In today’s world, where change is happening faster than ever, knowing when to move on has become a vital skill for anyone navigating their career. Jack Welch, a renowned business leader, summed it up perfectly: “Change before you have to.” That advice feels more relevant than ever, given the constant shifts across industries and workplaces.

Business leaders rate music highly for workplace skills - yet fewer young children in the UK have the opportunity to study it at school than at any point in a generation. This comes at a time when almost half of British adults (49%) rank music as the UK's greatest export to the world, ahead of scientific research (28%), technology innovation (24%) and manufacturing (18%).

Aviva has reported a strong start to 2026, with operating profit climbing 24% to £1.3 billion for the first half of the year. The insurer, which provides cover to over 25 million customers globally, attributed the growth to its diversified business model and successful integration of the recently acquired Direct Line Insurance Group.

Leaders behind a firm which plans to build a major new aircraft conversion campus at Teesside International Airport have visited the region after signing a landmark agreement. Alfor Aviation will create 250 permanent high-skilled jobs at the new facility after a 50-year agreement was secured during the recent Farnborough International Airshow.

Handrail Creations, a specialist in bespoke handrails and balustrades, has invested in a wireless, AI-driven 3D scanner to support its growing project portfolio across the United Kingdom. The Bolton-based firm currently manages approximately 160 live projects.

Wykeland Group has appointed Amy Whittaker as the new Centre Manager at the Flemingate shopping and leisure destination in Beverley, East Yorkshire. Amy brings nearly 20 years of experience in retail management, having previously served as Centre Director at The Potteries Centre in Stoke-on-Trent, alongside management roles at the Trafford Centre and Merry Hill.

The UK economy showed resilience in the second quarter of the year, expanding by 0.4% according to initial estimates published by the Office for National Statistics. While the service sector performed strongly and construction returned to growth, business leaders have warned that the headline figures disguise significant underlying financial challenges.

Ainscough Crane Hire has successfully completed the dismantling of one of the largest telecoms towers of its type to be decommissioned in the UK, supporting telecommunications infrastructure services provider Circet on the removal of a redundant 52-metre tower at a former EE site in Sunderland.

A West Yorkshire logistics specialist is going the extra mile as it continues to invest in its sustainability strategy.

A fast-growing Warrington nationwide refurbishment specialist is toasting its second ‘Welsh’ birthday in style after sealing two of its biggest contracts to date. Inco Contracts, which is based on Knutsford Road, has been appointed to deliver the major refurbishment of the former MCC Building in Cwmbran and the redevelopment of Units 2-6 at The Beeches in Bristol.

EY teams based across the firm’s Manchester and Leeds offices acted on 17 transactions worth a total of £7.2bn in the first half of 2026. Among the largest transactions was British investor, Rosebank Industries’ £2.25bn acquisition of US-based industrial businesses CPM and MW Components.

UK manufacturers could secure a clean energy dividend worth more than £2 billion by 2035 by phasing out gas usage and scaling up proven energy technologies, according to independent economic modelling published by energy supplier E.ON.

One-in-five employers lack the confidence to implement new trade union rules, according to a new survey by workplace expert Acas. The YouGov survey, commissioned by Acas, asked employers how confident they are making these changes to their organisation’s policies and practices. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of employers said they were confident about adapting to the change in law.

Wren has become one of the first kitchen manufacturers in the UK to achieve the British Institute for Fitted Interior Specialists (BIFIS) Accredited Installation Methods (AiM) Quality Mark, following a rigorous independent audit of its installation operations and onsite fitting standards.

Many senior business leaders remember their A-Level results with mixed feelings. Some may have felt, at the time, that poor grades closed doors. But did they really? Research from Cambridge Advance Online shows that nearly half of UK managers, directors and senior officials do not hold a degree or higher qualification.

Being a paralegal is a great career option with lots of opportunities for fulfilling and interesting roles both in the UK and abroad; paralegals work in law firms, large corporates, fashion houses, football clubs, gaming and tech companies, local government, criminal law, police stations, immigration, wills and probate, sports and music – to name just a few. But what will you earn?

Hull-based holiday home manufacturer Willerby has played a key role in a project to enhance the wellbeing of personnel at one of Europe’s largest naval bases.

East Yorkshire SME commercial finance provider Westwood Capital Finance has appointed Allan Underwood as its new director to support its long-term growth ambitions. Operating from the lender's Beverley headquarters, Underwood brings 35 years of industry experience, including the past 18 years as senior sales director at Skipton Business Finance.

UK real estate markets have proven to be resilient through the first half of 2026 despite a more challenging economic and geopolitical backdrop, according to CBRE's 2026 UK Real Estate Market Outlook Mid-Year Review.

The first of 11 overhead cranes, each spanning up to 35 metres, has arrived at Sheffield Forgemasters’ New Machine Shop site from GH Cranes’ manufacturing facility in Northern Spain.

The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, fell marginally to -63 in July 2026 from -61 in June. Business leader confidence in their own organisations also fell, to -2 in July from +7. The majority of the underlying indicators also declined: Revenue expectations fell to +9 from +11 – the lowest reading in 2026.

Businesses are being urged to review the artificial intelligence tools they use after new transparency obligations under the European Union's AI Act came into force on 2 August. Although the legislation is European, it is not limited to businesses based in Europe.

Manchester-based Street Group, a provider of software and AI solutions for the UK residential property sector, has reached a valuation of more than £200m following a strategic growth investment from Hg, representing a successful exit for NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance which is managed by PXN as part of the Northern Powerhouse Fund II.

Regional mutual delivers stronger profits and asset growth while returning millions in extra value to savers and borrowers.

Anyone familiar with the business section of the p.ublished group of newspapers will probably be a fan of Ian’s regular musings on a broad range of modern business dilemmas.

Over the past decade, the way we work in the UK has changed dramatically. Remote working, which once felt like a niche option reserved for a select few, is now a staple of British employment. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a huge catalyst, forcing companies to adapt almost overnight.

Indurent, a developer, owner and operator of industrial and logistics space across the UK, has launched two new developments in Knowsley, further strengthening its presence in one of the North West’s most established logistics locations and meeting strong occupier demand across the region.