In recent months, allegations of sexual misconduct by high-profile figures have dominated the headlines in the UK. From the ongoing police investigation into historic claims of rape and sexual abuse against former Harrods owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed, to the litany of accusations of inappropriate behaviour against BBC Presenter Greg Wallace, it seems that some of the most powerful institutions in our country are still grappling with how to identify and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

Over three-quarters (77%) of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) surveyed plan to revamp their employee benefits packages to attract and retain top talent, address workforce challenges and tackle economic pressures, according to Employee Benefit Trends in UK SMEs, a new report from Howden Employee Benefits, in partnership with YouGov.

There has been a significant increase in the number of employers who report on the proportion of their staff with disabilities, according to research from GRiD. In 2023, only half (50%) of employers said that they collect information on the proportion of disabled people in their workforce, but this has risen to 71% in 2024, an increase of 21 percentage points on 2023.

Absence prevention and getting employees back to work are the key reasons companies with overseas employees offer health and wellbeing support, according to research by Towergate Employee Benefits.

Nearly half (46%) of IT and tech hiring managers planning to expand their teams with permanent, full-time employees, with technology hiring is expected to increase in 2025, according to recruitment firm Robert Half. Additionally, 25% aim to recruit contract talent for project-based needs and growth initiatives.

Nearly one in five (18%) employers leave employee benefits take-up to employees to initiate themselves instead of actively encouraging staff to use the benefits available to them, according to research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector. GRiD highlights the potential waste of time and resources in investing in benefits if utilisation is not encouraged.

AI-driven recruitment tools have transformed the way employers can discover new talent. But there’s a problem. Employers and candidates alike have sparked concerns about inherent bias contained in some tech-enabled recruitment systems.

New research has revealed a significant yet often overlooked source of stress for employers: manual payroll. For some, it’s causing ‘payroll paralysis’.

Research by Towergate Employee Benefits shows that over a quarter (26%) of employers are missing out by not benchmarking the benefits they offer to their workforce, in comparison to those offered by other companies. The research also reveals that just 40% of companies benchmark by sector, 37% by location, and only 30% by size of company.

Hiring your first employees marks a major milestone for any startup, reflecting your business's growth. However, expanding your team requires a deeper understanding of HR processes and employment law to avoid common pitfalls. Sally Gwilliam, Employment Partner at Harper James talks you through the essential areas you need to know as your business grows including employment status, contracts, HR compliance, IP protection, and dealing with resignations.

A notable 41% of IT professionals are struggling to hire qualified candidates due to a ‘significant’ skills gap in the industry, with only 12% reportedly unaffected by this gap. That’s according to new data from SolarWinds, a provider of simple, powerful, secure observability and IT management software.

According to Towergate Employee Benefits’ research, over a third (37%) of companies with employees based outside of the UK stated that they do not offer enough health and wellbeing support and that this impacts their ability to recruit and retain people.

83% of professionals state they’ve experienced mental ill health at work in the past 12 months – with more than a quarter encountering it ‘regularly’.

While UK inflation has notably declined over the past year, the sharp rise in the cost of living in previous years continues to impact individuals and businesses. As a result, salary budgeting for 2025 might be a challenging task for companies. To provide a helpful resource for next year’s salary budgeting process, UK-based pay and reward consultancy 3R Strategy has now launched its 4th Global Salary Planning Report.

Employers are placing increasing importance on the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) credentials of employee benefits providers when it comes to selecting a partner for their organisation, according to research conducted by GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector.

The demand for specialised tech talent is rising sharply, with the International Data Corporation predicting that over 90% of companies will face IT skills shortages by 2026.

Startups are as vital as ever to the UK’s economy, with nearly 860,000 new companies registered at Companies House between 2022 and 2023.

Eighty-two percent of employers say they currently record sickness absence, a marginal improvement on the 80% that said the same in 2023 but not as many as the 85% who recorded sickness in 2022.

The first 100 days under the first Labour government since 2010 have now elapsed. These first 100 are often considered the most telling – and most important.

New research from Unmind reveals that almost half (45%) of UK women over the age of 55 don’t feel supported by their workplace. This is compared to a third (34%) of women of all other age groups.