Britain’s embattled business community enters 2012 with major concerns about striking a healthy work/life balance for its workforce, according to new research from Group Risk Development (GRiD), the trade body for the group risk industry.

MEPs are calling for EU legislation to be put in place if voluntary measures fail to boost the number of women in senior positions. They believe that women should make up 30% of top management in the largest listed EU companies by 2015 and 40% by 2020.

Four fifths of companies in the UK are now offering their staff flexible working, according to new research amongst 4000 UK companies commissioned by workplace provider Regus. However, the research highlights that trust remains a major hurdle for many companies: 38% of UK businesses only offer this privilege to senior staff.

Business will be freed from the burden of red tape under a package of sweeping reforms to regulation, the UK Government has announced.

A new disclosure scheme to improve the protection of Scotland's most vulnerable groups is now in operation.