Bringing you our top news picks from August; the rise of HR and IT departments merging, the use of AI being hidden from the boss and PwC’s new traffic lights system to track employees.

In a recent TEDx talk in Guildford, communication expert Sally Pritchett talked about how modern organisations are inundated with messages, meetings and channels. So much so that, as her 6 year old daughter candidly described her work - “She just talks all day”.

The flippant comment from Pritchett’s daughter raised a critical insight into today’s productivity challenges; are we overloaded with talking about the work?

Our article deep-dives Pritchett's talk, looking at the rise of tech and what we can do to prevent communication costing us our productivity.

Establishing a strong brand presence and creating trust is crucial. Thought leadership, for a long time, has been a powerful tool for brands to deliver new insights to journalists and to also enhance brand awareness. But to also have data insights can be a gold mine for creating great PR.

For us in the HR/Workplace sector, the conversations are broad – from recruitment, skills development, wellbeing and mental health to employment law, employee relations, AI and tech, to healthcare and pensions – the list is long – because employers and employees experience so many complexities.

This article looks at how data and expert insights offers strong media opportunities for your brand.

Since Joel Kurtzman coined the term ‘thought leadership’ in 1994, the concept of sharing valuable insights and creating industry leading personas has gone from strength to strength, and in recent years marketing departments are increasingly recognising the value thought leadership brings to a brand.

In this article we take a look at how brands can position themselves as authoritative voices within the HR sector to effectively capture media attention.

From AI in PR, to a LinkedIn Live session on thought leadership, to articles in the press on the new era of after-work drinks and Microsoft’s stand on the use of AI in the workplace.

Taking a look at conscious unbossing, the increase in recruitment of Chief AI Officers for big firms, and the 2025 spending review - what HR needs to know.