HR departments were once the middlemen in companies – they found the talent, trained them up, and gave them a way to communicate complaints. But their role is no longer about managing processes, it’s about building connections between people and empowering them to do their best work.

As the employee perks offered by companies become even more outlandish – from unlimited holiday to in-house saunas – many companies are moving away from traditional hierarchies and workspaces. But union membership is rising, particularly among the under 35s. So are these trendy bosses and their happiness officers getting it wrong?

The UK Government is launching a publicity drive to raise awareness of shared parental leave, as many new parents do not understand their rights when it comes maternity/paternity leave. The initiative will cater to the majority of Gen Y dads, who want to have closer relationships with their children.

Research from the University of Manchester has found that fathers who look after their babies are less likely to separate from their partners than those who are less involved in a child’s first year. It highlights the benefits of taking paternity leave and shunning traditional gender roles.