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APAC Edition
11th November 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
AI tools in HR 'have the potential to redefine the employee experience'
Writing for Forbes, Raunak Bhandari, the regional HR business partner leader of Google Asia Pacific, says his use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been "transformative." He says that by leveraging automated tools for résumé screening and candidate matching, Google has been able to identify top talent more efficiently and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. The company also uses AI to enhance employee engagement through personalised feedback and development opportunities, which Bhandari says empowers employees and fosters a culture of continuous learning. The author nevertheless observes that the deployment of AI within certain HR processes raises several ethical concerns, including issues of bias and discrimination.
STRATEGY
Nissan cuts 9,000 jobs
Nissan, Japan’s third-largest car manufacturer, has launched an emergency turnaround plan that includes 9,000 job losses. The company said it would cut global production capacity by a fifth in a plan that also includes a voluntary 50% pay cut for chief executive Makoto Uchida. The Yokohama-headquartered company misread demand for hybrid EVs (HEVs) in the United States, Uchida said. "We didn't foresee HEVs ramping up this rapidly," he commented, adding "We did start to understand this trend towards the end of last fiscal year." He noted that making changes to core models had not gone as smoothly as planned.
CULTURE
New platform launched for SMEs in Singapore to engage workers
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in Singapore has introduced a new platform called Build Your Own Party, which is aimed at assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in enhancing workplace culture and staff engagement. Developed by U Small and Medium Enterprises (U SME), the platform offers a range of resources for team-building activities and events, in response to feedback from SMEs that highlighted the challenges of planning such activities. NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said: “SME workers are an important segment of our workforce . . . accounting for over 70% of total employment.” The launch coincided with U SME's 10th anniversary, marking a milestone in its support over 1,500 SMEs in Singapore. The initiative also includes strategies to improve career progression and business needs for SMEs.
LEGAL
Migrant workers in Thailand risk losing right to work, stay
Many employers and migrant workers in Thailand are expressing frustration over new registration and work permit renewal requirements which have resulted in numerous migrant workers missing deadlines and losing their legal status. Nilubol Pongpayom, a representative of Nai Chang Si Khao (White Employers), said:  "The process was rather complicated and involved multiple fees." The Certificate of Identity (CI) is a crucial document for registration, yet there are only seven CI centres across the country, leading to significant challenges for workers. Many have been forced to travel long distances, and some are now classified as illegal workers due to missed deadlines.
Former SK hynix worker jailed for stealing core chip technology
A former employee of SK hynix has been sentenced to one and a half years in prison for stealing vital semiconductor manufacturing technology. The 36-year-old Chinese national, who worked in the company's faulty design analysis department, printed approximately 4,000 pages of sensitive data before moving to Huawei for a higher salary. The Suwon District Court ruled that the printed technology was "designated as core state technology in 2022," rejecting her claim that it was for personal study. In addition to her prison sentence, she was fined 20m won for violating the act on protecting industrial technology. The court noted that her actions may have been intended to enhance her value to her new employer.
HIRING
IT firms in India ramp up campus hiring
IT companies in India are revitalising their campus hiring efforts, focusing on graduates with skills in emerging technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity. Buddha Chandrasekhar, chief coordinating officer of the All India Council for Technical Training (AICTE), observed: “The job market is evolving rapidly, with a growing demand for skills in AI/ML, data science, cloud computing, DevOps, cybersecurity, 5G/6G, blockchain, VLSI, and more.” Companies like Wipro are adapting their hiring strategies to include soft skills alongside technical expertise, underscoring the importance of internships and industry collaboration.
REMOTE & HYBRID WORKING
Remote work boosts off-peak domestic travel in China
As temperatures drop in North China, an increasing number of younger people are travelling south for warmer weather, alongside the traditional elderly travellers. According to Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency, hotel bookings for stays longer than a month in southern China have doubled year-on-year. Zhu Xiaoqing, an office employee in Beijing, shared her experience of booking a serviced apartment in Hainan for a month, highlighting the flexibility offered by her company for remote work. Cai Muzi, a researcher at Qunar, observed: "Flexible working has become a popular choice for young people" as they seek to escape harsh winters. Popular destinations include Yunnan, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan, with long-term hotel bookings increasing threefold year-on-year. Despite the rise in young flexible remote workers, elderly travellers still make up the majority of off-peak travellers, with bookings nearly tripling after the National Day holiday.
WORKPLACE
Intel seeks to stem decline of morale
Intel has told employees that it will bring back free coffee and tea at its work sites. The chipmaker eliminated the benefits last summer as it moved to cut $10bn from its annual budget. “Although Intel still faces cost challenges, we understand that small comforts play a significant role in our daily routines,” Intel wrote on its internal messaging forum, called Circuit. “We know this is a small step, but we hope it is a meaningful one in supporting our workplace culture.”
SUSTAINABILITY
Most firms track sustainability manually, stalling progress: survey
A recent global survey, the “Tech-Driven Sustainability Trends and Index 2024” report commissioned by Alibaba Cloud, reveals that while 80% of businesses have set sustainability targets, over half still rely on manual tracking methods. Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said: “The survey findings underscore the urgent need for organisations to reassess their sustainability measurement methodologies and embrace advanced technological solutions.” The study, which surveyed 1,300 business leaders across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, found that 92% of businesses with sustainability targets have set emission reduction goals, yet only one-third have committed to science-based targets. Key challenges include budget constraints affecting 29% of organisations and a significant knowledge gap, with 59% of respondents lacking understanding of how technology can support sustainability objectives. The report highlights the need for digital solutions to enhance tracking and progress towards sustainability goals.
INTERNATIONAL
AI hiring tools face UK scrutiny
The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) recently audited several providers and developers of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for the recruitment industry, which uncovered considerable areas for improvement, such as ensuring personal information is processed fairly and kept to a minimum, and clearly explaining to candidates how their information will be used by the AI tool. The ICO made almost 300 clear recommendations for providers and developers to improve their compliance with data protection law, all of which have been accepted or partially accepted. Its audit outcomes report summarises the key findings from the audits, as well as practical recommendations for recruiters wishing to use these tools. Ian Hulme, ICO Director of Assurance, said: “AI can bring real benefits to the hiring process, but it also introduces new risks that may cause harm to jobseekers if it is not used lawfully and fairly. Organisations considering buying AI tools to help with their recruitment process must ask key data protection questions to providers and seek clear assurances of their compliance with the law.” Separately, the FT reports on how concerns about AI's disruptive effects on the workplace often dominate discussions about how the emerging technology will impact the labour market.
Massachusetts is first US state to give drivers path to unionising
Voters in Massachusetts have approved a ballot measure that would allow ride-share drivers to unionise. The state is the first in the US to allow drivers for app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft to do so. The majority of voters endorsed a framework that would allow ride-share drivers who are considered by such companies to be independent contractors to organise and bargain collectively over pay and benefits. Supporters say the proposal, Question 3, could offer a model for other US states to let ride-share drivers unionise and inspire efforts to organise. “Working people in Massachusetts have won a monumental victory with Question 3," said Roxana Rivera, assistant to the president of 32BJ SEIU, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, which was at the forefront of a campaign to pass the proposal.
The VW labour boss at war with management over plant closures
The FT profiles Daniela Cavallo, chair of VW’s powerful works council. She has fiercely resisted executives’ plans to close factories and lay off tens of thousands of workers in Germany.
 


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