CIPD unveils programme for inaugural Wales conference
Taking place on 5th February 2026 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the CIPD in Wales conference will examine the key workplace trends.
Latest
Cross-party group of MPs and Peers launch report calling for a new National Carers Strategy
The UK Government has not published a National Carers Strategy since 2008, and there has not been a dedicated cross-Government approach to supporting unpaid carers since the Carers Action Plan 2018-2020 came to an end in 2020.
Registered childminders demand level playing field on staffing ratio rules in Northern Ireland
Registered childminders in Northern Ireland call for equal staffing ratios as in Great Britain, warning of sector collapse without changes.
Unite recommends rejection of local government pay offer
Unite is now undertaking the process of holding consultative ballots for its workers covered by both the local government green book agreement (the majority of council workers) and the red book (local authority craftworkers).
Beleaguered public services need investment not an army of reluctant teen ‘volunteers’ – UNISON
Following Conservative proposals that would see 18-year-olds either join the military or do ‘volunteer’ work for a year, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea has warned against such a move.
Not-for-profit and charity workers anxious, overworked & underpaid warns Unite
Seven out of 10 employees regularly run themselves into the ground by working up to a 50-hour week - thirteen hours over the average 37-hour week.
“Election day can’t come soon enough” – UNISON
Christina McAnea said: "Working people and their families are crying out for a new Government in Westminster."
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
41% of workers plan to move jobs in 2026 – Totaljobs
Higher pay was the main reason for moving, chosen by 51%.
JTL opens £1m London South training centre to boost electrical and plumbing skills
The centre expands electrical, plumbing and heating training for apprentices from London and Kent.
HSS ProService Marketplace creates new jobs with launch of careers site
Recruitment will cover customer-facing and commercial roles, as well as positions supporting platform development and marketplace operations.
QTS Group appoints first HR director to support growing workforce
Sara Crosby will support the HR team as it moves through a restructure, creating four new jobs that are being recruited for in early 2026.
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.
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.
GMB secures more than £1bn in equal pay victories for women workers
The union said women employed by councils have historically been underpaid in roles dominated by women, including care, cleaning and catering.
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."
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.
TUC warns of record work-related stress across UK workplaces
The TUC’s 15th biennial survey of more than 2,700 union safety representatives found that almost eight in 10 (79%) cited stress as a major concern in their workplace.
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.