Human Times

UK Edition

15th June 2026

THE HOT STORY

Businesses 'need to prioritise new starters over existing employees'

Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the chair of the government-commissioned review into youth inactivity and unemployment, writes in the Sunday Times on the importance of apprenticeships, and the sharp drop in young people starting apprenticeships over the last decade. The number of starts among under-19s has almost halved over that period, from 130,000 to 75,000, while entry-level starts at Level 2 have fallen by 68%. "Much of this drift away from young people has a specific cause", he writes, "the apprenticeship levy. Introduced in 2017 with good intentions, it has in practice been captured by the economic logic of upskilling existing, older employees." While the government "has begun to act," he says, it needs to act faster, while businesses should "prioritise young people," work with schools and colleges, simplify hiring, and offer "the mentoring, structure and patience that turns potential into performance."

Sunday Times

LEGAL

Labour defends workers’ rights overhaul

Employment minister Kate Dearden has defended Labour’s workers’ rights reforms, arguing they bring the UK into line with other major economies and provide greater security for employees. Business groups have warned that measures including enhanced sick pay, stronger dismissal protections and restrictions on zero-hours contracts could increase costs and deter hiring. Dearden said the changes would help tackle insecure work and improve financial stability for workers. Ministers are consulting on proposals to guarantee more predictable hours, while maintaining that stronger workplace protections can support both economic growth and workforce wellbeing. Deardon said: "After lagging behind, we're now in a place where we're matching rights in other countries and providing those opportunities for our own workforce."

The Guardian

WORKFORCE

Housebuilder launches voluntary redundancy programme

Housebuilder Vistry has launched a voluntary redundancy scheme across its 4,500-strong workforce as it seeks to preserve cash amid mounting financial pressures. Chief executive Adam Daniels has offered staff below managing director level the opportunity to leave the business, marking the latest step in a turnaround effort following a sharp share price decline of more than 60% this year. The builder has been hit by cost overruns, weaker housing demand and broader economic uncertainty, while awaiting funding linked to Labour’s £39bn affordable homes programme. Vistry has also been discounting completed homes and pausing work on some sites to strengthen its balance sheet.

Sunday Times

HEALTH & WELLBEING

More working are embracing ‘microshifting’

More workers are embracing “microshifting,” or managing their time in short, productive bursts, with intentional breaks for family time or personal replenishment to prioritise work-life balance. Anita Williams Woolley, associate dean of research and professor of organisational behaviour at Carnegie Mellon University, says microshifting is more likely to be prevalent in sectors where flexible work arrangements are already common, such as IT, financial services and professional and technical services, and less so among those who work at restaurants or retailers. “Accommodating the changing needs and preferences of employees in a high-turnover industry is a complex optimisation problem that has been challenging, even for sophisticated software to solve,” Williams Woolley says.

Wall Street Journal

TECHNOLOGY

JPMorgan Chase plans to deploy more powerful AI agents

JPMorgan Chase is set to deploy advanced AI agents later this year that can operate autonomously for extended periods, marking a significant step in corporate AI adoption. Derek Waldron, JPMorgan chief analytics officer, told CNBC: “We've entered now the era of long-running autonomous agents . . . [that] means that agents don't just run for two or three minutes to carry out a goal or some instructions of a human, they can run for an hour or two.” The bank has already seen a 20% increase in private banking gross sales due to AI tools, which have enhanced client interactions by analysing market activity and client positions overnight. While some jobs may be displaced, Waldron emphasised that the focus is on creating a sustainable competitive advantage rather than merely cutting costs. He noted that the bank is shifting its approach to software development, considering in-house capabilities over traditional vendors, as the competitive landscape evolves.

CNBC

KPMG report contained AI hallucinations

An investigation has found serious flaws in a KPMG report on agentic AI. The study examined 45 citations in the firm's Total Experience: Redefining Excellence in the Age of Agentic AI report and concluded that only five accurately referenced genuine sources. Most citation titles were fabricated, distorted or incorrectly attributed through what KPMG has called "vibe citing" – the tendency of AI systems to generate plausible but inaccurate references. It was also found that around half of the report’s factual claims were false, unsupported or misattributed. KPMG said it takes the accuracy and integrity of its content seriously and expects human oversight when AI tools are used.

Financial Times

City AM

Criminal investigation launched into alleged use of AI by police officer

Derbyshire Constabulary has removed an officer from frontline duties and launched a criminal investigation over the alleged use of AI to “create evidential material in a number of cases.”

Financial Times

STRATEGY

Honeywell CEO says AI will ‘redefine automation' amid labour shortages

Honeywell CEO Vimal Kapur has said that AI is set to “redefine automation” by transforming operational data into actionable insights. He observed that labour shortages and aging populations are increasing the demand for automation. “Net workforce is not going to be increasing. It's going to be decreasing over a period of time,” Kapur said. His comments come as Honeywell prepares to spin off its aerospace business on June 29; the company is seeking to focus solely on its automation sector. “We are taking the opportunity to build a pure play automation company across multiple sectors, and opportunity is more compelling now, with AI coming in,” Kapur said.

CNBC

INTERNATIONAL

Corporate support for Pride Month rebounds despite ongoing DEI backlash

US companies are increasing support for LGBTQ causes and Pride Month events in 2026 after several years of retrenchment amid anti-DEI pressure, with firms including Mastercard, American Eagle Outfitters and Levi Strauss expanding sponsorships, donations and employee participation. Mastercard is funding around 100 employees and executives to take part in Pride events, while American Eagle has increased contributions to LGBTQ organisations and Levi Strauss has launched a Pride-themed clothing collection alongside a $100,000 donation to human rights group Outright International. Pride organisers across the US have also reported stronger corporate backing, with NYC Pride securing more sponsors than last year and improving its financial position after a funding shortfall in 2025. The recovery follows a period in which many companies reduced or withdrew LGBTQ-related support amid political pressure and consumer boycotts linked to DEI initiatives. While sponsorship levels remain below the peaks seen in the early 2020s, organisers and advisers say corporate confidence is gradually returning, albeit with lower visibility and greater caution.

Bloomberg

Meta starts unwinding Manus deal

Meta has ordered its employees to stop using Manus tools for internal projects and is blocking the Singapore-based firm's staff from accessing the Facebook parent company's internal data systems from this month. The operational split comes as Manus and Meta move to comply with Chinese regulators' demands to reverse the deal, which CNBC says has become a test case for how far Beijing will go to safeguard its strategic technology and talent. Bloomberg observes that Meta’s landmark acquisition of Manus, which was initially celebrated as a blueprint for Chinese AI startups keen to expand on a global stage, quickly drew criticism for handing over key technology to a geopolitical rival.

CNBC

Volkswagen to shrink workforce by 19,000 by year's end

Reuters reports that Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is set to tell investors at the upcoming AGM that the auto maker is pressing ahead with sweeping job cuts ‌and cost reductions in Germany as planned, reducing its workforce by 19,000 by the end ⁠of the year.

Reuters

OTHER

UK to ban under-16s from social media

Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce a ban on under-16s accessing social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. The Prime Minister will announce the ban today following pressure to protect teenagers from harmful content. Children will be prevented from livestreaming themselves, making contact with adult strangers and using AI chatbots designed for romantic or sexual purposes. There could also be curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds to prevent them going on line at night. The new restrictions are likely to be enforced by facial scans to verify age.

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