HR intelligence to lead, innovate & grow.
Want to get your daily slice of HR knowledge to your inbox? Sign up now
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.
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.
Of all the newsletters I receive a month, Human Times has been easily the most valuable and a real pleasure to read.
I share it with my department, I excerpt it for other members of the C-Suite. And – we shook our heads trying to understand what the source organization is and what ultimately funds it.
“Although I’m a recent subscriber I really enjoy taking a few minutes to read through the selection of articles.
In terms of how I use it – I use it to stay informed on the range of human centred topics that the newsletter covers. I wouldn’t change anything – it’s extremely useful as-is.
Thoroughly enjoy this daily summary of news and tidbits.
We’ve used to start new conversations or dialogue on matters we are in process but getting differing viewpoints. The strategy and the technology sections are always very useful.
I find it very helpful for the busy executive who doesn't always have the time to read the newspaper or go online.
Being delivered to my In-Box gives me the opportunity to review when/where I can throughout the day.
Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found that Cisco may have violated the civil rights of its Middle Eastern and Muslim employees by subjecting them to a hostile work environment amid anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments on internal messaging platforms. A group of Cisco employees called “Bridge to Humanity” (B2H), which had voiced concerns that the company’s technology was provided to the Israeli military for use in Israel’s war on Gaza, alleged that Cisco had not responded to their complaints until they created a 76-page report cataloguing the hate comments they had been subjected to in an internal messaging group called Connected Jewish Network. Jeffrey Wang, a civil rights managing lawyer at the Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) San Francisco Bay-area chapter, said: “Employers have a legal responsibility to address harassment and discrimination fairly and consistently. Workers should not have to fear retaliation or a hostile work environment because of their religion, national origin, or association with protected communities.”
Full Issue
Human Times
UK
Employment in the UK's services sector fell for the 23rd consecutive month in August, according to S&P's latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the industry. The latest dip came as businesses continued hiring freezes and headcount cuts amid rising fuel, transport and wage costs, with some turning to automation to improve productivity. The pace of job losses nevertheless eased to its slowest rate since October 2025, while the services PMI rose from 52.1 to 52.5, indicating modest growth and improving business confidence.
Full Issue
Human Times
Europe
Volkswagen's supervisory board has approved a transformation plan that will see around 50,000 jobs being cut, in addition to a 50,000-job reduction already under way. The plan, which is the most extensive restructuring in the automaker's 89-year history, includes exploring alternatives for four plants in Emden, Zwickau, Neckarsulm and Hannover. The company said the changes are necessary amid rising global competition, shifting demand, and technological advancements. Volkswagen aims for an operating margin of 9% by 2030, up from 3.8% in H1 2026. "This is a strong signal for the future of the Volkswagen Group. We are taking responsibility for our entire workforce, for our partners and for industrial jobs worldwide," CEO Oliver Blume said. Asset manager Union Investment has warned that VW's credit rating could be cut to 'junk' status unless it cuts costs.
Full Issue
Human Times
Middle East
New LinkedIn research reveals that while 91% of UAE professionals plan to stay in the country, many struggle to build professional connections. Despite recognising the importance of networks, 74% browse work-related content without engaging. Barriers include fear of judgment and lack of guidance, with 58% feeling they lack support in developing relationships. “The UAE continues to be a place where people come to build ambitious, long-term careers. But in a fast-moving labour market, skills alone are not always enough. Visibility and relationships also matter, especially for people who are new to the country, early in their careers, or looking to move into a new sector,” said Najat Abdelhadi, Mena career expert at LinkedIn. “Building a network does not need to start with a big request or a perfectly written message. Small interactions add up,” she added.
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...
Discover
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.
Discover
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.
Discover
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.
Discover
