Human Resources
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Over a quarter of women face workplace harassment in the UK. WalkSafe’s data highlights persistent harassment issues, with 27% of women and 16% of men affected. Many employees believe companies should enhance safety measures, valuing anonymous reporting systems.
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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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MPs and the Government respond after cross-party committee labels system “broken”. The Government has pledged to review all parental leave and pay entitlements, confirming scope across the board and promising day-one rights from 2026. Campaigners say that urgent action is still needed to extend and raise paternity leave.
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Presenteeism is costing UK businesses far more than absenteeism. A growing body of research shows that while sickness absence is tightly monitored and managed, the hidden cost of employees working while unwell is vastly greater. Experts warn that companies may be measuring the wrong thing.
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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 employees missed nearly ten days of work last year. The CIPD’s 2025 Health and wellbeing at work report finds sickness absence rising to its highest level in over a decade, with mental ill health and musculoskeletal issues among the leading causes.
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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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Political debate is spilling into the workplace more than ever. Conference season highlights how reputational risk shapes external corporate behaviour, while managers and HR leaders face the internal challenge of navigating political polarisation without undermining cohesion, inclusivity, or professionalism.
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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.
