The latest business Intelligence for HR professionals and people managers everywhere
Sign UpOnline Version
UK Edition
31st January 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Google employees launch petition for ‘job security’
CNBC reports that Google employees have launched a petition for “job security” as they prepare for more expected layoffs. The petition urges Google CEO Sundar Pichai to offer buyouts before conducting layoffs and to guarantee severance to employees that do get laid off. The petition has been signed by more than 1,250 employees. CNBC says it is the latest indication of employee upheaval at the company, which has struggled to maintain high morale among its workforce following "embarrassing product rollouts, worker protests sparked by controversial enterprise contracts, and continued rounds of layoffs that stretch back to 2023 and are expected to continue." 
REMOTE WORKING
Barclays tightens work-from-home rules
More media channels pick up on yesterday's report in the FT which said that Barclays has revised its work-from-home policy, mandating that employees come in to the office three days a week instead of two. Many Barclays employees – including those in its client-facing and investment banking divisions – already work four or five days a week in the office, but the official, company-wide policy had only mandated two days. The change affects approximately 85,000 staff members and aims to enhance collaboration among colleagues. A spokesman for Barclays said: “At Barclays, we recognise the benefits of balancing flexibility for colleagues with the importance of working together to collaborate in our physical locations. Our minimum time in office requirements vary between business areas depending on the nature of work and needs of the business.” The move follows similar actions by other banks, including JPMorgan, which has required staff to be in the office five days a week.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Neurodiverse people to get help finding jobs
The government is launching a new panel aimed at improving employment opportunities for individuals with neurodiverse conditions such as autism, ADHD, Down's syndrome, and Tourette's. Sir Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, highlighted that only one in three neurodiverse individuals is currently employed, citing barriers like "negative experiences of interviews" and "a reluctance to introduce adjustments" as significant challenges. The reforms, expected in March, aim to reshape disability benefits and enhance job prospects for thousands of eager neurodiverse job seekers.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
DfE to curb higher education franchise fraud
The Department for Education is set to implement reforms aimed at curbing rogue operators offering substandard courses linked to English universities, following a National Audit Office report revealing that fraudulent providers cost taxpayers £2m in 2022-23. Under the proposed changes, course operators with over 300 students must register with the Office for Students to ensure compliance with quality standards, or risk fines and suspension. The report highlighted that 53% of the £4.1m fraud detected by the Student Loans Company involved franchised providers, despite them accounting for only 6.5% of loan-funded students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We are committed to cracking down on rogue operators who misuse public money and damage the reputation of our world-class universities.”
MANAGEMENT
Birmingham Council's financial crisis revealed
Birmingham City Council declared itself bankrupt after struggling with issues including a failed IT system and inadequate housing services, a "jaw-droppingly bad" report by auditors Grant Thornton has revealed. The report also pointed to significant failings in services for children with special educational needs and serious mismanagement in waste services, leading to equal pay liabilities. "Ultimately, the lack of timely information on the severity and implications of the emerging issues has hampered the ability of senior management and members to intervene effectively," the report said. "This appears to have been made worse by a culture in the organisation of not reporting or being receptive to bad news, an over-emphasis on protecting personal reputations and a lack of challenge and rigour in governance." Councillors at an audit committee said they were "shocked and "ashamed" by the report.
CORPORATE
UK business confidence falls further
British businesses exhibited increased pessimism in January, marking five consecutive months of declining corporate confidence. The Lloyds Bank Business Barometer fell by two points to 37%, its lowest level in a year, following a £25bn tax increase announced in October. The survey, conducted with 1,200 companies, indicates a slight weakening in hiring plans and the lowest price increase intentions in five months.
WORKFORCE
Retail crime reaches record levels
Retail crime in the UK has reached unprecedented levels, with over 2,000 daily incidents reported in the year to April 2024, a significant increase from 1,300 the previous year. The British Retail Consortium revealed that theft incidents soared to 20m, costing retailers £2.2bn, up £400m from 2023. Despite a £1.8bn investment in security measures, confidence in the response of police remains low, with 61% of retail workers rating it as poor. In 2023, police chiefs, retail bosses and ministers launched Project Pegasus to crack down on shoplifting. Alex Goss, an assistant chief constable at Merseyside police, and the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for retail crime, said: "Over the last year we have made significant strides in our fight against retail crime, strengthening relationships with retailers, and greatly improving information-sharing which has resulted in a number of high-harm offenders being brought to justice."
INTERNATIONAL
Akzo Nobel lifts job cutting target
Akzo Nobel has announced plans to cut approximately 2,200 jobs and close at least five sites by 2025 as part of its restructuring strategy. The paint and coatings company, which employed around 34,600 people at the end of December, aims to achieve over €150m in annualised gross savings by the end of this year, according to CEO Greg Poux-Guillaume. The job cuts will primarily affect functional roles in finance and HR, with final decisions expected by mid-year. The Dulux paint maker last year announced plant closures in Ireland, the Netherlands and Zambia, and in January, it said it would lay off up to 211 people in France. "We don't want to create the impression that restructuring is a recurring item for Akzo Nobel," Poux-Guillaume said. "Whatever the number ends up being . . .  it will be something that we will finalise this year and then we'll move on."
DEI has made air travel less safe, Trump says
President Trump has suggested that diversity initiatives from previous administrations contributed to the tragic collision between a passenger jet and a US army helicopter which resulted in 67 fatalities. The incident, the deadliest air disaster in the US in over two decades, saw the aircraft collide mid-air before crashing into the Potomac River. Trump said: "The [Federal Aviation Administration] is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities . . . under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative." An initial report from the FAA reveals that staffing shortages on the night of the crash forced one air traffic controller to do two people’s jobs.
Bangladesh train services back on track
Train services in Bangladesh resumed on Wednesday following the end of an indefinite strike by railway workers that had halted the country's rail network. The strike, which began on Tuesday, disrupted around 400 passenger trains and over 30 freight trains, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. Union leader Mujibur Rahman said: “We have been assured by the government that the benefits we received earlier will remain in place.” The workers were protesting about a government decision that removed pension benefits for extra hours worked, raising concerns about their financial security post-retirement.
McDonald’s Hong Kong says worker was sacked for sharing sensitive information online
McDonald’s Hong Kong has rebuffed claims made by Luke Ching Chin-wai, a 53-year-old Hong Kong artist known for advocating labour rights, who said he was sacked for violating the fast food chain’s social media rules after he called for employees to be paid for their meal times. The chain said a part-time worker, which it did not identify, had repeatedly violated its policies by sharing internal operational and commercial information on public platforms.
OTHER
Worsening epidemic of violence against women and girls
The National Audit Office (NAO) has issued a stark warning about the worsening "epidemic of violence against women and girls" (VAWG) in the UK. The NAO's report highlights that one in 12 women in England and Wales is affected by VAWG, with police-recorded incidents accounting for 20% of all crime in 2022-23. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the Commons public accounts committee, said: "Government's disjointed approach to tackling the epidemic of violence against women and girls has so far failed to improve outcomes for victims." The report criticises the lack of a coordinated response from the Home Office and calls for a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of VAWG. Campaigners have expressed concerns that the government's goal to halve VAWG in a decade is unattainable without a unified effort across all departments and a commitment to combat deep-rooted sexism.
 


The Human Times is designed to help you stay ahead, spark ideas and support innovation, learning and development in your organisation.

The links under articles indicate original news sources. Some links lead directly to the source material. Others lead to paywalls where you may need a subscription. A third category are restricted by copyright rules.

For reaction and insights on any stories covered in the Human Times, join the discussion by becoming a member of our LinkedIn Group or Business Page, or follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on FacebookFollow us on XFollow us on Linkedin

This e-mail has been sent to [[EMAIL_TO]]

Click here to unsubscribe