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Recent Editions

Human Times
North America
Microsoft is to require its employees to work from the office at least three days a week beginning next year. The company said the new mandate will go into effect in Puget Sound, which includes its headquarters outside of Seattle, starting in February. It will then expand to other U.S. locations before moving to international offices. “As we build the AI products that will define this era, we need the kind of energy and momentum that comes from smart people working side by side, solving challenging problems together,” Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s human resources chief, wrote in a memo. CNBC notes that Microsoft has held several rounds of layoffs this year, but Coleman wrote that “this update is not about reducing headcount,” and instead is “about working together in a way that enables us to meet our customers’ needs.”
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Human Times
UK
Industrial relations on London Underground have "totally collapsed," a union leader has said, amid a strike by Tube workers that has virtually shut down the network. It means travellers in London will continue to face disruption as thousands of members of the union take strike action over pay and working hours. Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union leader Eddie Dempsey said the negotiations became fruitless after the union uncovered Transport for London (TfL) plans to shut Elizabeth line ticket offices - something TfL denies. He said further disputes loomed over those alleged proposals as well as pay and conditions for cleaners.
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Human Times
Europe
Opposition lawmakers in Spain's lower house have united with regional business-friendly Catalan party Junts against a bill that would have shortened the work week by 2-1/2 hours, preventing it from reaching the floor for debate. The legislation had been championed by Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz and the country's main trade unions. Diaz nevertheless said she would reintroduce the measure lowering the cap on weekly work hours to 37-1/2 from the current 40. She described Junts' veto as "incomprehensible." The bill's opponents had argued that smaller employers would be unable to shoulder the higher cost burden deriving from the policy, leading to job losses.
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Human Times
Middle East
The UAE's Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has introduced an AI-powered Human Resources Assistant in a bid to enhance HR services for over 50,000 federal employees. The initiative will automate 80% of HR procedures and provide 108 services, significantly improving workplace efficiency. The assistant uses data from FAHR's HR information management system, Bayanati, to deliver personalised responses in Arabic and English. FAHR's leadership said the initiative supports the UAE's vision towards zero bureaucracy and positions the country as a global leader in AI-driven government services.
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