Fifth of SME employers expect to stop hiring as NICs rise looms
More than a fifth (21 percent) of small and medium sized employers say they will cease hiring activity in 2025, while 16 percent say they will be forced to...
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UK
Diversity translates into GDP gains; UK drops in gender equity rankings
Since 2020, the UK has plummeted from 10th place in PwC’s Women in Work Index to rank 18th among OECD countries. Top performing countries on gender progress include Iceland,...
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Employers ‘underestimate’ workplace eye risks as staff worry about their vision
Almost half (48 percent) of UK employees believe their job puts their eye health at risk as experts warn that employers “underestimate” employee exposure to eye damage. UK employers...
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How HR can demystify responsible pensions
With many employees expecting a responsibly invested pension, but nearly half unsure if they have one, HR has a crucial role to play in bridging the knowledge gap. Benefits...
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Most HR leaders deem forced office returns ‘unhelpful’
Nearly two thirds (63 percent) of HR professionals have called the push to have UK employees in the office five days a week “unhelpful”. A survey of 145 senior...
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Rising costs force 71% of employers to rethink health benefits
Almost three-quarters (71 percent) of employers said they have been forced to rethink their health benefits as a result of rising business costs. However, the research, from provider Simplyhealth,...
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Back to office demands drive almost 11% rise in tribunals
Data has revealed a significant rise in employment tribunals related to remote working as more employers ask staff to return to the office (RTO). Employment tribunal records analysed by...
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One in three firms scale back 2025 pay rises over NI costs
A third of employers have reduced planned salary increases for 2025 as a result of rises in employer national insurance from April. A survey with 200 UK employers revealed...
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Almost 1 in 10 carers ‘treated unfavourably at work’
Close to one in 10 unpaid working carers said they have been treated unfavourably by their employer, according to research from Carers Scotland. Two-fifths of unpaid carers in Scotland...
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Providers partner on AI project to hunt down hard-to-find lost pensions
Two benefits providers have partnered to set up an AI-driven pensions tracing service to find lost and difficult to locate retirement funds. The launch of the initiative, from Zedra...
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BENEFITS UNBOXED PODCAST
Benefits Unboxed
The podcast from Benefits Expert, the title for HR, reward and benefits professionals.
Seasoned professionals examine the challenges and innovations in today’s employee benefits, reward and HR sector. Every episode, they will unbox a key issue and unpack what it really means for employers and how they can tackle it.
The regulars are Claire Churchard, editor of Benefits Expert; Carole Goldsmith, HR director at the Royal Horticultural Society, and Steve Herbert, consultant and rewards & benefits veteran.
Benefits Unboxed – Wellbeing: HR is supporting everyone, but who’s supporting HR?
As the professionals responsible for helping their organisations navigate NI hikes, rising employee stress levels and looming redundancies, the pressure on HR, reward and benefits teams has never been greater.
HR is expected to lead with strength and compassion. But who is supporting the supporters?
In this episode of Benefits Unboxed, co-hosts Claire Churchard, Carole Goldsmith and Steve Herbert explore the emotional and ethical pressures HR face today, from managing redundancies to implementing complex legislation. They discuss why HR’s own wellbeing may not be the first topic of conversation, the risks that poses to employers, and the practical steps businesses can take to better support the wellbeing of the people who support everyone else.
This conversation shines a light on the resilience of the profession and why looking after HR is not just the right thing to do, but a business imperative.
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GUIDE TO WORKPLACE PENSIONS
OPINION
