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APAC Edition
22nd January 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Australians are increasingly searching for new roles despite lacking qualifications
New research by LinkedIn has found that some 59% of Australian workers will be looking for a new job this year, even as HR professionals highlight a lack of necessary qualifications among applicants. Adam Gregory, senior director, ANZ, LinkedIn Talent and Learning Solutions, observed: “Hirers are increasingly challenged by people applying for jobs that don’t match their skills, and finding the right person for a role often feels like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s also natural that companies have been finding it harder to find the talent they need when many of the fastest-growing job roles we see today didn’t even exist 20 years ago.”
WORKFORCE
Indonesian garment workers' jobs in peril
Hundreds of thousands of garment workers in Indonesia may lose their jobs this year, Redma Gita Wirawasta, chairman of the Indonesian Filament Yarn and Fiber Producers Association, has warned, citing competition from cheap Chinese-made clothing. He said: “We are getting information that some companies are starting to close their factories,” and noted that “If the government doesn’t do anything to halt Chinese products into Indonesia, I think another 500,000 people will lose their jobs this year.” The local industry lost some 80,000 jobs in 2024 alone. Redma highlighted Indonesia's inability to effectively restrict illegal products from entering the country.
Japanese corporate workers to be sent to rural areas under new scheme
Japan's agriculture ministry is planning a new scheme under which corporate personnel will be sent to rural areas in a bid to address the effects of aging demographics in these regions. The ministry began assembling a task force last month by recruiting firms and organisations for corporate-sponsored training programs and employee side jobs in seasonal harvest work and local events. A subcommittee will examine improving logistics networks in rural areas by collaborating with postal services and logistics firms.
Survey uncovers reasons behind NZ productivity crisis
Robert Walters' 2025 Salary Survey reveals that 67% of New Zealand workers are planning to look for new roles, with many citing salaries as the main reason. Better opportunities abroad are also named as a factor in New Zealand’s continuing productivity crisis. 
HEALTH & WELLBEING
AI study could help identify depression in CEOs
A study published earlier month in the Journal of Accounting Research which used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse speech recordings of CEOs has helped to identify factors that could contribute to diagnosing mental health challenges among executives. Nargess Golshan, assistant professor of accounting at Indiana University and co-author of the study, said: “We want to really highlight mental health in leadership roles and how prevalent it is,” continuing: "Of course, it is important for the personal health of these executives, but also has far-reaching implications for the organisation, the employees, the investors, and the broader economy.” Fortune notes that "Earnings calls are an optimal way to collect data because they feature long, uninterrupted periods of talking and usually aren’t confounded by visual communication cues like hand gestures." Among over 14,500 CEOs studied, more than 9,500 were classified as having depression using analysis from the machine learning model.
CYBERSECURITY
HR leaders grapple with ‘revenge quitting’ phenomenon
The Work Trend Security Report from data back-up and recovery company CrashPlan highlights an increase in so-called "revenge quitting", a trend which sees a sudden resignation accompanied by destructive actions that jeopardise company data. Todd Thorsen, CISO at CrashPlan observed: “The signs of employee disengagement and dissatisfaction show up in the way they use technology. IT teams are often positioned to know about a potential rage-quitter long before HR does. How people treat the data they produce on the job generally predicts their job satisfaction.” Leena Rinne, global head of coaching at employee training platform Skillsoft, noted that “Employees are still saying the same things about why they’re considering a move: they want more opportunities to grow, better training and stronger development programs,” while Iffi Wahla, CEO of recruitment platform Edge, says firms must develop a culture and environment that prioritizes retention and puts employees first.
STRATEGY
Starbucks to cut jobs
Starbucks has announced that it anticipates cutting jobs as part of a larger initiative to operate more effectively. Chief executive Brian Niccol said that the job cuts will be disclosed by early March and won't impact in-store workers. Niccol explained that the corporation is to cut down on silos and duplications of effort because having too many managers and coordinators may be slowing the running of the chain. However, he did not specify how many cutbacks would be made. The action is a component of the "Back to Starbucks" plan, which Niccol has promoted as a means of bolstering the business in the face of declining sales.
RISK
Alipay to bear cost of system error
Alipay is to bear the cost of a system error that applied discounts to user transactions. The system error applied a 20% "government subsidy" to an undisclosed number of transactions on Thursday last week, users say. The error was caused by a back-end misconfiguration in the app’s promotional campaign, and applied an “immediate deduction” to the value of payment on certain user transactions made on that day, according to Shanghai-based Alipay’s statement on Chinese microblogging service Weibo.
INTERNATIONAL
Trump to end all US diversity programs
President Donald Trump has issued executive orders to change the US government's policies on gender and diversity, following through on promises he made on the campaign trail. He rolled back orders from the Biden administration that the Trump White House called "unpopular, inflationary, illegal, and radical practices within every agency and office of the Federal Government." Two of the orders he revoked included a Biden directive aimed at preventing discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Trump also signed an order designating two genders only - male and female – and declaring that they cannot be changed. "As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female," Trump said during his inaugural address.
Israeli tech firms battle with flight suspensions and staff shortages
A fifth of Israeli tech firms have relocated part of their operations and personnel overseas in recent months, after foreign airlines' decision to halt local services amid the war in Gaza made it difficult for them to do business and raise capital, according to a survey of 664 tech executives by the Israel Innovation Authority. Meanwhile, at least 50% of respondents say they may run out of funds in less than six months. “We see companies struggling not only with capital raising and meeting development and sales targets but also with their very ability to operate in an environment deeply affected by the security situation, massive military reserve call-ups, and flight restrictions that complicate the management of global relationships,” observed Israel Innovation Authority chief executive Dror Bin. “The entire ecosystem – government, investors, and companies – must come together to ensure the future of this industry, which is not only a critical growth engine but also a symbol of Israel's innovation and leadership on the international stage.”
Better workplace support urged for women with endometriosis
UK mother-of-two Samantha Gelder has called for better workplace support for women with endometriosis, saying she felt many employers "didn't understand" the condition. Gelder said she had undergone repeated operations since she was diagnosed, and often needed to take prolonged periods of time off work. She said she had felt "unsupported" by previous employers, and unable to pursue some senior roles due to the lack of provision. Gelder spoke to the BBC after Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough MP Gill Furniss led a debate on the impact of endometriosis on women in the workplace. According to Endometriosis UK, one in six women with endometriosis has to leave the workplace due to their condition. A spokesperson for the charity said it was "unacceptable" and "vital" that government and employers take action to protect those with endometriosis from "unfair practices" in the workplace. "We hope government will take note of the changes needed to better support those with endometriosis at work - including amendments to the Employment Rights Bill," the spokesperson said.
German executives warn against 'Wolf of Wall Street' machismo
A LinkedIn post by the CEO of German asset manager DWS warning against growing "anti-woke" rhetoric has attracted support from other executives amid growing nationalist rhetoric from the far-right ahead of a national election next month. "I am worried that the anti-woke rhetoric will lead us straight back to the macho 'Wolf of Wall Street' era," Stefan Hoops wrote, in referennce to the Hollywood movie based on the memoir of controversial U.S. fund manager and convicted fraudster Jordan Belfort. Reuters notes that Hoops' post is a rare political statement from a leading figure in the German corporate world.
 


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