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The paper aims to report initial empirical research that examines UK employees’ perceptions of the changing nature of work since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) to consider how the financial context may have constrained HRD practice and more sustainable approaches.

Focus group research was facilitated through collective group discussion. Through template analysis of the findings, thematic analysis was undertaken to extend prior research. Themes used by Hassard et al. (2009) in terms of the changing nature of the workplace between 2000 and 2008, were used to provide new data on HRD realities.

Participants reported diminishing personal control over changes within the workplace and a cultural shift towards a harsher work climate. HRD was considered as silenced or absent and associated solely with low cost-based e-learning rather than acting in strategic role supporting sustainable business objectives.

Whilst providing only indications from employee perceptions, the research identifies a weakened HRD function. The key contribution of this paper lies with empirical evidence of post-GFC constraints placed upon HRD strategies. It further identifies whether alternative development approaches, mediated by organisational learning capabilities, might emancipate UK HRD.

This paper engenders a debate around the status of HRD within the UK organisations, further to the global financial crisis (GFC), where HRD might be viewed as at a juncture to argue a need for a shift from a financialised mode for people management towards one of greater people focus.

This research provides initial findings of the impact of the economic climate. It considers new approaches which might resolve expiring HRD through more sustainable practices.

A number of studies and writings have presented ideas about new working practices that might be embraced in the twenty‐first century. Moreover, that, employers would seek to gain their commitment by adopting the high working practices of high performance working (HPW) for organisations to become successful through their strategic approach to the human resource (HR). It is against Watson's model that this paper seeks, in order to gain insights, to explore the perceptions of current HR professionals of their organisations post‐2000.

A survey design is used for the study to collect data over a four‐week period in February 2006 from 100 HR professionals. Using a seven‐point Likert scale questionnaire, adapted from Watson's model, the study is conducted in two phases. The first initial pilot study that surveys 30 HR professionals and after modification, this is extended to a further 70 HR professionals as Phase 2. The respondents are primarily drawn from organisations in the South East of England and they are employed in both public and private sector large organisations and SMEs.

The findings show that Watson's model for HPW was inconsistent with the choices selected by the respondents within the survey. Rather than choose descriptors from the model that solely reflect traditional (mechanistic) organisations or high performance organisations (organic), respondents chose descriptors with many combinations to reflect where they perceive their organisation's practices fell, e.g. organic or rigid/bureaucratic.

This paper demonstrates a need for an appreciation of the potential gap between employer's aspirations and employee's perceptions of organisational actions. In so noting, it recognises that the psychological contract depends upon the perceptions of both parties. Whilst the high level commitment sought by employers from employees, through HPW, may rely totally upon these very perceptions of employees (employability contract vs psychological contract). If not, perceptions of the “reality” within the organisation may not reflect rhetoric of, or aspiration towards, HPW. As a result, this research adds to the understanding of the dynamics and results from the management of change towards HPW. Therefore, it provides also early indications to further research needed when considering the importance of investigating such dynamics to successful implementation of HPW.

Whilst these results are early indications into working practices post‐2000, what they suggest is that HR professionals generally perceive a move towards HPW practices being adopted by other organisations, rather than within their own working environment. It appears to be the most compelling feature of the study to date, is that most of the participants do not report their review of the current practices of their company as generally falling towards Watson's HPW model practices.

This paper seeks to consider employees' perceptions of engagement from their lived experiences of UK employees following the global credit crisis, post 2008. It draws from the prior studies of Hassard et al. (2009), which researched work practices in the period preceding the study.

The research utilised focus group discussion, which was analysed by template analysis from an interpretive perspective and adopts narratives to facilitate a critical interpretive paradigm.

There is clear evidence of theories surrounding the positive value of employee engagement, however the findings do not demonstrate that it is necessarily valued by UK management by their responses towards the work environment given post 2008 trading conditions.

The limitation of the study lies with the size of the sample participating. While this reflects the need for further future research to be undertaken, the study also recognises that the findings are determined by the perceptions of employees which may not reflect the intentions of the management within the organisations which they work.

There is a dearth of empirical study into the post 2008 period. This research attempts to ground theories of engagement within the post global credit crunch timeframe.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Participants reported diminishing personal control over changes within the workplace and a cultural shift toward a harsher working climate in the UK following the global financial crisis. Human resource development was considered as silenced or absent and associated solely with low cost-based e-learning rather than acting in a strategic role to support sustainable business objectives.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.