KPMG: Half of banks experiencing uptick in Gen Z staff quitting Banking Gen Z banking employees are leaving the industry at faster rates than other professions, opting for start up jobs and remote work instead. That’s according to a new KPMG survey of bosses in the sector, which has found that almost half of financial services firms have experienced an uptick in younger employees quitting. The consultancy [...]
Branson-backed Virgin Active slashes losses amid WFH battle Business Virgin Active, the gym chain founded by Sir Richard Branson, has significantly slashed its losses as its battle with the work-from-home trend continues. The business, which runs 224 international locations, has reported a pre-ax loss of £78.1m for 2024, down significantly from the £146.7m it lost in 2023. New accounts filed with Companies House also [...]
Asda-owned Leon cuts hundreds of jobs as work from home trend bites hospitality Leon has axed hundreds of jobs as it bemoaned a “challenging” year in which it wrestled with high cost inflation and depressed customer spending. The Asda-owned fast-food chain cut its headcount by 17 per cent, or 224, to 1,120 over the course of 2024, its latest accounts show, as it sought to bear down on [...]
How tube strikes will stretch London’s infrastructure – and patience – to the limit September 2, 2025 From Sunday evening tube drivers are going on strike, and while the Elizabeth Line will continue to run other London Underground lines – as well as the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) – will pack it in for five days. Transport for London (TfL) put a 3.4 per cent pay rise on the table, which was [...]
Canary Wharf Group tops 250,000 sq ft of office space leased this year August 6, 2025 Canary Wharf has announced two new major leasing deals, taking the total amount of space leased this year to 250,000sq ft. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) will extend their office footprint to 60,000 sq ft and extend its lease at One Canada Water until 2035. SmartestEnergy, which helps companies navigate the energy transition, will lease 20,000sq [...]
HSBC’s return-to-office plans risk boss’ cost-cutting ambitions June 23, 2025 HSBC’s cost-cutting agenda is set to face a major disruption as the lender faces a shortfall of desks in its office move. The banking juggernaut has been reported to be mulling a return-to-office mandate that would force employees back into the office for at least three days a week. This comes as the bank is [...]
HSBC: FTSE 100 giant mulls return to office mandate June 18, 2025 Banking juggernaut HSBC is exploring a global mandate that would force employees back into the office for at least three days a week. The lender’s considerations come straight from the top, with chief executive Georges Elhedery meeting with executives across the business to discuss a group-wide return. Discussions are still said to be going, as [...]
WFH: Office workers in line for quicker promotions and higher pay June 17, 2025 Staff who attend the office regularly can expect bigger pay rises and faster promotions than peers who prefer to work from home (WFH), a fresh survey of top employers has found. According to research from recruitment shop Reed, over two thirds (68 per cent) of UK companies are more likely to compensate office regulars with [...]
UK firms dodge Labour tax raid with WFH roles abroad June 13, 2025 UK companies are turning to work-from-home (WFH) South Africans and other workers in East Asia in a cost-cutting drive to dodge Rachel Reeves’ £20bn tax raid on employers and stringent workers’ rights. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken about his determination to “put working people’s priorities first” while welfare cuts have been made to [...]
Boardroom Uncovered: How work from home policies have changed business June 10, 2025 Pret A Manger UK managing director, Clare Clough, said work from home patterns are influencing where the business opens new stores.