Pre-budget uncertainty and global volatility slow London hiring at year end – Morgan McKinley
There was a 13% drop in jobs available quarter-on-quarter in Q4 2025.
Latest
Over a third of private markets professionals admit to last-minute regulatory planning
This is according to a global study conducted among 400 C-suite executives and senior professionals in private markets, commissioned by CSC.
Chancellor promises ‘big bang on growth’ with pensions review
Under the plans unveiled by the Chancellor, billions of pounds of investment could be unlocked in the UK economy from defined contribution (DC) schemes alone.
Microsoft outage could have damaging effects for payroll
Following global issues with Microsoft today, Global Payroll Association warned that there may be knock-on effects for payroll services.
UK employment rate dips while pay growth remains strong, new data reveals
UK employment rate falls to 74.4% as unemployment rises to 4.4%, while pay growth remains strong with a 5.7% increase in average regular earnings.
Employment Rights Bill confirmed in King’s Speech
The King's Speech introduces the Employment Rights Bill to enhance workers' rights, banning zero-hour contracts, ending 'Fire and Rehire', and making flexible working the default.
Pensions take centre stage in King’s Speech
The King's Speech highlights the government's focus on pensions, introducing measures to boost retirement savings and improve pension management.
Compensation & Benefits
Over two million workers to earn over £100,000 in 2026/27 – Rathbones
The data highlighted that around 6% of the UK’s 34 million workforce will be earning above £100,000 next year.
DB pension transfer compensation hits record low in 2025 – Broadstone
Compensation fell from around -£16,000 in early 2025 to -£41,000 by early 2026.
Recruitment & HR
BMA welcomes graduate prioritisation bill, but warns job crisis remains
Responding to the UK Government’s Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill, Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the UK Resident Doctors Committee, said the move marked progress but did not address the lack of available posts across the NHS.
Councils join forces to launch Get Marches Working plan
Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and Herefordshire Councils launched the joint plan to cut skills gaps and boost jobs across the Marches.
HLPartnership appoints senior recruitment manager
In his new role, Matthew Creswell will support the recruitment and onboarding of mortgage and protection firms across the South.
41% of workers plan to move jobs in 2026 – Totaljobs
Higher pay was the main reason for moving, chosen by 51%.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
Gender gap in venture capital persists as women founders struggle for funding, data shows
New European investment data highlights continued barriers for women founders and investors, with Central and Eastern Europe lagging behind on diversity and access to venture capital.
Manchester City Council recognised as a Menopause Friendly Employer
Manchester City Council is now the first Greater Manchester Combined Authority to get Menopause Friendly Accreditation.
Chopstix and Mencap partner to open jobs for people with a learning disability
Jon Sparkes OBE said: “This initiative will help to raise awareness of the work we do at Mencap, along with building meaningful career paths for a pool of new talent."
Aviva welcomes back Supported Internships Programme for third year
The one-year programme is aimed at young adults aged 18 to 24 with an education, health and care plan or special educational needs.
Technology
spacebands secures £1.1m to reduce hearing loss and vibration injuries in workplaces
The funding will improve the wearables and analytics platform to help employers spot harmful exposure sooner and act before injuries become permanent.
Tech roles dominate pay rankings as salary gaps widen – Totaljobs
Analysis from Totaljobs of more than 21.6 million job adverts found that median advertised pay has risen 7.5% year-on-year to just over £33,500.
Leadership blind spots in spotting microaggressions
Dr. Lisa Turner, founder of CETfreedom, discusses how microaggressions persist in the workplace, and why most leaders remain unaware of them.
Health & Wellbeing
Employers face £21.6bn sickness bill as workplace wellbeing priorities shift, study finds
HCML said employers have an increasingly important role to play in supporting employee health.
Sleepless nights reduce focus and performance for UK workers, research finds
The survey from Mental Health Foundation found that 33% of workers said poor sleep makes it harder to concentrate at work.
NatWest and Lombard partner with the FCN to support farmers’ wellbeing
The partnership will see agricultural specialist managers at NatWest and Lombard trained by FCN to spot early signs of stress in farming communities.
Majority of European workers plan to move jobs in 2026, research reveals
According to MyPerfectCV, 37% of workers wanted to reduce stress, while 34% said they are focused on achieving a better work–life balance.
Employee Relations
75% of businesses unprepared for new employee rights rules, warns lawyer
Roy Magara, solicitor advocate and founder of Magara Law, said: “Many organisations are still operating with outdated assumptions about flexibility and probation."
FBU pledges to “fight for every job” as cuts averted in Avon and Leicestershire
Steve Wright said: “Politicians and chief fire officers should be on notice - we will fight for every job and every station in every corner of the UK."
Job loss leads to sharp fall in spending and rise in financial distress, finds IFS
Spending fell by around 20% in the first few months after losing a job, with only a third of lost earnings made up by higher benefits.
UK Connect earns Great Place to Work certification for fifth year running
The award followed positive staff feedback, with nearly three quarters of employees saying it is a great place to work.
Global HR
Morgan Lewis appoints London Labour and employment team partner
Katherine Gibson brings extensive experience in employment litigation, transactional support, business protection matters, and workplace data privacy.
Arsenal selects Deel to manage global HR operations
Arsenal will use Deel’s HR platform to manage its workforce and operations.
Equiom and Ledgy partner to expand global equity plan services
The integration of Ledgy lets Equiom’s teams support clients with complex share plans and gives employees access to manage their equity through one platform.
Employers continue move away from traditional CVs, study finds
Willo found that four-in-10 employers said they are actively moving away from CV-first hiring, and 10% have replaced CVs with skills-based and scenario-driven assessments.