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APAC Edition
18th April 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Job market challenges for graduates in Singapore
In Singapore, the job market is becoming increasingly challenging for both mature workers and fresh graduates, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said during the inaugural meeting of the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (Sert). The task force aims to assist affected businesses and workers amid uncertainties caused by US tariffs on Singaporean goods. Dr Tan said: “We are . . . looking at how we can support the upcoming cohort of young graduates to start their careers on good footing as the situation evolves.” A recent poll revealed that 60% of union leaders believe the tariffs will impact Singapore, with 70% expressing concerns over global trade uncertainties. Dr Tan urged businesses to leverage government programmes to retain and retrain workers, while also emphasising the importance of hiring and training despite the cautious climate. He said: “More than ever, employers and workers need to stay nimble and adaptable.”
HIRING
Tencent unveils plan to boost employment
Tencent has launched an initiative to enhance domestic consumption and create jobs, marking its largest consumption subsidy and graduate recruitment drive to date. The company introduced 10 support measures aimed at helping foreign trade companies access China's domestic market, potentially generating over 100bn yuan ($13.8bn) in new sales. The programme includes fast-track onboarding via WeChat mini shops, marketing incentives, and targeted subsidies. Additionally, Tencent plans to create 10,000 internship positions in 2025 and 28,000 over the next three years, with 60% in tech roles. Xu Dan, Tencent's senior vice-president and chief talent officer, said: "This is Tencent's largest employment expansion for graduates in history," as he highlighted the company's commitment to nurturing young technology professionals.
WORKFORCE
Australia's unemployment rate rises slightly in March
Australia's joblessness rate picked up slightly last month, as 32,000 people found employment and the number of unemployed people increased by 3,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.1%, up from 4%, in seasonally adjusted terms. However, in trend terms, which smooths out seasonal fluctuations, the rate remained steady at 4% in March, for a fifth successive month. The Australian Bureau of Statistics says employment has now grown by 308,000 people, or 2.2%, over the last 12 months - a higher annual growth rate than the 20-year pre-pandemic average of 2%.
LEGAL
China supports strengthened workplace maternity rights
China's top court and the country's top regulator of human resources have reaffirmed the importance of safeguarding female employees during pregnancy, mandating employers to robustly uphold women's legitimate rights and interests. On Wednesday, the Supreme People's Court and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security jointly disclosed five landmark labour-related cases to further regulate employer conduct and facilitate employees' lawful and rational rights protection.
STRATEGY
PwC pulls out of risky markets
Other news media pick up on the story - first reported in the Financial Times - that PwC has ceased operations in over a dozen countries deemed too small, risky, or unprofitable, as part of a strategy to avoid a repetition of past scandals. According to the Financial Times, the decision stemmed from "mounting differences with local partners." Local leaders reported losing over a third of their business due to pressure from PwC's global executives to abandon risky clients. The firm has faced significant client losses and layoffs since last year. Additionally, PwC's mainland China unit received a six-month suspension and a $62m fine for audit failures linked to China Evergrande's $78bn fraud. PwC is also working to restore relations with Saudi Arabia after a suspension of activities with the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund.
TECHNOLOGY
What can workers do if they’re fired by AI?
The FT's Sarah O'Connor considers how high-stakes decisions about workers, from recruitment to performance management, are an increasingly common use of artificial intelligence and other algorithmic management tools.
CORPORATE
Chinese toymaker Pop Mart plans global expansion
Pop Mart International Group is making moves to revamp its management and accelerate overseas expansion, even as US tariffs and geopolitical tensions cloud the prospects of Chinese companies looking to go global. Chief executive Wang Ning has announced that the company would set up regional headquarters in Greater China, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe as part of its bid to become an international company. Additionally Justin Moon, a former senior vice-president, will join Sid Si as co-chief operating officer. Over the past year, Pop Mart’s efforts to expand internationally have been boosted by the success of its original intellectual property, Labubu, created in 2015 by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung as part of the Nordic mythology-inspired series The Monsters.
INTERNATIONAL
Danish brewer adds AI ‘colleagues' to human team
Royal Unibrew in Denmark has introduced five artificial intelligence (AI) "colleagues" to enhance workplace efficiency and creativity. The Danish brewer's marketing director Michala Svane said: “What we as humans are good at is our creativity, our empathy, our knowledge of our customers,” and working together with their digital colleagues, human employees will “get help for more routine-based work and finding information.” The AI assistants, developed with Danish company Manifold AI, include a brand specialist, market analyst, data gatherer, sommelier, and trade specialist. Employees interact with these virtual colleagues through chats and emails. Employees nevertheless need to be mindful that they maintain their critical thinking skills, one of the managers warned. “You need to be critical of everything that comes from [AI brand specialist KondiKai] because he is a machine,” Lise Knuppert Hordam said, adding “What he says is based on all the data we gave him. So it is valid what he says, but it needs a human touch and creative thinking.” It is noted that the company has made photos of the AI agents — three men and two women, "all attractive and fit."
US federal contractors urged to stand firm on DEI
A group of former US Department of Labor officials has urged federal contractors to uphold their diversity policies despite legal threats from the Trump administration. In an open letter, the signatories, who served under multiple administrations, said that "the government cannot prohibit private employers from engaging in fully lawful strategies to advance equal opportunity for all." They expressed their concern over the administration's attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which they argued are essential for addressing inequality. The letter highlighted the legal protections that DEI policies provide to contractors, who employ about 20% of the US workforce. Seema Nanda, a signatory and former Solicitor of Labor, said that the government's actions could "intimidate employers from maintaining not just lawful policies but policies that have really helped them run their business in a positive way."
Dutch workers report miscommunication in multilingual workplaces
Roughly one in three workers at multilingual companies in the Netherlands report that language differences frequently lead to misunderstandings, according to a new study by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and research institute TNO. The annual labour survey, which included over 30,000 employees, revealed that more than 10% of respondents experienced communication barriers that resulted in errors. Additionally, 4% felt excluded, and nearly 2% reported discrimination due to language differences. The ICT sector, where nearly 60% of companies use multiple languages, reported the fewest misunderstandings. Although communication barriers remain a challenge in many sectors, TNO researchers have highlighted how technology can play a critical role in addressing broader labour shortages if implemented properly. “The success of new technology rises or falls with how employees handle it,” observed TNO labour market researcher Dr. Jessie Koen. “Technology is not good or bad in itself, but it always affects how we do our jobs.”
OTHER
Fine for Clorox Australia over inaccurate plastic claims
Clorox Australia has been fined A$8.25m by the Federal Court for misleading claims that its GLAD kitchen and garbage bags were made with 50% recycled ocean plastic, when the plastic was actually sourced from Indonesian communities up to 50km from shorelines. The company, which admitted to breaching Australian Consumer Law between June 2021 and July 2023, must now implement a compliance programme, publish a corrective notice, and cover part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's legal costs, in a case which has highlighted the broader issue of misleading 'green' claims in the context of sustainability.
 


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