Employers’ hidden bias against maternity leave
Posted on 28th September 2025
Discriminatory views about maternity leave remain widespread, with some UK employers openly admitting they would avoid hiring pregnant women, according to new research from the University of Bath. The study, published in Social Policy & Society, spoke to 37 managers across England, Scotland, and Wales. It found a stark divide: some employers fully back maternity leave, while others see it as a costly disruption and, in some cases, openly justify discriminatory practices.
Only 52% of employers invest in wage transparency
Posted on 28th September 2025
More than one-fifth (22%) of European HR professionals rank remuneration and fringe benefits among their top five challenges. Less than one in three employees (30%) believe that their organization communicates sufficiently transparently about wages. However, 52% of employers say they are actively investing in this area.
Workplace absence levels soar to nearly two working weeks per employee each year
Posted on 28th September 2025
UK employees were off sick for nearly two full working weeks (9.4 days) on average in the last 12 months. This is a significant jump compared to pre-pandemic levels (5.8 days), and 7.8 days in 2023 when this survey was last carried out. This key finding, from a survey of over 1,100 employers, highlights the urgent need for organisations to proactively address workforce health. This includes understanding the impact ill health - both mental and physical - can have on individuals, and creating cultures where people feel genuinely supported in the management of their health at work.
REC response to digital ID cards proposal
Posted on 28th September 2025
Responding to the government’s confirmation of plans for a new digital ID scheme, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Chief Executive Neil Carberry said: “We use digital ID every day, from paying on our phones to travel and event tickets. There is no reason that the state should fall behind".
GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE & RE-ENERGISE YOUR HIRING
Posted on 30th August 2025
At Netbox Recruitment, we’re seeing strong signs of a renewed surge in hiring efforts from many businesses. While hiring activity has reportedly slowed across the wider economy, many businesses are choosing NOW as the time to revitalise their hiring efforts and pull away from their competitors who have kept their brakes on for too long. For agile and proactive businesses, this landscape provides a real opportunity to secure stronger candidates at a faster pace as well as range of other strategic hiring benefits.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY!
Posted on 14th August 2025
This year at Netbox Recruitment we’re lighting up the candles (and maybe a few fireworks) as we celebrate a decade of doing things differently in the world of recruitment. Over the past 10 years, we’ve partnered with incredible clients, championed brilliant candidates, and carved out our own unique way of working. A huge thank you to every candidate who’s trusted us with their career journey and every client who’s invited us to be part of their team’s growth — we couldn’t have done it without you. Join us as we share the top 10 milestones that have shaped our journey — and the ways we’ve redefined recruitment along the way.
Over a million have changed jobs over a lack of flexibility
Posted on 22nd July 2025
New CIPD research reveals a growing mismatch between employer and employee expectations that saw more than a million UK workers – and younger workers in particular - leave their jobs in the past year due to a lack of flexibility. The research also points to growing tension between employers and employees over hybrid working. More than half of UK employees (53%) said they felt pressure to spend more time in the workplace and more than one in ten (14%) employers plan to introduce or increase mandated days in the office.
Poor workplaces are costing the UK economy £71 billion a year
Posted on 22nd July 2025
Mitie, the UK’s leading facilities transformation company, has found that employers could help boost the country’s productivity levels by investing in well-designed and high performing workspaces. The financial implications of not doing so could be huge, the research reveals, with poorly designed and maintained workplaces potentially costing the UK economy £71.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) every year.
Candidate supply rises at fastest rate in over four and- a-half years
Posted on 22nd July 2025
Uncertainty over the business outlook and budget constraints led companies to reduce their hiring activity again in June, according to the latest KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global. Permanent staff appointments fell at the steepest rate for nearly two years, while the downturn in temp billings also gathered pace. At the same time, overall vacancies continued to fall, particularly for permanent positions.
Declining Employee Wellbeing Threatens UK Business Performance
Posted on 22nd July 2025
A new five-year study from Johns Hopkins University and Great Place To Work® reveals a troubling decline in employee wellbeing across the UK, with under-35s, frontline managers, and men bearing the brunt of the downturn. The report, Fostering Wellbeing at Work in the UK, based on robust employee survey data from over 300,000 workers, reveals much of the UK workforce is still recovering from the aftershocks of the pandemic, ongoing economic uncertainty, and the rise of AI-driven restructuring.
Companies unsure how to respond to candidates using AI in the hiring process
Posted on 24th June 2025
HireRight, a leading provider of global background screening services and workforce management solutions, has announced the release of its 2025 Global Benchmark Report. This year’s comprehensive report identifies regional and global trends in background screening, talent acquisition, and workforce management, based on the survey responses of more than 1,000 human resource, risk, and talent acquisition professionals worldwide, collected between Feb. 11 and March 9, 2025.
50% of Job Applications Don’t Make It Past the First Stage
Posted on 23rd June 2025
Half of all job applications never make it past the first stage of the hiring process, according to new research from Totaljobs, underscoring widespread concerns about application quality across the job market.
Greater ambition from government needed to power progress and performance in UK workplaces
Posted on 23rd June 2025
Commenting on the government’s spending review, Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: “The plans announced today provide a welcome boost for a number of the UK’s key sectors, but we need to see greater ambition from the government if we’re to improve productivity and living standards across the country.
Inflation holds steady at a corrected rate of 3.4 per cent, but new cost of living pressures loom
Posted on 23rd June 2025
While CPI inflation remained unchanged at a corrected rate of 3.4 per cent in May, recent increases in energy prices arising from conflict in the Middle East mean renewed price pressures are set to hit struggling low-income households in the coming months, according to the Resolution Foundation.
ARE DIRECT JOB ADS MORE TROUBLE THAN THEY’RE WORTH?
Posted on 17th June 2025
Many businesses are often tempted to post job adverts themselves to reduce upfront hiring costs. While this approach may initially appear cost-effective, it often leads to a multitude of other problems! From being bombarded with unsuitable CVs through to candidates failing to turn up to interviews, read on to discover why the direct approach is fraught with dangers.
56% of workers are feeling optimistic but overwhelmed when it comes to AI
Posted on 20th May 2025
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to rise, it’s becoming clear that its impact on the workplace is both game-changing and overwhelming for UK workers. The latest research from Henley Business School reveals that while optimism about AI’s potential is on the rise, so is the feeling of being overwhelmed by its rapid development.
Job Adverts Don’t Align with Jobseeker Priorities
Posted on 20th May 2025
Flexible hours, sick pay (above legal requirements), and pension contributions are the top three most desired benefits for jobseekers this year, according to research from Totaljobs. However, Totaljobs has analysed over 17.5m job adverts across 23 industries and highlighted a disconnect between candidate expectations, and what employers are advertising. While over two fifths (41%) of candidates desire flexible hours, only 13% of employers have this listed in their adverts. When it comes to sick pay above statutory requirements, 26% candidates prioritise this, but is only present in 4% of ads.
Changes to the UK’s immigration system must be considered alongside apprenticeships and training reform, says the CIPD
Posted on 20th May 2025
Commenting on the proposals set out in the UK Government’s ‘Restoring control over the immigration system’ white paper, Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: “Plans to reform the immigration system need to go hand in hand with a long-term workforce strategy to ensure employers can find workers with the skills they need to drive productivity and economic growth. This should include an ambitious new skills strategy designed to help address the root causes of skills shortages in the economy.
REC response to UK-EU agreement
Posted on 20th May 2025
Responding to the UK securing a new agreement with the European Union to support British businesses, The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Chief Executive Neil Carberry said: “Talent businesses support the growth of the economy, and any changes that speed that growth help recruiters and employers alike. Sensible steps to remove barriers to trade at the border, without re-opening the Brexit debate, will be welcomed by businesses. This deal addresses many of the key areas of concern – though more work is still needed to support the UK’s primary strength in services.
HOW DOES YOUR HIRING STRATEGY ACCOMMODATE CONFLICTING VIEWS ON REMOTE WORKING?
Posted on 5th May 2025
UK businesses seem deeply divided in their approach to home-working and remote working. While some organisations continue to embrace flexible working arrangements, offering robust remote and hybrid policies as a core part of their employment offering, others are increasingly pushing for a return to traditional office-based models. This split reflects differing views on productivity, collaboration, and company culture. But where does this split approach leave employers looking to shape effective hiring strategies for the current availability of talented candidates?
A THIRD OF UK BUSINESSES ARE SHORT-STAFFED EVERY WEEK
Posted on 21st April 2025
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A third of UK businesses are finding themselves short-staffed at least once a week, new research by Indeed Flex, the online marketplace for flexible and temporary work, has revealed.
GOVERNMENT AND EMPLOYERS URGED TO INVEST IN WOMEN’S HEALTH SUPPORT TO UNLOCK PRODUCTIVITY
Posted on 21st April 2025
The government has been urged to launch a review of the support for women’s health and reproductive challenges at work, to help organisations retain women across every life stage, tackle labour shortages and drive productivity.
EMPLOYERS TACKLE PRODUCTIVITY THREAT WITH FLEXIBLE WORK OFFER
Posted on 21st April 2025
Amid rising sickness rates in the UK, employers are grappling with a significant hit to productivity, according to a new survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). In response, many are turning to flexible working policies as a solution, offering employees more freedom in their work schedules to help mitigate the impact of illness on the workforce.
FTSE 350 firms that cut gender pay gaps saw double-digit revenue growth
Posted on 21st April 2025
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A new analysis of FTSE 350 companies has revealed a clear trend between closing gender pay gaps and double-digit revenue growth. The research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) in collaboration with the FTSE Women Leaders Review shows that ten FTSE 350 firms that made the biggest strides in reducing their gender pay gaps between 2019 and 2024 also saw revenue growth in nearly every case.
ARE YOUR HIRING PLANS READY FOR INCREASED NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS?
Posted on 23rd March 2025
With the rise in employer National Insurance contributions and the increase in the national living wage due to take effect in April, it’s essential for businesses to adapt their hiring strategies to manage costs effectively while maintaining a competitive workforce and continuing to hire the talent they need. Here are our 5 top tips to ensure your hiring strategy remains cost effective and impactful for your business when new legislation takes effect.
GENDER PAY GAP MEANS WOMEN WORK FIRST 48 DAYS OF THE YEAR UNPAID
Posted on 20th February 2025
New TUC analysis reveals that the average woman effectively works for free for nearly seven weeks compared to the average man. This is because the gender pay gap for all employees currently stands at 13.1%. This pay gap means that this year Women’s Pay Day – the day women stop working for free compared to the average man – was yesterday (Sunday 16 February 2025).
GOVERNMENT’S AMBITION FOR GROWTH NOT YET MATCHED BY ACTION ON SKILLS, WARNS THE CIPD
Posted on 17th February 2025
This National Apprenticeship Week, the CIPD is calling on the government to take urgent action to develop the skills and capabilities needed to deliver economic growth, by involving employers in the early design of the new Growth and Skills Levy and introducing an Apprenticeship Guarantee for all young people aged 16-24.
NEARLY HALF OF UK ADULTS HAVE EXPERIENCED WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
Posted on 17th February 2025
New research suggests that many workplaces are a potential hotbed of discriminatory behaviour, with peoples’ age, appearance and gender often being used against them in work settings. A survey of 4,000 UK adults, commissioned by HR software provider Ciphr, found that nearly half (45%) have experienced unfair discrimination while at work or when job hunting.
THREE-QUARTERS OF UK WORKERS EXPECT RESPONSIBLE PENSIONS FROM THEIR EMPLOYER
Posted on 17th February 2025
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of UK employees say it is important that their employer offers a responsibly invested pension, new research from Scottish Widows has revealed. Yet despite this demand for responsible investing, almost half (47%) don’t know whether their workplace pension is actually invested responsibly.
IS FINDING YOUR DREAM CANDIDATE LIKE LOOKING FOR GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?
Posted on 30th January 2025
Securing that dream candidate for your business can feel like trying to hunt down the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - elusive and always just out of reach! Many businesses fail to realise what key aspect of their hiring strategy is letting down their candidate search. At Netbox Recruitment, we’re on hand with our top ten checkpoints to make sure your hiring strategy is safe from the common pitfalls that puts that dream candidate out of reach.
ONLY 17% OF EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE GOING TO WORK EACH DAY
Posted on 19th January 2025
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As part of My Whole Self - the campaign for workplace culture change – social enterprise MHFA England® is calling on employers to get to know their people better to help improve employee wellbeing and boost productivity. New research from Mental Health First Aid England® reveals that only 17% of employees feel motivated to go to work each day. 1 in 10 employees say they never feel inspired by their job, and less than a quarter (23%) feel enthusiastic daily.
UK FALLS BEHIND ON WORKPLACE APPRECIATION
Posted on 19th January 2025
A new Appreciation Index study from Reward Gateway | Edenred finds Brits lag behind in workplace appreciation, with the UK reporting the lowest Appreciation Index scores (61.8 out of 100) against the U.S. and Australia, and below the global average of 65. In comparison, the U.S. scored 66.3, and Australia scored 66.8 in the survey conducted on nationally representative samples in the UK, the U.S., and Australia.
PLANS TO BOOST AI USE IN PUBLIC SERVICES WELCOMED BY THE CIPD
Posted on 19th January 2025
In response to the launch of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, Hayfa Mohdzaini, senior policy and practice adviser for technology for the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: “We welcome the government’s plans to boost the use of AI across the UK’s public services, which could bring significant productivity gains to the UK economy. Letting AI handle repetitive and administrative tasks can help workers deliver more human public services. Used well, AI can enhance jobs to make them more fulfilling for people.
HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSION FACING A “BRAIN DRAIN” IN 2025
Posted on 19th January 2025
The UK’s HR departments are under increasing pressure and remain burdened by time-consuming admin and paperwork, with over half (52%) of HR professionals reporting that they have suffered burnout within the past five years.
