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Human Times helps you stay ahead of the latest news and trends that impact the HR industry. Every weekday, our unique blend of AI and team of expert HR and employment editors and researchers monitor 100,000s of articles, and social posts to create summaries of the most relevant and useful content to help you lead, innovate and grow. The award winning Human Times newsletter has four geographical editions with news tailored to your region.
From HR leadership to diversity and inclusion, hybrid working, organisational data, performance management, and retention strategies, Human Times is the only trusted free online news source dedicated to covering the most up to date headlines, articles, reports and interviews to make sure you’re abreast of changes in the HR industry.
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Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has announced a ratification vote for a new Boeing proposal scheduled for Wednesday. The offer includes a 35% pay increase over four years, up from the previous 30%, and raises the ratification bonus to $7,000 per worker. While the proposal does not restore a traditional pension plan, it enhances 401(k) contributions and retains performance bonuses at a minimum of 4% of pay. Union leaders Jon Holden and Brandon Bryant stated: “The fact the company has put forward an improved proposal is a testament to the resolve and dedication of the frontline workers.” The strike, which began on September 13, has affected production of several Boeing aircraft models and led to significant layoffs. Boeing's average annual pay for machinists is currently $75,608. Forbes looks at how the off of a 35% pay rise highlights significant shifts in the American labor market, noting that as talent competition intensifies and labor shortages persist, businesses like Boeing are grappling with wage inflation.
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
Campaigners are urging the Government to enhance the basic rate of statutory sick pay (SSP), currently set at £116 a week, as many workers struggle financially while off sick. A consultation will be launched alongside the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill, which proposes paid sick leave from day one for those earning below £123 a week. Charities, including Citizens Advice and Macmillan Cancer Support, have expressed concerns that the existing SSP system is inadequate, stating: “Hundreds of thousands of working people... will still find themselves without adequate financial support.” A report by WPI Economics, led by Matthew Oakley, suggests that increasing sick pay could yield a net £4.1bn benefit to the economy by improving productivity and reducing long-term health issues.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
As life expectancy increases across Europe, governments are grappling with the need to raise pension ages to ease the growing strain on state budgets. However, this "one-size-fits-all" approach faces significant backlash due to its uneven impact on workers. Those in physically demanding or lower-paid jobs, as well as individuals in poor health, face greater challenges in prolonging their careers. Health-related issues, often linked to the physical or mental demands of one's profession, are a leading cause of early retirement. To effectively raise productivity and ensure greater fairness, governments must consider individual worker profiles, investing in healthcare and offering more flexible retirement policies that accommodate the diverse needs of the workforce. By addressing these disparities, policymakers can create more equitable systems that promote both economic stability and employee well-being, without disproportionately harming vulnerable workers.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
In Lebanon, over 177,000 migrant workers, primarily from Africa and Asia, are facing dire circumstances amid escalating violence. Cici Brinces, a domestic worker, expressed her despair, stating: "I feel that the end is near for me — worse than when I had cancer." The ongoing conflict has displaced 1.2m Lebanese workers and left many foreign employees homeless, with shelters overflowing. Activists like Safina Virani highlight the plight of abandoned workers, many of whom have lost their passports and financial support. The International Organisation for Migration reports that many migrants are struggling to return home, with governments like the Philippines and Kenya attempting to facilitate repatriation. However, challenges persist, including discrimination and bureaucratic delays. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the need for urgent support for these vulnerable communities becomes increasingly critical.
Full Issue
Read the latest HR highlights
How HR is Tackling Long Covid?
Fingers remain tightly crossed around the world that the rampant hospitalization and fatality stage of the Covid-19 pandemic has generally peaked. Vaccination programmes are accelerating, and restrictions are gradually being lifted...
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ESG Is Not Just Another Name For CSR
Back in the distant 1980s if you wanted to demonstrate your environmental and ethical credentials it was sufficient to shop at or purchase shares in retailer The Body Shop. The charismatic Anita Roddick, founder of the “hippy” tinged retail chain, heralded a new age of environmental concern, caring capitalism and corporate awareness that evolved into what became known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR was much talked about and lauded, but in reality often ended up being a lot of a hot air (excuse the pun) and often never progressed much beyond a footnote in the annual report.
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Have Older Workers Paid The Highest COVID-19 Price?
Across the world the pandemic is slowly but surely moving into its next phase. Recovery beckons. As furlough schemes across the U.S. and U.K. are being wound down, restrictions eased or lifted, and workforces moving back up the gears, early signs indicate that older employees are more likely to be casualties of the pandemic aftermath than their younger colleagues. Here at the we have witnessed an increasing number of stories supporting the growing belief that older workers are disproportionately paying the highest Covid-19 price.
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Bosses. What's not to like? Plenty, say employees
“You’ll never have another boss like me, someone who’s basically a chilled-out entertainer”
So said, David Brent, the fictional manager of Slough-based paper merchant Wernham Hogg in the seminal TV comedy The Office. Ricky Gervais’s portrayal of Brent as a flawed, narcissistic, incompetent, and deluded manager was so well observed that many (including me) believed it was a genuine fly-on-the-wall documentary when they alighted accidentally on the first ever episode.
Rolling with the Payroll
To mark National Payroll Week the team at the Human Times has provided some insight into the industry that we hope you’ll find useful.
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