NI, wages & skills | Short-termism 'doesn't benefit anyone' - but did the Budget give more questions than answers for HR?

If the Spring Budget was a ‘damp squib,’ it’s fair to say Autumn’s equivalent is an absolute doozy.

Judging by the state of this editor’s inbox by 3 pm yesterday, virtually every HR and employment law professional in the UK has had something to say about Chancellor Reeves’ Autumn Budget, and the costs it will place on businesses.

Coupled with the prospect of the Employment Rights Bill that will improve working conditions for employees while increasing the burden on businesses, Reeves herself has ceded that employers will have costs to absorb, potentially hurting pay for workers.

The Chancellor sees this as “investment, investment, investment.” But do UK employers feel the same? Are they able and willing to look past the short-term costs to see the potential for long-term growth? And did the Government sufficiently indicate how it will encourage growth through skills development and innovation to ensure that investment pays off?