Human Times

European Edition

12th September 2025

THE HOT STORY

Novo Nordisk mandates five-day office work

Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk has said that office employees must return to the workplace five days a week, effectively ending remote work. The Danish company said that this new global standard aims to strengthen collaboration among staff. A company spokesperson confirmed that all employees worldwide have been informed of the updated guidelines. The policy marks a significant shift in the company's approach to workplace flexibility. Kim Jung Olsen, the chair of Danish trade union HK Privat, said he was surprised that Novo had discontinued its remote work policy. "Working from home and a vibrant office culture are not necessarily mutually exclusive," he said. "It is unfortunate for the many employees who have enjoyed being able to work from home from time to time that management has not managed to make this work at Novo Nordisk."

Copenhagen Post

Reuters

TALENT STRATEGY

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HIRING

Finnish firms cut foreign hiring

Finnish companies are increasingly hesitant to hire international professionals. A recent survey by the Finland Chamber of Commerce revealed a drop from 37% to 28% in the past year. Suvi Pulkkinen, senior advisor at the chamber, attributed the decline to a weak economy and a more available domestic workforce. The retail sector saw the most significant decrease, while the industrial sector still reported 40% hiring of foreign talent. Despite concerns over language barriers, 55% of companies reported positive experiences with international hires. Pulkkinen noted: "Companies have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the employees they've hired."

YLE Uutiset

New plan tackles migrant worker issues in the Netherlands

Otto Work Force, the largest recruiter of foreign labour in the Netherlands, has updated its “Delta Plan” to manage labour migration effectively. The plan introduces a skilled labour scheme for non-EU workers in sectors including healthcare, allowing temporary permits of up to five years. It also proposes stricter enforcement measures, including increased fines and inspections of migrant housing. Otto Work Force said that these actions aim to prevent abuses and protect international workers.

NL Times

Sweden's government to lower hiring costs for young people

The Swedish government wants to temporarily reduce employer contributions for young people in the hope that the move will provide more jobs for young people in service industries such as restaurants. The reduced employer contributions will apply to young people who turn 19 next year and up to 23 years old.

Sweden Herald

The Local

WORKFORCE

Pay growth in UK hits four-year low

Pay growth in the UK has fallen to its lowest level in nearly four years, according to Incomes Data Research, dropping from 3.4% to 3% in the three months to July. This marks the slowest pace since December 2021. The decline is attributed to an increase in worker availability and a slowdown in hiring. The report indicates that higher-paid sectors experienced the most significant reductions in wage growth. The wage settlement data covers pay awards at large employers covering more than 680,000 workers, mainly in the private sector.

The Times

STRATEGY

Eversheds launches new Irish practice

Eversheds Sutherland has announced the launch of a new Irish practice under its International LLP, following the breakdown of merger talks with William Fry in May. The new operations will commence on 15 September, featuring a team of 170 across Dublin and Belfast. Pamela O’Neill will serve as the Dublin managing partner, while Gareth Planck will lead the Belfast team. Keith Froud, Eversheds' global co-CEO, said: “Opportunities for our clients in Ireland are considerable and today’s announcement is a significant step in our long-term plans for the future.” The practice will focus on sectors such as financial services, TMT, life sciences, energy, and industrials, aiming to support major clients, particularly those with European headquarters in Ireland.

The Global Legal Post

BYD announces European EV production plans

BYD plans to produce all of its electric vehicles for the European market locally by 2028, which will help the company avoid EU tariffs imposed on Chinese-made EVs. Executive Vice President Stella Li said: "We are training ourselves to be more European in production." The company is building a factory in Hungary and preparing to start production in Turkey by 2026. In the short term, BYD expects plug-in hybrids to dominate its sales in Europe, with plans to launch its luxury Yangwang brand in the region by 2027.

Reuters

REGULATION

US probe into Swedbank concludes

Swedbank has announced that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed its investigation into the bank without any enforcement actions, following an inquiry that began in 2019 regarding the bank's historical disclosures. The investigation was part of a broader scrutiny into Swedbank's involvement in a regional money laundering scandal linked to Danske Bank, which revealed significant suspicious transactions. While the SEC's investigation has concluded, ongoing inquiries by the US Department of Justice and New York's Department of Financial Services are still in progress, and Swedbank says it is unable to assess the potential financial impact of these investigations at this time.

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

US worker confidence in finding a new job at record low

Polling results published Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yok show that American workers' confidence in finding a new job if they lose their current position is at a record low. The perceived probability of finding a new job in the next three months dropped by 5.8 percentage points to 44.9%, the lowest score since the Fed started surveying households on the subject in 2013. The increase in pessimism was seen across all age, education, and income groups, the New York Fed said. The share of consumers saying their financial situations were worse than a year ago rose, as did the share of those expecting a worsening in the future. Expectations for future access to credit deteriorated while perceived chances of missing a minimum debt payment in the next three months rose.

Bloomberg

CNBC

Wall Street Journal

PwC's Tom Seymour deregistered over tax scandal

Tom Seymour, former chief of PwC Australia, has been deregistered by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) for failing to act on signs of unethical conduct within the firm. The TPB's report highlighted that Seymour allowed a culture of improper behaviour to flourish in the tax division. He denied awareness of any confidential information being shared and said: "I disagree with the TPB finding that I breached the Code of Conduct." The sanction is the most significant in the ongoing PwC tax leaks scandal, which has resulted in numerous departures.

Bloomberg Tax

Financial Review

Deloitte US tightens office attendance rules for staff in India

Deloitte US has instructed its staff in India to work in the office at least two days a week, effective from October 1. The change follows the company's shift from flexible work policies established during the pandemic. Non-compliance will be monitored and will potentially impact performance reviews. A spokesperson for Deloitte said: "We are committed to fostering collaboration and productivity through in-person interactions."

Bloomberg Tax

OTHER

Unicef: more children are obese than underweight

For the first time, there are more children in the world who are obese than underweight, according to a major study by Unicef, which warns that ultra-processed food is overwhelming childhood diets. The United Nations agency said there are 188m teenagers and school-age children with obesity, affecting health and development, and bringing a risk of life-threatening diseases. While 9.2% of five to 19-year-olds worldwide are underweight, 9.4% are considered obese, the report found. In 2000, nearly 13% were underweight and just 3% were obese. Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions of the world, except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The highest rates of obesity among children and young people are found in some of the Pacific Island states, including Niue (38%), the Cook Islands (37%), and Nauru (33%). But many high-income countries also face a serious obesity problem. Among 5-19 year olds, 27% are obese in Chile, 21% in the United States, and 21% in the UAE. UNICEF is urging governments to take binding measures, including advertising restrictions, taxes on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, and policies that encourage production of fresh produce.

BBC News

France 24

The Guardian

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