THE HOT STORY

British workers are 'job hugging' amid plunging vacancies

Deutsche Bank analysis suggests that "job hugging" is on the increase, with UK workers increasingly hesitant to resign. The report indicates that a decline in vacancies means employees are increasingly unlikely to leave roles. Office for National Statistics figures shows that vacancies have fallen to 705,000 in the past three months, from a high of 1.3m in 2022. Jack Kennedy from Indeed notes that the jobs market "remains tough and has fewer opportunities," adding: "People are keenly aware of that fact. If you can, you're hunkering down. We've definitely seen more of a tendency towards job hugging."

The Daily Telegraph

RISK

Russia warns foreigners to leave Kyiv

Russia has announced plans to intensify its strikes on Kyiv, targeting what it described as Ukraine's "decision-making centres." The warning followed a weekend attack that killed four people and injured many others. Russia's foreign ministry has called on foreign diplomats and civilians to evacuate the city. However, Western diplomatic missions, including those from France and the EU, have rejected the evacuation calls, and Ukrainian officials have labelled Russia's threats as mere "rhetoric." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga urged partners not to succumb to Russian intimidation.

France 24

LEGAL

Finland approves controversial fixed-term employment law

The Finnish Parliament has approved a contentious law on fixed-term employment contracts. Opposition parties, including the SDP and Greens, opposed the measure. Among other measures, the law change will make it possible for employers to terminate fixed-term employment contracts of up to one year, if it is the employee's first such contract with the employer. Millariikka Rytkönen, chair of the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals, criticised the government for disregarding expert opinions and workers' rights. The Trade Union of Education in Finland labelled the law change as unjustified, warning it could harm equality and predictability in the workplace.

YLE Uutiset

WORKFORCE

Laid off ING workers to miss out on pension compensation

ING employees who lose their jobs in a reorganisation will miss out on thousands of euros in pension benefits. Workers who have been dismissed will not be entitled to any compensation for the switch to the new pension system which the fund is making this year, according to a bank spokesperson. The social plan, which outlines the provisions made for staff who lose their jobs, does not include any mention of the pension fund changes. The new pension system is based on individual pension pots and will benefit people with flexible jobs and shorter contracts in particular. It will also, its supporters say, be better for young people because they will not have to pay toward the higher pensions enjoyed by older generations.

NL Times

DutchNews.nl

Portuguese workers are less willing to change jobs

Portuguese workers are increasingly hesitant to change jobs, according to the latest Randstad Employer Brand Research study. The survey of over 4,000 professionals revealed that intentions to switch jobs have fallen to 23%, with stability now dominating the labour market. Despite ongoing dissatisfaction with pay and career advancement, economic uncertainty has led many to prefer the security of their current positions.

The Portugal News Online

TECHNOLOGY

LPP expands AI use to cut costs and speed up fashion trend analysis

Polish fashion retailer LPP, owner of the Reserved and Sinsay brands, is increasing its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and respond faster to changing consumer trends. The company said AI-powered analysis of social media trends has reduced the time needed to design clothing collections to between six and 12 weeks, compared with six to 12 months previously. LPP currently allocates around 10% of its IT budget to new technologies, including a combination of proprietary and third-party AI systems. LPP also said AI now generates 80% of its marketing visuals, up from 20% in 2025, helping cut content production costs by 60%.

Reuters

ECONOMY

Eurozone consumer confidence improves unexpectedly in May

Eurozone consumer confidence improved in May, with sentiment rising to -19.0 from -20.6 in April, according to a flash estimate released by the European Commission. The 1.6-point increase came ahead of economists’ expectations for a decline to -20.8, suggesting households across the bloc were more optimistic despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Across the wider European Union, consumer confidence also improved, rising 1.7 points to -18.2.

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Regulators quiz StanChart following CEO's ‘lower-value human capital’ remark

Regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have sought clarity from Standard Chartered after CEO Bill Winters said the company plans to replace "lower-value human capital" with ‌technology. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) asked the lender to explain Winters' comments, while the Monetary Authority of Singapore discussed the topic with the bank. Winters' remarks were made when referring to the role of AI in the bank's plans to cut thousands of jobs. The HKMA asked the bank if the comments meant the lender was seeking to use AI as a pretext to cut staff, according to a source. “It’s common practice to have regular dialogue with our regulators on wide-ranging topics, including on strategy and growth plans,” Standard Chartered said. “Talent is core to our strategy as we continue to invest to create new, reskill and redeploy roles – this will be done in line with regulatory expectations.”

Bloomberg

Los Angeles World Cup workers vow strike if ICE agents are deployed

Workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles are prepared to strike if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is present during World Cup matches next month. The UNITE HERE Local 11 union, representing about 2,000 hospitality employees, is demanding assurances that ICE agents will not be there. "ICE should have no role in these games," said Isaac Martinez, a stadium cook, at a protest outside the venue. "We do not want to live in fear coming to work, or fear being detained going home . . . If we do not reach an agreement, my colleagues and I are ready to strike."

Bangkok Post

France 24

Korea's new language initiative for foreign workers

Korea is launching a public-private partnership to enhance Korean language skills for foreign factory workers. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a memorandum with Hyundai Motor Group and other organisations to create tailored language education programmes. With over 1.1m foreign workers in Korea, calls have intensified for stronger language education in workplaces where misunderstandings involving instructions and safety rules have become a recurring concern. Pilot programmes will start this year at 20 Hyundai partner companies, with plans to expand to 130 firms by 2028.

The Korea Times

OTHER

WHO worries about Ebola outbreak's scale and speed

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed his deep concern over the rapid spread of a rare Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, where at least 131 suspected deaths and over 500 cases have been reported. The outbreak has been exacerbated by delayed testing and a lack of approved treatments or vaccines. The WHO has declared the outbreak a public health emergency, and resources are being mobilised to combat the crisis. Meanwhile, Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, criticised the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from WHO and make deep cuts in foreign aid: “the exact surveillance system meant to catch these viruses early,” he said.

Los Angeles Times

NPR / National Public Radio

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