Blog

Five common career regrets (and how to overcome them)

Emma-Louise Jones — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:10:41 GMT

A 2026 survey by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr found that 79% of UK employees regret some of their career choices or work decisions.

What's new in HR tech: inside Ciphr's May 2026 product showcase

landrews@ciphr.com (Laura Andrews) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:06:07 GMT

HR software is being rebuilt around real-time data, tighter integration between systems, and AI that can act as well as answer. Ciphr’s May 2026 product showcase webinar set out exactly how that shift is playing out across its own suite.

In short: onboarding now sits fully inside Ciphr HR with one login. Benefits data syncs with HR in real time, with automatic starter and leaver processing. Two new AI features have gone live: AI-assisted performance reviews and an HR AI assistant that answers workforce questions and books leave. Cloud payroll has new back pay, journal reporting and compliance tools. And further out, expect a universal dashboard, holiday buy and sell, and payroll changes ahead of the mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind from April 2027.

Flexible benefits: HR director’s guide to building inclusive packages

landrews@ciphr.com (Laura Andrews) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:38:52 GMT

Many flexible benefits packages get built once and left alone. Your workforce changes, life stages shift and cost pressures evolve. But does your employee benefits package keep up? If not, the gap has a real cost: disengaged employees, wasted spend, and a reward strategy that quietly loses its edge.

Employee benefits trends 2026 - Ciphr

Charlotte Chadwick — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

As we begin 2026, benefits professionals, HR teams and payroll leaders are being pulled in multiple directions. Employees are feeling the ongoing impact of rising living costs. Expectations around wellbeing, flexibility and personalisation continue to grow. At the same time, organisations are under pressure to control spend, navigate regulatory change and demonstrate real value from their benefits investment.

So where should benefits teams focus next?

To help answer that question, we surveyed over 100 benefits, HR and payroll professionals across the UK to understand the trends, pressures and priorities shaping the benefits landscape in 2026. The results offer a clear picture of what’s changing – and where organisations will need to adapt.

HR payroll compliance: why integration isn't optional anymore

Charlotte Chadwick — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

It's 10pm. You've just remembered a payroll change that might not have happened. Tomorrow, payroll runs. The regulator is watching more closely than ever. Do you sleep – or open your laptop?

Most payroll and HR professionals will recognise that scenario. The stakes have always been high – payroll errors don't just cost money. They cost you sleepless nights, employee complaints, and uncomfortable conversations with the board about why the data doesn't add up.

Benefits of AI in HR: how AI is transforming human resources

Charlotte Chadwick — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

HR teams are under more pressure than ever. They need to deliver strategic insight to leaders, support employees and keep on top of compliance. The list doesn't shrink. That's why the benefits of AI in HR have moved from theoretical to genuinely transformative, and why more organisations are putting it to work.

Top 10 HR AI assistant prompts | Ciphr

landrews@ciphr.com (Laura Andrews) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT

How much of your working day disappears into answering the same HR questions? Research by McKinsey found that employees spend nearly 20% of their working week searching for information or chasing colleagues for answers. For HR teams, that figure often feels even higher.

Mandatory payrolling BIK 2027 – Ciphr

Claire Warner — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

If you've been involved in voluntary payrolling of benefits in kind (BIK) over the last 10 years, the natural assumption is that mandatory payrolling BIK from April 2027 will be a fairly straightforward extension of what you're already doing.

Integrating HR and payroll in UK mid-sized firms

Cathryn Newbery — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:38:14 GMT

Integrating HR and payroll software in UK mid-sized firms is one of the most high-impact changes an HR or payroll leader can make. Not because the technology is exciting. Because the alternative – two systems, two datasets, and someone manually bridging the gap every pay cycle – creates errors that cost real money and erode real trust.