Strategic HR Digest | Mental Health Is a Business Metric—Here’s the Proof

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week—and a timely moment to reflect on the real impact of well-being at work.

Burnout, absenteeism, disengagement—these aren’t just HR issues, they’re business risks. Avado’s guide breaks down the hidden costs of poor mental health and makes a clear case for why well-being should be on every leadership agenda.

Packed with practical strategies—from AI-powered insights to flexible working and digital well-being tools—it’s a must-read for HR teams looking to lead with empathy and impact.

📥 Read the full guide →

TALENT ACQUISITION POLICY

The UK’s latest immigration reforms mark a significant inflection point for HR leaders. With stricter Skilled Worker visa thresholds, the removal of new care worker visas, and heightened settlement criteria, access to global talent is tightening—especially in sectors already facing acute shortages. For HR professionals, this necessitates a strategic recalibration: compliance processes must be reviewed and tightened, cost modelling updated, and workforce planning reoriented around long-term domestic talent pipelines.

The changes place renewed pressure on L&D teams to accelerate upskilling initiatives and strengthen internal mobility frameworks. In the absence of international hires, retention and capability development will become mission-critical. HR leaders must also navigate reputational and wellbeing considerations as affected staff seek clarity and reassurance. Ultimately, these reforms shift immigration policy from a hiring lever to a strategic constraint—demanding a more proactive, agile HR response aligned to business continuity and future readiness.

HR INNOVATION

Olena Derkach’s STEP methodology provides an actionable framework for embedding mental health into HR, yielding measurable gains like improved engagement, productivity, and retention. Her approach is especially relevant for organisations navigating growth, highlighting that sustainable success hinges on genuinely supporting employee well-being—not superficial wellness programmes.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Internal mobility accelerates workforce growth by redeploying existing employees into new positions, leveraging their institutional knowledge and cultural alignment while reducing recruitment costs and improving retention. Structured programmes and targeted development plans allow organisations to address skill gaps, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and build long-term loyalty among staff.

COMPETITION REGULATIONS

Google warns that implementing Department of Justice antitrust remedies, including sharing sensitive search data and potentially divesting Chrome, would require reallocating up to 2,000 staff, heighten privacy risks, and compromise proprietary technology. The outcome, expected by August, could transform consumer information access and eCommerce landscapes.

WORKPLACE INNOVATION

AI-powered leadership is rapidly reshaping the future of work, demanding that leaders strike a balance between harnessing intelligent technologies and retaining the indispensable human touch. Industry experts at the AWS GenAI Loft event address practical strategies for integrating AI into leadership, from early detection of employee disengagement and data-driven retention to the automation of performance management—all while maintaining meaningful mentorship. The emphasis lies in creating AI-augmented workplaces that foster well-being and productivity, not just operational efficiency.

The discussion moves beyond hype, providing actionable insights for senior engineers, HR professionals, and team leaders who seek to future-proof their organisations. Platforms such as Catch Up AI exemplify this paradigm, offering bespoke, generative AI solutions for proactive coaching and workforce optimisation—particularly vital for the evolving demands of Gen Z and remote teams. In essence, the driving force behind future competitiveness will be leaders adept at blending technological advancement with empathetic, human-centric management.