Pulse Check

The trends, tensions and talking points  - Sept 2026

David d'Souza

Work is always changing, but that is nothing new. I am writing this sitting beneath an auction poster from 1966, run by my great-grandfather in Pembroke Dock. It describes one of the cows for sale as "attractive" - which raises many, many questions.

In the modern workplace, there's a commonality to the work HR professionals do in different environments and a huge variance in how it is applied in context. The job to be done is massively different in tourism to semiconductor production. Regardless of that, there are few sectors in Wales that would say that the external landscape is getting easier.

Here are a few things to keep front of mind over the next 18 months

  • Challenging conditions keep us honest. Organisations are right to expect us to show that we are solving their most important problems, not just the ones we would prefer to tackle. Amid the noise of external change, we should focus on what matters most internally and on the unique context of the organisations we serve. Everything else is distraction.
  • Being brilliant still counts - there is plenty of noise about professionals future-proofing their organisation and thinking strategically. That shouldn't mean that keeping organisations legal and productive is allowed to become undervalued. The better those things are done, the more space and time there is for looking forward.

  • Technology is only a tool - we should focus on using and testing it where it can make a real difference to what matters. If it can help, we have a duty to explore it and the implications for our workforce planning. If it cannot, we have a duty not to be distracted by it.

Change does not happen at one pace or move in one direction, but few roles are likely to look exactly the same in 18 months. That can be both exciting and unsettling. What is clear is that the more change we face, the more we need community. 

It can feel overwhelming to navigate legislative updates or a constant stream of headlines about what comes next on your own. That is why a trusted network of people who can offer support, confidence and fresh perspective has never been more important. It might just be the most important thing.