HR Grapevine

Podcast Season 26 21:57 HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd Michael Vavakis, Chief ESG & People Officer, Ricoh EMEA As Ricoh transforms from a print business into a digital services company, Chief People, Transformation and ESG Officer Michael Vavakis is keeping purpose and employee voice central to that change. Drawing on its Japanese heritage, the business encourages leaders to listen closely and give colleagues space to experiment.

News HR Management 4 mins read HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd HR and payroll teams have been warned that administrative mistakes, salary deductions and working-time errors can expose employers to substantial penalties after more than 600 organisations were named for breaching minimum wage rules. The employers collectively underpaid 27,617 workers by more than £4.2million, according to the Government’s latest naming list.

Learning Insight 3 mins read HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd The Growth and Skills Levy is a powerful tool which can be used for strategic workforce development.Through strategic levy planning organisations can enhance their workforce, supporting workforce transformation, leadership development and future skills needs. However, many levy-paying organisations are missing opportunities to maximise apprenticeship funding.

The ability to navigate difference, build trust, and foster meaningful relationships has become a critical driver of organisational performance. Join Professor Doyin Atewologun as she examines how leaders can create environments where both people and performance thrive.

Picture four women in your organisation right now. One is 26, doubled over with period pain she hasn't told her manager about,because the culture doesn't make it feel safe to. One is 34, three months into fertility treatment, taking "dentist appointments" every other week and telling nobody why. One is 38, back from maternity leave, exhausted, wondering if she's cut out for the promotion she was on track for before she left.

News HR Management 4 mins read HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd An HR worker has been awarded more than £200,000 after a tribunal found her manager used a payroll assignment to build a case against her, rather than help her overcome difficulties linked to ADHD.

Employer demand for apprentices may have fallen from its post-pandemic peak, but jobseeker interest remains strong as opportunities spread into fields including technology, healthcare, finance and HR. Apprenticeship-related searches accounted for 1.2% of all UK job searches on Indeed in July 2026, while apprenticeships represented just 0.9% of advertised roles. The figures point to a gap between the number of people interested in earning while they learn and the availability of suitable positions.

News HR Management 3 mins read HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd Money worries are following UK employees into the working day, with younger workers, parents and those supporting family members facing particular pressure. Research from TELUS Health suggests these concerns are affecting both attendance and performance.

HR Management Insight 4 mins read HR Grapevine HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd New research from Toothfairy and YouGov, surveying 1,020 UK HR decision-makers, exposes an uncomfortable truth: the benefit being overlooked by most reward strategies is quietly undermining the three things employers say they care about most in 2026; productivity (30.6%, EVP (21.3%), and wellbeing (18.4%). Dental care touches all three at once.

As people professionals, we spend a lot of time creating policies that are designed to support staff through some of life’s most difficult moments. We write guidance, build frameworks, train managers, and strive to create consistency across our organisations. But when it comes to compassionate leave, many are still operating with policies that were built around a very traditional view of family, bereavement, and loss.