The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: From new legal duties on harassment prevention to calls for strategic investment in skills, ergonomic failings in offices, responsible innovation for organisations, people protection, and preparing for a fast-changing, tech-driven future of work.
Information Commissioner: People must trust their information is protected in the age of AI
The Information Commissioner’s Office are stepping up their supervision of AI and biometric technologies so people can trust that even the most innovative products and services are using their personal information responsibly. Launched 5 June, the new AI and biometrics strategy aims to ensure organisations are developing and deploying new technologies lawfully, supporting them to innovate and grow while protecting the public.
New research on ADM and biometric technologies reveals that the public expect to understand exactly when and how AI powered systems affect them, and they are concerned about the consequences when these technologies go wrong.
Call for lifelong learning funding to unlock UK economic growth
Launching new research, ‘Making lifelong learning central to university strategy’, at the House of Lords on Monday 2nd June 2025, the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL), calls on the government to commit to a national strategy and funding for lifelong learning. Based on global research by CarringtonCrisp amongst 1,255 employers and 10,210 individual learners, the report urges the government to support universities to embrace new delivery models, forge deeper partnerships with employers, and expand their offerings beyond traditional degree programmes.
The research reveals that more half of employers (51%) plan to increase their training budgets over the next two years, up from 38% over the previous two years. At the same time, employers would like to see universities evolve to better meet their workforce development needs.
White Ribbon UK launches June campaign: Right to Respect
The Worker Protection Act 2023 has introduced a new legal duty for employers; they must now take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s no longer enough to act after something has gone wrong. Employers must put prevention at the forefront.
A recent survey revealed that 3 in 5 women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying, or verbal abuse in the workplace (TUC, 2023). That must change. We believe that this should be 0 in 5. Agreed? At White Ribbon UK we work with over 450 organisations through our partnerships. Through this campaign we are providing them the opportunity to make real and impactful organisational change, where harm is prevented.
Over half of office workers suffer with back pain due to poor workstation setup, survey reveals
Fellowes UK, a specialist in manufacturing office ergonomic equipment, has released concerning findings from their online survey of over 1,000 UK office workers, revealing failings in workspace ergonomics and employee wellbeing.
According to the survey, just one in three UK office workers believe their employers are getting the basics right when it comes to desk work and employee health. Worryingly, 27% of survey respondents also reported that their workplace has never carried out a workstation risk assessment.
US video creators embrace AI tools earlier than Europeans and favour horizontal formats
Movavi has analysed the behaviour of 70 million users across 190 countries to uncover how creators interact with more than 6,000 video effects available in their software. The goal was to identify the most popular tools among video creators, particularly as AI-powered features such as automatic subtitles and background removal gain traction.
According to the study, there are no significant behavioural differences between countries overall. However, U.S.-based users stand out for their faster adoption of new features. On average, American users begin experimenting with new tools several weeks earlier than their European counterparts. Additionally, 43% of videos created in the U.S. are horizontal – substantially higher than the 28% observed in Asian markets.
Two thirds of hiring managers are concerned about the use of GenAI to cheat on recruitment assessments, research finds
- 65% of hiring managers are concerned about candidates using Gen AI such as ChatGPT to ‘cheat’ on recruitment assessments
- However, only 15% of early career professionals and job seekers said they would consider using it, suggesting a ‘trust disconnect’
- Talent management experts find that introducing an honesty contract before setting assessments significantly reduces the inappropriate use of AI
New insight from talent management solution provider, Talogy, has revealed significant concern among hiring managers about the misuse of Gen AI by candidates during the recruitment process.
DevLearn Unveils 2025 Program with Dr. Keith Keating as opening keynote speaker
The Learning Guild has announced the full program and Opening Keynote speaker for the DevLearn Conference & Expo 2025, taking place November 12-14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The conference will open with a keynote by Dr. Keith Keating, Chief Learning & Development Officer at BDO Canada. A renowned voice in the Learning & Development (L&D) space, Dr. Keating has spent more than 25 years advancing the future of workplace learning.
