P&G UK & Ireland in the News: Conversations shaping the future of work

From workplace belonging and employee wellbeing to inclusive hiring and leadership development, the first half of 2026 has seen P&G UK & Ireland contribute to some important conversations shaping the future of work.

Below, we've rounded up some of the stories, research and voices that helped drive those discussions and showcase the work taking place across our business.

Supporting more inclusive hiring and diverse thinking

Creating inclusive workplaces starts with recognising that people bring different strengths, experiences and perspectives to work.

Earlier this year, Ian Morley, our Sales VP, P&G Northern Europe, opened up around how his dyslexia has influenced his career and shared his personal experience with People Management.

As Ian explained: “Being dyslexic has fundamentally shaped how I think. I tend to cut through complexity quickly, focus on what really matters and simplify problems in a way that makes them easier to act on.”

His story highlighted the value of creating workplaces where people feel comfortable bringing different ways of thinking to the table. By harnessing the power of inclusivity, we can unlock stronger decision making and more creative outcomes across our teams.

Read more: People Management

Exploring what belonging means to UK employees

One of the biggest conversations of the year centred around workplace belonging. We commissioned research to better understand how employees experience belonging in today’s workplace, capturing insights from respondents across the UK.

The findings revealed encouraging progress, with 82% of workers across the country saying they feel a sense of belonging at work, the highest level reported in more than a decade.

At the same time, the research highlighted an important challenge: while many employees feel they belong overall, only 20% consistently experience the everyday conditions that help them feel truly included and valued.

These findings resonated across the media landscape, with different outlets focusing on different aspects.

Training Journal focused on the positive headline from the research, leading with “Workplace belonging hits decade high”. While the headline highlighted the rise in workplace belonging, the article dug into the business benefits of belonging, reporting: “The study of 2,000 UK adults shows workplace belonging now plays a defining role in retention. Three quarters (75%) of UK workers say they would commit to a company for years if they feel valued, while 73% would stay longer where they feel a genuine sense of belonging.”

Workplace Insights focused on one of the research's more thought provoking findings: the gap between employees' overall sense of belonging and their day-to-day experience of inclusion: “Only 20% said they consistently experience the conditions that make them feel they truly belong at work. The findings suggest that workplace culture and inclusion continue to play an increasingly important role in recruitment and retention strategies.”

Employee Benefits, used the 20% finding as a lens through which to explore what workplace belonging means in practice. Its coverage examined the factors that contribute to employees feeling connected at work: "A sense of belonging starts with feeling accepted for who they are (61%), having a sense of community (51%) and not feeling like an outsider (50%)."

HR Press focused on how experiences of belonging differ across the workforce, exploring the generational nuances revealed by the research, reporting: "Belonging isn't experienced in the same way by everyone. For some, it's still hard to pin down, with 6% saying they don't know how to describe what it means to them. Clear differences also emerge across generations."

Here at P&G UK we provide a career, not just a job, by investing in employee development, supporting work-life balance, and fostering a culture where people feel valued, rewarded, and inspired.

Read more: Training Journal, Workplace Insights, HR Press and Employee Benefits.

Developing and retaining talent

Another recurring theme this year has been how organisations can attract and grow talent.

Alessandro Catellani, VP HR Northern Europe at P&G, recently spoke about his own career development having worked at P&G for more than 20 years, and how we work to help our employees forge long-term, meaningful careers.

At P&G UK, employees have access to industry-relevant training, diverse roles across a broad portfolio of brands, and opportunities to build multiple careers within the company.

Alongside development, wellbeing continues to play an important role in creating environments where people can perform at their best.

Our Senior Director and Wellbeing Lead, P&G Northern Europe, Lou Erdozain, also had a recent interview on wellbeing in leadership and development, including the role of managers and leading by example. She emphasised that at P&G UK, the culture is built on trust, integrity and inclusion. Employees are supported to be their authentic selves, build strong relationships and make meaningful contributions, all of which underpin long-term belonging.

Keep your eyes peeled for these conversations to be published!

Honouring the values that continue to shape our culture

This year also marked a special moment in P&G's history with the unveiling of a blue plaque honouring James Gamble in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

As co-founder of Procter & Gamble, James Gamble helped establish the values and principles that continue to guide our business more than 180 years later. While the world of work has changed significantly since then, the importance of integrity, leadership, personal responsibility and service remains unchanged.

Speaking at the unveiling, Tom Moody, Senior Vice President, P&G Northern Europe, said:
"There's something powerful about standing at the place where it all began. It's a particular source of pride that one of Procter & Gamble's founders called Northern Ireland home."

The occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on the culture and values that continue to shape how we develop our people and serve our communities today.

Read more: Belfast Telegraph