HR loves a good metric. Attrition rates, engagement scores, time to hire—it’s all neat, tidy, and utterly meaningless if we don’t know what we’re actually trying to measure. We’ve spent the last 18 months at Freeformers untangling this mess, and we’ve got news for you: most HR data is designed to validate the existence of […]
HR’s data problem: why you’re measuring the wrong things Read More »
If you missed our latest live stream, catch up below. But if you’re more of a reader, let’s break down a flawed assumption that keeps L&D stuck in a loop: learning design, no matter how well-intentioned, is still just an internal function. It rarely changes the system employees operate in—it just adds another layer on
You’re not designing for learners—you’re designing in a bubble Read More »
For decades, HR has clung to psychometric tests like a horoscope for employees—a neat little PDF that promises to unlock the mysteries of how people think and act at work. But how much of it is actually science, and how much is just workplace astrology with better branding? This was the question at the heart
Psychometric Tests: The HR Horoscope We Pretend Is Science Read More »
When you Google the word “probation,” you’re hit with images of courtrooms, gavels, and orange jumpsuits. Hardly the warm, welcoming vibe you’d expect from starting a new job. And yet, here we are, still using the same term to describe the first 90 days of employment. Why? This was the core question we tackled in
Rethinking probation: from proving to partnering in the first 90 days Read More »
There’s a lot to unpack about leadership, and this week’s live stream with Emilie and me was no exception. Inspired by the now-infamous video of BrewDog founder James Watt and Georgia Toffolo discussing their relentless work ethic, we dove headfirst into the complexities of leadership, blind spots, and the delicate balance between humanity and commerciality.
From BrewDog to blind spots: leadership disconnects that fail employees Read More »
We are back with a bang with our first livestream of 2025. Following Toby’s declaration to LinkedIn that he was going to be “little spicy, a little provocative but always honest” we took the plunge with a big one. The Zuckerberg Guide to Employee Experience: Kill DEI and Call It Progress And why that might
Is this the end of DEI? Not if we can help it Read More »
Corporate social learning has been a buzzword in HR and L&D for years, yet most organisations still haven’t figured out how to make it work. Despite investing in new learning platforms, champion models, and internal social networks, engagement remains low and impact is questionable at best. Why? Because most companies are forcing social learning instead
The future of workplace engagement isn’t in your LMS—it’s in Esports Read More »
In Moneyball, Brad Pitt’s character, Billy Beane, is trying to build a winning baseball team with zero budget. He goes to the team owner, asking for more money to bring in the best players, only to be turned down. Sound familiar? HR teams know this struggle all too well. We want to create outstanding employee
HR is broken—why Brad Pitt holds the key to fixing it. Read More »
Ever wondered what stand-up comedians, Esports influencers, and professional wrestlers have in common with workplace leadership? Probably not. But stay with me. A while back, I found myself in a wrestling ring, attempting to become a professional wrestler. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out. But what I learned in that process—and in my experiences with
Your leaders are boring. Here’s how to fix them. Read More »
We’re on a mission to revolutionise how businesses are measuring (and then design) their Employee Experience. You may have seen our last case study, exploring the value of Arsenal FC’s Employee Experience. This time, in lieu of any international holidays, we decided to look at three very well known airline companies to see what we
Air travel: how to measure the Employee Experience of three well known airlines Read More »
