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.
Latest
UK bus drivers report widespread abuse, impacting mental well-being
A Unite survey finds 82% of UK bus drivers experienced abuse last year, with Unite pushing for stronger legal protections and better safety measures from employers.
Survey highlights inefficiencies in SME recruitment, with Project Brains advocating fractional work
Project Brains' survey finds inefficiencies in SME hiring, with many new employees leaving or underperforming, highlighting a growing preference for fractional work solutions.
UNISON urges Prime Minister to prioritise NHS over targeting the sick
UNISON's Christina McAnea criticises the Prime Minister for neglecting NHS improvements and focusing on punitive welfare reforms against those too ill to work.
High workplace stress could drive UK employees to leave their jobs, study finds
Unum UK's study reveals that high stress levels are a major factor driving UK employees to consider leaving their jobs, highlighting the need for improved workplace mental health support.
Usdaw calls for legislative protection for Northern Ireland’s retail workers
Usdaw urges Northern Ireland's political leaders to legislate protections for retail workers facing increased violence and abuse, similar to laws in Scotland.
Prime Minister proposes overhaul of UK benefits system amid rising inactivity
The Prime Minister announces plans to overhaul the UK benefits system to better assess and support those who are fit to work, amid concerns over rising inactivity and the high cost of disability benefits.
Compensation & Benefits
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.
Each Person appoints Chris Last as operations director
Last joins Each Person with a remit to support growth and ensure that benefits deliver greater value for employees.
Recruitment & HR
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.
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."
Small business job growth stalls in December, finds Employment Hero
Retail and hospitality saw the biggest hit in December, with a fall of -2%.
Precept Recruit launches in Derby to help firms tackle talent challenge
The consultancy will focus on the East Midlands but will also take on UK-wide roles, especially where specialist searches are needed.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
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.
Women feel unsafe and embarrassed at work due to ill-fitting PPE, GMB warns
More than 70% of women surveyed by GMB say ill-fitting PPE designed for men’s bodies is leaving them unsafe, uncomfortable or unable to do their jobs, prompting renewed calls for legal reform and inclusive standards.
ITV launches Green Room pilot to support freelancers between roles
The pilot will bring 20 experienced freelancers together to form a peer network, with access to ITV colleagues as mentors.
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.
AI therapy and preventive healthcare set to redefine workplace wellbeing
Vicky Walker, CPO at Westfield Health, discusses the transformative wellbeing trends set to redefine the UK workplace by 2026.
Health & Wellbeing
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.
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.
Employee Relations
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.
Disciplinary cases routinely drag on for weeks, research finds
A WorkNest poll of HR professionals found that 53% of disciplinary cases exceed four weeks, with over a third (34%) typically lasting between four and eight weeks.
Report urges urgent Government action to protect UK ceramics sector
A new worker-led report warns that without swift intervention on energy costs and regulation, the UK ceramics industry risks long-term decline.
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.