Drawing on academic research and practitioner experience, this report explores what good leadership looks like and how people professionals can be effective in the selection and development of senior leaders
Good senior leadership is vital in providing organisations with the right strategic direction and oversight. But what are the skills, capabilities and knowledge that senior leaders should be equipped with? And how can people professionals tasked with selecting, developing or advising on senior leadership positions, carry this out effectively?
The CIPD commissioned research that took an evidence-based approach to understanding current practices to provide practical insight into the following questions:
The resulting takeaways and recommendations will help people professionals influence and establish the right leadership in their organisations in a strategic and informed way.
Compare your health and wellbeing practices with the latest trends, drawn from CIPD 2026 research data.
Benchmark your employees' perceptions of work life balance against 2026 CIPD research data
The latest data on job satisfaction, employee perceptions of their organisations, and employee contributions to their organisation's productivity
Listen to episodes of HR People Pod, the CIPD’s fortnightly podcast providing expert insights from HR leaders discussing the topical issues impacting the world of work.
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Read our latest Labour Market Outlook report for analysis on employers’ recruitment, redundancy and pay intentions
Insights, benchmarking data and recommendations from the CIPD's latest survey on employee benefits
A manifesto for fair, skilled and innovative work, setting out CIPD’s recommendations for policy-makers to strengthen the Scottish labour market
A manifesto for fair, skilled and innovative work, setting out CIPD’s recommendations for policy-makers to strengthen the Welsh labour market