The latest L&D news, reports, research and company updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook
Could AI help increase your profitability and productivity?
The UK Productivity Gap: How AI can unlock workplace potential, is a new report discovering the positive economic impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having as well as its future potential. With the study revealing how a potential £119 billion windfall in productivity for UK enterprises may be unlocked thanks to AI, the UK could be on the cusp of a seismic shift after struggling to make meaningful productivity growth for a decade and a half, with current productivity levels 24% lower than they would have been had pre-2008 trends continued.
UK Workers lose an entire working day each week due to preventable “productivity killers”
Common workplace interruptions are wasting UK employees nearly an entire day per week, hindering productivity, profitability, according to new research released today from Protime UK.
The research, conducted among 2,000 UK employees, found the average full-time worker loses 7.5 hours each week – nearly an entire working day – due to “Productivity Killers”: disruptive and preventable interruptions such as unnecessary meetings, unhelpful emails and workplace distractions.
The study found that with two thirds (65%) of staff facing interruptions of 30 minutes to 2 hours per day, the constant barrage of disruptions is taking a major negative toll on both employees and businesses.
Skillsoft collaborates with Microsoft to develop generative AI skilling program
“Generative AI brings limitless opportunity to organisations. We’re seeing this firsthand through Skillsoft’s internal adoption of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and its potential to enhance our efficiency, creativity, and ability to achieve key business objectives,” said Ron Hovsepian, Executive Chair, Skillsoft.
“However, realising these benefits at scale requires a skilled workforce that understands how to apply the technology in day-to-day work. This collaboration with Microsoft is the first of many AI learning experiences we will deliver to help our customers and their talent – from everyday end-users to business leaders to AI developers – acquire the skills and tools they need to succeed in the age of AI.”
World’s first Accountability Summit on Disability Inclusion
Held in Tokyo on 3-4 December 2025, SYNC25 is the world’s first Accountability Summit on Disability Inclusion, marking a pivotal moment in the Valuable 500’s journey to end disability exclusion in the business landscape.
The two-day event will bring together Valuable 500 CEOs, C-suite leaders, next-generation leaders, and representatives from the global disability community to review progress, set agendas, and accelerate inclusion for the 1 in 5 people living with a disability worldwide. SYNC25 will mark the start of a decade of accountability for Valuable 500 companies.
Young workers demand more from employers
Millennial employees are the most likely to quit their jobs within the next 3-6 months and seven out of ten feel their employer does not support employee growth and development.
A new Workforce Readiness report from Cornerstone, in partnership with Lighthouse Research, has uncovered a concerning lack of confidence among UK employees. Nearly half (45%) have admitted that they do not think they have the right support and resources to adapt to changing work conditions.
Interestingly, employee confidence in the training they receive also appears to differ by age group significantly in some cases. For instance, Millennials are 20% less likely than their Gen Z counterparts to feel they receive the right types of training to do their jobs well.
What do parents want from employers?
New research suggests more parents view apprenticeships as providing better career prospects than traditional university degrees. However, employers are not doing enough to engage with parents regarding their opportunities.
Most organisations are not on the radar for over 80% of ethnic minority parents, and 70% of parents overall: Employers need to make more effort to directly engage with parents to expand and diversify their applicant pool.
Parents prioritise employers who support mental health: The overwhelming majority of respondents (95%) considered it important or very important when recommending an organisation to their child.
Imbalance of health and wellbeing priorities between employers and their
employees
Of the four pillars of health and wellbeing (mental, physical, financial and social) employers are most concerned about the physical and mental health of their employees, according to new research from Towergate Health & Protection. But, employers believe the priority for their employees is their financial health, and this difference in priorities needs to be addressed.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection says: “It is extremely interesting to see the disconnect between the areas of health and wellbeing that employers are concerned about for their staff, and what they feel actually most concerns their staff in practice . This means that employers may need a more strategic approach to providing the right health and wellbeing support, to ensure the most pressing concerns are addressed.”
Nearly a fifth of businesses do not talk to staff about the future of the company
Digital staffing agency Coople has surveyed 1000 UK business leaders, inviting them to share their experiences of how economic conditions have impacted their staffing practices.
The study revealed that nearly a fifth of UK businesses, at 18%, are not having open conversations with their staff about the economic situation and how employees’ jobs and the company itself might be affected.
BPP Education Group makes key higher education acquisitions across North America and Australia
BPP Education Group, the global leader in professional and vocational education, is delighted to announce the acquisitions of Acsenda School of Management and Arbutus College in Canada, CIC Higher Education in Australia, and a US Partnerships recruitment business, from EduCo International Group.
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