THE HOT STORY

JPMorgan and Citi ask Middle East staff to work from home

JPMorgan and Citigroup employees in the Middle East have been asked to work from home amid escalating local tensions, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Both US lenders say they do not expect disruptions to their operations in the region due to the US-Israeli air war ‌against Iran, said the sources. "We are continuing to take measures to help keep our employees ⁠and their families safe," Citigroup said in a statement.

Reuters

REMOTE WORKING

Qatar extends remote work recommendation

Qatar's Ministry of Labour (MoL) has recommended that private-sector entities maintain remote working arrangements starting from 3 March, due to current circumstances. The measure aims to protect public health and ensure stable business operations. MoL noted that exemptions apply for activities requiring on-site staff presence, provided health and safety measures are followed. Retail and service operations that engage directly with the public, such as shops and restaurants, are also exempt to ensure essential goods and services remain available.

The Peninsula

RISK

Amazon Cloud disrupted after ‘objects’ hit UAE data centre

Amazon Web Services has said it experienced disruption after unidentified objects hit one of its data centres in the United Arab Emirates. Bloomberg reports that it is unclear if the incident is related to the conflict between the US and Iran, although came as the UAE reeled from Iran's retaliatory missile and drone strikes following US and Israeli attacks. “One of our Availability Zones . . . was impacted by objects that struck the data centre, creating sparks and fire,” Amazon said in a post about the incident.

Bloomberg

Reuters

ECONOMY

Iran strikes disrupt e-commerce deliveries to Middle East

Major e-commerce platforms are warning of longer delivery times to the Middle East after US-led airstrikes on Iran disrupted key air and sea routes, threatening supplies to one of the sector’s fastest-growing markets. Temu has extended estimated delivery times to up to 20 days from around 15, while Shein has widened its shipping window to eight to 10 days from five to eight. Some Amazon orders are showing delivery times of up to 45 days, roughly 10 days longer than before the conflict. Merchants selling via Amazon, Shein and Temu have paused new inventory shipments from China, with freight forwarders warning that both shipping costs and delivery times could double if disruptions persist. Container lines including MSC, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended or rerouted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, compounding delays. The disruption comes at a critical time during Ramadan, a peak shopping season, and threatens a regional e-commerce market projected to reach $57bn by 2026.

Bloomberg

WORKFORCE

Leaders must ensure Gen Z is prepared for the workplace

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Tessa West, a professor of psychology at New York University and the author of “Job Therapy: Finding Work That Works for You”, says many members of Gen Z “are woefully unprepared for surviving - let alone thriving - in their jobs”. She believes “a combination of having fewer real-world relationship experiences, spending their education years in remote environments, and learning to communicate largely through asynchronous methods [means] these 20-somethings have missed opportunities to develop the skills needed to navigate the complex world of work.” Her suggested remedy is that leaders must change how they think about communication for everyone in the workplace with one goal in mind: “Make it clear and direct.”

Wall Street Journal

Saudi Arabia pays Yemeni government $346.6m to meet salary shortfall

Saudi Arabia has allocated $346.6m to address the salary shortfall for Yemeni government employees. The funding, approved by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is part of the Saudi Program for Development and Reconstruction of Yemen (SDRPY). The initiative aims to enhance economic stability, improve governance, and support sustainable growth in Yemen. Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, expressed gratitude for the support, highlighting its significance in reinforcing national institutions and promoting security. He called for a unified effort to rebuild Yemen's institutions and improve living conditions.

Arab News

HIRING

India and Israel agree to increase Indian foreign workers in Israel

Israel has agreed to allow an additional 50,000 Indian citizens to work in the country over the next five years, according to Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's External Affairs Ministry. The decision is part of the "List of 27 Outcomes" from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Israel. The agreement aims to provide Indian workers with better access to jobs in Israel's manufacturing and food service sectors. The move comes as Israel seeks to address labour shortages following restrictions on Palestinian workers amid security concerns.

The Jerusalem Post

INTERNATIONAL

Nestlé pressures underachievers with new bonus structure

Swiss food giant Nestlé is overhauling its bonus system to reward top performers. The company is introducing six rankings for its employees to determine payouts. Employees deemed "exemplary" will be eligible for a payout of as much as 150% of the bonus target. Those employees given an "unsatisfactory" rating will receive between 0% and 50% of the target. Bonus targets vary across teams. Nestlé said the system simplifies performance evaluation, development planning and employee feedback. A Nestlé spokesperson said: “The idea behind the whole framework is to really develop people. We also want to change how people behave.”

Bloomberg

Reuters

Tesla faces H-1B hiring discrimination lawsuit

A US federal judge has ruled that Tesla must face trial over allegations of discrimination against American citizens in its hiring practices. US District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the carmaker of systematically discriminating against US citizens in hiring by preferring H-1B visa holders who will do the same job for less pay. The plaintiff is a software engineer who alleges Tesla passed him over for an engineering role as part of a deliberate and systemic preference for foreign workers. Chhabria said the plaintiff had presented “just enough facts” about Tesla’s hiring practices for the proposed class action to proceed, while noting he was “somewhat skeptical” the case would ultimately succeed.

Automotive World

Reuters

Italian region resists US pressure to halt use of Cuban medics

The governor of Italy's southern ⁠Calabria region is rebuffing Washington's effort to halt the recruitment of medics from Cuba. Doctors from the Caribbean island are seen as essential to ⁠keeping ⁠local hospitals running, and Roberto Occhiuto said he had ‌told Mike Hammer, the U.S. charge ‌d'affaires to Cuba, he would review plans to hire even more Cuban doctors this year. In January, the US said that Cuba posed an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security. "We discussed the urgent ⁠needs ⁠of Calabria's health system and ⁠the complexities surrounding the Cuban doctors' mission," Occhiuto said after the talks with Hammer. "The Cuban doctors who are allowing us to keep hospitals and emergency rooms ⁠open are still a necessity for our region," he added.

U.S. News

Germany's carmakers mired in crisis

Reuters reports on how falling demand in the auto supply chain is squeezing hundreds of smaller manufacturers in Germany and threatening job security and municipal services. The report observes that Baden-Wuerttemberg, the state which is Germany's top exporting region, accounting for 15.5% of national exports, is more exposed than most to the structural change that is roiling German industry. "The situation is very tense," said Barbara Resch, head of the IG Metall trade union in Baden-Wuerttemberg. "Suppliers invested a lot in electromobility and now demand isn't ⁠coming and at some point they simply run out of air financially."

Reuters

OTHER

Woolworths reins in AI chatbot after it claimed to be human

Australian retailer Woolworths has adjusted its AI assistant, Olive, after users reported it discussing its mother during customer interactions. Complaints surfaced on platforms like Reddit, where users described Olive's off-topic conversations, including personal anecdotes about its family. A Woolworths spokesperson clarified that these responses were scripted by a human employee years ago to create a personal connection. Following customer feedback, the company has removed this particular scripting. Olive has been operational since 2018 and was recently enhanced through a partnership with Google to expand its capabilities.

The New Zealand Herald

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 X.