Plan B measures in England, including work from home guidance, will end on 27 January. But with so many false starts already, and the uncertainty of COVID still looming, what difficulties will HR face...

Earlier this week, I attended a CEO roundtable, where we agreed that the pressures on organisations to deliver faster – whether that be products or services – is growing.

Despite a recent increase in firms, including Ikea and Next, opting to cut their above-Statutory Sick Pay for unvaccinated employees, many HR professionals seem wary of potential discrimination.

The government’s proposal to reduce free lateral flow tests (LFTs) may leave employers with responsibility for testing some frontline workers.

At first glance it would seem that the flexible working genie is irreversibly out of the bottle. But is it?

The first casualty of 2022 has already been announced: BlackBerry will discontinue service on its phones.

The usual post-Christmas drop in happiness may be exacerbated by Omicron – but HR can help provide a light at the end of the tunnel.

As the UK government continues its push for vaccinations as the first line of defence against COVID-19, questions have risen about what lies ahead for the country’s unvaccinated population.

Workload pressures, including including tight deadlines, too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support, was the main cause of reported stress, depression and anxiety for 2021. 

Managers should encourage desk workers to be more active by planning two minute exercise breaks into the work day, University of Essex researchers have found.

It was another year of turbulence for people professionals. Our 12 Days of Christmas countdown reviews what made the headlines in 2021.

The CIPD has said that the UK’s Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is broken, and a majority of employers agree it needs to be increased.