government initiatives, such as the Growth and Skills Levy and the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, aim to make training more flexible and accessible—but employers need to make use of them. Crucially, it’s not just about technical skills: adaptability, critical thinking and communication are just as important for thriving in a fast-changing workplace. The message is straightforward: if employers want a more productive, competitive workforce, training can’t be the first thing cut—it has to be a core part of the strategy.
To read the article in full visit: How training can play a part in solving the UK productivity puzzle
Insight
UK employers now see reskilling and upskilling as their biggest HR challenge, overtaking employee wellbeing for the first time, according to new research from SD Worx. The study shows that 29.3% of UK employers rank skill gaps as their top concern, reflecting mounting pressure from labour shortages and changing skills needs. Talent acquisition, wellbeing, employee engagement and retention all remain close behind, but wellbeing has slipped from first to third place compared with 2024. At the same time, concerns around compliance, payroll optimisation and internal mobility have risen sharply, highlighting growing complexity in workforce management.
The research also paints a picture of a workforce under strain. High stress levels, mental health-related absences and staff shortages are affecting both employees and employers, with many teams feeling under-resourced and expecting pressures to increase. Despite this, most employees are not actively looking to leave their organisations, and a significant number are interested in moving roles internally. This presents an opportunity for employers to focus on internal mobility and reskilling as a way to retain talent, reduce recruitment pressures and build future-ready skills, provided they balance training efforts with continued support for employee wellbeing.
To read the article in full visit: UK Employers Rank Reskilling as Top HR Challenge for 2025 | SD Worx