Would you take a candidate seriously at an interview if they turned up with an iced coffee? It’s a debate that started when US corporate recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen posted on TikTok that she was seeing Gen Z candidates arrive at interviews carrying iced beverages, which can make an interview look like another stop in a day of errands rather than something the candidate has specifically prepared for.
The response has been sharply divided: some recruiters agree; others argue that judging a capable candidate because they are holding a matcha latte shows exactly why workplace culture needs to change.
Laura Conway, candidate experience manager at Gi Group, a global leader in recruitment, says it shouldn’t be the coffee itself that determines how a candidate is assessed: “We would always encourage employers to focus on the suitability of the candidate for the role rather than small details that don’t have a genuine bearing on their ability to do the job. However, something as simple as carrying a coffee could potentially contribute to an overall impression of how formally or informally a candidate is approaching the meeting, particularly in a more traditional working environment.”
Gen Z are an easy target for older colleagues, who get upset when younger co-workers leave on time and prioritise work-life balance. Here, recruitment experts explain that both sides have faults, and much of the criticism levelled at the generation is unfair.
Walkers reveals three new crisp flavours
Three new “gold” flavours of Walkers are now available for crisp lovers. The new snacks mark the brand’s biggest revamp in 80 years.
What are the flavours and how much are they?
The new flavours are black truffle, sea salt and olive oil and Somerset mature cheddar and onion.
Each pack is branded as “Premium Potato Crisps”.
The crisps come in 140g bags and can currently be bought for £2 each.
Where you can buy them
The entire range launched on Ocado officially today, but from October 12, they will be widely available in major UK supermarkets for a cheaper price of £1.50.
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Record number of assaults on Britain’s trains – what to know
Assaults on Britain’s railways have hit record levels, new figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have revealed.
The numbers
The data published on Thursday showed there were 13,464 reported assaults on people who were not railway workers between April 2025 and March 2026, an increase of 36 per cent compared to the previous year.
- 11,289 assaults on rail workers on mainline networks were also recorded, an increase of 12 per cent. This included 6,390 incidents of verbal abuse, 2,487 physical assaults and 2,412 threats.
Working to make railways safer
No-one on the railway should be subjected to violence, threats or abuse. We’re working with industry and our trade union colleagues to address work-related violence and harassment, including through recent guidance which sets out what we expect from rail employers.
Richard Hines, ORR’s chief inspector railways
The Reform MPs who face losing their seats according to new poll
Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman are among four Reform UK MPs who would lose their seats if a general election were held tomorrow, fresh polling by YouGov shows.
Falling behind the Tories
Tory defector Danny Kruger and Sarah Pochin – who beat Labour in a 2025 by-election – would also be unseated, according to the leading UK pollster’s first large-scale election modelling since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
Although the party’s numbers of MPs would hugely increase, it would have fewer seats than the Tories overall, marking a significant fall when compared to last year’s polling.
How a Labour government could be formed
The poll predicts that Labour would be the biggest party in a hung parliament.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey recently ruled out forming a coalition with Reform or the Tories but stopped short of excluding a coalition with Labour.
However, to form a Parliamentary majority in this scenario, Burnham would also need to work with the SNP or Plaid Cymru.
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Reform expanding its operations
The polling comes as Reform is preparing a huge expansion of its operations around the country, targeting London, the South East, the South West and the East of England.
- Analysis of Reform job adverts by The i Paper suggests the party is pumping resources into areas where it wants to keep its high-profile Tory defectors.
There’s turmoil in the Liberal Democrats. And MPs are struggling for direction
Stagnant in the polls but still a potential kingmaker, the party’s at a crossroads – even its own members are asking what comes next.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
Not knowing the unwritten rules of work
Despite what some older colleagues may tell you, people rarely turn up to their first job able to hit the ground running, and often there are rules and procedures that those currently working there expect people to pick up without being told.
As Kirsten Barnes, chief executive of Bright Network, an early career platform that connects students and graduates with opportunities, says, every generation makes mistakes at the start of their careers. The issue with Gen Z is that they are entering the workforce during a transition to flexible and online work, which puts them at a disadvantage.
As Barnes says: “Many in this generation began their careers remotely or in hybrid roles, and there are also fewer opportunities to build early workplace experience through weekend jobs or summer work. So much of how you learn the unwritten rules of work, how to speak to a senior colleague, how to deal with customers or colleagues, when to ask a question and when to work it out, is picked up almost by osmosis.”
Barnes says there has to be responsibility on both sides: “Young people need to adapt and learn how to operate in a professional environment, but employers need to be clear about what ‘good’ looks like, and recognise that some of the unwritten rules of work need to be taught and learnt, rather than simply assumed.”
They dismiss analogue skills
Emma McDowell, head of candidate delivery at Flex Legal, which runs a scheme to help young people get their first legal roles, says sometimes, basic office etiquette and the importance of analogue skills need to be explained.
McDowell says skills such as networking, phone calls, and in-person meetings are becoming highly desirable, and Gen Z need to get comfortable with them or face getting left behind. “The things we commonly discuss are the importance of turning up on time, not using your mobile phones at your desk, turning your camera on when you’re on a Zoom call, and making phone calls,” says McDowell.
These might be skills that other generations take for granted, but as McDowell says, we can’t assume that Gen Z will know these things, as they’ve grown up in a very different world: “Many things – like phoning to get a quick answer – we’ve learnt without realising it, they’ve just been a part of our lives.”
Often, a quick phone call can clear a problem up quicker than a lengthy email exchange, and things like tone can also get lost over email, so getting over that fear of the phone may end up saving you time in the long run.
Having high expectations of progression
Deloitte’s 2025 global research found that 50 per cent of Gen Z wanted managers to teach and mentor them, while only 36 per cent said their managers actually did so. Gen Z respondents also expected rapid progression in their roles, and placed considerable importance on on-the-job development.
Barnes says: “Our latest research found that the number one thing students want from their time in the office is the opportunity to learn from others, and 95 per cent would like employers to provide training and development to help them make the transition into the workplace.”
According to Barnes, employers need to provide mentoring opportunities to help enable progression and explain that progression usually requires evidence of performance, not simply having spent a certain amount of time in the job.
They don’t tailor themselves to the working environment
Professionalism doesn’t look exactly the same in every industry, and Conway says candidates should always consider the culture and environment they are interviewing for.
She explains: “We might advise someone interviewing for a highly traditional financial, legal or corporate environment to take a more formal approach to their dress, communication, and overall presentation. However, the fundamentals remain the same regardless of the industry: arrive prepared and on time, understand the organisation and the role, communicate clearly, demonstrate your relevant skills, and show genuine interest.”
Conway says candidates should understand professional expectations, but recruiters should also question whether those expectations are relevant to the role: “Recruitment decisions should be based on skills, behaviours, and suitability rather than assumptions about age or background.”
An over-reliance on AI
McDowell says younger people have been criticised for overusing AI, particularly for jumping straight to using it without thinking through the issue, whereas older colleagues may spend time working through a problem without using these tools.
“At the moment, you can spot AI use a mile off and there’s a fear that it can leave Gen Z, in particular, missing out on learning opportunities. However, it will be very much baked into work, and life, in 10 years’ time and we will all have to adapt. We run sessions on AI pitfalls and the ethical use of AI, so we can address some of the challenges that AI poses to Gen Z in the workplace, as well as practical training on how to get the most out of it.”
Expecting flexible working immediately
Working from home used to be frowned upon, but McDowell says few roles and professions will require people to work in the office for five days a week.
Flexibility suits Gen Z, as it means people can live further from cities and commute less, which is particularly useful in the current cost of living crisis. “Gen Z are more likely to expect hybrid working, in my experience, and many employers will offer it, although there’s definitely been a move by employers to introduce more time in the office this year,” says McDowell.
Flexible working still has to be compatible with doing the job, and it cannot be guaranteed immediately. Many jobs require you to be on site more at the beginning of a contract to build relationships and learn the ropes. Demanding instant flexible working or working from home on days when you are required in the office may indicate to employers that you’re not taking your commitment to the role seriously.