What 2025 has taught me: clarity, consistency, and common sense
This year pushed HR into sharper focus, particularly regarding pay. Conversations with clients, employees, and leadership teams have shown me just how quickly expectations are shifting. Yet, among these changes, I was reminded that the basics matter just as much as adapting to the new reality.
The cost of informal pay
One clear lesson was how many organisations are finally seeing the gaps in their pay structures. Employees in Malta are not yet asking for full clarity about how they are paid, but employers are becoming aware of the risks of running on informal practices for too long. As companies grow, old inconsistencies start to show. Managers struggle to justify decisions. Employees sense imbalance. Many organisations are still building proper frameworks, but once these are in place, leaders will feel more confident and decisions will make more sense.
Impact over hours
Hybrid work continues to reshape how we think about contribution. After COVID, many companies tried to resist hybrid arrangements. Some still do. But this year I saw more employers realise that time connected to work is not a reliable measure. Output, accountability and consistency matter far more. The shift towards rewarding impact is slow, but it is happening.
The necessity of structure
On a personal level, 2025 reminded me how much structure supports sanity. As a mother of three young boys, predictability at home is what keeps everything running. I see the same in HR. Clear expectations make things easier. When direction is vague, pressure builds. A good system prepares and protects us, whether at home or in a company.
Complexity kills compliance
I was also reminded that processes only survive if they are practical. If we over-complicate policies, they fall apart. If compensation models rely too much on theory and not enough on common sense, people disconnect from them. The systems that work are the simple ones, written in plain language and built on principles people can actually follow.
Why this matters
This year has shown again that HR is not fixed. It changes as people, culture and business needs change. My role is to cut through complexity, focus on what matters and help companies build structures that work in everyday life, not just on paper.
2025 reinforced why I value this profession. It sits at the intersection of strategy, fairness, and human behaviour. It shapes the working lives of people trying to do their best within systems not always designed for them.
That is what keeps me committed to doing this work well.
About the author
Maria Bartolo Zahra is Managing Partner and HR & Compensation Specialist at SurgeAdvisory. She has over twenty years of human resources and business advisory experience.