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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
In June, U.S. employers added 147,000 jobs, showcasing the labor market's resilience amid uncertainties surrounding President Trump's economic policies. The Labor Department's monthly report also revealed that the unemployment rate decreased to 4.1%, down from 4.2% in May, with hiring surpassing economists' expectations. State government payrolls climbed by the most since the start of 2023, led by education, while employment at local governments also surged. Health care payrolls rose 59,000, the least in four months. Employment also moderated in leisure and hospitality, as a 20,000 increase in June followed a downward revision of similar size in May. Payrolls declined in manufacturing, wholesale trade and business services. Average hourly wages increased by 0.2% from May and 3.7% year-over-year, to $36.30. The Labor Department's weekly jobless report, meanwhile, revealed that initial claims for unemployment benefits fell 4,000 in the seven days to June 28th; the four-week moving average declined 3,750 to 241,500, while total claims, reported with a one-week lag, were unchanged at 1.964m.
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned BMA junior doctors that the public “will not forgive” a new wave of strikes, firmly stating no further pay rises will be offered. Doctors have voted for six more months of strikes, demanding a 29% increase. NHS leaders warn of “mass patient suffering” and disruptions to the new ten-year NHS plan. Despite 90% voting for strikes, turnout was only 55%, meaning just one-third of resident doctors backed action. Mr Streeting said: “It doesn’t even command majority support among BMA resident doctors.” Doctors received 5.4% this year and 22% last year—the highest public sector increases. A recent poll found only 21% of voters support renewed strikes, while 56% oppose them.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
Greece's Ministry of Labour has proposed a contentious bill that significantly alters the employment landscape, leading to strong opposition from trade unions and political parties. The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) condemned the legislation, calling it a “tombstone for the eight-hour workday,” and warned it could lead to 13-hour shifts under a single employer. Labour Minister Niki Kerameus defended the bill, asserting that the eight-hour day remains intact while allowing for extended overtime. The Ministry claims the changes will enhance workers' income and align with European norms, but critics argue it undermines collective bargaining and workers' rights. As protests loom, the outcome of this legislation could reshape Greece's workforce dynamics amid ongoing economic recovery efforts.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
Employers in the UAE are increasingly adopting a pay-for-performance model to attract and retain top talent amid a growing population, which has risen from 9.44m in 2020 to an estimated 11.34m in 2024. Andrew El Zein, Principal and Senior Manager of Compensation Consulting at Mercer, said: "This shift helps manage fixed costs while offering short- and long-term incentives to retain key and critical talent." The median salary increase in the UAE is projected to be 4% in 2024, with similar growth expected in 2025. Additionally, companies are personalising employee benefits to cater to diverse needs, with flexible work arrangements becoming essential due to traffic congestion. El Zein noted, "Flexibility in work hours is now recognised as a crucial tool in attracting and retaining local talent." Skills mobility is also on the rise, with employees moving across departments to enhance their careers.
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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