The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: AI powers science while replacing workers, L&D remains unheard, HR faces burnout, engagement falls, care workers overworked. The pressure is real — and the solutions? Still emerging. Explore what’s driving change across international workplaces.
16th Annual Dayforce Pulse of Talent: 71% of Workers Untrained in AI as Adoption and Expectations Surge
Dayforce, Inc., a global human capital management (HCM) leader that makes work life better, today released findings from its 16th Annual Pulse of Talent report. The survey of nearly 7,000 workers, managers, and executives across six countries reveals that despite rapid AI uptake, 71% of workers have not received AI training in the past year, revealing a critical gap between AI enthusiasm and impact.
“For HR leaders, the mandate is clear — infuse AI skills and pathways for your people today or risk being left behind,” said Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief People Officer, Dayforce, Inc. “Employees are eager to grow, but without a clear strategy for training and career mobility, organizations risk creating a two-tier workforce — those driving innovation with AI and those struggling to keep pace.”
Workplace mentoring and coaching essential to boosting performance, retention, and wellbeing, ABM research shows
Workplace mentoring and coaching are now essential drivers of business performance, staff retention, and employee wellbeing in the UK, according to a major new report from the Association of Business Mentors (ABM). The findings show that over two-thirds of businesses have seen a positive impact on overall business performance from their mentoring and coaching programmes, and a further 60% attributed an improvement in employee wellbeing to their programmes.
- 70% of businesses say workplace mentoring and coaching programmes have positively impacted overall business performance
- Two thirds (61%) report programmes have driven improvements in employee wellbeing
New research report uncovers hidden biases in managerial decision-making
Mindtools and Kineo have released their latest research report which uncovers hidden biases in managerial decision-making and offers practical strategies to improve workforce outcomes.
- 4 in 5 managers believe that they make decisions without being influenced by other people’s feelings, yet interviews uncovered personal stories that revealed most are intuitive and emotionally driven
- Empathy has a ‘curvilinear effect’ with both too little and too much empathy undermining outcomes
- 58% of managers seek advice from peers when making emotionally charged decisions, which can unintentionally spread biases.
Research from Onvero reveals that inclusive workplaces see employees stay nearly four years longer and report 68% higher productivity
Inclusion is good for business, and new UK research proves its impact for the first time. According to Onvero’s inaugural State of Inclusion in the UK: From Ambition to Action Report, organisations that embed inclusion into their culture effectively report higher productivity, lower turnover, and greater employee happiness compared to those where DEI is less mature.
€10m project to accelerate AI use in UK science and business
A new multi-million-pound European project is set to boost adoption of AI among businesses and researchers across the UK to help unlock untapped economic and scientific potential. The University of Edinburgh’s EPCC, the UK’s first National Supercomputing Centre, has won EU and UK Government funding to establish and operate the €10m (£8.6m) UK AI Factory Antenna (UKAIFA).
In particular, the AI Factory Antenna will build on the UK’s existing strengths and work with partners to accelerate the adoption of AI in sectors such as health, fintech, energy, creative industries, advanced engineering, and robotics.
Some employers skip the upskilling, use AI to replace workers
Business leaders may be using artificial intelligence tools and automation to replace workers rather than invest in skills training, according to an Oct. 8 report from the British Standards Institution.
Just over two-fifths of leaders surveyed said AI is enabling headcount reduction, and 31% said their organizations consider AI solutions before considering hiring for roles. In reflection of this, BSI’s analysis of the discourse around AI implementation found that discussion of job automation “significantly overshadows” discussions of workforce development.
Learning and Development delivers results but boardrooms still aren’t listening, finds Rise Up report
Despite demonstrating clear results, Learning and Development (L&D) leaders face a tough truth: most of their strategies never make it past leadership. This is one of the key takeaways from the 2025 State of Learning report published by Rise Up in partnership with People Management Insight.
The survey, conducted among 300 senior L&D professionals across the UK, found that 40% of respondents say less than half of their initiatives are approved by senior management, showing little improvement from last year. However, perceptions of L&D’s strategic importance have grown, with 48% now stating it is central to their business strategy, up 7% from 2024.
WorkBuzz’s Future of Work report reveals: HR burnout rising, employee engagement declining, and AI still untapped
WorkBuzz released its Future of Work Report 2026, revealing that HR professionals are experiencing a wellbeing crisis, employee engagement has nosedived, and AI adoption in HR remains untapped. The Report examines the current and changing roles, priorities and challenges of U.K. HR professionals as they adapt to the ever-evolving world of work. Responses were gathered from 367 HR professionals and senior executives across a range of UK industry.
53% of UK. R professionals have felt under constant strain at work over the past six months with a third admitting that work pressures have become worse over the last 12 months. The main reasons cited for this are having too much to do (65%) and not having enough people in the HR team to do the work (60%). Only 11% of HR teams have grown, with many having reduced in size this past year.
75% of care workers work overtime with no advance notice, research reveals
New research on care workers reveals that 98% work overtime, resulting in an alarming 70% feeling exhausted because of their schedules. A further 77% of care workers say they aren’t satisfied with their current role
The research comes from Planday, the workforce management software from Xero. To help care workers feel supported and motivated, Planday has released a new forward thinking guide that focuses on positive and actionable strategies. Pulse Check: The Healthcare Manager’s Toolkit for Putting Burnout on Ice will empower care managers with the tools they need to build thriving teams.
