The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: Economic stress drives side hustles for Americans; CEOs embrace hybrid work to cut costs. Employers invited to join 2025 neuroinclusion index. Skills gaps, mental health support, and flawed UK apprenticeships highlight workforce challenges.
New research from City & Guilds finds a lack of support for nearly one in three neurodiverse employees
Nearly one in three employees surveyed in City & Guilds’ latest annual Neurodiversity Index 2025 were not satisfied with the current support they are receiving from their employer.
- Over half (51%) of employees say they have taken time off work because of their neurodivergence.
- 26% of survey respondents reported having no adjustments put in place by their employer relating to their caring responsibilities for neurodivergent children.
Layoff survivors say a lack of retraining has led to pricey mistakes
Following layoffs, 65% of employees who weren’t let go said they either felt unprepared or made costly mistakes due to a lack of training, according to a June 17 report from Kahoot!, a learning and engagement platform.
Seventy percent said a structured re-onboarding would have eased the transition. Instead, most received little support, leading to mistakes, increased pressure and plans to quit.
New Wellhub research: CEO engagement in Health & Wellbeing is rising, but access for employees needs to improve
Leadership mindsets are shifting for the better towards Health and Wellbeing, according to Wellhub’s freshly published ‘Return on Wellbeing 2025’ report. The study also reflects a move towards proactive, preventative management, as well as an acknowledgement that, to be successful, there must be senior management engagement.
Qualitative feedback directly from CEOs shows:
- 76% believe wellness programmes significantly impact brand perception and reputation
- 47% link wellness programmes to workforce productivity gains
- 58% agree that wellbeing is critical to financial success
Nearly half of US workers say their boss doesn’t understand them, survey shows
In a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers, 44% said they were overlooked for raises, promotions or projects due to misperceptions about their skills or work style. In addition, 48% said they feel their contributions are consistently undervalued by leaders.
Beyond that, 43% said they receive feedback from managers that feels misaligned with how they see themselves, which increases to 54% among Generation Z employees. About 62% of Gen Z employees said they’re overlooked for opportunities due to misperceptions.
Facing economic anxiety, 64% of American workers say they plan to get a second job or start a side hustle
More than 6 in 10 U.S. workers say they’re likely to get a second job or start a side hustle in the next year to prop up their income, according to a June 12 report from the American Staffing Association and The Harris Poll.
If laid off, 28% of workers who rent and 14% of homeowners said they’d have less than a month of savings as a financial cushion.
New research shows CEOs are using hybrid working and flexible leases as a cost saving strategy amid uncertainty
9 in 10 CEOs and CFOs (90%) are concerned about the impact of macroeconomic instability — and many are turning to hybrid working models as a strategy to boost resilience and reduce costs. According to IWG’s report, four in five executives (81%) say hybrid work is now a key part of their cost-saving strategies, helping buffer their organisations against today’s economic turbulence.
Thanks to the flexibility hybrid working offers, leaders report they’ve been able to significantly cut overheads — from office space to utilities. In fact, 77% say these savings have allowed them to reinvest in other areas or create a financial cushion for uncertain times.
Companies can register now to take part in the 2025 Neurodiversity Employers Index
The Neurodiversity Employers Index (NDEI®) is the first gold-standard, evidence-based workplace neuroinclusion index. It was launched in 2024 to help organisations attract and retain neurodivergent talent and support thriving neurodiverse teams. Companies can register now to join the 2025 cohort, ahead of the submission period opening on 1 July.
Mind the Gap: Employers and Gen Z Out of Sync on Skills
Employers still face critical skills shortages, but new report from The Open University reveals young people are ready to learn and want to contribute. A new report from The Open University reveals a growing disconnect between UK employers and the next generation of workers, one that could be preventing employers from addressing the UK’s persistent skills shortages.
The ‘Business Barometer: Skills for today and tomorrow: how employers can plan for future skills’, based on a survey of over 2,000 UK organisation leaders and 1,000 Gen Z adults, finds that just over half (54%) of organisations are currently experiencing a skills shortage and only a third (33%) have specific initiatives in place to recruit, retain or train under-25s.
Setting the standard: One year of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders and what comes next
On the 18 June 2025 is the one year celebration of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®. The Association is the country’s first and only membership body dedicated to supporting the vital role of MHFAiders®.
Founded to deepen the positive impact of Mental Health First Aiders, the Association now represents one of the largest and most inclusive communities of its kind in England. Together members are transforming how we talk about and support mental health, in the workplace and beyond.
England’s apprenticeship system lagging behind international competitors
- Apprentices in England receive significantly less structured training than in other similar countries.
- 300,000 apprentices in England received less than their training entitlement in 2023 – around 40% in total.
- Dropout rates of 40% represent a waste of time and talent.
England’s apprenticeship system is riddled with poor quality training and high dropout rates, according to new research by the Sutton Trust. The report, A World of Difference, provides an in-depth international comparison of different apprenticeship systems in countries similar to the UK.
Industrial strategy: Civil service reforms aim to build ‘enduring partnership’ with business
The UK government will build commercial skills in government and make it easier for civil servants to take temporary placements in the private sector as part of its 10-year industrial strategy. The Labour administration published the industrial strategy, which aims to create a “new relationship between business and government” and make the UK “the best country to invest in anywhere in the world”, this morning.
Read more on our sister website Civil Service World.
