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UK Edition
8th October 2025
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THE HOT STORY

Morrisons tracks staff to boost efficiency

Morrisons is introducing a real-time tracking app to monitor how quickly shop floor staff stack shelves, as the supermarket aims to identify and address slower workers as part of efforts to improve performance and customer satisfaction. The new system, accessible to store managers, replaces older head office data reports with live updates highlighting underperforming employees - a move some staff have dubbed "stopwatching." The supermarket’s private equity owners hope the technology will boost efficiency and fairness in recognising performance. The initiative forms part of a wider turnaround strategy after Morrisons fell behind major rivals including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, M&S and Ocado in customer satisfaction rankings. Earlier this year, the retailer also restricted stockroom access to reduce supposed idling and refocus staff on customer service.
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HIRING

UK won't relax visa rules for India, Starmer says

Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK will not relax visa rules for India. The prime minister, who is in India leading a delegation of more than 100 business leaders as he attempts to boost UK investment and improve sluggish economic growth, said there were "massive opportunities" to improve trade and cultural ties with the South Asian nation but no plans to open up more visa routes to Indian workers or students. India reportedly pushed for far more visa access to the UK when the two countries were finalising their trade deal earlier this year.
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ECONOMY

IMF: Western governments must raise pension ages

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Western governments, including Britain, to raise pension ages to prevent escalating public spending and debt. Nations should also raise more revenue by charging VAT on food, limiting inflation and keeping a lid on public spending, it said. "Spending on pensions, education, health care and wage bills tends to be persistent. Linking retirement ages to life expectancy can curb spending rigidity and improve pension sustainability, especially in advanced economies." The IMF also urged countries to finds efficiencies rather than just raising taxes and borrowing more to cover expenditure.
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WORKFORCE

Ineos announces job losses at petrochemical plant

Petrochemical company Ineos Acetyls has announced it intends to cut 60 jobs at a plant in East Yorkshire, blaming high energy costs and "dirt-cheap" imports from China. Sixty jobs will go at the site near Hull, which makes products including acetic acid used in manufacturing. Bosses said they have "explored every possible alternative" and have not ruled out further job losses across the industry without government intervention.
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STRATEGY

Consultancies must become software companies to survive AI boom, IBM executive says

IBM Consulting head Mohamad Ali says consultancies must reinvent themselves as software companies if they are to survive because of new competition from technology firms and scepticism from clients.
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LEGAL

City banker faces lawsuit over harassment claims

Damilare Ajao, a former banker at Commerzbank, is being sued for making false sexual harassment claims against a female colleague, referred to as "Q". The employment tribunal dismissed his allegations, saying they were largely fabricated. Commerzbank has initiated a High Court case against Ajao for contempt of court, which could result in a two-year jail sentence. Barrister Louis Browne KC described Ajao's actions as "rather wicked" and noted that the female manager suffered psychiatric issues due to the unfounded claims. Ajao maintains he was not intentionally dishonest.

Calling woman 'a nutter' not racial harassment

A Royal Mail worker sued for racial harassment after colleagues called her a "nutter." Corleen Maynard, who is black, claimed she was "the victim of a cabal," alleging that colleagues at the Croydon Mail Centre would mutter insults under their breath. In his ruling, employment judge Michael Reed found Maynard had been the target of abusive comments which created an “unpleasant and hostile” environment, but dismissed the tribunal claim after finding there was no evidence the actions had been motivated by race.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australian poll highlights importance of flexible working for staff

The Australian state of Victoria has conducted a major survey on working from home amid plans to mandate flexible work arrangements. The country's second most populous state is proposing a law giving workers in both the private and public sectors the right to work from home for at least two days a week. The survey received 36,770 responses. Initial findings found that more than 74% said working from home is "extremely important" to them. A further 13% said WFH was "very important" to them. In the Financial Times, Pilita Clark says the state's move "is shaking the politics of remote working in a way that governments elsewhere may find hard to ignore."

White House clarifies that layoffs are not in fact happening 'right now'

The White House has said there are no shutdown-related layoffs yet, but warned they could come. President Trump said on Sunday night that layoffs were taking place "right now," but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Trump had been referring to those furloughed since Congress allowed funding to expire on October 1. The White House budget office "is continuing to work with agencies on who, unfortunately, is going to have to be laid off if this shutdown continues," Leavitt said at a news briefing.

Telefonica plans to lay off 6,000 workers this year

Expansion has reported that Spanish telecoms group Telefonica plans to lay off at least 6,000 employees before the end of the year. The report in the newspaper said the total number of workers initially affected by the redundancy plan could increase to 7,000 out of a global workforce of around 100,000. Telefonica is set to present its new strategic plan on November 4, and the group will seek to officially inform unions of the potential layoffs shortly after the plan's presentation, according to the Expansionreport.

Kerala's Right to Disconnect Bill aims to shield employees

Kerala plans to introduce a Right to Disconnect Bill in 2025 aimed at safeguarding private sector employees in the southern Indian state from after-hours work demands. The bill will allow employees to ignore work communications outside their agreed hours without fear of punitive actions. A 2022 study highlighted the negative impact of after-hours connectivity on work-life balance. Kerala's initiative seeks to enhance employee well-being and productivity while establishing a framework for accountability and cultural change to ensure the law's meaningful application.
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OTHER

Neighbours props turn up in Melbourne's op shops

Props from the long-running TV soap Neighbours, including Dr Karl Kennedy’s medical bag, fake ID cards, and Erinsborough High school gear, have unexpectedly turned up at the This N That Community Op Shop in Forest Hill, Melbourne, following the dismantling of the show’s sets. The donation, made by a party claiming to have three van loads from the show's production, triggered viral interest after thrift enthusiast Rebecca Brewin posted about it online, drawing fans from Australia and abroad. A special invitation-only sale of select memorabilia is planned, though episode scripts have been withdrawn and are being destroyed after legal intervention. Other Melbourne op shops have also received clothing and props from the set.
 
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