Liam Soutar

HR Grapevine

Presenteeism | The £241bn issue of staff at their desks but too unwell to function

By: Liam Soutar

Poor workforce health is estimated to cost the UK economy £241bn a year in lost output, equivalent to around 8% of GDP and £7,000 per worker, according to research from Vitality conducted in partnership with RAND Europe.

HR Grapevine

'More than salary' | How employee benefits could help ease financial stress and boost staff loyalty

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways: 67% of UK workers say a wider range of employee benefits would make them more loyal to their employer.

HR Grapevine

'Build trust in tech' | Microsoft research reveals AI confidence gap between UK bosses & employees

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways 84% of senior business decision-makers believe the UK can become a world-leading AI economy within five years, compared with 41% of employees.

HR Grapevine

NEET idea | Asda launches apprenticeship scheme offering permanent jobs to young people

By: Liam Soutar

Asda has launched an apprenticeship programme offering permanent jobs, training and qualifications to young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

HR Grapevine

'Reshape the workplace' | Barclays to cut 5,000 jobs as it expands AI use

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways Barclays expects to cut around 5,000 jobs by the end of 2026, including 1,000 posts already removed, equivalent to about 5% of its global workforce.

HR Grapevine

'Voluntary exit' | Microsoft offers buyouts to 60,000 staff, including UK & HR roles

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways Around 60,000 Microsoft employees are eligible for voluntary exit packages, including staff in the UK.

HR Grapevine

'Having none of it' | Supreme Court refuses Tesco appeal bid in equal pay case

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways The Supreme Court has refused Tesco permission to appeal a ruling on how jobs are assessed in its equal pay case.

HR Grapevine

Chancellor to deliver Autumn Budget 2026 as HR experts hope for 'no nasty surprises' Live Updates | Chancellor to deliver Autumn Budget 2026 as HR experts hope for 'no nasty surprises'

By: Liam Soutar

Summary Chancellor John Healey will deliver the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 28th October, with his Commons statement expected at around 12.30pm.

HR Grapevine

'Fuel inequalities' | Ban employers from asking candidates about salary history, says equality watchdog

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways The EHRC has called for a ban on employers asking job candidates about their salary history or expectations, arguing that the practice can carry existing pay inequalities into new roles.

HR Grapevine

'No big surprises' | Budget 2026: What HR needs to know about pay, hiring, AI and more

By: Liam Soutar

Key takeaways Minimum wages rise by 3.9% from April 2027, alongside planned recruitment and pay transparency reforms.