Recruitment in the UK continues to be clouded by doubts about growth
Newly released statistics show that businesses continue to delay hiring as the confidence in the economy is still low. According to the KPMG/Recruitment and Employment Confederation survey on jobs for January 2025, the decline in permanent hiring has extended the current contraction period to 28 months. The pace of decline was largely unchanged despite a […]
Burnout is a major problem for 74% of U.K. workers
74% of U.K. employees report burnout. The majority feel stressed at work and get easily frustrated by colleagues. They also struggle to get up on workdays and want to quit their jobs. Data shows that 42% U.K. employees could be diagnosed with depression, and 39% of them with anxiety. Here are some of the results […]
Expert HR advice for success in the UK workplace
Due to the increasing importance of apprenticeships for addressing skills shortages, and nurturing talent in the UK, employers are being encouraged to focus on strategies which maximise the potential of the apprentices they have while ensuring that legal obligations are met. Apprenticeships are essential to building a dynamic and skilled workforce. Apprentices are a valuable […]
UK job market faces further decline in early 2025
The UK labour market continued to weaken at the start of 2025, with permanent staff vacancies falling at the sharpest rate since August 2020, according to the latest KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs. Compiled by S&P Global, it reports a decline in demand for staff, rising redundancies, and weaker pay growth. The survey, […]
Employers must support working parents, ‘State of Childhood’ report finds
The latest State of Childhood Report 2025 by Bright Horizons Work and Family Solutions found that 75 percent of parents worry about their child’s mental health, and that 70 percent of those with preschool and primary-aged children expect their employers to provide support. The study noted an increasing pressure on working parents, with concerns extending […]
DEI is a business-critical tool, don’t abandon it
DEI initiatives are being attacked in the US. Liz Stanley and Grace Barnett Cox examine the reasons why evidence still supports gender diversity programs. Recently, the news has been dominated with US companies scaling down their DEI initiatives (diversity equality and inclusion). DEI is clearly a target for the Trump administration. The US president blamed […]
Khyati sundaram: When you are either viewed as a “token hire” or a “lawsuit risk”, then DEI has failed.
A conservative Think Tank from the US recently called for Apple to end its DEI efforts. The group cited “litigation risks, reputational risks and financial risk” as reasons why Apple should abandon its DEI efforts. UK employers must take notice. First, because the events in America are already having an effect on the UK. Second, […]
UKHSA: Cases of Tuberculosis continue to increase in England
The latest figures released by the UK Health Security Agency show that the number of cases of tuberculosis in England has increased 13% since 2023. UKHSA reported that the number of notifications received by the UKHSA increased to 5,480 from 4,850. This continues the upward trend observed in the past few years. The agency stressed […]
McDonald’s: Zero-hour culture fuels sexual harassment claims
In 2023, allegations of sexual harassment at the fast-food giant were brought to light. Emma Cocker argues that insecure employment is a factor in power imbalances, which can create a toxic work culture. McDonald’s, celebrating its 50th anniversary of operation in the UK announced plans to open more than 200 new restaurants over the next […]
M&S boss supports call for employers’ NIC to be phased in
Marks and Spencer’s chief executive has called on the government again to implement the increases in employers’ contributions to national insurance announced in the October Budget. Stuart Machin stated that he “wholeheartedly” supports an amendment to legislation proposed by Lord Simon Wolfson. Next, a rival retailer and a Conservative peer, has proposed phasing out the […]