Katie HR Consulting

24/06/2026

With the current weather it’s probably a good time to talk about work, tiredness and summer wellbeing.

The hot weather can be lovely but it can also negatively affect sleep, concentration, mood, energy, patience, decision-making and safety. It can make commutes harder, home working spaces uncomfortable, offices stuffy, and already busy days feel much more draining. Yet, in many workplaces, everything carries on as though nothing has changed with the same expectations, pace, deadlines, and meeting schedules.

I’ve written a blog post on Heat, Tiredness and Work: The Summer Wellbeing Bit We Forget, looking at why heat matters at work and what employers and managers can think about during hotter weather.

It includes simple, practical things like reviewing meeting load, adjusting expectations, encouraging proper breaks, thinking about home working conditions, planning outdoor or physical work carefully, and making it easier for people to say when they are struggling.

Read the full blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/heat-tiredness-and-work-the-summer-wellbeing-bit-we-forget

What makes the biggest difference to you when you’re working during very hot weather?

22/06/2026

“They’re so low maintenance.” It’s often meant as a compliment. They don’t ask for much, they don’t raise concerns, they just get on with it, they’re easy to manage. Sometimes that really does mean an employee is confident, capable, and happy working independently. But sometimes it doesn't mean this. Sometimes it means they’ve learned not to ask, sometimes it means they don’t feel safe raising concerns, sometimes it means they’re quietly coping, quietly struggling, or quietly disengaging.

I’ve written a new blog post called about low maintenance employees and why managers need to look beyond the surface with the people who seemingly never need anything. Sometimes the steady employees still need support, sometimes the reliable employees still have limits, and sometimes the employees who don’t complain are not always the employees who are fine.

Read the blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/are-your-low-maintenance-employees-really-ok

Have you ever been the low maintenance employeeat work, and what was really going on for you?

18/06/2026

Loneliness can show up at work even when you're busy and surrounded by people.
The theme for this Loneliness Awareness Week is Giving Loneliness a Voice, encouraging open conversations about loneliness and connection.

I’ve written a blog post about how to do that at work without making it awkward or performative. It includes simple prompts for managers and colleagues, plus practical team habits that build connection without forced socialising.

Read the blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/giving-loneliness-a-voice-at-work-without-making-it-awkward

What makes connection easier at work for you, especially during busy weeks?

17/06/2026

Workload Creep Bingo 🧩

You know the feeling when your role expands… but your time, resources, and priorities don’t? Yep. That.

Workload creep often happens quietly until it becomes normalised and then it’s really hard to unpick.

Which square shows up most for you (or your team)?

☑ ‘Just one more thing…’
☑ Your role quietly expands
☑ No priorities, only urgencies
☑ Covering gaps becomes normal
☑ Time for delivery but not planning
☑ You become the ‘go-to’ for everything
☑ Resourcing not discussed
☑ Deadlines set without asking capacity
☑ ‘We’ll review later’ never happens

What’s one boundary that would make the biggest difference right now?

15/06/2026

Most people don't say “I’m lonely”. They say, “Everyone’s busy.” Or “I don’t want to bother anyone.” Or “I’m fine, just a bit flat.”

This Loneliness Awareness Week the theme is Giving Loneliness a Voice, encouraging open conversations about loneliness and connection.

I’ve written a blog post that is basically a loneliness phrasebook, the words loneliness often hides behind, and some simple, human ways we can respond without making it awkward or overcomplicated.

Read the blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/giving-loneliness-a-voice-a-loneliness-phrasebook

What's a phrase you've heard (or used) that might have really meant “I’m lonely”?

12/06/2026

Feelgood Friday 🐾

Skye (Chief Wellbeing Officer and Paw-sitivity Champion) would like to remind everyone that:

1️⃣ breaks are not optional,
2️⃣ fresh air helps, and
3️⃣ snack timing matters.

She’s also a big believer in:
🐾 stepping away from the screen before your brain turns to mush
🐾 doing one thing at a time (unless it’s sniffing and walking)
🐾 and celebrating small wins… ideally with treats

Honestly, not the worst leadership advice.

What’s one small thing you’re doing today to make the weekend feel a little kinder?

11/06/2026

If you wait until people resign to ask what is wrong, you are already late. A mid-year stay interview is one of the simplest ways to understand what is working, what is draining people, and what might push them to leave.

I’ve written a new blog: How to Do a Mid-Year Stay Interview. It includes practical guidance, questions that get real answers, and what to do next so it doesn't become a tick-box exercise.

You can read the blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/how-to-do-a-mid-year-stay-interview

What is one question you wish your manager would ask you about your work experience?

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

Freelance Consultant Boundaries Bingo ✍️

If you’ve ever smiled politely while a project quietly doubled in size… this one’s for you. Being flexible and being boundaryless aren’t the same thing. Clear scope protects quality, relationships, and everyone’s sanity.

◻ Scope creep in real time
◻ ‘Can you just…’ after sign-off
◻ No brief, high expectations
◻ Decision-makers missing from calls
◻ ‘We needed this yesterday’
◻ Chasing for approvals
◻ “Meeting overload to ‘speed things up’
◻ Work expands without budget
◻ Client forgets you’re not in-house

How many squares did you tick?

What’s your best phrase for handling “just one more thing…”?

08/06/2026

I almost don't want to dispel the myth of the quiet week, because I still believe in it. I still catch myself thinking, “When there’s a quiet week, I’ll get this done.” And then suddenly six months have passed and that elusive quiet week never arrived.

So many people and organisations I work with are firm believers in “it’s just this week”. Just this week the diary is full, just this week the inbox is on fire, just this week everyone is stretched...then things will calm down. Except often they don't. “Just this week” becomes the default, and busy becomes normal.

I’ve written a new blog post: The Myth of the Quiet Week. It explores why the quiet week stays mythical, why “just this week” keeps happening, and the small changes individuals, teams and leaders can make to build more sustainable patterns of work.

Read the full blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/the-myth-of-the-quiet-week

What is the thing you’re still waiting to do “when it’s quieter”?