Strategic HR Digest | Why high performance starts with people, not pressure

Your HR strategy shouldn’t just measure output—it should enable it.

This guide lays out what forward-thinking HR looks like in 2025: tech-enabled, values-driven, and built to help people perform, adapt, and grow.

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📘 The People-First Performance Playbook is your no-fluff guide to modern performance, backed by real-world examples and tools.

EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION

CIPD members have actively contributed to the UK Employment Rights Bill, playing a crucial role in shaping its details through collaboration with policymakers, business, and trade unions. Their insights, drawn from real-life workplace impacts, have been praised at a recent House of Lords reception, reinforcing the CIPD's influence in employment law reform.

AI LEADERSHIP TRENDS

AI empowers leaders to enhance decision-making and interpersonal connections without needing technical expertise. By leveraging AI, leaders can improve team performance across various departments, emphasising human attributes and valuing progress. This approach is particularly valuable for those managing businesses or careers in Thailand.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HR professionals are crucial in guiding employees through career planning by helping set goals, outline career paths, and support growth through training. This structured approach is vital for fostering employee retention, improving job satisfaction, and developing a motivated workforce. Prioritising professional development ensures companies remain competitive and attract talent.

HR STRATEGY

Despite the increasing pressure for HR to contribute to business growth, many organisations still treat HR merely as a compliance function, limiting their potential benefits. Investing in HR can lead to 34% better business outcomes over five years. Leveraging AI in HR processes further enhances performance by 8%, driving essential improvements and competitive edge.

TALENT STRATEGY

In a forward-looking analysis, the decision-making framework regarding whether to build, buy, or borrow talent is explored, essential for HR leaders seeking effective talent acquisition strategies. Emphasising the significance of Generative AI, the text highlights its potential in transforming HR tech, underscoring the relevance for organisations keen on embracing technological advancements in workforce management.

AI JOB DISPLACEMENT

A 32% drop in UK entry-level job vacancies since the launch of ChatGPT is more than a headline — it's a signal of structural disruption. As firms like IBM and Klarna shift routine tasks to AI, traditional pathways into the workforce are narrowing, particularly for graduates and early-career talent.

For HR leaders, this demands a rethink of how we onboard, train, and develop future-ready employees. If AI can do the entry-level job, what replaces the ‘first rung’ on the career ladder? How do we build experiential learning into roles that no longer exist in their old form? The response can’t be just urging workers to “adapt.” HR must lead the design of new talent pipelines — ones that blend AI fluency, human judgement, and accelerated development models to ensure tomorrow’s workforce isn't left behind.