The recent impact webinar hosted by Antwerp Management School (AMS) regarding their research project, 'Well-being Works', provided a fresh perspective on corporate health. While many organizations invest heavily in workshops and fruit baskets, long-term well-being often remains elusive. The session challenged traditional approaches and introduced a scientifically grounded framework for sustainable change. 1. Moving Beyond Symptom Management Professor Dr. Kathleen Vangronsveld noted that the post-pandemic era saw a surge in well-being initiatives that often missed the mark. Many organizations focus on "downstream" outcomes, such as absenteeism and burnout. However, real impact requires "upstream" thinking: identifying the actual predictors of well-being in the workplace rather than just treating the symptoms. 2. The Six Hearts: A New Compass The AMS research highlights that a healthy work environment must satisfy six universal human needs: Autonomy: Having control over one's work and de

Every year, we make resolutions. We look back, we reflect, and we promise ourselves that this year will be different. We will lose weight, exercise more, work less, spend more time with family and friends, finally tackle the garden. And almost every year, most of it doesn’t happen. The same pattern applies to HR. At the start of each year, HR defines ambitions, priorities, roadmaps and initiatives. And somewhere along the way, many of them fade out. Not because they were wrong, but because daily reality takes over. Because the effort is clear, but the value is uncertain. Because we aim for targets instead of focusing on what really changes when we reach them. So the real question is not what HR’s resolutions should be for 2026, but how we formulate them — and whether they are meaningful enough to survive the year. Progress does not come from lofty promises. It comes from choices that are both relevant and feasible. From focusing less on everything we could do, and more on what truly m

Frank Helsmoortel Tot nu verliep de samenwerking tussen collega’s eerder vreedzaam. Natuurlijk botst het wel eens: over de vakantieplanning, de werkverdeling of de kwaliteit van de koffie. Mondiale spanningen bleven meestal netjes buiten. Organisaties hanteerden een impliciete afspraak: we komen hier werken, niet om discussies te voeren over onderwerpen die zelfs wereldleiders niet kunnen oplossen. Maar dat ongeschreven pact brokkelt snel af. Een jurist internationaal recht vertelde me onlangs dat zelfs in zijn vak, traditioneel doordrenkt met diplomatie, nuance en beleefde omwegen, de gesprekken harder worden onder invloed van openlijk gepolariseerde discussies in meetings. Op het HRpro congres in oktober schetste een internationale spreker me bij de koffie, hoe ze een Russisch en Oekraïens teamlid uit hetzelfde project moest halen. Hun prima samenwerking vóór de oorlog, verdampt tot hard botsende visies en deliverables die eronder leden. Niet omwille van hun competenties, wel door hu

By David Ducheyne — President of HRPro.be Every few years, someone declares that HR is over. And yet, somehow, HR never seems to go away. This time, it’s The Economist that sounds the alarm. Their recent article observes that HR has been on an impressive rise—both in numbers and influence. In the past decade, the number of HR professionals in the U.S. grew by 64%, far outpacing overall job growth. CHROs now earn about 70% of what other senior executives make (up from 40% in the early 1990s), and many are even moving into CEO roles. The reason is clear: the world of work has been in constant flux. A decade of turbulence has given HR a central role in helping organizations navigate it all—MeToo, the pandemic, hybrid work, wellbeing, DEI, and a flood of new regulations on everything from minimum wages to workplace conduct. The shortage of skilled talent and the relentless pace of change have only strengthened HR’s strategic position. But The Economist sees storm clouds on the horizon. Lay

Insights from the CIPD Annual Conference Panel At this year’s CIPD Annual Conference in Manchester, one of the most thought-provoking sessions looked at the future skills the UK economy will need to drive growth. The discussion brought together Gemma Marsh (Deputy CEO, Skills England), Fiona Aldridge (Chief Executive, Skills Federation), and Jeremy Lane (VP Growth Marketing, Dayforce) — three people at the intersection of government policy, industry insight, and HR technology. The conversation, chaired under the “Future Skills” stream, tackled a central question: how can the UK build a workforce that’s ready for the next decade of technological and social change? 1. A Complex Skills System in Need of Simplification Gemma Marsh opened with a candid reflection on the UK skills landscape: “The skills system is very, very complicated.” Skills England — a relatively new government body — has been tasked with making sense of it all. Its mission is simple to say, complex to achieve: “Better s

To remain competitive in the future, a blend of advanced soft skills, digital literacy, and adaptability is essential. Research consistently highlights that soft skills—such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence—are increasingly valued alongside technical and digital skills. These human-centric abilities are difficult to automate and are crucial for navigating complex, technology-driven environments (Poláková et al., 2023; Westover, 2025; Li, 2022; Zhang et al., 2024). Digital literacy and the ability to work with emerging technologies (e.g., AI, data analysis, programming) are also vital, as technological change continues to reshape job requirements (Johnson et al., 2021; Li, 2022; García-Pérez et al., 2021; Usmar et al., 2025; Bera et al., 2024). The most competitive individuals will possess a balanced mix of both digital and soft skills (Poláková et al., 2023; Li, 2022; Zhang et al., 2024). Lifelong learning and th