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
Meta and Microsoft are preparing staff reductions while continuing heavy investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and talent. Meta plans to cut 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 roles, as it seeks efficiency alongside capital expenditure of up to $135bn. Janelle Gale, Meta’s chief people officer, said the reductions would help “offset the other investments we’re making.” Microsoft will offer voluntary redundancy to about 8,750 eligible U.S. employees and change its employee stock reward rules. The moves show how major technology companies are trying to control operating costs while funding large AI commitments, including infrastructure expansion and recruitment of specialist engineering talent.
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
The proportion of people who are unemployed and not looking for a job increased to 21% in the three months to February, up from 20.7%. Job vacancies fell to 711,000, the lowest in nearly five years, while payrolled employees decreased by 11,000 in March. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) noted that these figures predate the Iran war, which may further strain the job market. The figures serve as a reminder that the UK jobs market going into the current energy crisis is in a fragile state, says James Smith, UK economist at ING. Economists predict that the Bank of England will likely maintain interest rates at 3.75% amid these challenges.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
Tesla will add 1,000 jobs at its Gruenheide gigafactory near Berlin by the end of June to raise weekly production by about 20% from the third quarter. The company said the hiring responds to stronger Model Y demand, with recruitment due to begin in May. Around 500 temporary workers are expected to become permanent employees this year, broadening the plant’s workforce of about 11,500 people. Tesla has also started seeking several hundred staff for battery cell production planned for the first half of 2027, a separate expansion at its only European gigafactory as the company works to strengthen output in a market where its share has been falling.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
Gulf women are increasingly shaping the development landscape in GCC countries, as highlighted in the GCC-Stat report. Employed females in the region rose from 5.7m in 2020 to 7.3m by 2025. Female labour force participation is projected to reach 39.3%, with a 10.5% unemployment rate. The report noted improvements in women's employment indicators, including an 8% rise in participation and a 26.1% drop in unemployment. Women play crucial roles in health, education, and tourism, with significant representation in nursing and teaching. The female population in the GCC is expected to grow to 22.9m by 2024.
Full Issue