Human Times

APAC Edition

2nd April 2026

THE HOT STORY

Singapore to monitor employment levels as it launches AI programme

Singapore's government is launching the National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP) to train 10,000 workers in AI skills. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said that although there is no single metric to evaluate the success of the initiative, the government would continue to monitor whether employment rates stay high. “Ultimately, what people want is an assurance that they will still be able to do meaningful work,” she said. “Over time, we also want to make sure that Singapore continues to provide good opportunities for people to advance - and advancement must certainly involve wage levels . . . We will be looking at these broader indicators of whether as a whole, the economy is still able to create and sustain good jobs, and that individuals that are part of the workforce continue to be able to make progress.”

Straits Times

WORKFORCE

ABC proposes new pay offer to staff

Australian national broadcaster ABC has proposed a new pay offer following a 24-hour strike last week. The updated proposal includes annual pay increases of 4% in the first year and 3.25% in the following two years, along with clearer progression pathways through pay bands. Unions will consult members before a vote on the offer. Michael Slezak, co-chair of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), noted that while the offer does not address all the union's concerns, it represents significant progress. However, issues regarding job protection from artificial intelligence remain unresolved.

ABC Online

WORKPLACE

Factory held no fire drills before deadly blaze, employees say

On March 20, a fire at Anjun Industrial in Daejeon resulted in 14 fatalities and 60 injuries. Employees testified that fire drills were merely documented and never practised. The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating, having questioned 48 individuals, including injured workers and bereaved families. Despite being classified as a Class 2 fire safety site, Anjun Industrial reportedly failed to conduct actual drills. Police noted that repeated false alarms led workers to underestimate the fire's severity, delaying evacuation.

Korea Joongang Daily

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Singapore agencies partner with TikTok to train workers for retail jobs

In Singapore, retail workers are adapting to new sector demands by learning live streaming skills. A recent course organised by TikTok Singapore and Workforce Singapore (WSG) aimed to equip them for social commerce roles. The initiative, part of a collaboration with the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), focuses on training for roles such as hosts, sales leads, and technical engineers. Minister of Trade and Industry Alvin Tan emphasised the need for retailers to embrace digital transformation.

Straits Times

STRATEGY

Oracle begins layoffs affecting thousands

Oracle has announced job cuts affecting around 10,000 employees. In a LinkedIn post, Michael Shepard, a senior manager, noted that senior engineers, architects, operations leaders, programme managers, and technical specialists had been let go but noted that the "significant" reductions were not performance-related, saying: "The individuals affected were not let go because of anything they did or didn't do."

LEADERSHIP

Ex-BA chief Walsh returns to aviation as head of IndiGo

Willie Walsh, the former chief executive of British Airways, has been appointed CEO of IndiGo, India's largest airline. Mr Walsh, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, replaces Pieter Elbers.

Financial Times

RETENTION

Apple gives iPhone designers bonuses to fight poaching

Apple has awarded substantial bonuses to its iPhone hardware designers to combat talent loss to AI start-ups such as OpenAI. These out-of-cycle bonuses, valued at between $200,000 and $400,000 over four years, are designed to encourage employees to stay at the tech giant. OpenAI has hired several former Apple engineers.

The Times of India

Business Times SG

Straits Times

INTERNATIONAL

Many employees say work has been stripped of fun

The loss of small perks and the rise of AI in a push seemingly aimed at squeezing more work out of fewer people have conspired to strip the office of all fun, many employees are saying. The Wall Street Journal notes that chief financial officers at large US companies mentioned “efficiency” at least once on 307 conference calls in the latest quarter as of March 26, up from 219 a year earlier and the highest level since at least 2020, according to AlphaSense. “There’s almost nobody who is feeling positive vibes about their job right now,” said Rocco Seyboth, a longtime software marketer outside Seattle. “Everyone I talked to is consumed by AI - either how to use it, how to pretend to use it, how much they hate using it, how it’s going to eliminate their position or their company’s product,” he said. Human resources executives say they are aware of the concerns of white-collar staff. “There’s fear in the workforce,” said Jacqui Canney, chief people and AI enablement officer at the technology company ServiceNow.

Wall Street Journal

Germany seeks tighter scrutiny over cross-border takeovers

Germany’s Finance Minister, Lars Klingbeil, says he wants to force foreign companies to form joint ventures with local businesses to operate within Europe, in a bid to obtain greater scrutiny over cross-border takeovers. The proposals aim to protect German firms in sectors where they “have fallen behind technologically,” according to a finance ministry document. Bloomberg notes the idea would mirror a method already employed in China. “I know these are tough measures and tough demands,” Klingbeil said. “But they are necessary if we are to safeguard technologies and jobs here in Europe.” Klingbeil also called for changes in income tax that he said would deliver several hundred euros a year in relief to 95% of employees. "Anyone who works hard and works more will finally have more money in their pocket as ⁠a result of this reform," he said, adding that higher earners and wealthy asset holders should shoulder more of the burden. The new proposals also seek the abolition of the current income splitting system for married couples, which lowers ‌taxes ⁠for partners with unequal earnings.

Bloomberg

Reuters

Blackstone invests $250m in UAE

Asset manager Blackstone has invested $250m in the United Arab Emirates-based payments and data intelligence technology platform Advanced Digital Gaming Technology. “We see significant opportunity to deploy capital ⁠at scale in the UAE to build companies that can grow both domestically and internationally, despite near-term headwinds," said Blackstone president and chief operating officer Jon Gray.

Reuters

OTHER

Jins launches AI-powered flagship store to drive global expansion

Japanese eyewear retailer Jins Holdings is opening a new flagship store in Tokyo’s Ginza district featuring a multilingual generative artificial intelligence system that recommends glasses based on customers’ facial features, as it looks to use data insights to accelerate expansion in Southeast Asia. The store will also offer advanced vision testing and aims to attract foreign tourists. The company is targeting international growth to match domestic sales amid a stagnant Japanese market and rising competition at home.

Nikkei Asia

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