Pay awards remain stable but employers cautious for future
June 23, 2026Businesses are keeping a tight hold on pay budgets amid ongoing concerns about political uncertainty and inflation, according to the latest predictions from Brightmine. The median basic pay award for the three months to May and year to May was…
Industrial action: All ‘detriments’ to be prohibited
June 23, 2026The government has announced that any ‘detriment’ suffered by striking workers will be prohibited under reforms in the Employment Rights Act 2025, rather than ministers creating a prescribed list of prohibited disadvantages. The Department for Business and Trade has now…
What would Andy Burnham as PM mean for employers?
June 23, 2026After Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as Labour Party leader, and an expectation that Andy Burnham’s will be prime minister within weeks, what would a government led by the former mayor of Manchester mean for employers? With Wes Streeting now backing…
Shifting the blame for the skills crisis achieves nothing
June 23, 2026Four in 10 employers provide no training. Rather than blaming universities for not producing work-ready graduates, should businesses reconsider their own role in skilling up the workforce, asks Dr Fadime Sahin? As universities face relentless pressure over graduate employability, the…
The farewell card isn’t for the person leaving. It’s for the people who stay
June 22, 2026Picture this. It’s your colleague’s last day. There’s a brief shoutout in the team meeting, a Slack message with a few reactions and, then, they’re gone. In a parallel universe, another colleague leaves with a GroupTogether card signed by every…
Week in review: New grads want growth opportunities at work
June 22, 2026We’re rounding up last week’s stories, from the continued growth in the tech sector to what HR can do in the wake of world crises. Source: www.hrdive.com
Employers brace for extreme temperatures this week
June 22, 2026Employers are preparing for a four-day extreme heat warning across much of the UK this week, as temperatures could soar to up to 40°C. The Met Office has today issued a rare red weather warning – the highest level of…
BMW gears up for 5% workforce reduction
June 22, 2026Car manufacturer BMW is reported to be in talks with staff representatives as it prepares to cut up to 5% of its workforce. The German company issued a profit warning last week saying that “structural and efficiency measures are being…
An Andy Burnham-led government would face zero-hours dilemma
June 19, 2026Employment lawyers have said that the government’s consultation on reforms to zero-hours contracts and agency worker protections could provide the clearest indication yet of how an Andy Burnham-led government may approach employment law and labour market regulation. The comments come…
Royal Mail boss: 6,500 postal workers off sick every day
June 19, 2026Royal Mail has 6,500 postal workers off sick every day, out of a total of about 130,000 employees, its chief executive has warned. Martin Seidenberg, the chief executive of International Distribution Services (IDS), the Royal Mail owner, told The Times…