Over two-fifths of employers expect pay rises to match 2025 levels in 2026 – IDR
More than three-fifths of pay awards are likely to fall between 3% and 3.99%.
Latest
Hounslow Council to host free apprenticeship and jobs fair for young people
The event, marking National Apprenticeship Week, will bring together local employers, education and training providers from a range of industries.
ABI overhauls governance to give product boards greater decision-making power
ABI has set up a new pensions insurance and investment board to focus on pension insurance, annuities and investment.
Over £500bn of pension scheme liabilities now insured – Hymans Robertson
Hymans Robertson expects that £1trn of pension scheme liabilities will have been insured by 2035.
Holmes Noble and MRA partner to tackle high failure rates among senior leaders
The partnership brings together executive search with coaching and development programmes focused on senior executives.
JTL welcomes two trustees to its board
Chris Prendergast and Catherine Watt have joined the board.
Mitie awarded five stars for health and safety standards by British Safety Council
The audit found Mitie had strong health and safety procedures supported by committed leadership and training through its Live Safe Programme.
Compensation & Benefits
Increased pension contributions named 2026’s most-desired employee benefit – Epassi UK
Pension contributions and unlimited paid time off were the most wanted employee benefits for 2026, with 31% of employees picking each as their top choice.
Thousands delay claiming State Pension to secure higher weekly payouts, Royal London finds
Data released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed that 41,938 people claimed a delayed State Pension during the year.
Recruitment & HR
Finance hiring rises 13% as fintech roles drive growth, study finds
Finance sector hiring rebounded in 2025, with professional vacancies rising 13% year on year, according to research from Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft.
Six in 10 estate agents report burnout as staffing crisis deepens – Alto
The report found 44% of estate agents said burnout was an ongoing problem and 15% said it was now a major issue impacting performance.
Just Recruit Inverclyde app set for launch
The app is set up to help reduce employee turnover caused by long commutes and makes it easier for job seekers to find work nearer to home.
CISI launches jobs board to boost global financial services careers
The platform features real-time job postings, smart search and filtering tools, and career guidance from CISI experts.
Inclusivity, Equality & Diversity
Wage Subsidy Scheme launched to support Doncaster employers hiring young people
The scheme was launched across South Yorkshire to help young people aged 16 to 30 who are not in employment, education or training.
SAP tops Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work UK 2026 list
Other companies that made the list included: Mastercard, Google, Mars UK, Vistry, Leonardo UK, Aviva, NFU Mutual, Royal London, easyJet and Barclays.
First national standard for women’s safety on construction sites launched
The Construction for Women: National Site Standard for Female Operatives is the first governance-led UK framework to set out minimum expectations for how women should be supported.
EngineeringUK and IGD partner to tackle engineering skills gap in food industry
The partnership will develop an outreach programme for young people, aiming to increase knowledge and interest in engineering careers in food and grocery.
Technology
Zurich UK launches new AI apprenticeship to boost staff skills
The programme aims to build practical AI skills, confidence, and an ethical understanding of the technology.
Government expands AI training programme to upskill 10 million workers
The courses, which can take under 20 minutes, show people how to use AI tools for drafting text, creating content and completing admin tasks.
Vodafone Business and Centrica agree four-year deal to power workplace services
Nick Gliddon said: “We’re enabling smarter, faster and more resilient operations – delivering benefits that will be felt by teams and customers across the UK.”
Health & Wellbeing
NBS publishes white paper offering actions for managing trauma in the workplace
Dr Stefanos Nachmias said: "Employers have a critical role to play in creating safe, trusting environments where people can recover, contribute and thrive.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and HSENI partner to tackle work-related ill health
Robert Kidd, CEO of HSENI, said: “We need to take urgent action now to ensure every workplace is one where the health risks are properly managed."
Employee absence costs impact more than half of UK employers – WTW
Mental health stayed the main concern, but musculoskeletal and other long-term conditions grew in importance, with 63% of organisations pointing to these as a key issue in 2025.
Most employers want practical support for carers’ health and wellbeing at work – EfC
Three quarters (75%) wanted resources to help carers manage their health and wellbeing.
Employee Relations
Senior leaders most at risk of causing AI errors in UK businesses, research finds
The La Fosse survey found executives responsible for governance were most likely to use AI heavily, override expertise and operate with weak oversight.
Poundland and the Retail Trust join forces to protect staff mental health
Staff will get access to Retail Trust’s wellbeing helpline, counselling, financial help and support for young people in their care.
Perks boost staff retention and office attendance, study finds
A study by Uber for Business and Stride Rides found a quarter of workers said expanded perks mattered when deciding on a job.
One in three workplace relationships involve a manager or supervisor, survey finds
Research from Co-space found 20.9% of romances involved a supervisor or mid-level leader, and 11.6% occurred at manager or director level.
Global HR
Deel sets Guinness World Records™ title with global virtual hiring event
Deel has set a new Guinness World Records™ title for the 'Largest online hiring event' after attracting 6,848 attendees to a live virtual recruitment event.
Pearson and Deloitte partner to deliver AI-powered workforce training
The partnership will use both companies’ experience to deliver AI learning, leadership development and training solutions.
Retention and productivity top benefits of health support for overseas workers – Everywhen
32% of employers said retention rates were the main reason for offering health and wellbeing support, with 31% choosing productivity as the biggest advantage.
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.