LACE Partners

Pay decisions are rarely simple. What feels fair on paper doesn’t always land that way in practice, especially when context, performance and market pressures all come into play. For HR teams, salary strategy is no longer just an annual exercise. It’s a strategic lever that shapes trust, motivation and long‑term sustainability. A fresh look at pay decisions can often surface where salary strategy feels unclear, and where a bit more structure helps. If you’re reflecting on how salary works across your organisation, explore our Reward and Performance services and speak to our specialists. hubs.la/Q049cp_40 #reward #performance #paystrategy

AI is already reshaping #graduate #jobs and early-career opportunities. In today's blog, Analyst Abhiram Saran explains why entry-level roles are especially exposed to #AI automation, and how this shift threatens traditional talent pipelines if organisations fail to adapt. The article explores a new model of AI-augmented early-career roles, where graduates focus on judgement, problem-solving and working alongside AI tools. Read now: hubs.ly/Q048djJK0 #LACEPartners

How important is leading through change, when it comes to business transformation, whether that is showing employees the 'big picture', or ensuring you get communication and listening in equal measures? In a previous episode of our podcast, Gemma Ryall and Annette Frem talked about how leading through change strengthens business success, so check out the full episode here - hubs.la/Q046XZwV0

Exciting news today as our co-founder Aaron Alburey has had an article featured in @Raconteur! He warns that by ignoring early careers, businesses leaders could be sleepwalking into a talent drought by 2030. With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training and businesses increasingly favouring AI solutions over early talent; it's a perfect storm for a talent crash in the near future. As Aaron says, "entry-level work has never been valuable mainly for the tasks it completes. It is valuable for what it produces - judgement. And judgement is about to become the rarest capability in the labour market." At LACE we're extremely passionate about the value of #earlycareers, an agenda fearlessly led by Fatima Ahamed our Talent Development Manager - so this is a cause close to our hearts. Read the full article here: hubs.la/Q047ndmb0

Many organisations are finding that the workforce is stuck at both ends. Entry routes are narrowing and later‑career talent is underused. The result is a squeezed middle layer. What would change if work was organised by skills rather than job titles? In our latest piece, Emma Johnson shows how a skills‑based approach opens pathways for early careers and over 55s, and restores capacity where it matters. Read now 👉 hubs.la/Q047hmhY0 #skills #LACEpartners

How do you ensure that you can make the change that your business is driving - whether technology, people or processes - can really 'stick' and drive true adoption over a prolonged period of time? We've got a great team of professionals who make it their mission to help deliver on that mantra - helping your people embrace the .new' by looking at what change feels like and how your employees experience it. Find out more about our services here - hubs.la/Q046Y39P0

Change feels very different when it lands on your own doorstep. As a CPO or HR leader, how do you support your people when you’re also navigating tough times yourself? Our latest blog explores practical ways to lead with empathy while still driving progress. How do you currently look after your own resilience during major change? In this recent blog we produced, the Change Team (Ed Sparkes, Annette Frem, Sam Williams, Emily Agg and Julia Orawiec) help to answer the questions: *What specific risks do organisations face when they overlook the emotional impact of “negative” change, such as restructures or cost reductions? *How can leaders and line managers be better prepared and supported to handle emotionally charged conversations during tough change? * What practical steps can transformation teams take to stay tuned in to how change communications are landing across the organisation? Find out more here - hubs.la/Q046JXbw0

There’s an old expression that says that "𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬”. So why is HR, who is typically considered as the experts in talent management, so often the cobbler’s children when it comes to their own career paths? Fortune recently reported that more than a quarter of HR practitioners who responded to the HR Certification Institute’s survey (26%) stated that they have no clear career path, and another 41% report that while there is a sense of direction, it is not well-defined. We at LACE predict that the rise in AI will disrupt HR career paths further … especially for those starting out in their careers who would typically perform the operational and transactional work that is increasingly being automated. A LACE analyst, Talia Pavell, shares her perspective on what early careers might look like in the future of work – find out more here!

Well-designed incentives can transform organisational performance however, poorly designed ones can quietly undermine strategy, culture, and results. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and LACE reward specialists, Julie Elder and Mike Aldred as they explore how organisations can design incentives that genuinely drive the behaviours they want. They discuss why incentives matter, the most common structures companies use, and how leaders can align reward programmes with business strategy to maximise impact. Incentive design sits at the heart of an effective reward strategy. When done well, it aligns people, performance, and business outcomes in a powerful way. If you want to hear the full discussion and deeper insights from reward experts, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast for practical examples and real-world perspectives on designing incentives that work. hubs.la/Q046vNg80

Many organisations are exploring the use of AI agents - our new AI team mates. But who owns them? In our upcoming webinar with @eightfoldai we will be exploring HR's role in being the crutial judgement layer, working with new tools to map skills, potential, and capacity in real time. Register now to hear our speakers unpack this new operating model with practical advice on getting the balance right. Looking forward to it Martin Colyer and Rebecca Warren! #agenticAI #futureofwork

Great leadership does not start with a title. It starts with influence. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, we explore one critical question: how can today’s Chief People Officer (CPO) move from having a seat at the table to genuinely shaping business transformation? Drawing on insights from our research “From implementer to influencer” host Chris Howard and fellow LACEr Debbie Mitchell speak to executive coach Hilary Gee, on how CPOs can build influence among the C-suite. Tune in to this episode of The People Agenda podcast to hear the full discussion and start redefining HR’s role in business transformation. #HR #CPO #transformation hubs.la/Q045HmSX0

AI is reshaping work globally, and employers are struggling to keep pace with the skills and capabilities needed to harness its full potential. That’s why our recent report - From implementer to influencer: Redefining HR's role in business transformation - is resonating. Grounded in research with 450 C‑suite leaders and insights from in‑depth roundtables, it explores how HR can shift from simply reacting to change to leading it, building the skills, agility and strategic influence organisations urgently need. Inside, you’ll find insights on: 🔹 How HR can lead business-wide transformation 🔹 The skills and capabilities shaping the future of HR 🔹 Anchoring people strategy in measurable outcomes 🔹 Seven practical steps for proactive people transformation If you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s a great time to jump in. Huge thanks to our authors and every leader who contributed their experience to shape this work. Download it here: hubs.la/Q045pdp_0

Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) helps organisations ensure they have: the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, at the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥, in the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, at the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 to meet business goals. It goes without saying that the global socio-economic environment is not making that easy, but today's blog from Johanna Clarke de Dromantin shows you key approaches to SWP and how you can get started. 🔹𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭‑𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐖𝐏 Focuses on optimising workforce spend without compromising productivity. It helps organisations shape workforce size and structure in line with financial pressures and budget cycles. 🔹 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬‑𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐖𝐏 Centres on understanding current and future skill needs, assessing internal skill supply, and planning how to close gaps. This approach enables agility by ensuring organisations build or acquire the skills needed for long‑term success. 🔹 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞‑𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐖𝐏 Aligns workforce planning directly to business outcomes. It starts with strategic goals and works backwards to determine the roles, skills, and capabilities needed to deliver those outcomes. Whether your priority is cost efficiency, future‑proofing your skills, or aligning talent to strategic outcomes, this is an important time to tune up your workforce strategy. Read Jo's blog below or get in touch to discuss with the team. #Skills #hrstrategy #SWP #hrtransformation hubs.la/Q0457gfc0

If you haven't had the chance to register for our webinar we're on a panel on, hosted by AdviserPlus tomorrow at 11am - you can still do so here - hubs.la/Q043Qtd_0 We'll be looking at what's changing with the new SSP rules, what it means for businesses and HR teams, as well as giving you some tools for success to make sure you are ready. #hrtransformation #hr #SSP #webinar

This piece is part of our rewired HR campaign, which explores how organisations can redesign their HR models for a more connected, insight driven and AI enabled future. lacepartners.com/rewired-hr/

Is your HR operating model holding you back? The transition from a "service centre" to a "strategic engine" isn't just a trend—it’s a requirement for the AI-driven era. However, many teams are still anchored by legacy models that weren't built for today's data-heavy landscape. In our latest blog, Margaret Ruiseal, Hannah J., Kat Bernardes and Alice McCormack break down how to evolve HR Shared Services into a high-functioning intelligence engine. The result? Better decision-making, a superior employee experience, and more time for the work that actually moves the needle. Read the full guide here: hubs.la/Q044ZFcf0 #HRSharedServices #PeopleAnalytics #FutureOfHR #AI #HRLeadership #LACEpartners

Finding it harder to keep your reward and performance approach fair, simple and ready for what’s coming next? Between incentive design, annual reviews, post‑M&A alignment and new requirements like the EU Pay Transparency Directive, HR teams are being asked to juggle more complexity than ever, often without any extra time or resources to do it. That’s where our Reward & Performance specialists step in. We help you cut through the noise by: ✔ Stripping back and simplifying your incentives ✔ Offering an objective view of your performance cycle ✔ Bringing clarity and consistency after mergers ✔ Navigating PTD requirements with confidence, not stress If you want reward strategies that people genuinely understand - and leaders can rely on - we’re here to help. Drop LACE a note for an independent chat: hubs.la/Q044Zbxj0 #RewardStrategy #EUPayTransparency #M&A #PerformanceandReward

“As the cost to acquire talent goes up and the half-life of some #skills continues to decrease, organisations will need to think about the relevant core skills and capabilities that they need to build to future-proof their business. They need to consider whether these skills can be sourced and grown internally or if there is a need to buy-in externally.” - Margaret Gorman, Corporate Workforce Planning Lead, Met Police In a world where some skills disappear as fast as new ones emerge, organisations can’t rely on yesterday’s capabilities to solve tomorrow’s problems. Skills like basic data entry are fading, while areas such as AI and prompt‑engineering are rapidly rising. As the cost of acquiring talent increases - and the longevity of skills decreases - the question becomes critical: ❔ Which core skills should you be building internally? ❔ Where do you need to buy in external expertise? ❔ And how are you mapping the horizon to stay competitive? Future‑proofing your workforce isn’t a one‑off exercise. It’s a continuous cycle of understanding what’s sunsetting, what’s emerging, and how your business can stay ahead of both. Don’t wait for the gap to appear. Close it now with this blueprint: hubs.la/Q044CG8b0

We're delighted to be working with our friends at AdviserPlus once again with this upcoming webinar, which will be looking at Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the first day of absence and removes the lower earnings limit, making every employee eligible. What impact does it have for HR teams? How will it affect HR operations' teams? How can HR be more proactive with data? How do you identify the capability gaps that contribute to avoidable absence and close them with the right tools and training? Join us on 3rd March @ 11am to find out. Link to register here - hubs.la/Q043QpJg0

The future of Shared Services is location agnostic and employee-led. "I can get the things I need 90% of the time by communicating with an agent myself." Kat Bernardes discusses the convenience of AI in HR shared services allowing employees to self-resolve most of their issues. The shift to self-resolution is changing everything we know about service delivery and workforce strategy. Catch the full episode of the LACE Partners podcast here: 👉 hubs.la/Q044b88T0 #HR #WorkforcePlanning #AI