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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The coronavirus pandemic is over, but increased sickness is not. In many developed economies, more working people are reporting illnesses that limit the amount or type of work they can do than pre-pandemic. More sick days are being taken, too. German executives warn high absenteeism is compounding the country’s competitiveness problems; in September, Tesla bosses resorted to snap home visits to check up on absent employees at its Berlin plant. In Norway, workers called in sick in the second quarter more than at any time in the past 15 years.

In the UK, official figures estimated a record 185.6mn working days were lost through sickness absence in 2022, for reasons including minor illnesses, musculoskeletal problems and mental health conditions. Post-pandemic healthcare backlogs are partly responsible. Last year some 3.7mn working-age people were in work with a “work-limiting” condition — up 1.4mn in 10 years. The rate of work-limiting conditions has grown fastest among young workers, with sharp increases in reported mental ill health.

Having fewer people working means economies do not grow as fast as they could. It reduces tax receipts to fund increasingly strained public services. But it is employers and businesses that have to deal with the immediate effects of sickness — managing staff and rotas, and confronting any legal backlash. Changes in diagnosis rates and generational attitudes to mental ill health, in particular, have influenced employee expectations of the workplace.

Prioritising employee wellbeing is about building trust and loyalty as well as ensuring long-term productivity. Compassion has to be balanced with practicality. Bosses must provide adequate support to absent workers — but also take into account the impact on other staff and operations.

A transparent and fair sickness policy is vital. Companies need to lay out expectations for reporting illness, documenting absences and returning to work — including when doctor’s notes are needed. If employees know they will be treated fairly and consistently, they are more likely to adhere to the rules, fostering a culture of mutual respect and accountability.

Identifying patterns of absenteeism can help to reveal underlying issues, such as frequent Monday absences or sick leave during school holidays, and signal when bosses need to step in earlier to address concerns at home, burnout or stress. But any sense that bosses are using data ultimately to punish staff will backfire, breeding resentment.

Data should be a conversation starter to better understand the conditions of absences rather than hitting out at those perceived to be slacking. Absenteeism can reflect deeper issues such as excessive workloads, demotivated staff or a lack of support.

But the need for support during poor health is matched by the need for accountability. Problems arise when managers feel trust is being exploited. Setting boundaries on flexible policies and maintaining clear expectations can prevent abuse while still offering assistance. Employees must understand that flexibility is often a benefit, not an entitlement, and respect the parameters set by their employers.

For bosses, employee health information also needs to be handled with the utmost care, and not just to avoid any legal ramifications. When employees believe that their most sensitive information is met with discretion, they will be more open to sharing health issues, and seeking support at their most vulnerable time.

Some companies rely on high pay or rewarding work to attract staff, but in a competitive market, commitments to wellbeing can also help employers to stand out. Building a successful enterprise relies above all, though, on both sides creating a relationship of trust.

BARGAIN buyers have flocked to B&M after spotting a Maltesers stocking filler on sale for just 50p.

Originally up for grabs for £5, those hoping to self-indulge or gift the sweet-treat fix will want to be quick before the deal disappears from shelves.

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Perfect for sharing, the box boasts a variety of different flavours to make a warming drink during the cold winter nights.

The 90 percent saving offers customers the chance to nab a Maltersers Hot Chocolate Kit for a fraction of the original price.

Great for couples planning a romantic night in, the box holds six sachets inside.

With three Maltesers White and three Maltesers Hot Chocolate Sticks, festive fans can also decorate their hot cocoa with heart marshmallows, sprinkles and chocolate drops.

One eagle-eyed shopper has already posted a picture of the incredible find on Facebook to make sure others don’t miss out on the offer.

The post has claimed nearly 400 reactions and just under 100 comments so far.

One user replied: “Check for these next time you go pls x”

Another said: “Whoever goes first pick the other one a couple up.”

Someone else wrote: “£5 no chance 50p yes”

A fourth put: “run don’t walk.”

Another person said: “Our kids would love these.”

Those hoping to nab the sale offering might want to phone up ahead before visiting in-store to avoid disappointment and check stock levels.

For online shoppers, the kit is available but only for the £5 price which does not include the added postage fee.

Advertised on the B&M website as low in stock, shoppers should hurry if they are desperate to get hold of this deal.

Those wanting to make the most of their cash in the run up to Christmas, could keep their eyes peeled for the Black Friday sale that B&M has already launched.

With Christmas decorations starting as low as 50p as well as 50% of energy-saving gadgets, there could be something for everyone.

How to save money on chocolate

We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don’t have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs…

Go own brand – if you’re not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you’ll save by going for the supermarket’s own brand bars.

Shop around – if you’ve spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it’s cheaper elsewhere.

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Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you’re getting the best deal.

Look out for yellow stickers – supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they’ve been reduced.

They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.

Buy bigger bars – most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.

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So if you’ve got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The chief executive of Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500bn futuristic development in the desert, has been abruptly replaced after six years in charge of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s flagship project.

The company said on Tuesday that Nadhmi al-Nasr, a veteran former official of state-controlled oil giant Saudi Aramco, had left his role.

It gave no reason for his departure, which comes as the Public Investment Fund, which controls Neom, comes under pressure to deliver on a series of mega-projects across the kingdom.

Nasr’s tenure was often marked by controversy as he oversaw the highly ambitious development that has drawn scepticism inside and outside the kingdom.

Aiman Al-Mudaifer, head of the local real estate division at the PIF, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, will step in as acting chief executive, Neom said. The company is a PIF subsidiary.

“As Neom enters a new phase of delivery, this new leadership will ensure operational continuity, agility and efficiency to match the overall vision and objectives of the project,” the company said.

Neom is the centrepiece of a vast economic transformation programme that Prince Mohammed launched in 2016 to help diversify the economy and wean the kingdom off its dependence on oil revenues. It is located in the desert near the Red Sea coast and close to Jordan and Egypt.

Prince Mohammed first unveiled the idea for Neom in 2017 with the promise of a new concept of urban living based fully on renewable energy and where robots would outnumber humans.

Different elements of the projects were announced in the intervening years, including a linear city called The Line, an industrial port and a ski resort called Trojena that is set to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029.

Neom is one of several huge projects developed as part of the kingdom’s economic diversification plan. Some of these projects, such as tourist resorts in the Red Sea, have welcomed guests, while others remain under construction.

Often described as the word’s largest construction project, Neom has struggled to meet ambitious expectations and seen several leadership changes in recent years.

Klaus Kleinfeld, former CEO of Siemens and Alcoa, was the first head of Neom but was soon replaced by Nasr, who had a reputation for quick delivery of major infrastructure projects while at energy group Saudi Aramco, but faced criticism for his hard-charging managerial style.

The company has seen the departure of several western executives. Wayne Borg, head of Neom’s media unit, was replaced in September.

Additional reporting by Andrew England in London

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget last month represents “the biggest shake-up to financial planning in a long time”, according to Quilter’s head of technical sales Roddy Munro.

Munro made the comments at the PFS Rewired conference in Manchester today (November 12).

He also warned advisers not to “underestimate the historical importance of this Budget”, particularly bringing pensions into the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) and changes to capital gains tax (CGT).

The chancellor, Munro also observed, “has flagged her intention openly” by allowing frozen IHT allowances to remain through to 2028 but not to 2030.

This will drag 11.5 million people into higher rates of income tax over the next four years, enough to “fill Wembley Stadium several times over”.

However, Munro pointed out that 42% of those people are aged between 50 and 79 – the target market ‘heartland’ of clients heading towards retirement decisions.

The government has stated in the Budget that “pensions should not be a vehicle for the accumulation of capital sums for the purposes of inheritance”.

It also established that IHT will apply to all pension wealth that is transferable on death.

Therefore, said Munro, redefining the primary purpose of a pension will require a massive shift in advice for those with substantial defined contribution (DC) pots.

Munro also said that changes to CGT had “drained the life” out of general investment accounts (GIAs).

For disposals after October 30, the lower rate of CGT will rise from 10% to 18%. The higher rate will rise from 20% to 24%, while trusts have increased to 24%.

In addition, business asset disposal relief (BADR) and investors’ relief (IR) will rise gradually to 14% from April 6, 2025, to align with the lower rate of 18% by April 6, 2026.

This makes it less attractive to transfer ownership to a spouse than before, with GCT annual exempt amounts falling from £12,300 in 2020/21 to £3,000 in 2024/25.

The tax-free dividend allowance also fallen from £5,000 in 2016 to 2018, to £500 in 2024 to 2025.

The layering effect of all these fiscal changes has hit hard, said Munro, with tax now potentially the biggest cost to a client.

As a result, tax-wrapper optimisation is now paramount, as wrapper selection could have the biggest impact on total net costs.

Munro illustrated this point using a graph that showed platforms representing 25 basis points (bps), investment 60 bps, advice 50 bps and tax 88 bps (or 65% of the total 223 bps).

As previously flagged at last year’s PFS conference, these changes to IHT and CGT are likely to increase the attractiveness of bonds.

Munro pointed to Quilter’s ongoing tax-comparison tool to assess the ‘here and now’ tax position of retaining an existing CIA/GIA compared to moving to an onshore bond.

Bonds, he emphasised, are “a critical tax-planning tool” in terms of rewrapping client wealth

He also said that quality financial advice in this new tax landscape would be vital.

“Clients are going to need your help,” he concluded, “so your value has gone through the roof.”

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SHOPPERS are thrilled after Aldi has stocked its shelves with a dupe of a much-loved Christmas treat from Greggs.

The bakery chain’s new festive menu left fans thrilled when it confirmed the return of a firm favourite – the Festive Bake.

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But, rather than queue outside the bakery waiting to snag one, many are turning to their local Aldi.

The German-based retailer is offering a dupe of the Greggs Festive Bake for a fraction of the cost.

The Crestwood Festive Bakes found in the freezer section from November 27 are made with chicken, beechwood smoked bacon and cranberries.

They come with a sage and onion sauce which is all wrapped in puff pastry with a parsley and breadcrumb topping.

“Look What’s Back In Aldi!” one excited shopper exclaimed on Facebook after snagging the product early.

“If you see these clear the shelf,” one person said in the comments, tagging a friend.

“They are just as delicious as usual too!!” another said.

For a pack of two weighing 154 grams each, Aldi shoppers can scoop the Greggs dupe for just £1.75, saving them 56% compared to Greggs.

However, before shoppers go “clearing the shelves,” at Aldi there is a maximum number of boxes you can buy in one go.

To be able to spread as much festive joy as possible, there is a maximum purchase quantity of 10 boxes.

Just one Greggs Festive Bake is £2 or can be part of a savoury and hot drink deal for a total of £2.85.

The puff pastry bake is filled with pieces of chicken breast, sage and onion stuffing, Sweetcure bacon and a creamy sage and cranberry sauce.

Like the Aldi dupe, the Greggs version is also topped with breadcrumbs.

GREGGS FESTIVE FOOD

There is also a vegan option for those who are on plant-based diets which is made with vegan puff pastry, Quorn pieces, sage and onion stuffing balls, vegan bacon and cranberry and red onion sauce.

This is also just £2 or can be part of the same meal deal detailed above.

But, Aldi is also selling its Plant Menu Festive Bakes fir £1.19 for two made with vegan pastry, seasoned soya protein, sweetened dried cranberries and a sage and onion stuffing.

These are 70% cheaper than the Greggs version.

The North East-based bakery released its Christmas menu in bakeries on November 7.

For the first time ever, Greggs launched a Christmas advert to highlight its seasonal offerings.

The cosy ad features none other than celebrity chef Nigella Lawson who was seen devouring a number of the seasonal bakes and drinks on offer from the bakery.

She described the festive bake as a “rapturous riot of flavour” with a “succulent filling”.

The advert parodies Nigella’s famed use of superlatives, which viewers of her popular cooking shows will be familiar with.

Greggs fans can also look forward to mince pies, gingerbread lattes, Christmas baguettes, festive flatbreads and much more.

A second menu launch will be revealed later this month, the chain has confirmed so keep your eyes peeled.

OTHER CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS

As more and more retailers announce their Christmas menus and products, shoppers will be spoilt for choice.

At Aldi, there are three limited edition festive crisps which are flavoured: Beef Wellington, Turkey and Stuffing, and Pigs in Blankets.

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Shoppers can also bag Bailey’s dupe, the Specially Selected Irish Cream Liqueur for just £7.99.

Others will be rushing to M&S to get their hands on the Christmas version of Colin the Caterpillar.

The Sleigh Ride Colin the Caterpillar features “Colin as you’ve never seen him before,” M&S claims.

With 46% more chocolate than the traditional caterpillar cake, Colin is getting into the spirit of Christmas, oozing both joy and indulgence.

Festive Colin wears a red Santa hat and is pulling a present-filled sleigh with candy canes and white and milk chocolate gifts.

But, once again, Aldi is offering shoppers a dupe with their own festive Cuthbert the Caterpillar which will be available from November 24.

Unlike Colin, Cuthbert Christmas is not in a sleigh, but wearing a Santa hat, a green bow tie and has white chocolate stars down his back.