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Human Times helps you stay ahead of the latest news and trends that impact the HR industry. Every weekday, our unique blend of AI and team of expert HR and employment editors and researchers monitor 100,000s of articles, and social posts to create summaries of the most relevant and useful content to help you lead, innovate and grow. The award winning Human Times newsletter has four geographical editions with news tailored to your region.
From HR leadership to diversity and inclusion, hybrid working, organisational data, performance management, and retention strategies, Human Times is the only trusted free online news source dedicated to covering the most up to date headlines, articles, reports and interviews to make sure you’re abreast of changes in the HR industry.
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Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
Rising marijuana positivity rates are prompting U.S. employers to reconsider whether pre-employment drug screening remains useful. Quest Diagnostics found that 4.4% of urine tests were positive in 2025, up from 3.9% in 2021, while 15% of hair tests detected cannabis and random hair screenings reached 21%. Outside safety-sensitive industries, many companies increasingly treat off-duty use like alcohol consumption and fear strict testing will reduce applicant numbers. Employment lawyer Todd Logsdon said some employers warn: “If I test for that, I’m not gonna have any applicants.” Around half of surveyed employers excluded cannabis from pre-hire testing, while several major companies have relaxed their policies. Differing state protections and possible federal reclassification create further uncertainty. Transport and construction employers are expected to retain testing, but other businesses may increasingly focus on workplace impairment. Meanwhile, cocaine, amphetamine and methamphetamine positivity increased, although fentanyl detections fell by half.
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
The UK government is considering advancing the state pension age to 68 by 2037, affecting approximately five million people currently aged 49 to 55. This change, which could save the Treasury around £6bn annually, would mean these individuals must work an additional year to qualify for their pensions, costing them an estimated £12,500. Although no final decision has been announced, the Treasury has indicated this policy shift aligns with previous government reviews aiming for a sustainable pension system. As the landscape of retirement continues to shift, professionals should prepare for potential changes impacting their financial planning and retirement timelines.
Human Times
Europe
The European Union’s population is projected to decline from 450.6m today to 445m by 2050 and 398.8m by 2100, while the share of residents aged 65 or over could approach one third by mid-century. This shift is expected to intensify labour shortages, healthcare demand and pressure on public finances, with 48m people potentially requiring long-term support by 2070. The report identifies greater workforce participation among women, younger people and older employees, alongside improved productivity, artificial intelligence, skilled migration and reskilling, as key responses. Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, said: “Demography is no longer a standalone issue – it must be part of every major policy decision.” The Commission wants demographic considerations integrated into skills, housing, care, regional development, investment and labour policies, arguing that early action could also create opportunities in health, technology and services for older citizens.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
The Naukrigulf Hiring Index indicates a decline in hiring intent across the UAE, Qatar, and Oman during April and May 2026 compared to the previous year. The UAE experienced the most significant drop, with a 23% decrease. Despite this, technology roles showed resilience, with only a 3% decline. Qatar's hiring intent fell by 10%, while Oman saw a 17% dip, although manufacturing and retail sectors grew. Sharad Sindhwani, EVP & Business Head at Naukrigulf, noted: "Hiring intent is moving at different speeds across markets, sectors and functions." The Index aims to provide insights into evolving hiring trends.
Full Issue
Read the latest HR highlights
How HR is Tackling Long Covid?
Fingers remain tightly crossed around the world that the rampant hospitalization and fatality stage of the Covid-19 pandemic has generally peaked. Vaccination programmes are accelerating, and restrictions are gradually being lifted...
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ESG Is Not Just Another Name For CSR
Back in the distant 1980s if you wanted to demonstrate your environmental and ethical credentials it was sufficient to shop at or purchase shares in retailer The Body Shop. The charismatic Anita Roddick, founder of the “hippy” tinged retail chain, heralded a new age of environmental concern, caring capitalism and corporate awareness that evolved into what became known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR was much talked about and lauded, but in reality often ended up being a lot of a hot air (excuse the pun) and often never progressed much beyond a footnote in the annual report.
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Have Older Workers Paid The Highest COVID-19 Price?
Across the world the pandemic is slowly but surely moving into its next phase. Recovery beckons. As furlough schemes across the U.S. and U.K. are being wound down, restrictions eased or lifted, and workforces moving back up the gears, early signs indicate that older employees are more likely to be casualties of the pandemic aftermath than their younger colleagues. Here at the we have witnessed an increasing number of stories supporting the growing belief that older workers are disproportionately paying the highest Covid-19 price.
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Bosses. What's not to like? Plenty, say employees
“You’ll never have another boss like me, someone who’s basically a chilled-out entertainer”
So said, David Brent, the fictional manager of Slough-based paper merchant Wernham Hogg in the seminal TV comedy The Office. Ricky Gervais’s portrayal of Brent as a flawed, narcissistic, incompetent, and deluded manager was so well observed that many (including me) believed it was a genuine fly-on-the-wall documentary when they alighted accidentally on the first ever episode.
Rolling with the Payroll
To mark National Payroll Week the team at the Human Times has provided some insight into the industry that we hope you’ll find useful.
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