Northern Ireland employee jobs rise by 1.3% to over 816,000 in 2023 – NISRA
Growth came mainly from the private sector, which added 9,240 jobs, a rise of 1.6%, while the public sector increased by 1,474 jobs, or 0.7%.
Latest
CITB launches building safety project to upskill façade workers
The project will provide training to help installers and supervisors meet targets for removing unsafe materials and fitting compliant rainscreen systems.
First Bus, LNER, and Steer among sector leaders in 2025 Women in Transport Equity Index
Other sector winners included Wm Armstrong, Mintra, Campaign for Better Transport, Sustrans, and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Most UK firms set to share pay ranges with staff as pay transparency grows – WTW
The survey found 76% of UK firms intend to share individual pay ranges with employees and 70% plan to share pay range details with external candidates.
The Drinks Trust reopens WSET bursary through DEVELOP scheme
The partnership with the WSET means more bursaries are available, helping candidates gain recognised qualifications in wine, spirits, sake, and the new beer course.
Most Brits back equal minimum wage for 18 to 20-year-olds – YouGov
One in five (22%) said there should be a lower minimum wage for people under 21 and 67% said the same minimum wage should apply to everyone over 18.
Private sector employees hit £25.5bn in workplace pension contributions in 2024 – Broadstone
The data, based on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) annual survey, showed this was up from the previous high of £25.3bn in 2019.
Compensation & Benefits
Zenith launches salary sacrifice scheme for used EVs
All cars have passed the AA Safety Inspection and are provided with a full service history, a manufacturer battery warranty and a maintenance package.
Local government workers will demand ‘significant’ pay rise for 2026, says GMB
The union – which represents around 150,000 council and education staff – will submit a pay claim at the end of November, along with other unions.
Recruitment & HR
ENODA appoints Nicola Russell as head of HR
Russell brings 25 years of global HR experience from roles at Amazon, AWS, Slalom, Microsoft, Payoneer and Siemens Energy.
75% of firms struggle to recruit despite rising unemployment, data reveals
The latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook from the BCC Insight Unit found 54% of firms had tried to recruit between August and September, with 75% facing difficulties.
TUC Cymru calls for action on racial justice in Welsh workplaces
Trade unionists, community leaders, and politicians gathered at the Senedd this week for TUC Cymru’s annual Black History Month event.
Walmsley Wilkinson embraces AI to boost human-centric executive recruitment
Taryn Wilkinson said: “We’re on an AI learning curve and we are very open to the future possibilities of how AI can further enhance our business.”
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
RRG Group achieves Menopause Friendly Accreditation
Sarah Cooney said: “This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where every colleague feels valued and empowered"
TPE partners with ivee to support career returners
Nicola Buckley, people director at TPE, said: “Partnering with ivee helps us reach even more talented people who might not have considered a career in the railway before.”
Allyship at work drives 90% productivity boost, study finds
The report, carried out by LGBT Great, found that 75% of employees said visible allyship from senior leaders was important.
Tandem Bank joins Henpicked to enhance menopause awareness and workplace inclusion
Tandem Bank has partnered with Henpicked to promote menopause and menstrual health awareness, supporting its wider goal of fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace.
Technology
AI and data skills shortage threatens UK growth, warns S&A Academy
The company said the shortage could hit supply chain, productivity, and national infrastructure services.
Nationwide rolls out Digital Lessons programme to boost tech skills
The programme covers topics like setting up devices, opening bank accounts, spotting scams and making video calls.
Different generations want different technology at work, finds Mitie
Seven in 10 (70%) Gen Z staff said technology helped them perform better at work, while 60% Gen X agreed.
Health & Wellbeing
Greater Manchester universities set out new civic priorities to help boost jobs
The priorities focused on widening access to education, supporting lifelong learning, encouraging innovation and helping people into good jobs.
Resident doctors announce strike action in England
The strike will run from 7am 14th November to 7am 19th November.
Rising health claims signal strain on construction workforce – Westfield Health
Figures showed health cash plan claims from construction workers rose by 6% in the past year.
Notify Technology launches AI software to speed up workplace accident analysis
Notify Spark uses AI to speed up accident reports and investigations, aiming to improve root cause analysis and turn incident data into insights firms can use.
Employee Relations
Half of low-paid workers use foodbanks as real living wage rises, data finds
Research by the Living Wage Foundation found 42% of low-paid workers used foodbanks in the past year, rising to 56% for those with dependent children.
SEO specialists most in-demand freelancers in UK, research reveals
Tide’s Global Freelancer Report showed that graphic designers were in demand in England and Northern Ireland, photographers in Wales, and copywriters in Scotland.
Many employers expect rise in industrial action due to new union rights – CIPD
Over half (56%) said working with trade unions could be beneficial, and 79% rated relations between managers and workers as good or very good.
AI linked to rising feelings of being undervalued and disengaged at work – Perkbox
Employers saw AI as a positive step, with 69% saying it improved the employee experience and 47% believing it had no direct effect on feeling valued.
Global HR
International SOS and Sancroft support sustainability goals in global workforce mobility
International SOS has joined forces with sustainability consultancy Sancroft to help organisations embed sustainability into their global mobility and travel policies.
Only one in six HR teams confident their practices would stand up in tribunal – WorkNest
The findings suggested that many HR professionals felt uncertain about their organisation’s legal readiness at a time when businesses are preparing for vast reforms.
Most businesses now allow employees to work abroad – Grant Thornton UK
The survey found 77% of mid-market firms had a policy for international remote working in 2025, up from 59% in 2023.
TMF Group launches payroll platform to streamline HR administration
TMF Optix uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide intelligent analytics, global reporting, AI-powered dashboards and optimised data management.