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APAC Edition
25th April 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
China vows to support workers affected by tariffs
China's top policymakers have committed to supporting firms and workers impacted by U.S. tariffs. A meeting of the Communist Party's Politburo highlighted the need to "stabilise employment, enterprises, markets, and expectations" amidst rising external shocks. To achieve this, the government plans to accelerate debt issuance, ease monetary policy, and enhance unemployment insurance for affected companies. Additionally, measures will be taken to strengthen financing support and promote domestic consumption. Despite a 5.4% growth in the first quarter, concerns about a potential downturn loom due to the tariffs, with Beijing urging Washington to remove them to facilitate negotiations.
PRODUCTIVITY
Indian CEO's viral post ignites debate on productivity
Ravikumar Tummalacharla, chief executive of Cleanrooms Containments, has sparked a nationwide debate regarding the impact of numerous public and optional holidays on workplace productivity in India. He highlighted that in April 2025, over 10 holidays combined with weekends led to a significant stalling of  productivity, which particularly affected Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Tummalacharla urged the government to reconsider the holiday calendar, saying: “China is 60 years ahead because they prioritise economic momentum.” While acknowledging the cultural importance of holidays, he emphasised the need for a balance to enhance global competitiveness.
LEGAL
Microsoft 'will now pay some employees to leave'
Microsoft is giving low performers the option to accept a payout and leave the company rather than be placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), according to Business Insider, which has obtained an internal email outlining the company’s new performance management system. Microsoft's chief people officer Amy Coleman described the new system as having “clear expectations and a timeline for improvement.” A separation agreement that would be the equivalent of 16 weeks' pay is reportedly being offered to those who want to forgo performance management.
STRATEGY
Apple aims to source all U.S. iPhones from India in pivot away from China
The Financial Times reports that Apple plans to shift the assembly of all U.S.-sold iPhones to India as soon as next year, in order to mitigate risks related to tariffs on goods imported from China. The plans would see Apple double its annual iPhone output in India to more than 80m units. It currently makes 20% of iPhones in the country, although China is still by far its biggest production base. 
Meta cuts jobs at Reality Labs
Meta is cutting an unspecified number of staff from its Reality Labs unit. The cuts affect teams within Oculus Studios, Meta's in-house game development arm for Quest virtual reality headsets. Employees working on titles including Supernatural, a VR fitness game, are among those affected. "These changes are meant to help Studios work more efficiently on future mixed reality experiences for our growing audience," a Meta spokesperson said.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
China's AI education initiative launched
China is set to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its education system, impacting primary, secondary, and higher education. The initiative aims to enhance innovation and develop essential skills among students and teachers, such as independent thinking and problem-solving. The education ministry stated that promoting AI would help "cultivate the basic abilities of teachers and students" and improve the "core competitiveness of innovative talents." The move follows the introduction of AI courses in Chinese universities and the launch of a competitive large-language model by DeepSeek.
TECHNOLOGY
AI economic gains 'likely to outweigh emissions cost'
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that the economic gains from artificial intelligence (AI) - global output is expected to be boosted by around 0.5% a year between 2025 and 2030 - will outweigh the costs of rising carbon emissions by the data centres that are needed to run AI models. "Despite challenges related to higher electricity prices and greenhouse gas emissions, the gains to global GDP from AI are likely to outweigh the cost of the additional emissions," the IMF said. "The social cost of these extra emissions is minor compared with the expected economic gains from AI, yet it still adds to the worrisome build-up of emissions," the group said in its report titled "Power Hungry: How AI Will Drive Energy Demand."
WORKPLACE
Korean firm tells workers to shower at least once a day as summer nears
An unidentified South Korean company has posted an internal memo urging workers to shower at least once a day as summer approaches and amid growing concern about personal hygiene in shared office spaces. A social media user uploaded a screenshot of the notice and the post quickly went viral. “Don’t assume you don’t smell – your co-workers just aren’t telling you,” the company's administrative support team wrote in the memo, according to the post.
INTERNATIONAL
European workers remain the least engaged regional workforce
For only the second time in the past 12 years, the global percentage of engaged employees fell, from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, according to Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report. For the fifth year in a row, European workers' engagement (13%) was lower than in any other world region. The primary cause for the global decline in engagement was a drop in managers' engagement. While engagement among individual contributors remained flat at 18%, managers' engagement fell from 30% to 27%. No other worker category experienced as significant a decline in engagement as the world's managers. Two types of managers were particularly affected; Young (under 35) manager engagement fell by five percentage points, while female manager engagement dropped by seven points. "Manager engagement affects team engagement, which affects productivity. Business performance - and ultimately GDP growth - is at risk if executive leaders do not address manager breakdown," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief workplace scientist.
Judge blocks Trump plans to dismantle Voice of America
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from dismantling federally funded news outlet Voice of America (VOA). Judge Royce C. Lamberth criticised the administration's actions as "arbitrary and capricious," saying there was a lack of "reasoned analysis." He emphasised that the administration was "likely in direct violation of numerous federal laws." The ruling reinstates the status of VOA employees and contractors who were suspended following a March 14 executive order. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA's White House Bureau Chief, expressed gratitude for the ruling, highlighting its importance for national security, and saying: "Every day that VOA is not broadcasting is a day we cede the global information space and allow adversaries to fill it with disinformation and anti-American propaganda." The injunction does not extend to other broadcasters like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which are facing their own legal challenges.
Israel labour union chief threatens general strike
Arnon Bar-David, the head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Federation, has issued a stark warning about a potential nationwide strike, citing threats to democracy due to the actions of the government. The union has previously organised strikes in response to political events, including the dismissal of defence minister Yoav Gallant and protests against the handling of hostages in Gaza. “Democracy is still in danger and under attack every day, and the justice system and the security establishment are those who suffer the blows,” Bar-David said in an interview with the Maariv daily, referring to government clashes with the Shin Bet security service and with prosecutors and Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara. “My red line is failure to comply with court rulings,” he said. “If this happens, we will head toward anarchy. If needed - I won't hesitate to announce a strike.”
OTHER
Hong Kong retailers caught selling banned plastics
An investigation by Green Earth has revealed that approximately 70 shops in Hong Kong are still selling oxo-degradable plastic products, including pet waste bags and bin liners, despite a ban implemented in April last year. The environmental charity claims that these products, labelled as “oxo-degradable,” are being sold by both large retail shops and online stores. Steven Chan Wing-kit, an assistant environmental affairs manager at Green Earth, stated: "about 70 shops were still selling products containing the material as of earlier this month." The Environmental Protection Department has warned that oxo-degradable plastics are less environmentally friendly, as they break down into microplastics, which can harm ecosystems and complicate recycling efforts. Lawmakers have expressed concerns over the government's failure to adequately inform the public about the ban.
 


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