Our latest thinking and thought leadership
Here you can find our latest thought leadership, blogs, webinars, podcasts and videos. Use the filters below to browse our insights based on topic, or format. If you have a topic you’d like to suggest then get in contact with us today.
In the spotlight

Should your business have a Chief AI Officer?
As artificial intelligence reshapes the way we work, a new C-suite role is gaining attention: the Chief AI Officer (CAIO). But is this position a strategic necessity, or just another corporate fad? Watch the full conversation between Chris and Martin Colyer, Director...

The empathy engine: Navigating AI-driven change with people at the core
Over the past six months, the UK labour market has experienced a consistent trend of job redundancies across multiple sectors. The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often cited as a key accelerator in these job losses, particularly in the technology,...

How our payroll community can boost your payroll strategy
In a recent conversation, Chris Howard sat down with LACE payroll experts Simon Bunday and Simon Puryer to unpack the not only the insights from our latest whitepaper but also the power of our payroll community. They emphasised how the community, through shared...

To deliver workforce transformation, HR must continue to transform itself
In most organisations, the HR of 2025 is worlds apart from the HR of the recent past: more strategic, more business-focused, more tech-savvy, and elevated, with the role of Chief People Officer (CPO) firmly seated around the C-suite table. But with disruption...

Is HR facing a silent mental health crisis?
If you’ve ever asked yourself who’s looking out for the people who look after everyone else, the latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast dives straight into that question. Chris Howard is joined by clinical psychologist and Ultimate Resilience co-founder Dr....

Understanding the KDDs – what are they and why do you need to know?
Key Design Decisions (KDDs) are a crucial step in implementing any end-to-end solution or transformation ambition within an organisation. As you begin your technology journey, there are numerous questions to consider across various business functions - particularly HR...

Why merging HR and IT could be the key to unlocking AI’s full potential
What happens when two of the most culturally distinct functions in a business—HR and IT—are brought together under a single umbrella? This was the topic of a recent article from The Wall Street Journal titled Why Moderna Merged Its Tech and HR Departments. This...

JGA and LACE Fantasy Premier League 2025/26
Back for its second season: The JGA and LACE Fantasy Premier League (FPL)! LACE Partners has once again teamed up with JGA Recruitment to bring some footballing fun to the HR and Payroll communities with our free-to-enter Fantasy Premier League (FPL)...

EU AI Act – HR, are you prepared?
The clock is ticking. With the EU AI Act coming into force in August 2025, HR leaders, transformation directors, CIOs face a critical question: are we ready? This landmark legislation isn’t just another compliance hurdle; it’s a significant shift in how...

Can HR play a role in driving business transformation?
What does it really take for HR to become a driving force in business transformation? In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris Howard and founder of LACE Partners, Aaron Alburey, dive into findings from our latest research into HR’s role in...

Key insights: Innovation and optimisation in HRSS and Payroll
This week’s blog from Chris Horton comes following a recent meet up of our HR Shared Services and Payroll communities, a half day event featuring panels, roundtables and great discussion. Read on for insights from our two panels. Learn more about our communities here....

How can you build trust in AI and future-proof your HR strategy?
AI is transforming the world of work at speed—but with great potential comes a need for clarity, accountability, and smart, human-centred decisions. That’s why we developed the TRUSTED AI framework at LACE Partners: a practical, values-led model to help organisations...
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