Four HR Mistakes that Could Trigger Sponsor Licence Trouble
The UK Home Office revoked a record 1,948 sponsor licences between July 2024 and June 2025, more than double the previous year and part of a trend that will exceed 3,100 revocations by year‑end. The surge reflects data‑driven enforcement that now cross‑checks payroll and company filings, turning compliance lapses into revocation grounds. HR directors are most vulnerable when they overlook four recurring errors: role‑title drift after promotion, salary‑threshold miscalculations, missed 10‑day reporting, and fragmented right‑to‑work records. Addressing these issues requires treating sponsor compliance like a payroll audit and embedding ownership at the board level.
AI Leads to Unintended Consequences in Recruitment, Finds Study
A CV‑Library study of nearly 500 recruiters and 1,100 candidates reveals that AI‑driven hiring often filters out strong talent. More than a third of recruiters admit missing top candidates, while about half of job seekers say their applications were rejected...
Cyber Experts Not Attracting Higher Salaries, Despite Attacks
Harvey Nash’s latest survey reveals that 77% of UK cyber security professionals did not receive a pay rise last year, compared with only 23% who did. By contrast, tech roles in infrastructure, DevOps and AI saw roughly 60% of workers earn...
Meta and Microsoft Cut Thousands in the Shift to AI
Meta announced a cut of roughly 8,000 employees, about 10% of its workforce, as it ramps AI spending to $135 billion this year. Microsoft will offer a voluntary redundancy program to about 8,750 staff, representing 7% of its headcount, using a...
HR Needs Better Access to Data on Apprenticeship Provider Quality
HR teams often select apprenticeship providers without consulting Qualification Achievement Rates (QAR), a key public metric that shows how many learners complete their programmes. Department for Education data reveals up to an 82.1‑point gap in completion rates between providers, turning...
Fears of AI Cheating by Candidates ‘Overblown’, Study Claims
A Clevry study reveals that while 62% of HR professionals believe candidates are using AI to cheat on assessments, only 26% have actually witnessed such behavior. The research suggests the fear of AI‑enabled cheating is driven more by perception than...
Handling Subject Access Requests with Confidence Under New Data Act
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 gives UK HR teams new, legally backed tools to handle the expected flood of subject access requests (DSARs) that will follow the Employment Rights Act 2025’s reduction of the unfair‑dismissal qualifying period to...
The Role of AI in Performance-Related Pay
AI is reshaping pay‑for‑performance by challenging the traditional philosophy, assessment, and differentiation pillars. Gartner’s December 2025 survey shows a 17 % productivity boost when employees see a clear link between pay and results, highlighting the need for an AI‑ready performance philosophy. The...
One-Third of Managers Unsure About Neurodiversity Adjustments
A VinciWorks survey of 495 HR, L&D and compliance professionals found that 35% of managers lack confidence when discussing reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent staff, with 30% “not very confident” and 5% “not confident at all.” Tribunal data from Irwin Mitchell shows...
Iran War Begins to Fuel Inflation as Pay Awards Ease
The Iran‑Israel war has pushed UK energy costs higher, lifting CPI to 3.3% YoY in March and RPI to 4.1%. Fuel, airfares and food price gains were the main drivers, according to the ONS. Median basic pay awards peaked at...
Firefighters to Get Regular Health Checks Under New ‘Concordat’
The UK government has signed a Firefighters Concordat on Health and Wellbeing, committing to regular health checks for all firefighters and new research funding. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting and Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon announced the initiative...
HR Needs to Step up, but Don’t Expect a Neet Fix Anytime Soon
Youth unemployment in the UK has risen to 14.3% for 18‑24‑year‑olds, reversing recent overall gains. The government has rolled out a Youth Jobs Grant, expanded apprenticeship incentives and introduced new V‑Level qualifications, but the measures target only a fraction of...
Personal Trainer Who Raised Concerns Wins £150k at Tribunal
A personal trainer who reported an unsafe Ministry of Defence fitness test was awarded roughly $190,000 after an employment tribunal ruled her dismissal was automatically unfair. The tribunal ordered Nuffield Health to pay about $97,000 in lost wages, $47,000 for...
Tribunal Claims Backlog Growing in Number and Complexity
The Employment Tribunal in England and Wales is facing a rapidly expanding backlog, with single claims rising 60% from 7,800 to 12,500 per quarter and the backlog projected to top 60,000 cases by late 2026. Open‑track, complex cases now make...
NHS ‘at Risk of Collapse’ without More Focus on Diversity
A joint study by UCL and the University of Leicester warns that the NHS could collapse without a focused strategy to retain ethnically diverse staff, especially international workers. Surveys from 2021‑2024 show staff turnover intentions rising from 30% to 47%,...
What Are HR Teams Missing in Menopause Action Plans?
From April 2026, UK firms with 250+ employees can voluntarily publish menopause action plans, and from spring 2027 the practice becomes mandatory. The legislation forces HR teams to document risk assessments, training and reasonable adjustments, but it does not guarantee...
Council Workers Win £11k for Harassment After Outside-Work Flashing
Two Bridgend County Borough Council employees received more than £11,600 (about $15,000) after a Cardiff employment tribunal ruled that a colleague's indecent exposure constituted harassment. The incident, which occurred outside working hours in June 2023, involved the employee exposing himself...
Unemployment Could Reach 2.1 Million as Conflict Persists
The EY Item Club predicts UK unemployment could rise to 2.1 million, or 5.8%, by next year as the Iran war drives oil prices higher and strains supply chains. The surge in energy costs is expected to shave economic growth to...
‘All Reasonable Steps’ to Prevent Sexual Harassment (Webinar)
Personnel Today is hosting a 60‑minute webinar on 20 May 2026 to help UK employers prepare for the October 2026 requirement that they take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment. Featuring VinciWorks compliance experts Nick Henderson‑Mayo and Ruth Mittelmann Cohen, the session will...
Firms Face Lack of Consistency in Global Social Mobility
New research by the Financial Reporting Council, Lewis Silkin and Progress Together reveals that financial‑services firms worldwide lack consistent methods to measure the impact of socio‑economic background on employee progression. While barriers such as confidence gaps and limited networks are common,...
Manager Who Took X to Court Has Compensation Slashed
A former senior manager at X (formerly Twitter) who sued the company over a 2022 mass layoff saw his award dramatically reduced. An Irish tribunal originally granted him a record €550,000 (about $594,000) for unfair dismissal, including restricted‑share‑unit (RSU) payments....
Whistleblowing over Minimum Wage Rising Rapidly
Reports of employers failing to pay the UK National Minimum Wage surged to a five‑year high, with 7,622 whistleblower tip‑offs recorded in the year to 5 April 2025 – a 360% jump from 2020‑21. The rise coincides with statutory wage hikes, lifting...
Employers Favouring Full-Time Roles over Part-Time Ones
Employment Hero’s March report shows UK SMEs adding jobs at a 5.3% year‑on‑year pace, with full‑time hiring up 1.1% and part‑time roles slipping 0.5%. The shift reflects a strategic tilt toward stable, full‑time staff amid tighter talent competition and new...
MPs to Explore Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee will hold an evidence session on 21 April to scrutinise equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Chair Sarah Owen will hear from the CIPD, Policy Exchange and corporate D&I leaders about the effectiveness of...
REC’s Neil Carberry to Head up CIPD
Neil Carberry, former chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, has been appointed chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), effective 28 September 2026. He succeeds Peter Cheese, who will retire after a 14‑year tenure,...
Senior Bosses Exposed to Fraud Through Online Exposure
Half of UK companies reported fraud attempts that impersonated senior leaders in the past year, driven by executives' growing online visibility. Average losses per incident top £758,000 (about $970,000), with the most severe cases exceeding £5 million (≈$6.4 million). AI‑generated deep‑fakes and...
FIFA World Cup 2026: Employers’ Guide to Workplace Implications
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co‑hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada, will run from 11 June to 19 July with 48 teams and 104 matches, many airing between 5 pm and 5 am BST. Employers are advised to leverage the tournament to boost...
Consultation Launched on NDA Ban
The UK government has launched a public consultation on tightening the Employment Rights Act to curb the misuse of non‑disclosure agreements (NDAs) in harassment and discrimination cases. It will define when an NDA can remain valid, such as when an...
The 47% Advantage: Map Your Path to Peak Performance (Webinar)
A Personnel Today webinar in partnership with Culture Amp will reveal how a peak‑performance culture can boost financial results. Research covering more than 1,800 global companies shows firms with such cultures enjoy a 47 % higher stock‑price return over two years, yet...
What Are the Risks of Withdrawing a Job Offer?
The Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that a conditional job offer can form a binding contract once the candidate accepts, even if reference checks, right‑to‑work verification, or probation have not yet occurred. In Kankanalapalli v Loesche Energy Systems the EAT rejected...
EHRC Amends Code of Practice Ready for Approval
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has amended its updated code of practice for services, public functions and associations and resubmitted it to the government for approval after receiving feedback from women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson. The revised...
Still No Plans for Statutory Menstrual Leave After Commons Debate
The UK government reiterated it has no plans to introduce statutory menstrual leave for employees with endometriosis or adenomyosis, despite a petition that gathered over 100,000 signatures and prompted a Commons debate led by Labour MP Paul Davis. The debate...
Nine Out of 10 Firms Have Regretted AI-Led Job Cuts
A Careerminds UK poll of 600 HR leaders reveals that 91% of firms regret AI‑driven redundancies made in the past year. Only 27% reported financial benefits, while 31% are worse off, and many have already begun rehiring. The study highlights...
HSE Launches Wide-Ranging RIDDOR Consultation
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on updating the 2013 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), running until 30 June 2026. The proposals seek to clarify ambiguous terminology, refresh the list of dangerous occurrences,...
Brain Fog Affects Two-Thirds Going Through Menopause
A new Lancet review finds that more than two‑thirds of women experience memory lapses and reduced concentration during the menopause transition, a condition often labeled “brain fog.” The study notes that while these cognitive symptoms remain within normal performance ranges...
Worker Was Owed More than 800 Days in Holiday Pay
A UK employment tribunal awarded former Sabtina deputy managing director Mossadek Ageli more than £400,000 in compensation after finding his dismissal for alleged gross misconduct was procedurally unfair. The judge ordered £91,489.73 (≈ $116,200) for unfair dismissal and £391,942.77 (≈ $498,000) for...
NHS Trust Settles with Nurse Who Misgendered Patient
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has reached a confidential settlement with nurse Jennifer Melle, who was disciplined after misgendering a transgender prisoner and later faced suspension for speaking publicly about the incident. The nurse endured a 10‑month suspension,...
Early Days in Middle East’s Impact on Hiring, Says REC
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG released their first post‑conflict Report on Jobs, showing a modest dip in permanent placements and temporary billings in March. The decline was the second consecutive month but marked the second‑slowest contraction in...
How Employment Rules Are Failing Seafarers Trapped in the Persian Gulf
Around 20,000 seafarers are trapped in the Persian Gulf after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard closed the Strait of Hormuz amid the US‑Israeli war with Iran. The International Transport Workers’ Federation has fielded over 1,000 inquiries, with roughly one‑fifth seeking repatriation, while...
Fewer Employers Moving Closer to Parity on Gender Pay Gap
Brightmine’s latest analysis of 10,163 UK employers with 250+ staff shows the median gender pay gap narrowing to 8.3%, the smallest figure recorded to date. Despite the overall improvement, the public sector still lags with a 14% gap, and four...
Fair Work Agency ‘Should Be Strengthened’ Amid Climate of Weak Regulation
The UK government launched the Fair Work Agency on 7 April to consolidate employment‑law enforcement under the Employment Rights Act 2025. A briefing from the Institute of Employment Rights warns the agency will lack teeth unless its powers and funding are strengthened....
Ministers Launch Call for Evidence over Future of TUPE
The UK government has opened a call for evidence to shape reforms to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) – TUPE – regulations as part of its Plan to Make Work Pay and the upcoming Employment Rights Act 2025....
Weekly Trade Union Access ‘Excessive’ and ‘Disruptive’
The UK government will grant trade unions the right to access workplaces of any business with 21 or more employees on a weekly basis, with the rules taking effect in October 2026. Employers’ groups such as the CBI, CIPD, Make UK, the...
Right-to-Try Rules Give People with Health Conditions More Freedom to Seek Work
The UK government will enact legislation before month‑end that lets disabled benefit claimants try paid work or volunteering without triggering an automatic reassessment of their Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or Universal Credit health element. The change follows...
ONS Reaches Agreement on Office Attendance with PCS Union
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the PCS union have reached a landmark agreement that eliminates individual 40% office‑attendance mandates for civil servants. Instead, attendance will be driven by clear, purpose‑based needs and an overall organisational target of 40%....
Engineering Firm Breached Contract Before Start Date, EAT Rules
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that Loesche Energy Systems breached its employment contract with project‑manager candidate Sita Kankanalapalli by withdrawing the offer before the agreed start date. The September 2022 offer, set for a 1 November start, was conditional on satisfactory...
Tech Boss Who Blew Whistle on Chinese Investment Awarded £1.5m
Dr. Ron Black, former chief executive of Imagination Technologies, raised alarms that the Chinese state‑owned fund China Reform was poised to seize control of the UK chip‑design firm. After reporting the risk to senior directors and meeting with GCHQ, he...
Midwives to Receive Anti-Racism Training
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will embed anti‑racism principles into every UK midwifery degree program, aiming to curb the stark black maternal health crisis. Data from MBRRACE‑UK show black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy...
Former British Council Worker Successfully Appeals Payout Deduction
A former British Council teaching centre lead in Morocco successfully appealed a 35% deduction from her unfair‑dismissal compensation, arguing the deduction was based on a flawed Chagger test. The Employment Appeal Tribunal agreed, overturning the Chagger‑based reduction but upheld the...
Acas: Mental Health Problems Among Top Three Reasons for Staff Absence
A YouGov survey commissioned by Acas finds that roughly one‑third of managers identify stress, anxiety, depression and other mental‑health issues as a top reason for employee sickness absence. Two‑thirds of absences are still attributed to minor illnesses, while about a...