You’re all signed up for the Human Times
Thank you for your interest in our service.
Watch out for a confirmation email from our subscriptions team. Once you have confirmed you will join the worldwide community of over 30,000 subscribers who are receiving daily HR intelligence to lead, innovate and grow.
Note: Due to the nature of this message you may find this in your "promotions" or "spam" folders, please check there. If nothing arrives within a few minutes let us know. If you do not receive this email we will be happy to help get you set up.
Adding the email address humantimes@human-times.com, will help to ensure all newsletters arrive directly to your inbox.
Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
Growth in U.S. labor costs cooled unexpectedly in the fourth quarter, posting the smallest annual increase in four and a half years as easing demand for workers restrained wage gains. The Labor Department's Employment Cost Index rose 0.7% in the final three months of the year, down from 0.8% in the previous quarter and below economists’ expectations. On an annual basis, labor costs increased 3.4% through December, the weakest pace since mid-2021. Wages and salaries, which make up the bulk of labor costs, showed a similar slowdown, while a softer labor market was reflected in fewer job openings per unemployed worker. Despite the easing in wage pressures, higher import tariffs have continued to lift goods prices, keeping inflation elevated.
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
Tesco CEO Ashwin Prasad warns that the UK is facing a "quiet epidemic" of joblessness at a time when over 9m people are economically inactive. With the unemployment rate now at a four-year high of 5.1%, Prasad urged the government to stop "tinkering at the edges" and implement significant changes to address the issue. He noted that many young people are particularly affected, with nearly 1m not in education, employment, or training. "We have been sleepwalking into a quiet epidemic that is keeping millions of people out of work," Prasad said.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
Switzerland is to hold a referendum in June on whether to cap its population at 10m until 2050 by limiting immigration. The referendum has been triggered automatically because more than 100,000 citizens have signed a petition in support of a vote. Opponents of the move say it could threaten crucial agreements with the European Union and make it harder to attract foreign workers to fill labour shortages. The petition was promoted by the Swiss People’s Party, a right-wing party that holds roughly a third of seats in the Swiss Parliament.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
AI-related job postings in the UAE have increased from 5,000 to 10,000 between 2021 and 2024, primarily in white-collar sectors. James Randall, Middle East sales director at HireRight, noted that employers are competing for a limited pool of talent, leading to faster hiring timelines. Despite a global trend towards skill-based hiring, 84% of AI-related job postings still require degree qualifications. Randall emphasised the importance of verifying credentials and experience, saying: "Employers are placing greater emphasis on validating credentials . . . to ensure they are hiring genuine capability."
Full Issue