iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Order from: www.degruyterbrill.com/.../isbn/978... www.amazon.co.uk/Squeezed-Mid...

Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

I've spent years talking to managers across different industries about what the role feels like. The stories were remarkably similar - much of that reflected in this book. If you’ve been in the middle of an organisation & wondered whether it’s supposed to feel this chaotic - you are not alone. 2/

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Today my latest book, The Squeezed Middle, is published. It’s about people most organisations rely on but rarely talk about properly: middle managers. They translate strategy into reality. They manage pressure from above & expectations from below. They hold teams together if things get messy. 1/

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Pleased to have featured on the latest episode of Learning Now TV, being interviewed by Lisa Minogue-White about the role of middle managers in the modern world of work and how we can develop the right attributes for success. Catch it here: learningnow.tv/watch/progra...

learningnow.tv

Learning Now TV - live-streamed internet television channel

Learning Now TV is a live-streamed internet TV channel bringing you the latest L&D news,views and issues.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

My LinkedIn account has been hacked. Please disregard anything that comes from it whilst I work to have it restored.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Thanks Daniel for letting me go first. It’s an exciting day for you and I hope the series goes well!

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Daniel Taylor - Learning and Development @danielt-lnd.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

It’s the launch of #AdventBlogs with the theme of “its time to change”. Our first blog comes from @garycookson.bsky.social, who I took over the curation of #AdventBlogs from, so its only right that he gets us started. www.danieltaylordevelopment.com/blog/the-wor...

linkedin.com

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Please get involved in this wonderful series of #AdventBlogs

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Happy to. Worth reading Chapter 3 of Making Hybrid Working Work which covers the convergence of hybrid, AI and a new working week too.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

No one ever said everyone had to do the same

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

It should, yes. That then raises more questions though at a societal level.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Sharing my views on how AI helps organisations to transform their approach to hybrid working and potentially to redesigning the working week. www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1914... With thanks to Eleanor Whitehouse for commissioning me to write this for People Management.

peoplemanagement.co.uk

AI holds the key to making hybrid work and improving working patterns

Artificial intelligence could open up better flexibility for more people – if employers decide how they want to use it and define the problem they want it to solve, argues Gary Cookson

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Headed to #LT25uk shortly for a day and a half. Unbelievably it’s my first time attending. Looking forward to catching up with so many people, and speaking on three occasions (twice at the Kogan Page stand, and once in the main conference). Please come and say hello if you see me.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

That’s my thinking too. They could do, and currently often do, worse.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

My earlier jobs included teaching, and accountancy. I may have gone back to one of those. Or pursued my dreams of playing football for Man Utd or being a professional wrestler. Not given up on either dream yet. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Other than the enormous piles of money? #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Happy birthday to my beautiful wife Katie xxx

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Mark Catchlove @markcatchlove.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬 Hybrid working isn’t working. Organisations regularly get it wrong, causing frustration and rising tensions in the workplace. In this session Gary Cookson will examine why this is, where hybrid has come from and where it is going www.eventbrite.com/e/hybrid-isn...

eventbrite.com

Hybrid isn’t working - but we can fix it

Key considerations organisations and their leaders need to make in order to get hybrid working

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Tim Glowa @timglowa.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Hybrid work isn’t failing—leadership is. In this episode of The State of Work Today podcast, Gary Cookson (@garycookson.bsky.social) explains why the five-day workweek is outdated, how AI can transform HR, and what it takes to lead hybrid teams effectively. 1/2

hrbrain.ai

Making Hybrid Work, Work: The Future of Leadership, Culture, and AI

Summary: Hybrid work isn’t failing—leadership is. In this episode of The State of Work Today podcast, Gary Cookson explains why the five-day workweek is outdated, how AI can transform HR, and what it ...

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Tim Glowa @timglowa.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

If your company is struggling with productivity, culture, or engagement, this episode has the answers. Listen now: pod.fo/e/2bb037 #Leadership #HybridWork #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #AI 2/2 (end)

pod.fo

#30 - Making Hybrid Work, Work – with Gary Cookson

The State of Work Today · Episode

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Tim Glowa @timglowa.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Missed yesterday’s State of Work Today podcast? You need to catch up. Gary Cookson joined me to talk about how companies are failing at hybrid work—and what they need to fix. One of his biggest insights? Hybrid work isn’t the problem—bad leadership is. 1/2

pod.fo

#30 - Making Hybrid Work, Work – with Gary Cookson

The State of Work Today · Episode

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Really enjoyed taking part in this podcast

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Have you read Making Hybrid Working Work? If so, would you please leave me an Amazon review? www.amazon.co.uk/review/creat... Thank you in advance.

amazon.co.uk

Amazon Sign In

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

People are messing me about with my book research and it’s making me mad. They offer to help and then ghost me or, worse, try to sell me something.

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4 Day Week Foundation @4dayweek.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Congratulations to @garycookson.bsky.social for becoming a Gold Standard 4-day week employer!🥳🥳 Epic HR have made it their mission to help businesses adapt, evolve and excel. It’s clear they’ve applied the same goals to their own business by implementing a 4-day week! 🙌

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Pleased to have added my thoughts to this piece by Islam Soliman in People Management magazine on data that shows hybrid working and flexibility in general boosts women's (and by extension all working parents) career progression. What are your views? www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1909...

peoplemanagement.co.uk

Majority of women say hybrid work boosts their career progression, study shows

Research finds flexible working is nearly twice as valued as parental leave, with most women prioritising it over family-focused policies

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Remembering Pancake Day in 2018 when I travelled 1st class on Virgin Trains and was so disappointed they didn’t serve pancakes that I tweeted them to moan. Several days later a pancake maker arrived by post, courtesy of Virgin Trains.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Really pleased to be invited onto the OrgDev podcast hosted by Dani Bacon & Garin Rouch. It publishes today - find it wherever you get your podcasts, plus YouTube. We had a great time recording this, - I loved sharing my thoughts on how to make hybrid working work. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6o...

youtube.com

Hybrid Work Leadership Essentials for Success | Gary Cookson | OrgDev Podcast #59

YouTube video by Garin & Dani - Distinction Consulting

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Pleased to have added my thoughts to this piece in People Mgt on whether the trend for “micro-retirements” has merit. TL:DR - yes but you need enormous piles of money to do it more than once, or be prepared to work longer. Would you be attracted to it? www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1908...

peoplemanagement.co.uk

Micro-retirements: social media fad or the future of work?

As the trend takes off on TikTok, People Management asks if it is here to stay and how employers should respond

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Right place, right time. And yes he was a great man. Still is, and though retired for 10 years and not too healthy, I’m in regular contact and spoke with him yesterday. Those kinds of actions you don’t forget. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

I’m not sure that ever happened. I’m still learning. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Was managing L&D for an organisation where HR was outsourced. I was fully CIPD qualified even though I was an L&D specialist, and kept getting asked HR questions as outsourced HR was rubbish. One day CEO said to me “we are bringing HR in-house, how do you fancy being our Head of HR?” #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Wondering if replying to a request from People Management for comments on a particular topic is ideally done after three-quarters of a bottle of wine. We'll find out. I will report back tomorrow.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

It was great to see you after so long. Thank you for coming to the event.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Pleased to announce EPIC is now a Gold Accredited Four-Day Week organisation. We have been four-days for 3 years - it works well. So much has been learnt. I spend part of my time helping organisations to consider what the working week looks like for them. Interested to know more? Message me.

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Is the opposite of real pants = imaginary pants? I can imagine that would get people into a lot of bother. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

I dispute if there is a push. The data doesn’t support that. Remote & hybrid working has stayed stable for over 2 years. Don’t be deceived by the headlines. And if anything with improved use of AI, it should slowly increase. Plus the demographics of those anti remote are not in their favour #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Tells us more about his habits than anything else. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

If the next question is “What’s the best book to read if you want to get this kind of stuff right”, I. AM. SO. READY. FOR. IT. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Correct. We can’t assume people know how to do “office” any more much as we can’t assume they can’t do remote or hybrid. Leaving it to chance isn’t a good approach. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

The media coverage is not balanced. There are no headlines about companies making a success of hybrid working because that doesn’t generate clicks or sell newspapers. But there are more making it work than giving up. #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Does it matter as long as it is provided? #HRHour

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Gary Cookson @garycookson.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

We should provide support, guidance, counselling. We should demonstrate empathy and understanding and be patient. We should phase it in over a longer period. Or we could just…not transition back to the office and question why that’s needed. #HRHour

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