What can HR learn from Theresa May's conference speech?

Yesterday, Prime Minister Theresa May’s conference speech was plagued with misfortune - a persistent cough, a prankster handing her a fake P45, and to add to it, an unstable stage that sabotaged her slogan.

Despite the setbacks, May responded in a quintessentially British fashion; she was polite, kept calm and carried on, putting forward her range of new policies as part of her mission to promote a ‘British dream’ - despite the scene engulfing her in a nightmare.

The PM outlined policies such as putting £2billion towards building 25,000 new council houses and social homes, draft legislation for a cap on energy bills and, she apologised for her campaign shortcomings in the summer snap election.

But what does May’s speech hold for HR? Firstly, she battled through an important speech, despite being ill. Whilst this indicates her responsibility as a leader, it also draws attention to the sinister problem of presenteeism, echoing throughout UK workforces. According to Aviva’s Working Lives report, UK workers are three times more likely to go into work unwell than ‘pull a sickie’.