UK’s largest toy retailer to become fully employee owned
Gary Grant, who founded the company in 1981, will hand over control of the family-owned business, which now operates 160 shops across the country.
Latest
Tech giants Meta and Amazon scale back diversity programs
Meta and Amazon are scaling back key elements of their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, according to reports from Axios and Bloomberg.
Future of jobs report 2025: 78 million new job opportunities by 2030 but urgent upskilling needed to prepare workforces
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 from the World Economic Forum predicts a net gain of 78 million new jobs by 2030 but warns that urgent action is needed to close skills gaps and prepare workforces for sweeping changes driven by technology, demographics, and economic pressures.
Recruitment freezes in cancer and diagnostic departments risk patient care and waste NHS resources
Recruitment freezes in cancer and diagnostic services across the NHS risk patient care, exacerbate backlogs, and increase reliance on costly outsourcing, warns the Royal College of Radiologists.
Deputy Prime Minister pledges to make work pay in Scotland with new Employment Rights Bill
The Deputy Prime Minister has pledged to make work pay in Scotland through the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, which aims to improve workers’ rights and tackle insecure work.
O’Reilly report reveals rising interest in AI and security, declining usage of traditional programming languages
O’Reilly’s Technology Trends for 2025 report shows a surge in AI learning, a decline in traditional programming languages, and a growing focus on security skills.
Millions of UK workers risk retirement shortfall as care costs remain overlooked
A new report from Barnett Waddingham highlights a worrying gap in retirement planning, with fewer than one in five workers fully accounting for future care costs.
Compensation & Benefits
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.
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.
Recruitment & HR
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.
Neurodiversity-related employment tribunal claims see sharp rise since 2020
Analysis from Irwin Mitchell revealed that the number of tribunal decisions citing ADHD rose from just six in the first half of 2020 to 51 in the first half of 2025.
Virgin Media O2 and Care UK among shortlist for In-house Recruitment Awards
The winners will be revealed on 26th November in London at Westminster Bridge.
Staffing market shows signs of recovery as hiring lifts in July
New APSCo data reveals month-on-month growth in vacancies, CV sends and placements across both contract and permanent roles.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
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.
Finance and property firms dominate 2025 UK Social Mobility Awards shortlist
Lloyds, Knight Frank, and Coventry Building Society are among the financial and property firms shortlisted for this year’s UK Social Mobility Awards.
Good Things Foundation and People’s Partnership join forces to boost digital and financial skills
Nicola Sinclair said: “We passionately believe that everyone deserves access to tools and knowledge to enable them to plan for their future.”
92% of Muslim women in UK media say Islamophobia is embedded in newsrooms
According to the report by the Centre for Media Monitoring, 72% of respondents said they had personally experienced direct discrimination linked to their Muslim identity.
Technology
Budget and technical barriers top list of challenges in accessing external data, Decodo research finds
Decodo.com’s survey of 1,000 decision-makers reveals budget constraints, anti-bot technology, and infrastructure gaps are the main obstacles for businesses collecting or accessing external data.
West Midlands Mayor sets out ambitions to boost AI skills and job prospects
The scheme aims to help local people use AI in daily life and work, as well as prepare thousands for jobs in technology.
UK adults turn to AI to save time and money in everyday life
A new survey by Adobe Express shows 40% of people now use AI at home and work, saving up to 10 hours a week and cutting costs in the process.
Health & Wellbeing
Vitality’s Champion Programme boosts workforce activity and productivity
An extra 750 employees signed up as champions, bringing the total to 2,139 across more than 1,200 companies.
University of Bedfordshire awarded Mental Health Charter for wellbeing commitment
Rebecca Bunting said: “This award reflects the commitment of our entire community to creating a supportive, inclusive environment for all."
Half of workers miss out on essential HSE training – Astutis
The survey showed just 28% are currently using AI tools in their work, with over 80% not using wearable technology such as smart PPE or monitoring devices.
Government to introduce new professional licensing rules for high-risk cosmetic procedures
Under the proposed rules, certain invasive treatments will only be permitted when performed by specially trained medical practitioners operating within Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered providers.
Employee Relations
Scrapping age bands for minimum wage will mean major change for employers, says expert
Claire Cole said: “While many employers already pay above the minimum, this increase, alongside the move to a single adult rate, will have a real impact on payroll.”
Thousands in Greater Manchester to get free support through ‘Work Progression’ service
The service aims to help people move into better jobs, boost their skills and confidence, and break down barriers to getting ahead at work.
40% of doctors struggle to provide patient care due to staffing shortages – GMC
Inadequate staffing was the main barrier, with 72% saying it was a problem, down from 79% in 2023.
Manufacturers and B2C firms most likely to return to full onsite working – BCC
Just under half (48%) of businesses said they expected all working days to be in-person over the next 12 months.
Global HR
Talent shortages driving company location decisions, survey finds
Savills and CoreNet Global found that 73% of respondents in the technology sector reported a drop in skilled staff.
HSI acquires HandsHQ to expand risk management and workforce training
Jamie Carruthers said: “The combined expertise of HSI and HandsHQ means our customers will have access to the best-in-class technology and industry-leading practices."
Pearson and HCLTech partner to deliver AI-driven upskilling for global workforce
The deal will see Pearson use HCLTech’s engineering and digital tools to create new AI-powered training, assessment and workforce analytics products.
Firms failing to use global mobility strategically, warns Vialto
Only 23% of firms said their mobility function was either 'strategic' or an 'influencer' in business matters.