Human Times

European Edition

17th March 2026

THE HOT STORY

Hybrid working is now a standard expectation

Hybrid working has become a standard expectation among employees, according to the latest Benefits Guide from Morgan McKinley. The report reveals that nearly 30% of employees consider hybrid working one of their top benefits. While pensions, bonuses, and health insurance remain prevalent, 68% of employees say benefits impact their loyalty, yet 38% feel their packages fall short of market standards. Trayc Keevans, Global FDI Director at Morgan McKinley, noted: "Many employers believe they are offering competitive benefits, but a substantial share of employees do not experience those benefits in the same way." The study surveyed 1,222 responses across Irish and multinational organisations.

RTE.ie

EBOOK

Build a workforce plan that keeps pace with change

Strategic workforce planning helps HR leaders connect talent decisions to business goals, so the right skills are in place when they are needed most.

This eBook outlines a practical framework for forecasting workforce needs, spotting capability gaps, and building more agile talent pipelines. It shows how to use data-driven insight to allocate resources more effectively, support organisational resilience, and plan for growth with greater confidence.

For HR and business leaders managing transformation, expansion, or shifting market demands, it offers a clearer way to align people strategy with long-term priorities and reduce risk in future planning.

Download the eBook

WORKFORCE

‘Fake workers’ from North Korea use AI to exploit European companies

Cyber experts warn that a “mini army” of North Korean IT operatives is increasingly using AI to pose as workers, secure jobs and earn wages at some of Europe’s biggest companies.

Financial Times

CORPORATE

NCP collapses with nearly 700 jobs at risk

NCP, the UK's largest car park operator, has entered administration after running out of cash, jeopardising nearly 700 jobs. The Japanese-owned company owes £352.6m and has struggled with reduced demand since the pandemic. PwC, appointed as administrators, said it aims to stabilise operations while exploring a potential sale. The firm said NCP’s performance had deteriorated “over a number of years” since the pandemic, adding that “demand for parking has not recovered to historic levels, particularly across city centre and commuter locations.” All car parks will remain open for now, but site closures may occur as options are assessed.

UniCredit launches low-premium bid for Commerzbank

Italy's UniCredit has launched an unsolicited bid to increase its stake in Commerzbank above 30% in a bid to push its ‌German rival to accept merger talks following eighteen months of stalemate. "Our message to Commerzbank today is it is now time to talk," UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel said. German takeover law mandates a full buyout offer once a suitor crosses the 30% ownership threshold in a company, Reuters notes.

Reuters

RISK

Belgian prime minister calls for EU to negotiate with Russia

Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever has called for the EU to “normalise relations with Russia” in order to to access cheap energy. “Since we are not capable of threatening Vladimir Putin by sending weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot choke him economically without the support of the US, there is only one method left: making a deal,” he told the Belgian newspaper L’Echo. “In private, European leaders agree with me, but no one dares to say it out loud. We must end the conflict in the interest of Europe, without being naïve towards Putin,” De Wever said in the interview.

Euractiv

Financial Times

European businesses warn Brussels over push to end reliance on US tech

European businesses warn that a push for “tech sovereignty” could hit profits and risk undermining the continent’s competitiveness, as Brussels boosts efforts to reduce its reliance on US tech giants.

Financial Times

STRATEGY

Danish obesity drugmaker plans Boston research hub

Danish obesity drugmaker Zealand Pharma plans to open a new research facility in Boston as part of its effort to expand in the US. Zealand CEO Adam Steensberg said the company will likely hire between 50 and 100 people at the new lab. Bloomberg notes that the plan is welcome news for Boston, which is home to one of the country’s largest biotech hubs, but the industry there has struggled in recent years.

Bloomberg

CYBERSECURITY

McKinsey rushes to fix AI system after hacker exposes flaws

McKinsey is rushing to fix flaws in an in-house AI system after hackers - who acted without malicious intent - gained access to millions of its internal messages and were able to identify sensitive files. Researchers at red-team security startup CodeWall say their AI agent hacked McKinsey's internal AI platform and gained full read and write access to the chatbot in just two hours. "We used a specific AI research agent to autonomously select the target, it did this without zero human input," CodeWall CEO Paul Price told The Register. "Hackers will be using the same technology."

Financial Times

The Register

INTERNATIONAL

Vietnam's landmark AI law is a major regulatory test for Southeast Asia

Vietnam has enacted a new law regulating artificial intelligence (AI), marking a significant shift from voluntary guidelines to binding regulations in Southeast Asia. The law requires AI providers to classify their systems by risk level and label AI-generated content. It aims to enhance accountability and transparency, similar to the European Union's AI Act. Analysts view the legislation as a potential model for the region. Saijai Liangpunsakul, the founder of Stop Online Harm, a coalition that combats online harassment campaigns, said: “Deepfakes and scams are already affecting people across the region, and governments are realising that ethical guidelines alone are not enough.”

South China Morning Post

Morgan Stanley hires contract staff in Hong Kong amid deal surge

Morgan Stanley is hiring contract staff in Hong Kong for IPO due diligence amid a surge in stock listings. The move, which Reuters says is a ‌first for a Wall Street bank in the region, aims to control costs while meeting stronger demand in the Asian financial hub's ultra-competitive investment banking industry. "Their [contractors'] total package is significantly lower than a banker hired on permanent headcount. Morgan Stanley could spend less and take up more deals," a source said.

Reuters

South Korea launches pilot for free menstrual pads and expands support for women

South Korea plans to launch a pilot programme providing free menstrual pads to any woman who needs them, regardless of income, as part of broader efforts to improve women’s welfare. Under the “Public Menstrual Pad Dream” initiative, the government will install free vending machines in locations such as community centres, libraries, health clinics and industrial complexes. The programme will begin with 3 billion won in national funding this year, with plans to expand it nationwide through joint national and local funding from 2027. Existing vouchers that help low-income girls aged 9–24 purchase menstrual products will continue.

ChosunBiz

OTHER

Dutch gambling regulator fines illegal online casinos

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has imposed its largest fines to date on two operators for illegal gambling activities. Novatech, which manages Qbet.com and 55Bet.com, was fined €24.8m, while Fortaprime SRL, which operates several sites including amonbet101.com, received a €1.8m fine. “The high fines reflect the large sums these companies earned from gambling, primarily from Dutch players,” KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen said. “Novatech earned hundreds of millions from its illegal offerings. A fine of €24m sounds impressive, but without the 10 percent cap on global revenue set by Dutch law, the penalty would have exceeded €100m - a figure more in line with the severity of the violations.”

NL Times

The Human Times is designed to help you stay ahead, spark ideas and support innovation, learning and development in your organisation.

The links under articles indicate original news sources. Some links lead directly to the source material. Others lead to paywalls where you may need a subscription. A third category are restricted by copyright rules.

For reaction and insights on any stories covered in the Human Times, join the discussion by becoming a member of our LinkedIn Group or Business Page, or follow us on X.

Online

Advertise

This e-mail has been sent to [[EMAIL_TO]]

Click here to unsubscribe