Workplace Journal

Charity workers across thousands of charities have faced in person threats as organisations increasingly face hostility linked to growing social division, according to research from the Charity Commission. A survey of almost 3,000 charity trustees found that 2% said staff had been threatened in person, while one in four charities reported being directly affected by polarisation in society.

E.ON has joined Investing in Ethnicity to support its aim of building a more inclusive workplace. The move gives E.ON colleagues access to resources, events and best practice advice focused on ethnicity inclusion. The partnership also allows E.ON to work with other organisations to share learning and promote long-term change.

Education was noted as the main tool to close the gap between DC scheme designs and outcomes, according to panellists during Howden’s roundtable at Sea Containers in London, today, 7th July 2026. Attendees heard findings from the latest defined contribution (DC) pensions research, with Jeni Flanagan, partner and head of large DC clients at Howden, chairing the discussion. Alex Toney, Hugo Gravell and Marie Blood from Barnett Waddingham, part of Howden, also led.

Sodexo UK & Ireland has pledged to recruit 100 foundation-level apprentices as part of Youth Employment Week 2026, supporting the Government’s Youth Guarantee scheme. The programme will mainly support 16 to 21-year-olds get started in catering and hospitality, offering paid, entry-level roles with structured training in skills including customer service, food safety and technical areas.

Leasing Options has launched the Leasing Options Training Academy, designed to support the company’s growth, attract talent and maintain employee development standards. The training academy has been created to provide a structured and consistent approach to onboarding, training and professional development across the business. It will support both new and existing colleagues to ensure every team member has access to the knowledge, skills and support needed to deliver positive customer experiences.

Half of Gen Z workers feel guilty using AI to produce work, according to research from Employment Hero. The employment platform said a new workplace trend, described as “AI guilt”, is emerging among younger workers who see AI literacy as important to their careers but do not feel they have clear permission to use it openly at work. The research found 52% of Gen Z workers said using AI to do parts of their job feels like cheating, while 42% use AI without their employer’s knowledge.

Employers are turning to EV salary sacrifice schemes to help attract and keep staff, according to Tusker’s latest EV Employer Survey. The survey, carried out with Tusker’s own customer base, found 34% of UK employers already offer a scheme, with another 19% planning to bring one in within the next two years. Nearly half (48%) of employers said having an EV salary sacrifice scheme has helped with attracting and retaining people. Half of employers said the scheme is counted as a top-three work perk.

More than 1 in 5 SMEs fear they could be forced out of business over problems paying tax bills in the next 5 years, according to research from Premium Credit. The finance provider found 22% of SME owners and managers were concerned tax payment problems could threaten their survival. The research also found 39% of SMEs had missed up to 4 tax bill deadlines in the past 3 years, while 55% admitted they had been late filing a VAT or Corporation Tax return during the same period.

Broadstone has appointed Bethany Devin (pictured) as principal consultant for health and risk within its employee benefits consulting division. Devin joins from Everywhen and brings more than 20 years’ experience in health and risk consultancy, having previously held roles at Foster Denovo, Lockton Companies, Hymans Robertson and Aon. The appointment expands Broadstone’s health and risk consulting team as demand for employee health and protection advice continues to grow.

More than two in five Gen Z employees regularly socialise with colleagues after work, according to research from Careerminds. Research found that 43.9% of Gen Z employees socialise with colleagues outside work, compared with 28.6% of Millennials and 20.3% of Gen X workers. The findings also suggest younger workers are embracing office life more readily than older generations.