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UK Edition
24th November 2025
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THE HOT STORY

AI threatens entry-level jobs, PwC says

PwC global chairman Mohamed Kande says the growth of artificial intelligence may eventually lead to fewer entry-level graduates being hired, although he said AI was not behind recent job cuts at the firm. In 2021, PwC said it wanted to hire 100,000 people over the course of five years, but Kande said this would no longer be possible. "When we made the plans to hire that many people, the world looked very, very different," he said. "Now we have artificial intelligence. We want to hire, but I don't know if it's going to be the same level of people that we hire - it will be a different set of people." Kande noted that PwC actually needed to hire hundreds of new AI engineers but was struggling to find them.
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LEGAL

Badenoch: Employment rights reforms are 'anti-growth'

Kemi Badenoch will criticise Labour's Employment Rights Bill at the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) annual conference. Suggesting that scrapping the reforms would be the "cheapest pro-growth measure" the Chancellor could adopt at the Budget, the Conservative leader will warn that the Bill seeks to take Britain "back to a world where unions call the shots and employers carry the blame." Separately, CBI chief executive Rain Newton-Smith will urge the government to "change course" on the reforms to rights for employees, warning that eight in ten firms believe that, in its current form, the Bill will make it harder to hire. 

Bank of England warns on micro-aggressions

The Bank of England has warned that micro-aggressions in the workplace can lead to serious health issues for ethnic minorities, including heart disease and diabetes. A presentation obtained by The Telegraph highlights research linking racism and discrimination to chronic illnesses. The training materials encourage employees to report micro-aggressions, such as inappropriate comments about race. A Bank spokesman said: "This optional training . . . is one of several ways we look to support our staff." The initiative aims to foster an inclusive work environment and address reported disparities in treatment.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING

UK’s big law firms risk losing talented staff over ‘unmanageable’ stress

Two in five associates at big UK law firms plan to leave their jobs in the next five years because of stress and insufficient employer support, a poll suggests.
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TECHNOLOGY

Royal London says AI is already reshaping how teams work

Royal London Asset Management's chief data officer, Rob Middleton, says companies must accept that the shift to AI is already reshaping how teams work. “We have to attempt to get into workshop settings with open minded people about what we want to be,” he said. “It doesn't change the fundamental premise, but it may change the way we deliver that to our clients.” He added: “Anything that looks like data, ETL-type tasks that have been done manually, forget about it.”
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WORKFORCE

Job vacancies hit four-year low

Job vacancies in the UK fell by 3.6% to below 800,000 in October, marking the lowest level since March 2021, according to jobs search engine Adzuna. The unemployment rate hit 5% for the first time since 2021 in September, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics, and Adzuna said the ratio of unemployed people to vacancies has hit its highest since May 2021. The analysis also shows that graduate employment opportunities have declined by over 40% in the past year. Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: "Businesses are approaching hiring with greater caution and deliberation, particularly ahead of the Budget." He has urged ministers to "act now to reinvigorate the job market." Despite the decline in vacancies, average salaries for newly listed jobs rose by 0.27% to £42,531, outpacing inflation at 3.6%.

Chancellor urged to protect salary sacrifice

Pensions UK and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) have urged the Chancellor to maintain salary sacrifice schemes and pensions tax relief. They warn that any changes could undermine public confidence in the pensions system and hinder economic growth. Speculation about potential reforms has already led to increased inquiries from savers and concerns over early pension withdrawals. Zoe Alexander, director of policy at Pensions UK, said: "The pension system relies on stability and predictability." The organisations argue that limiting salary sacrifice would negatively impact lower-earning workers and employer contributions.
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STRATEGY

Clifford Chance cites AI as it axes 10% of back-office staff

Clifford Chance is set to reduce its London business services team by around 10%, affecting 55 employees. The law firm cited increased reliance on AI and decreased demand for certain services as reasons for the cuts. A spokesperson said that the changes align with the firm's strategy to enhance operations, potentially leading to new roles and revised team structures. The job cuts will not take effect until January 2026. The firm reported a £2.4bn revenue for the fiscal year ending 2025, a 9% increase from the previous year.

Ovo Energy to cut hundreds of jobs

Ovo Energy is set to announce job cuts potentially affecting "several hundred" positions, as the company seeks to convince regulators of its turnaround plan. The move follows the resignation of CEO David Buttress and comes as Ovo works on a revised business plan for energy regulator Ofgem.
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INTERNATIONAL

Right to flexible working urged to resolve three-hour commutes

Ireland's parliament has heard that the government needs to legislate for a “real right to flexible and hybrid working” in a bid to beat traffic congestion that has led to three-hour commutes for some workers travelling into Dublin. Kildare South Labour lawmaker Mark Wall said: “the Government's own code of practice on flexible working and hybrid working is not working. The call back to the office and the workplace is a problem highlighted by many, many commuters who have contacted me over recent days.” He observed that motorists are “leaving their family homes at 6am just to barely make it into work for 9am . . . Productivity is down and the mental health of commuters is affected every day."

Tod's executives face labour exploitation probe

Italian prosecutors are investigating Tod's and three of its executives for alleged labour exploitation involving Chinese subcontractors. The Milan Prosecutor's Office claims Tod's knowingly violated labour laws regarding working hours, wages, and safety. A court document revealed that 53 workers were exploited, with one worker alleging physical abuse over unpaid wages. Prosecutors described the company's lack of oversight as "malicious." Tod's founder Diego Della Valle defended the luxury fashion label's reputation, warning that such investigations could harm "Made in Italy" brands. A hearing is set for December 3 regarding a proposed advertising ban.

Chinese SOEs ask workers to cancel their Japan holidays

Several state-owned enterprises in China are advising employees to cancel travel plans to Japan due to rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. An engineer from Wuhan reported that his company had urged him to scrap his upcoming trip to Osaka, which had been approved earlier. He managed to negotiate a refund for his travel costs, except for the visa fee. The diplomatic dispute escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested potential intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
 
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