Search Results for: labour market

March 23, 2026

Parliamentary group warns misuse of NDAs undermines workplace trust

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A cross-party group of parliamentarians, business leaders and experts has warned that non-disclosure agreements are “good for no-one” when used to conceal harmful behaviour in the workplace rather than address it. The warning followed a roundtable held in Parliament on 18 March, hosted by the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing. Participants agreed that while NDAs can serve a legitimate purpose, their use to mask harassment or discrimination risks undermining accountability and eroding trust within organisations. (more…)

March 19, 2026

Half of SMEs using AI with limited impact on headcount (so far)

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

More than half of UK firms are now using artificial intelligence, according to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce, marking a sharp increase in adoption but with little immediate effect on workforce size. The survey, carried out in partnership with Atos, suggests that 54 percent of businesses are actively using AI. This represents a notable rise from previous BCC findings, which showed adoption at 35 percent in 2025, 25 percent in 2024 and 23 percent in 2023. (more…)

March 9, 2026

Six weeks paternity allowance for self-employed and other dads could boost economy by £3 billion

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Introducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefits worth nearly £3 billion per year to the UK, research has found. The proposal, published in a new Institute for Policy Research (IPR) policy brief, argues that providing paid leave for self-employed and worker fathers – including contractors or those in gig-economy roles – at the Statutory Paternity Pay rate (£187.18 per week) would deliver significant economic and wellbeing benefits for families and for UK society as a whole. (more…)

February 23, 2026

AI will either save work or destroy it. Apparently.

by Jo Sutherland • AI, Comment

As someone who works at the intersection of communications and responsible AI, I spend a lot of time thinking about how emerging technologies are explained, sold, feared, embraced and misunderstood. Nowhere is that more palpable than in conversations about AI and the future of work, where certainty is sometimes projected before it’s earned. Over the past few months alone, taking part in debates at both the Westminster Employment Forum and the University of Cambridge, I’ve been struck by just how wide the spectrum of opinion still is. Depending on who has the floor, AI is framed either as a magical productivity fix or an existential threat to jobs. The reality probably lies somewhere in the middle. (more…)

February 23, 2026

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

February 16, 2026

Employment Rights Act is already putting the brakes on hiring, CIPD warns

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New research from the CIPD suggests the Government’s Employment Rights Act could discourage employers from recruiting permanent staff, add to business costs and increase workplace conflict. The findings come from the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook, based on a survey of more than 2,000 UK employers. It reports that overall hiring intentions remain at their lowest level on record outside the first year of the pandemic. (more…)

February 3, 2026

Wellbeing overtakes financial security as top workforce concern, study claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Wellbeing has overtaken financial security as the primary concern for UK employees, according to new research from Mercer, reflecting a shift in workforce priorities after several years of economic and social disruption. The findings come from Mercer’s Inside Employees’ Minds: Building Confidence in a Changed World 2025 to 2026 report, based on responses from more than 4,000 UK workers. While financial pressures remain widespread, concerns around physical, mental and emotional health now dominate. The study found that 32 percent of employees report poor mental health, with higher prevalence among younger workers. (more…)

January 27, 2026

Artificial intelligence appears to cut more jobs than it creates

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to a net loss of jobs, according to a new analysis of how organisations are adopting the technology across their operations. Research by Morgan Stanley, based on responses from nearly 1,000 companies that have been using AI for at least a year, suggests that British firms have shed more roles than they have created as a direct result of AI deployment. The study indicates a net reduction of around 8 percent of roles in the UK over the past twelve months, a higher figure than reported in comparable surveys of companies in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia. (more…)

January 15, 2026

New research highlights entrenched UK regional inequalities and policy hurdles

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Property

New analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and partner universities suggests regional inequalities across the UK remain deep, persistent and shaped by a combination of economic, social and mobility factors, according to a symposium of research published this month. Researchers say disparities in earnings, productivity, educational opportunity and life outcomes continue to vary sharply between regions, with many places that were struggling two decades ago remaining comparatively disadvantaged today. (more…)

January 13, 2026

Evidence of AI-driven job losses remains limited, says Oxford Economics report

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Claims that artificial intelligence is already driving large-scale job losses appear to be overstated, according to a new global research briefing from Oxford Economics [registration], which suggests that the impact of AI on labour markets so far has been uneven and modest. The report argues that while there is anecdotal evidence of job losses in sectors most exposed to automation, firms are not yet replacing workers with AI at a scale that would materially raise unemployment rates. Oxford Economics concludes that near-term fears of widespread AI-driven unemployment are not supported by current data. (more…)

January 8, 2026

People want their jobs to provide them with security and steady pay

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Workers are placing greater emphasis on job security, fair pay and employer support for flexibility, according to new global research from the Adecco Group, which suggests the so called Great Resignation has given way to a more cautious approach to how ambitious people would like to seem. The Workforce Trends 2025 report [registration] is based on responses from 37,500 workers and 2,000 senior executives across 31 countries. It finds that while employees continue to value growth, flexibility and meaningful work, these priorities are increasingly secondary to stable income and employment certainty as economic and social uncertainty persists. (more…)

December 15, 2025

Global survey points to ongoing yearning for flexible work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Employee engagement levels remained broadly stable in 2025, according to a new global report from workplace analytics firm WorkL, with flexible work continuing to show a strong association with how positively people experience their job. The Global Workplace Report 2025 is based on survey data from more than 500,000 employees across over 100 countries. It records an average global engagement score of 75 percent, suggesting little overall movement compared with recent years, despite ongoing economic and labour market pressures.