New research from leading independent consultancy Barnett Waddingham (BW), part of Howden, reveals a widening retirement confidence crisis across the UK workforce, as a third (32%) of workers do not feel confident that they will retire with a comfortable income. Concerningly, this lack of certainty is most prominent among those closest to retirement. Almost half (48%) of workers aged 45-54 and 40% of those aged 55+ report a significant lack of confidence in their financial future. A similar study from Barnett Waddingham in 20242 found that 42% of those aged 45-54, and 37% of those aged 55+ were not confident that…
Author: sme-admin
With the first wave of the new Employment Rights Act coming in to force next month, and many SME leaders grappling with conflicting advice and expensive solutions, people management expert Charlotte Dean, founder and managing director of P3 People Management, offers advice for SME leaders. “One of the most common concerns I hear from small business leaders is that preparing for the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) will be expensive and disruptive. In most cases, it doesn’t need to be either and there is a genuine opportunity here to turn ERA compliance into building a stronger, more profitable business. “Every people management…
With the Middle East conflict kicking off in recent weeks, following on from the infamous Autumn Budget and previous geopolitical tensions across the ocean, it’s no surprise that 26% of working Brits revealed they have stayed in their role for longer than they would like due to economic conditions, even if they’re unhappy with their current position or workplace, according to Reward Gateway | Edenred’s latest research. Stability and a livelihood is an essential for many people, with 26% of working Brits revealing they have stayed in their role for longer than they would like due to economic conditions, even…
While STEM fields have historically been male-dominated, women are steadily increasing their presence across science, engineering and technology roles. Today, women hold over a quarter of all STEM jobs in the UK yet pay parity and access to opportunity still vary widely by location. To uncover where women in STEM have the strongest career prospects, CoworkingCafe analysed 95 of the UK’s largest cities and towns. We evaluated 10 key metrics across three categories: workforce strength, earnings and affordability, to identify the UK’s STEM hotspots for women. Here are the key findings: Cambridge ranks first overall, with the highest concentration of STEM jobs (19.4%) and the strongest STEM…
Nearly 80% of HR and L&D professionals see the importance of cultural intelligence (CQ) to their organisations’ success, with 93% emphasising its role in boosting engagement and teamwork.1 In light of this, Chris Crosby, CEO at Country Navigator, a cultural intelligence training platform, explains how leaders can better develop cultural intelligence in their workplaces to help their teams reach the next level. Why is cultural intelligence important for leaders? Managing performance: A leader’s primary role is to drive team performance, understand potential, and motivate, develop, and encourage the team. Programs may promise development, but they don’t always deliver the expected results. Cognitive…
With Neurodiversity Celebration Week taking place this week, Dan Kentley, Head of Assessment and Specialist Clinical Services at Onebright, discusses the benefits of embracing neurodiversity, common challenges neurodivergent individuals face in the workplace and practical workplace adjustments. Many companies have a talented workforce consisting of individuals with remarkable skills and insights, yet some may face challenges navigating the traditional working environment. It’s estimated that one in seven people in the UK are neurodivergent, meaning they may learn or process information differently to those who are neurotypical. A neurodiverse workforce includes individuals with unique strengths and traits, including those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder…
As the 5 April tax year deadline approaches, Penfold warns that last-minute errors are quietly costing UK savers thousands. With the tax year ending on 5 April, Penfold, a leading UK workplace pension provider, is urging savers not to leave pension contributions to the last minute. Every year, many people miss out on allowances they are entitled to, mistime contributions that fail to process or overlook relief they could have claimed. Chris Eastwood, CEO and Co-Founder of Penfold said: “We see the same money mistakes come up time and time again at this point in the tax year. Most of them…
Jurit law firm has advised Marine Products (Scotland) Ltd on its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), securing the long-term future of the Glasgow-based salmon producer, and placing the business in the hands of its employees. Marine Products (Scotland) Ltd supplies a range of salmon products to long-standing trade customers and retailers. The move to an EOT ensures the company’s independence and provides a clear succession solution following careful planning by the Mackenzie family after the passing of former owner Angus Mackenzie in 2018. Lawyers from Jurit LLP advised on the transaction, supporting the company through the process of…
The Entrepreneurial Revolution: How to scale without losing your soul One of the UK’s most acquisitive groups, London-based Celnor Group (Celnor) was founded in 2023 by industry expert Simon Parrington and is backed by Inflexion Private Equity. The Group of ambitious, entrepreneur-led businesses is one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing organisations in the Testing, Inspection, Certification and Compliance (TICC) sector. In just two years it has grown from a concept to a £250m-revenue international group, with over 40 specialist companies – within 4 key Celnor Group divisions – across 60 locations, more than 2,000 colleagues and operations in…
By Greg Sutch, CEO, Intralink For many tech scaleups, international expansion has traditionally meant looking to North America or Europe. Markets in Asia have often been set aside, assumed to be too difficult to enter because of the distance, not to mention the language and cultural differences. But this assumption is changing – and fast. It’s not simply that western markets have matured or become more competitive. Ongoing disruption to global trade, economic uncertainty and slower growth across parts of Europe and North America are also prompting the most innovative tech scaleups to rethink where their greatest opportunities lie. Meanwhile,…