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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
The Labor Department reported on Thursday that the number of applicants for unemployment benefits in the seven days to January 10th fell by 9,000 to 198,000, well below the 215,000 expected among analysts polled by FactSet. The four-week average of claims fell by 6,500 to 205,000, while the total number filing for jobless benefits, reported with a one-week lag, declined by 19,000 to 1.88m. Notable increases in claims were seen in California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee, offsetting a 4,382 drop in filings in New York. "Initial jobless claims are still subject to seasonal volatility, but the surprises have been more to the downside," said Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. Economist at Oxford Economics. "Looking through the noise, we see no signs that labor market conditions are worsening," she added. "The claims data offer no reason to change our outlook for the economy or Fed policy."
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
Patrick Vallance, the UK science minister, stated that advancements in AI and robotics will significantly alter human jobs, particularly in warehouses and factories. He noted that robots will take over repetitive tasks, enhancing productivity. However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that AI could lead to mass unemployment if not addressed. Vallance highlighted that robotics can improve job performance, citing surgical applications as an example. The government is expanding the Regulatory Innovation Office to support robotics and defence tech, with £52m allocated for new hubs to promote robotics adoption in businesses. Meanwhile, remote workers are facing increased unemployment risks due to the launch of Claude Cowork, a new AI app by Anthropic. This tool automates tasks like report writing and data entry, which were traditionally performed by white-collar workers.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
Ericsson plans to lay off 1,600 employees in Sweden, part of broader global efforts to improve cost efficiency amid weak telecoms spending and declining 5G investments. The company has cut staff steadily over three years, shrinking its global headcount from nearly 100,000 to about 90,000. A spokesperson said the move is meant to "maintain important investments that will secure our competitiveness and technology leadership." Shares rose 1.7% following the news, and J.P. Morgan analysts see the cost cuts as a possible driver for early margin recovery.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
The UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has announced an automatic recognition initiative for degrees from 34 UAE-based universities. This initiative, launched on January 14 2026, aims to eliminate bureaucratic delays by allowing immediate recognition of qualifications, benefiting over 25,000 graduates so far. The system supports the UAE's digital transformation goals by enabling digital verification of degrees through QR codes, streamlining the transition to employment or further studies. The initiative will also extend to Emirati students studying abroad under ministry-supervised scholarships.
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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