Blog

In an ever-evolving employment landscape, “company culture” has become a key topic for many businesses across the region. Great culture helps retain great talent, but how do you nurture it, and what are the pitfalls of a toxic culture? As organisations navigate everything from hybrid working to AI integration and generational workforce shifts, company culture has emerged as a critical topic for HR professionals, leaders, and employees alike. At our latest Talking HR event, we brought together a panel of experts to discuss Does Company Culture Matter? and explore what culture really means in today’s workplace.

March certainly bought new challenges and opportunities in the hiring market, and with the first quarter completed, usually we can being to form a view of the recruitment landscape but my gut is that this year will be different.

Lack of skills shortage planning is a threat to businesses across the country, with 71% saying they don’t have a plan for growing skills (Open University). With 20% of the UK workforce under skilled for their jobs by 2030, just five years’ time, this is a growing problem that businesses need to address to protect themselves long term.

Preparing for an interview can be a challenge for any job seeker. Success is all in the preparation, and one way you can make the most of your time with a hiring manager, is by taking the STAR approach.

We are seeing positive signs in the employment market with available roles in the region up by 3% on January, which was up 67% on December. However this is down 19% on February last year, a sure sign that upcoming changes to the minimum wage and national insurance are having an impact.

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve drafted your CV, done your research, prepared for your interviews and now you’ve secured the job offer you wanted. All you need to do now is resign from your current position. This should be the easy part, but for many people, it’s one of the most stressful aspects of making a career move.

Those who hold a CIPD qualification can also earn up to 12% more than those without, according to Lightcast. HR roles requesting CIPD Qualifications pay on average £4,400 more than without. The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualifications in 2025 will remain highly respected in the HR and people management field, with each level corresponding to specific career stages and responsibilities.

As we expected, this month we have seen a rebound from the tighter December market with a 67% increase on regional role availability, a sign the employment market is heading for a better start to the year.

Lots of people become frozen with fear when it comes to writing a CV. The task feels too big and scary: as if your next job - maybe even an entire career - is riding on it. Relax. The goal of your CV is to secure an interview. No more, no less. Take one step at a time and you’re less likely to become overwhelmed by the recruitment process.

December can always prove a tighter employment market, with many celebrating the season with family and friends, and the search for a new role and new team members taking a back seat.

As we approach 2025, the hiring landscape is poised for significant changes. From the increasing use of AI to shifts in economic conditions, the Employment Rights Bill and workplace dynamics, it will be interesting to see what the year ahead brings.

November was an interesting month in the employment market, following the announcement of the budget last month.