Future of Work
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Heriot-Watt University launches a global Professional Academy. The online platform offers more than 50 stackable, university-credited courses designed to help professionals upskill rapidly while building towards postgraduate qualifications. Courses span business, psychology, sustainability, and specialist sectors, with content co-developed alongside leading industry partners.
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UK employees want flexibility at work, rejecting rigid office rules. A new report from Owl Labs shows 86% demand flexible hours, with a four-day week and work-to-rule tactics becoming mainstream. The findings highlight the growing expectation for autonomy, fluid schedules, and supportive technology.
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Four in ten leaders call for stronger C-Suite alignment. New research finds that CEOs back HR chiefs as equal partners in transformation, but finance and operations leaders remain sceptical of their influence.
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AI is not yet reshaping jobs, but leaders must prepare. The New York Fed reports rising adoption of artificial intelligence without widespread layoffs, with most firms retraining staff. History suggests disruption lags adoption, leaving leaders a crucial window to redesign roles, embed trust, and invest in future skills.
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Hybrid working is proving to be more than a perk. CIPD and ONS data show flexible models cut absence, aid retention, and support productivity — but also risk digital presenteeism and deepening workforce divides if not well managed.
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UK employers are tightening pay offers amid growing fiscal pressure. Median pay settlements fell to 3.0 per cent in the three months to July — the lowest since December 2021 — with just 9 per cent of employers awarding 4 per cent or more. Labour market cooling and tax concerns are driving caution ahead of…
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The Youth Guarantee trailblazer scheme has been extended by £45m. Ministers say the latest ONS figures — nearly one million young people classified as NEET — underscore the urgency. The extension supports eight regional pilots delivering personalised interventions, though critics warn that stronger action is still needed.
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PwC UK unveils traffic-light dashboard to monitor office attendance. The tool uses data from badge swipes and Wi-Fi to flag low attendance, linking it to bonuses and reviews, while allowing exceptions for sickness and personal needs. Employees can view their own compliance levels in real time.
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The UK’s ageing workforce is growing fast. Employers are investing less in training just as older workers face new risks from AI and the net zero transition. New CIPD research calls for urgent action to support reskilling and lifelong learning to keep older staff in work.
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Most young UK workers now weigh up second jobs for survival. More than half of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials are considering side hustles as the cost-of-living crisis drives up financial anxiety among the UK’s youngest employees, according to new research by Boostworks.