November 16, 2021
Employers expect ‘hard-to-fill’ vacancies to increase in the next six months
Almost half (47 percent) of employers report having vacancies that are hard-to-fill, and more than one in four (27 percent) expect the number of vacancies that are difficult to fill to increase in the next six months. This is a key finding of the latest quarterly CIPD Labour Market Outlook (LMO) which surveyed more than 1,000 employers across all sectors of the economy. Employers were surveyed about their hiring, pay and redundancy intentions for the last quarter of 2021 in September, just as the furlough scheme was ending. More →
Despite their best intentions, most employers are facing difficulties responding to changing employee expectations around employee experience and wellbeing during the pandemic. 69 percent of HR leaders admit that their efforts to improve employee experience are being held back by a lack of a clear strategy, and 76 percent report that they are struggling to adapt their employee experience to meet the needs of a hybrid workforce. 
As workers are encouraged to return to offices in greater numbers, employers should prepare for an influx of employees reporting symptoms of Long Covid. Cases are rising in the UK and it is estimated that a significant percentage of those testing positive for Covid-19 go on to develop Long Covid, a debilitating condition with symptoms ranging from fatigue and muscle aches, to breathing-related problems and chest pain. The duration of symptoms varies, with some sufferers recovering after 12 weeks and others continuing to suffer for far longer. While working remotely, it may have been possible for some employees to manage their symptoms privately; however, the requirement to attend the office may prompt them to disclose their condition and seek the support of their employer. 
Research from 
One in five employers (22 percent) have made changes to employees’ terms and conditions of employment between March 2020 and July 2021, according to new research from the 
New research released by 
Almost half of UK employees would not talk to their employer if they were experiencing a health issue, having a detrimental impact on business performance and culture, according to new research from 
As the Government is due to unveil its winter plan for COVID-19 and the ONS confirms employee numbers are back at record levels, according to the latest survey from 
In its latest whitepaper, 
A new 
Employers should be doing more to encourage staff to start commuting into the office by bicycle, suggests research from 
After more than a year of remote working, the majority of UK workers are well-versed in office-free employment. We’ve had plenty of time to think about how the experience has affected our working habits. 
