Connect to Work scheme to launch across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay
Devon County Council is leading the scheme in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council.
Latest
Dudley Building Society named a UK’s Best Workplaces for Women
Dudley Building Society recognised in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™ 2024 for its commitment to gender equality and employee support.
Young people plan to work part-time in retirement to boost pension savings
Almost half of 18- to 24-year-olds plan to work part-time in retirement, potentially adding up to £88,000 to their pension pots, according to Standard Life.
£106m in redress offered to former British Steel Pension Scheme members
Over £106m in redress has been offered to 1,870 former British Steel Pension Scheme members, with support for more than 6,500 members provided by FOS, FSCS, and the redress scheme.
Newcastle Building Society becomes first to achieve Living Pension employer accreditation
The Living Pension is a new Living Wage Foundation accreditation for employers who want to help workers boost their pension pots.
FTW launches no-fee hiring service for warehouse sector
FTW Training specialises in equipping unemployed individuals with the skills, expertise, and certifications needed to excel in the warehousing industry.
Skills England launched to address skills shortages and boost economic growth
New body, Skills England, aims to meet the skills needs of the next decade, tackling shortages and driving growth across the UK.
Compensation & Benefits
Private medical insurance most wanted employee benefit, research reveals
Data from Epassi UK found that 25% of employees picked private medical insurance as the single most important benefit, but only 43% employers offered it.
C&C Insurance Brokers unveils employee benefits division
Malcolm Cooke, managing director of C&C Insurance Brokers, said: “The new name aligns perfectly with where the market and our clients are heading - it is better positioned than ever to meet growing demand.”
Recruitment & HR
Yeovil Town appoints Jamie Hedges as head of recruitment
His responsibilities include scouting new talent, refining recruitment processes and making sure signings fit with Yeovil Town’s style and budget.
NI Infrastructure Minister welcomes launch of recruitment campaign for planners
The scheme will let recruits work while studying for a Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) in planning.
Yorkshire Building Society partners with FareShare to support employment skills programme
The visit forms part of Yorkshire Building Society’s partnership with FareShare UK, which funds the Building Skills for the Future programme.
GTR launches 2026 recruitment drive for apprentice engineers
The apprenticeship is open to anyone aged 16 and above with Level 4 or higher in GCSE English, Maths and Science.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
EHRC extends agreement with McDonald’s to protect staff from sexual harassment
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the EHRC, said: “We’re pleased with the significant steps McDonald’s has agreed to take towards a safer working environment for its staff.”
Care UK celebrates success of SEN supported placements in care sector
Christian Woolley, regional director for Berkshire at Care UK, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what our homes have achieved, and I look forward to seeing this initiative grow across more of our regions in the future.”
Ciphr eLearning launches new microlearning suite for businesses
Meg Shona Halpin-Webster said: “By delivering focused, bite-sized content, our refreshed microlearning suite is helping to make learning accessible and immediately actionable."
More than a third of tech scale-ups have no women on their boards, study finds
The study from Think & Grow showed that women hold just 18% of board seats across high-growth tech companies.
Technology
Civica partners with Talos360 to deliver hiring and HR system for public sector
The new platform brings together Civica’s People Hub software and Talos360’s ATS, aiming to make it easier for organisations to attract, hire, onboard and retain staff.
AI job fears driving knowledge hoarding in workplaces, report finds
The report from Adaptavist found that 35% of workers are actively gatekeeping knowledge to protect their job security.
TUC urges TikTok to “come clean” as MPs investigate AI-driven job cuts
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, chaired by Chi Onwurah MP, has written to TikTok demanding answers about the redundancies within its London-based Trust and Safety Team.
Health & Wellbeing
St Andrews University and trade union agree deal for staff cancer support
UNISON representative Alex Duncan said the key change was extending the phased return to work from eight weeks to 12 weeks, all on full pay.
Epassi UK partners with Qured to boost employee health checks
The partnership aims to improve employee wellbeing and help businesses cut costs, reduce sickness, and boost productivity.
PSNI and PwC launch campaign to help employers tackle violence against women
Caitroina McCusker, Northern Ireland market senior partner at PwC UK, said: “Together, we can create safer, more inclusive workplaces and contribute to a Northern Ireland where everyone can thrive.”
Employers team up with Government to tackle ill-health and keep people in work
The three-year Keep Britain Working partnership, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, will focus on prevention, early support and helping people get back to work.
Employee Relations
82% of professionals say ‘culture rot’ is harming workplaces – Robert Walters
Limited incentives or rewards were flagged by 41% of professionals as a symptom.
Background still seen as a major barrier to career progression, Co-op finds
Two-thirds (68%) of Brits said their background still affects their career progression.
BRC urges MPs to support amendments to Employment Rights Bill
Helen Dickinson said: "The Government must ensure that any delay to the Bill’s Royal Assent does not result in less consultation or a compressed implementation Roadmap."
Workplace support for learning disabilities falls short, study finds
Research from Hilton found 57% of people with learning disabilities said the company they worked for was not equipped to support them.
Global HR
HiBob launches global network for people-first leaders to tackle HR challenges
The aim is to give practical tools, insights and a platform for real conversations on challenges HR and business leaders face.
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.