Explore our latest workforce insights, reports and tools

Access workforce intelligence to inform hiring, leadership and people strategy - from salary guides and workforce solutions to practical tools and future-of-work research.

UK Salary Guide 2026: Available now

The UK’s trusted guide to salaries and workforce trends is here. Based on insights from over 5,100 professionals across the UK, it provides expert analysis to help organisations navigate change, understand emerging workforce pressures, and plan effectively for what’s next.

Explore key insights on:

  • Employment outlooks for 2026
  • Skills and roles most in demand
  • The impact of AI on working practices
  • Workforce trends shaping the year ahead

Workforce Reports: workforce trends by industry


Explore sector-specific workforce insight designed to support better hiring, retention and workforce planning decisions. Each report combines salary benchmarks, contractor and day-rate intelligence, and expert analysis to help organisations understand where skills are in demand and how workforce expectations are changing.

Construction & Property Workforce Report

Explore the workforce pressures shaping construction and property, from persistent skills shortages and delivery demands to changing expectations across permanent and contractor markets. Use the report to benchmark pay, assess workforce options and plan with greater confidence.

HR Workforce Report

See how the HR function is evolving as organisations ask more from people teams across workforce strategy, transformation, productivity and risk. Explore salary trends, workforce intelligence and expert recommendations to strengthen your HR workforce strategy.

Business Support Workforce Report

Understand how business support roles are changing as responsibilities expand, expectations shift and flexible resourcing becomes more important. Explore salary benchmarks, contractor trends and practical insight to support hiring, retention and role planning.

Engineering Workforce Report

Discover the workforce trends affecting engineering and manufacturing, from capability gaps and project demand to automation, AI and changing skills requirements. Use salary and day-rate insight to support workforce planning and build teams ready to deliver.

Planning your next move into management or a senior role?

The Manager’s Job Search Guide helps you navigate the senior-level job search.

Tech Insights: reports and tools

Insights for finance leaders

Insights for the life sciences sector

Looking to focus on your career development?

Explore insights to help you progress, grow and plan your next move.

Workforce solutions: playbooks and guides


Expert guidance to help you design, optimise and evolve your outsourced workforce strategy - from recruitment and contingent labour to integrated, end‑to‑end workforce models and cost efficiencies.

RPO Playbook

Learn how Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) can boost efficiency, reduce hiring pressure, and support high‑volume or hard‑to‑fill recruitment. 

This playbook explains how RPO models work and how to choose the right provider for your organisation.

MSP Guide

Discover how a Managed Service Programme (MSP) can improve visibility, reduce risk and streamline your contingent workforce.

This guide explores common challenges and how a structured MSP model helps address them.

Beyond MSP

Start exploring how organisations move beyond MSP to a Total Workforce Model that brings together permanent, contingent and project‑based talent. 

Learn the principles, sourcing approaches and technology foundations needed to make the transition successfully.

Cost efficiencies report

With budgets under sustained pressure, this report offers practical, data‑led insight to help organisations improve efficiency across recruitment, workforce planning and talent strategy, without cutting corners.

Prepare for the future of work: Workplace, wellbeing and DE&I insights


Find out how wellbeing, skills, AI‑driven change and DE&I are shaping attraction, retention and performance - and what organisations can do to prepare for the future of work.

Working Well Report 2025: Your blueprint for a healthier, more resilient workforce

While most employers recognise the value of wellbeing, 68% don’t measure its impact. Based on our research from over 3,600 UK professionals and employers, this report explores the state of workplace wellbeing and how organisations can better support their people.

Workforce of the Future: Navigating the skills disruption

Explore emerging talent pools, industry skill shortages and the trends shaping future workforce needs.

Use these insights to build a future‑ready workforce strategy and take practical steps to close your organisation’s skills gaps.

How AI is reshaping the Future of Work

Understand the shifts shaping the modern workplace - from inflation and productivity pressure to the impact of AI and changing workforce expectations.

Strengthen your workforce strategy to respond to AI‑driven change and prepare your organisation for what’s ahead.

Workplace DE&I: Your guide to securing diverse talent

The Hays Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report explores how capturing DE&I data can help organisations build a more diverse workforce. With 61% of professionals actively looking for an employer’s DE&I policy, are organisations doing enough to promote their efforts?

Boosting wellbeing in accounts payable

Gain research‑led insight into the wellbeing challenges facing accounts payable teams. Based on a survey of over 100 AP professionals, this report explores stress, workload, and work‑life balance - and offers practical guidance on how leaders can better support wellbeing in AP teams.

What Workers Want series: Insights to attract top talent


Our What Workers Want report series explores how worker expectations are evolving - from career stage and technology to flexibility, inclusion and new ways of working.

What Workers Want When Applying for Jobs report

Our highly anticipated What Workers Want report is now available for you to access. Discover what almost 11,900 professionals have to say about what makes them more likely to apply for a job as well as what deters them.

You’ll also find out what matters most to different age groups when applying for jobs, the impact of AI on recruitment and how to gather more diversity data during the application process to further your DE&I initiatives. 

  • What Workers Want: Different ways of working

    With the world of work constantly changing, it’s more important than ever to understand how to best support employees whichever working approach your organisation follows.

  • What Workers Want: Working with AI

    Take a closer look at how rapidly evolving artificial intelligence is set to change the way we work and how employers can best support their staff in making the most of AI tools.

  • What Workers Want:
    Older workers

    Find out what attracts and keeps professionals over the age of 50 in a role. We also examine topics such as ageism, flexible working, benefits and more.
     

Find out how we can help: Talk to Hays

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