THE HOT STORY

Graduates using AI 'misrepresent abilities' for jobs

Two-thirds of employers have expressed concern that the overuse of AI in job applications misrepresents the skills of young graduates. The Institute of Student Employers found that 67% of employers worry about AI skewing perceptions of graduates' abilities, up from 48% last year. The institute's annual development survey report said: "As AI tools become more widely available employers appear increasingly concerned about whether candidates' applications, assessments or interview responses fully reflect their individual skills and capabilities. This raises broader questions about the reliability of traditional selection methods and highlights the need for organisations to adapt recruitment processes to account for the growing use of generative AI." Employers also noted "readiness gaps" in graduates in their motivation and self-awareness, as well as wider contextual understanding, planning and organisational abilities.

The Times

TA TECHNOLOGY

Unlocking Real Value with TA Technology: Webinar panel

TA teams have more technology than ever, yet better hiring outcomes remain elusive. Speed, efficiency, and intelligence are promised, but complexity, cost, and friction often follow.

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Webinar Details

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Save your seat

WORKFORCE

Civil servants will be paid for time off at union conferences

Civil servants in the UK will now receive taxpayer-funded time off for union activities, following a new agreement between the government and unions. The change removes the previous cap on spending for union-related duties, allowing civil servants to engage in activities including union meetings and conferences during paid work hours. "We've worked hard, not only to relieve the time pressures faced by our hard-working activists, but also to make attending our union conferences more accessible - particularly for those reps with caring responsibilities, whose annual leave is particularly precious," said Martin Cavanagh, the national president of the Public and Commercial Services Union. The government said: "Facility time, which gives trade union representatives time to represent members, has been a legal right for decades, and we expect that civil servants' focus remains on their primary roles."

The Times

We're all too scared to quit now

The Times' Harry Wallop observes that it is now five years, almost to the day, since the term "Great Resignation" was first used by Anthony Klotz, an American academic at UCL School of Management in London, to predict that millions of workers around the world would quit their jobs after spending most of the previous year locked down and reassessing their lives. For a brief period, the "Great Resignation" meant employers luring a diminishing pool of workers to join their organisations with ever more generous perks - but now, Wallop, writes: "Those glory days are over. Most people are now grateful to have a job and the perks are being slashed."

The Times

FLEXIBLE WORKING

Flexible-working scheme not reaching schools most in need of help

The DfE's publication of its qualitative findings from the Flexible Working Ambassador Multi Academy Trusts and Schools (FWAMS) programme underscores concerns that the programme, which ran from 2023 until this year, may not have reached schools experiencing “wider challenges”, such as those rated poorly by Ofsted or with high intakes of disadvantaged pupils. According to the DfE, the programme, which supported 248 schools through 10 ambassadors, “aimed to drive the development of a culture of flexible working within the sector.” For schools that did participate, positive changes were enacted, the evaluation found. The DfE wants schools to embed flexible working as part of efforts to improve teacher recruitment and retention.

Tes

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Scientists working to create hantavirus vaccine

An international team of scientists is working to create a vaccine against hantavirus, which is suspected of killing three people on a cruise ship in the Atlantic. Chemist Professor Asel Sartbaeva, from the University of Bath, is part of the team involving experts in the United States and South Africa currently working on a vaccine. "Obviously, developing a vaccine would be amazing because then we can prevent instances of this disease happening or at least mitigate the really bad consequences of the infection," she said. In its latest update, the WHO said eight cases of hantavirus - three confirmed and five suspected - have so far been identified in people who were on the ship. The origin of the outbreak is still unknown and it is not known if people other than passengers from the ship have been infected.

BBC News

ECONOMY

High street footfall suffers sharp decline

Britain’s high street last month recorded its steepest fall in shopper numbers since the Covid lockdowns, with footfall down 10.7% in April compared with a year earlier, according to the British Retail Consortium. Even adjusting for Easter timing, visits across March and April were down 3.9%. Retail analysts said households were cutting discretionary spending amid inflation concerns linked to the Middle East conflict, rising fuel prices and pressure on grocery and energy bills. The downturn affected high streets, shopping centres and retail parks alike, with consultants warning consumer confidence remained fragile. The figures come amid further pressure on retailers following the collapse of Claire’s Accessories and planned closures at TG Jones, formerly WH Smith’s high street business, where up to 150 stores and hundreds of jobs are at risk.

Daily Mail

London Evening Standard

The Times

INTERNATIONAL

Australia's 'systemic' exploitation of workers on temporary visas

The Migrant Justice Institute's Off the Books report reveals that temporary migrant workers in Australia are underpaid by $61m weekly. The survey of 8,370 workers found that two-thirds received less than their entitled wages under the Fair Work Act. “These are not isolated cases of bad employers. This is a system that produces vulnerability at scale, and enables willing employers to exploit it,” Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner Chris Evans said. “Piecemeal Band-Aid measures will not change an entrenched culture of exploitation . . . Increased enforcement will help individuals, but it will not change the system.” Evans said the system required a “reset,” adding “The vulnerabilities that allow exploitation to flourish must be extinguished to allow fair treatment for migrant workers.”

West Australian

Lawyers at M&A law firms charged in insider trading scheme

US federal prosecutors allege lawyers from elite Wall Street firms supplied confidential information to an insider trading ring that generated tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits. Nineteen people were arrested, including attorney Nicolo Nourafchan, who federal prosecutors in Boston said was at the centre of the decade-long scheme. Nourafchan worked from 2013 to 2023 at law firms including Sidley Austin, Latham & Watkins and Goodwin Procter. The firms were not identified in the indictment, but it described corporate deals that they had previously announced they worked on. “The trading on unannounced financial news alleged here not only violated the securities laws, but it also took advantage of the special access and ethical duties that come with a law licence," US Attorney Leah Foley said.

Financial Times

Reuters

SEC.gov

AI reliance could cost companies dearly

Singapore's Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Education Jasmin Lau has warned that companies which rely solely on artificial intelligence risk losing their competitive edge. During a parliamentary debate, she emphasised the importance of investing in human talent alongside technology. “If companies here replace humans completely with AI, they will find themselves in future to have no competitive edge when AI is available to all,” she said. “They will also find themselves at the mercy of AI companies.”

Business Times SG

GCC workforce expands by 9.4m

The total workforce across GCC member states grew by approximately 9.4m individuals between 2021 and 2025, according to data from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Statistical Centre. Total employment figures increased 34.1%, from 27.7m in 2021 to 37.1m in 2025. The expansion was driven by the expatriate workforce, which experienced an average annual growth rate of 9.1% during the period; 4.4% annual growth was recorded for national citizens. Male expatriate workers accounted for 66.5% of the total workforce in 2025.

Zawya EN

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