18. January 2023

5 Important UK HR News Stories You May Have Missed

HR News UK

January is always an interesting time to take stock of the trends that HR professionals are likely to see in the year ahead and how to approach them – in fact we asked 17 HR experts exactly that

But what is specifically changing this month that all HR professionals should take note of? We rounded up everything you need to know below.

First, read what our CHRO Ross Seychell anticipates will be the key challenges for HR professionals in 2023 and exactly how you can best tackle them.

1. More CHROs Are Becoming CEOs (Worklife)

Fancy becoming a CEO one day? Good news for the most career-driven among us – companies like Greggs, Tesco Ireland and Chanel have all in the last year promoted C-suite leaders in the HR function to CEO positions. It’s thought that their skills are especially needed now to improve flexible work options, diversity, recruitment, retention and potential layoffs as our economy declines. Read more here.

2. UK Vacancies Have Hit Pre-Covid Levels (Bloomberg)

However, it’s bad news for recruiters – for the first time in two years, job advertisements have fallen back below pre-2020 levels. In fact, vacancies are 16% lower than this time last year, possibly signifying an end to what was previously a very healthy job market. The largest drops were recorded in the HR and recruitment and energy industries, respectively. Wage growth is also at its weakest level for 20 months. Read more here.

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3. Flexible Working Boosts Productivity (The Guardian)

Recalling everyone to the office full-time still remains an unnecessary decision, as managers are more pro-flexible working than they ever have been. Three quarters believe it increases productivity, while over 60% think it boosts motivation. However, the study by the University of Birmingham and the University of York also found that 41% of managers believe long hours are needed in order to progress. Read more here

4. Companies Keep Hiring & Firing Younger Workers (BBC)

If your company has hired a lot of graduates, take note. The BBC reports that there is a worrying trend of companies hiring young employees to complete demanding tasks with no upward trajectory, resulting in inevitable burnout. Because these employees have less experience in the workplace, they are more likely to be mis-sold jobs or to inadvertently enter a toxic work environment. Read more here.

5. Cost-of-Living Is Driving More 60s+ Candidates (HR Magazine)

The number of 60+ job applicants has surged, according to one recruitment agency who saw a 160% increase in the age group. It is thought that the cost of living crisis has caused some workers to delay their retirement, with the UK government considering financial benefits to attract these applicants. If your organisation could benefit from these experienced employees and better age diversity, now’s your time.Read more here.

What You May Have Missed From Personio This Month…

Personio Integrations

Every month, we endeavour to make our product work harder for our customers. Did you know Personio offers more integrations than any other HR solution? This month alone, we have unveiled twelve new integrations. Find out below which of your important tools you can connect to build smoother, quicker HR processes for your organisation:

  • BDG (Personnel Planning): A workforce planning and analytics app for SMEs used to calculate staffing, plan cost centres and assign salary bands.

  • Cobee (Benefits): A digital platform aimed at staff well-being used to reduce admin and paperwork and improve employer branding.

  • E2N (Personnel Planning): A software solution for employee management that manages all information in one place.

  • Effectory (Performance & Engagement): A feedback platform that features data, analytics, recommendation, customisation and automation capabilities.

  • GAIA Technologies (Collaboration & Productivity): A digital in-house lawyer for SMEs that offers digital legal processes.

  • Globalization Partners (Employer of Record): A global employment platform that makes it fast and easy for employers to hire top talent in over 180+ countries.

  • Hofy (Collaboration & Productivity): An all-in-one equipment management solution for remote and hybrid companies hiring globally.

  • Jobbatical (Relocation Management): Reduces the friction associated with worker mobility by automating the immigration and relocation processes.

  • LIZ Smart Office (Office Management): A workplace booking tool that enables employees to book their workspace in a fast, simple and organised way.

  • Neobrain (Performance & Engagement): A skills-based internal talent marketplace that allows you to align company strategy with the employee skills.

  • Ravio (Compensation & Equity): A compensation platform for fast-growing SMEs in Europe, offering real-time market data and tools to manage compensation. 

  • Studytube (Learning & Development): An all-in-one learning platform and learning services that inspires employees to build their own future.  

Hannah Popham

Hannah Popham

Hannah is a Senior Content Marketing Manager at Personio. She loves writing about the ever-changing ways that we work and how they intersect with our lives outside work.

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