People Management
People Management is a UK human-resources magazine and the official publication of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
People Management is a UK human-resources publication associated with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). It covers employment policy, workplace practice, leadership, talent acquisition, workforce development, employee relations and the broader responsibilities of people professionals. Although its title uses the general phrase “people management,” the Wikipedia subject refers specifically to the magazine and its related publishing activities rather than to the general business discipline. The publication traces its roots to 1947, when the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM) published a quarterly magazine called Personnel Management. The title passed through several publishing and editorial arrangements as the professional body and the employment sector changed. In 1967, the IPM outsourced publication to Haymarket Press and renamed the magazine Personnel. In 1969, the contract moved to Mercury House Business Publications, where an existing publication was incorporated into a monthly Personnel Management title. In 1981, Susanne Lawrence and David Evans established Personnel Publications Ltd to produce the magazine for the IPM. The publication expanded its format and naming architecture during the late twentieth century. PM Plus was introduced in 1990 as a mid-monthly edition replacing IPM Digest. In January 1995, the merger of the Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Training and Development prompted the launch of the People Management title. The new brand incorporated the identities and editorial inheritances of Personnel Management, PM Plus, Training and Development and Transition. This repositioning reflected a widening professional agenda: the magazine increasingly addressed not only personnel administration but also organizational capability, learning, inclusion, employee wellbeing and strategic workforce management. People Management has also used journalism and publishing campaigns to address workplace inequality and employment access. In 1996, it became the first UK magazine reported to have refused ageist recruitment advertisements. That action developed into a wider anti-age-discrimination campaign, including a charter eventually signed by 65 recruitment communications and marketing organizations. Later coverage addressed employment barriers affecting people with mental illness, ex-offenders, dyslexic people, women, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and gay, lesbian and bisexual workers. The magazine also promoted better management and support for employees with cancer. In 2006, it worked with the baby charity Tommy’s on a campaign about pregnancy at work. The publication changed from a fortnightly schedule to a monthly schedule in 2011, with April 2011 identified as the first monthly issue. In July 2012, its publishing contract moved to Haymarket Media Group. International editions followed in 2015, when People Management Asia and People Management Middle East were launched. Beyond the magazine, its digital presence has included an HR jobs search and a supplier directory, extending the brand into recruitment information and professional services discovery. People Management has received recognition from publishing, business-to-business and professional-sector award organizations. Its honors and shortlists have included awards for covers, editorial work, membership-focused content, age-discrimination campaigning and website performance. The publication is therefore positioned as both a professional journal for HR and people practitioners and a platform for debate about employment standards, workplace inclusion and organizational practice. Its circulation was reported at an average of 134,853 in 2015, although no current circulation figure is established by the supplied material.
History
People Management developed from the professional magazine published by the Institute of Personnel Management, the predecessor organization of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The publication began in 1947 as a quarterly called Personnel Management. From 1947 to 1967, the institute published it directly. In October 1967, the IPM outsourced the magazine to Haymarket Press and changed its title to Personnel. In May 1969, the publishing contract moved to Mercury House Business Publications. Its existing monthly publication, Personnel and Training Management, was incorporated into a new Personnel Management title associated with the IPM. The publication was edited during this period by Anthony Barry, Pamela Pocock and Susanne Lawrence. In 1981, Susanne Lawrence and David Evans of Centurion Press created Personnel Publications Ltd to produce Personnel Management for the IPM, taking over the contract from Business Publications. The brand architecture continued to evolve in the 1990s. In July 1990, PM Plus was introduced as a mid-monthly edition of Personnel Management, replacing the IPM's house journal IPM Digest. In January 1995, the merger of the IPM and the Institute of Training and Development led to the launch of People Management as a fortnightly publication. The new title incorporated Personnel Management, PM Plus, Training and Development and Transition. This change represented a broader conception of the profession, connecting traditional personnel administration with training, development, employee relations, organizational performance and strategic workforce issues. People Management became known for treating employment policy and workplace inclusion as editorial and campaigning subjects, not merely as specialist HR administration. In 1996, it refused age-discriminatory recruitment advertisements and helped develop an anti-age-discrimination charter that was eventually signed by 65 recruitment communications and marketing businesses. Its coverage subsequently addressed the workplace experiences of people with mental illness, ex-offenders, dyslexic people, women, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and gay, lesbian and bisexual employees. It also publicized better practices for supporting employees with cancer. A 2006 campaign about pregnancy at work was conducted with Tommy’s, a charity focused on pregnancy and baby health. The magazine's publishing cadence changed in 2011, when it moved from fortnightly publication to a monthly schedule. In July 2012, the contract moved to Haymarket Media Group. The brand then expanded internationally: People Management Asia and People Management Middle East were launched in October 2015. Its online activities have included an HR jobs search and a supplier directory, giving readers practical resources alongside editorial content. The publication has accumulated awards and nominations across several decades. Recognition cited in the available material includes awards for features, illustration, specialist columns, covers, business-to-business effectiveness, website performance, membership-oriented content and HR publishing. Editors and contributors, including Susanne Lawrence and Steve Crabb, also received individual editorial awards. People Management was reported to have an average circulation of 134,853 in 2015. The supplied references do not establish its current circulation, current editor or current corporate arrangements beyond its association with Haymarket Media Group and CIPD.
- 2015
International editions launch
[1]People Management Asia and People Management Middle East are launched.
- 2012
Haymarket Media Group contract
[1]The publishing contract moves to Haymarket Media Group.
- 2011
Magazine becomes monthly
[1]The publication changes from a fortnightly schedule to a monthly one.
- 2006
Pregnancy-at-work campaign
[1]People Management works with Tommy’s to draw attention to employment issues surrounding pregnancy.
- 1996
Anti-age-discrimination campaign begins
[1]The magazine refuses ageist recruitment advertisements and develops a campaign and charter addressing age discrimination.
- 1995
People Management brand launches
[1]Following the IPM and Institute of Training and Development merger, the People Management title launches and incorporates several predecessor publications.
- 1990
PM Plus launches
[1]PM Plus is introduced as a mid-monthly edition, replacing IPM Digest.
- 1981
Personnel Publications takes over production
[1]Susanne Lawrence and David Evans establish Personnel Publications Ltd to produce the magazine for the IPM.
- 1969
Personnel Management title is re-established
[1]The contract moves to Mercury House Business Publications and an existing personnel and training publication is incorporated into the IPM's monthly magazine.
- 1967
Publication is outsourced and retitled Personnel
[1]The IPM contracts publication to Haymarket Press and changes the magazine's title to Personnel.
Products and positioning
A professional HR and workplace publication serving CIPD members and the wider people-management community, with a strong editorial emphasis on employment practice, inclusion, workforce policy and organizational leadership.
Professional magazine · 1995
People Management magazine
The core publication is a professional magazine for HR and people practitioners. Its editorial scope includes recruitment, talent development, employee retention, workplace policy, leadership, inclusion, employee wellbeing and organizational performance. It began as a publication of the Institute of Personnel Management and later became the official magazine of the CIPD. The title moved to a monthly schedule in 2011.
International edition · 2015
People Management Asia
People Management Asia is an international edition created to extend the brand's HR publishing activity into Asian markets. The supplied reference identifies its launch in 2015 but does not provide detailed circulation, editorial or current publication information.
International edition · 2015
People Management Middle East
People Management Middle East is an international edition launched alongside the Asian edition in 2015. It was intended to serve HR and workplace audiences in Middle Eastern markets, although the supplied material does not establish its current operating status or detailed editorial structure.
Digital service
HR jobs search
The People Management website has included a search service for HR-related employment opportunities, complementing the magazine's professional editorial role with a practical recruitment resource.
Digital service
Supplier directory
The brand's website has also included a directory of HR suppliers, helping professional readers identify organizations and services relevant to people management, workplace practice and workforce administration.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Pregnancy at work campaign
United Kingdom
The magazine partnered with Tommy’s to raise awareness of employment issues affecting people during pregnancy and related workplace experiences.
Outcome. The reference describes the campaign as successful but does not provide quantified impact measures.
- 1996Age-discrimination recruitment advertising campaign
United Kingdom
People Management refused recruitment advertisements it regarded as ageist and used the decision to promote wider discussion of age discrimination in employment.
Outcome. The campaign led to a charter on age discrimination that was eventually signed by 65 recruitment communications and marketing businesses.
- Inclusive employment coverage
United Kingdom
Across its editorial work, People Management has highlighted employment barriers and management practices affecting people with mental illness, ex-offenders, dyslexia, women, ethnic minorities, disabilities, and gay, lesbian and bisexual workers. It has also covered support for employees with cancer.
Brand decisions
2015
International edition expansionStrategyBackground
The brand sought to extend its HR publishing proposition beyond the United Kingdom.
Action taken
People Management Asia and People Management Middle East were launched.
Aftermath
The brand gained editions aimed at professional audiences in Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
2012
Publishing contract transferred to Haymarket Media GroupStrategyBackground
People Management required a new publishing arrangement after its earlier production and contract history.
Action taken
The publication contract moved to Haymarket Media Group.
Aftermath
Haymarket became the identified publishing company associated with the magazine.
2011
Shift from fortnightly to monthly publicationStrategyBackground
The publication reassessed its print schedule after operating as a fortnightly title.
Action taken
People Management moved to monthly publication, with April 2011 described as the first monthly issue.
Aftermath
The change altered the rhythm of the print product while the brand continued its professional and digital activities.
1995
Launch of the consolidated People Management titleStrategyBackground
The merger of the Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Training and Development created an opportunity to unify several related publication identities.
Action taken
The publisher introduced People Management as a fortnightly magazine incorporating Personnel Management, PM Plus, Training and Development and Transition.
Aftermath
The new title established the brand's broader professional identity across personnel, training and development topics.
Sources1 sources
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