Workplace mentoring and coaching are now essential drivers of business performance, staff retention, and employee wellbeing in the UK, according to a major new report from the Association of Business Mentors (ABM). The findings show that over two-thirds of businesses have seen a positive impact on overall business performance from their mentoring and coaching programmes, and a further 60% attributed an improvement in employee wellbeing to their programmes.

Nearly all (95%) UK business leaders say they are committed to building a culture of learning, according to Pluralsight’s 2025 Tech Skills Report, but the research reveals a stark gap between this intention and the reality for learners. 

Experience shows that when we protect business purpose, performance follows. So, how do you hold fast to your values while pushing for higher returns? It starts by refusing to treat growth and values separately.

Despite more conversations being held publicly about the impact of menopause and the requirements for support, many women still feel alone in their struggles, especially the physical and mental health effects on their work and career.

We live and work in unprecedented times. As a founder of a high-growth business that specialises in work team transformation, I see first-hand how this impacts the organisations and teams that we partner with.

There is a growing disconnect between employee expectations and what organisations are delivering, putting pressure on HR leaders to rethink hiring, leadership development, and retention strategies. Research from Personio, Europe’s leading HR software provider for small and mid-sized businesses, reveals that more than half (54%) of employees in the UK are considering a job change within the next year as the gap between expectation and reality contributes to attrition. 

Small businesses are grappling with significant hurdles when it comes to hiring, new data has revealed.

There is a growing disconnect between employee expectations and what organisations are delivering, putting pressure on HR leaders to rethink hiring, leadership development, and retention strategies.

As the seasons change, many Brits will be experiencing colds, coughs, and flus over the next few weeks. Working while sick, otherwise known as presenteeism, costs employers around £24 billion annually, according to Deloitte, due to reduced productivity, prolonged illnesses and leaving employees to work through a reduced capacity.

AI is increasingly becoming the workplace’s first line of support, with a third (33%) of Gen Z professionals now using AI tools for work-related questions before asking their manager or colleagues, according to new findings from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters.

Recent research – conducted by social research agency Hark – has revealed a troubling trend: one in 10 children report feeling a complete lack of confidence about their ability to build a future career by the time they reach Year 9. Meanwhile, employers are witnessing a growing number of Gen Z professionals struggling to adapt in the workplace, grappling with confidence issues, uncertainty, and a lack of direction that can ultimately derail early careers.

Another season, another HR buzzword, welcome to the age of ‘Job Hugging’. Between mass redundancies, a tough job market, and low pay growth, employee behaviour has fundamentally shifted away from the apathy of quiet quitting and into fear mode. Today’s workforce is holding tight to their current roles out of a desire for stability amid uncertainty.

UK employees were off sick for nearly two full working weeks (9.4 days) on average in the last 12 months. This is a significant jump compared to pre-pandemic levels (5.8 days), and 7.8 days in 2023 when this survey was last carried out.

Microsoft laid off 9,000 workers, citing artificial intelligence (AI) developments. Goldman Sachs announced it is deploying digital co-workers to enhance human performance and drive productivity. One story grabs headlines. The other reveals the future. 

New research from HiBob, the company behind Bob, the HR platform transforming how organisations operate in the modern world of work, reveals how one resignation at a small or medium sized business (SMB) can destabilise an entire company. 

Over the past few years, it’s been encouraging to see organisations investing more heavily than ever in mental health support. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), wellbeing apps, occupational health, and private medical insurance are becoming the norm, not the exception. And yet, despite all this provision, we still see high rates of absenteeism, presenteeism, and a troubling number of employees falling through the cracks.

Every so often, a new trend takes over social media. Recently, TikTok has been filled with people talking about ‘fibremaxxing’, a health craze where people dramatically increase their fibre intake. The idea comes from a good place – fibre is important for health – but too much can do more harm than good.

Born from 2010 onwards, Generation Alpha is the first to be raised entirely in the 21st century. They’ve never known a world without smartphones, AI, or social media. They understood ‘Skip Ad’ before they could read, were using global gaming platforms before they became teenagers, and they’ll begin entering the workforce from next year.

If you run or manage a small business, chances are you didn’t get into it for the admin.

While the UK's skills shortages have persisted during the last few years, recent data has revealed a promising improvement. Skills shortage vacancies fell from 36% in 2022, to 27% in 2024, according to the Department for Education's latest Employer Skills Survey.