HPMA reveals Excellence in People Awards shortlist for 2025
Winners will be named at the annual conference in Birmingham on 20th November.
Latest
Retail leadership sees increased diversity, new report reveals
Retail leadership diversity has increased significantly, with female board-level leaders rising to 42.3% and ethnic minority leaders nearly tripling to 12%, according to a new report by the British Retail Consortium and The MBS Group.
Pay squeeze leaves UK workers just £16 better off than in 2010
A new Resolution Foundation report reveals that real average wages in the UK have increased by just £16 per week since 2010, highlighting a prolonged pay squeeze and contrasting sharply with the previous 14 years of wage growth.
Four in 10 unpaid carers lack confidence in future employability
A new report by Carers Scotland reveals that four in ten unpaid carers in Scotland lack confidence in their future employability, highlighting barriers such as 'carer discrimination' and the lack of flexible working options.
TUC calls for legal maximum working temperatures as heatwave hits Britain
As Britain faces a heatwave, the TUC calls for legal maximum working temperatures to protect workers from the dangers of excessive heat, highlighting the need for updated laws and climate-proof workplaces.
Majority of UK workers struggling with basic living costs, WTW survey reveals
A WTW survey reveals most UK workers struggle with basic living costs, causing a decline in retirement confidence and highlighting a gap between desired and provided financial wellbeing support.
NHS employers need to pay staff fairly or face strike action
Since 2021, Unison has taken an employer-by-employer approach to help healthcare assistants across the UK win wage rises, including around £80m in back pay, to make up for years of being paid significantly less than they should have been.
Compensation & Benefits
CPT partners with C9 Recruitment to offer discounted staffing services to members
The deal is aimed at bus and coach operators across the UK, with the offer covering recruitment for drivers, engineers, and back-office staff.
Majority of Gen Z considering second jobs to survive, research reveals
The study, based on responses from over 5,600 working adults, found that financial pressure is the biggest motivator for all generations for driving the uptake of side hustles.
Recruitment & HR
Telford & Wrekin Council launches supported internships for young people with SEND
The programme is open to both young people and local businesses, offering practical work experience and supporting recruitment.
Co-op launches prisoner rail apprenticeships to cut reoffending and tackle skills gap
The scheme aims to help fill rail skills shortages and cut reoffending by giving prisoners a chance to earn a Level 2 rail engineering qualification before release.
JTL to host Birmingham open day to connect employers with future apprentices
Neil Hammersley said: “Whether you're new to apprenticeships or already working with us, this is a fantastic opportunity to connect and explore what’s possible.”
TaskMaster Resources secures £15m BFS funding to support national growth
TaskMaster Resources has secured £15m from Bibby Financial Services to fund its expansion and part-acquisition in the South-West.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
Linear careers not only “an anachronism,” never existed for women in the first place – The Pivot
Speaking at the first of a series of events combining networking, workshops and fire-side chats, Rachael Twumasi-Corson and Natasha Bird examined changing career trajectories.
Government to miss jobs target without more disabled workers, warns Resolution Foundation
Louise Murphy said: “The Government should do more to incentivise firms to employ disabled people, especially those who have been out of work for long periods.”
PFS launches £1m ‘Pathway to the Profession’ scheme to attract talent into financial services
The programme aims to give aspiring financial services professionals the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed at the start of their careers.
Hilton, Aviva, Savers among UK’s Best Workplaces for Women 2025
A total of 330 businesses from sectors like financial services, retail, tech, and education made the list after staff said their workplaces were inclusive and fair.
Technology
MARCH rolls out bespoke digital apprenticeship
The scheme is designed to create a consistent training pathway across the company’s sites, focusing on digital skills for industrial automation.
Expert warns of cybersecurity risks for employees accessing work systems while abroad
As millions of workers prepare to head off on their summer holidays, cybersecurity experts at FLR Spectron have highlighted the risks of staying connected to work.
Most Brits who use AI do not trust chatbots for work information – YouGov
Most turn to AI to find factual information, with 80% using it for simple topics and 75% for complicated ones.
Health & Wellbeing
Growing number of employees turn to alcohol to manage work pressures, research reveals
Nearly two-thirds of workers admitted to using alcohol as a coping mechanism for work-related stress.
British workers feel guilt about taking time off, research reveals
SD Worx found that 77.4% of employees in the UK said their organisation trusted them to work responsibly and not misuse remote working.
Stress ranked as top cause of workplace incidents for UK&I workers
Most workers said they felt safe at work, with 82% agreeing, but 44% said they or a relative had experienced a workplace incident or illness.
Ignoring workplace safety rules puts jobs at risk, expert warns
Josh McNicholas from Evalu-8 EHS said: “Making sure all employees are familiar with health and safety rules, and have access to reporting tools, is essential.”
Employee Relations
Majority of NHS staff reject pay offer and back strike action, Unite ballot shows
Sharon Graham said: “The NHS can’t be repaired while the government continues to erode pay and drastically cut NHS budgets.”
Half of Welsh workers face sexual harassment at work – TUC Cymru
The survey reported 43% of men and 48% of women had faced sexual harassment in the workplace.
Coventry Building Society recognised as one of the UK’s best workplaces for women
The society ranked 12th out of the 50 ‘super large’ organisations on the list revealed today.
Most HR staff work beyond limits as workloads and stress rise – PayFit
Nearly two-thirds (64%) said they were now working beyond their limits.
Global HR
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.
Out of sight, not out of value: Unlocking global talent beyond the office
Matt Monette, country manager UK&I at Deel, shares how embracing global remote talent is essential for building stronger, more diverse teams.
Weavr teams up with Visa to bring flexible employee benefits cards to SaaS HR platforms
By working with Visa an associate member, Weavr will now allow SaaS companies to use Visa-powered financial products in their platforms.
Research reveals gaps in health and wellbeing support for overseas employees
The Towergate Employee Benefits research found that only 36% of companies tailored their health and wellbeing offerings depending on the country where employees are located.