THE HOT STORY

Social media trend in China indicates frustration with job prospects

Reuters reports on the "intense social media chatter" among Chinese youth about early 2000s economic boom-era fashion. Analysts say the trend can be seen as a way to express discontent about bleak job prospects without attracting censorship. On RedNote, China's version of Instagram, the hashtag phrase "beauty in the time of economic upswings" has so far garnered close to 50 million views. This summer, 12.2m new graduates have entered one of the toughest job markets in decades.

Reuters

WORKFORCE

Indonesian officials tackle worker ban fears in Japan

Indonesian officials are countering speculation about a potential ban on their workers in Japan following several controversial incidents. Abdul Kadir Karding, Indonesia's minister for the protection of migrant workers, said: “Don't let just three people cause hundreds of thousands of potential [Indonesian] migrant workers to become victims,” as he referred to the arrest of three nationals linked to a robbery. Concerns have been raised about the preparedness of Indonesian workers to adapt to Japanese customs amid calls for better education and oversight from the south east Asian nation's government.

South China Morning Post

Sri Lankans to replace Cambodian workers who are fleeing Thailand

The Thai government says it plans to replace Cambodian workers who have returned to their home country because of border tensions with Sri Lankan workers. Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungreangkit estimated that around 20,000 registered Cambodian workers have left, significantly lower than the 200,000 claimed by Phnom Penh. The recruitment of Sri Lankan workers is still in its early stages, pending a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Pongkawin assured that foreign workers are protected under Thai law.

Bangkok Post

STRATEGY

CBA faces backlash over job cuts

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has announced the elimination of 90 jobs across various frontline departments, drawing criticism from the Australian Finance Sector Union (FSU). The FSU claims the bank is “replacing skilled Australian workers with AI systems as well as cheaper offshore labour.” While the bank argues that AI will enhance customer service, FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano condemned the decision, saying: “There is a human cost to this. You can't just replace frontline jobs with a voice bot and expect the same service for customers.” The FSU advocates for retraining and support for affected workers rather than cost-cutting measures. Despite the cuts, a CBA spokesman noted that the bank hired over 9,000 employees in the 2025 financial year and is investing more than $2bn in operations to meet evolving customer needs.

West Australian

HIRING

Swiggy adds 2,000 employees in FY25

Indian food and grocery delivery company Swiggy added about 2,000 employees in fiscal 2025, taking its total workforce to 7,431 as of March 31 this year. With the growing headcount, the company’s employee benefit expenses also increased by 26.6% to Rs 2,548 crore. Its revenue from operations stood at Rs 15,227 crore, a 35% increase from the Rs 11,247 crore reported in the previous year. Meanwhile, its net loss widened to Rs 3,117 crore from Rs 2,350 crore.

Economic Times

TECHNOLOGY

LegalOn secures $50m funding boost

LegalOn Technologies, a provider of legal AI for contracting, has announced a $50m Series E funding round led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives. The funding round, which also saw participation from World Innovation Lab, Mori Hamada, Mizuho Bank, and Shoko Chukin, brings the company's total funding to $200m. LegalOn intends to use this capital to enhance its agentic AI product development and expand its market presence in the US, UK, and Japan. The Tokyo-based company says its AI contract review software for legal teams is used by 7,000 organisations across these three markets. Additionally, the company has formed a strategic collaboration with OpenAI to redefine its offerings.

Bloomberg Law

TechCrunch

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Singapore seeks accessibility through technology

In Singapore, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) has launched A11y Playground, a website designed to enhance digital accessibility for individuals with special needs. Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, said: “With a better understanding of diverse user needs, accessibility can be built into the design process from the very start.” The platform offers assessment tools, including a checklist for developers to ensure compliance with accessibility standards. It also features interactive games and stories to illustrate the challenges faced by users with disabilities. Additionally, the Oobee app has been employed by various government agencies to identify and rectify accessibility issues across over 900 websites. The updated Digital Service Standards (DSS) will be introduced later this year to further guide agencies in making digital services accessible to all users.

Straits Times

INTERNATIONAL

Turkish mine workers' strike postponed

The Turkish government has postponed a planned strike by mine workers for 60 days, citing national security concerns. The Turkish Mine Workers' Union intended to strike on August 1 due to stalled wage negotiations affecting over 600,000 public sector employees. The government's final offer included a 24% raise for the first half of 2025, which was rejected by Türk-İŞ, the largest labour confederation. Türk-İŞ President Ergün Atalay said that the strike was a last resort after extensive negotiations. If no agreement is reached within the postponement period, the dispute will go to the High Arbitration Board.

Hurriyet Daily News

Younger UAE employees are keen on 'lateral moves'

Khaleej Times reports that 'lateral moves', whereby employees switch departments rather than companies, are becoming more common in the UAE, especially among younger professionals. Workplace experts say younger employees are less focused on climbing a traditional career ladder and more interested in broadening their skills and experiences across different business functions. HR professionals say such moves are typically driven by curiosity, burnout, or a desire to avoid career stagnation. “We’ve formalised an internal mobility programme to retain talent and reduce hiring costs,” said Maya Al Hammadi, HR manager at a UAE-based retail group. “If someone is showing potential or interest in another area, we prefer to move them internally rather than lose them to another company.”

Khaleej Times Online

Workers with vocational training 'have the longest working lives'

Copenhagen Post reports on a new analysis from the Economic Council of the Labour Movement (Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd, AE) which suggests that individuals with vocational training or short higher education typically work more than those with academic degrees. The study, which uses data from Statistics Denmark, indicates that these individuals can expect nearly 45 full-time working years. This finding challenges the common perception that higher academic qualifications lead to longer careers.

Copenhagen Post

Zoom faces Russian fine for internet regulations breach

A Moscow court has imposed a fine of R79.6m (approximately $965,779) on Zoom Communications for not adhering to Russian regulations concerning foreign entities operating in the country's internet space. The court's decision highlights the ongoing scrutiny of foreign tech companies in Russia, although Zoom has yet to respond to requests for comment.

Economic Times

Reuters

OTHER

Cash-strapped Gen Z adults in US give dating the cold shoulder

A new US survey from Bank of America has found that Gen Z adults, in their teens and 20s, are becoming more frugal about what they spend on dates due to the higher cost of living. More than 50% of respondents spent no money at all on dating, according to a poll of more than 900 people between the ages of 18 to 28. Meanwhile, among those who do still spend, 25% of men and 30% of women splash out less than $100 a month. "Gen Z is finding adulting to come with a higher price tag, and they're feeling the cost of living overall," said Holly O'Neill, president of consumer, retail and preferred banking at BofA. "They're dining out less, they're shopping at more affordable grocery stores, and they're using and setting budgets."

Reuters

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