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European Edition
9th September 2026
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THE HOT STORY

Italy leads EU pay transparency shift

Most EU countries missed the June deadline to implement the Pay Transparency Directive, designed to reduce pay discrimination and improve salary visibility for jobseekers. Italy has emerged as a leading adopter, with the share of job postings containing salary information rising from 26% in July 2025 to 61% in July 2026, overtaking the UK at 60%. Germany and Spain remain far behind at 14% and 18%, respectively, while France stands at 43% and the Netherlands at 49.5%. Italy requires employers to include starting salaries or pay ranges directly in advertisements, going beyond the directive’s baseline requirements. Pawel Adrjan, Indeed’s director of economic research, said the country’s experience suggests “regulation is making a real difference.” Advocates argue broader implementation could help address the EU gender pay gap, which stood at 11.1% in 2024. However, delayed implementation elsewhere means salary transparency remains inconsistent across Europe.
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HR & LEADERSHIP

Is your retention data lying to you?

Employee intent to stay in EMEA has dropped from 66% to 62% in a year, and voluntary turnover now costs the global economy $2.9 trillion annually. Most organisations treat this as a culture problem or a headcount problem but they're rarely looking in the right place. BAFTA-winning writer Adam Kay spent years inside a system that couldn't see its own people clearly, and he's joining Rippling's Wendy Harris and Eric Greenwood to make the case that your people aren't the problem. Your blind spots are. Join the free 45-minute session to find out what AI means for the headcount you can't yet see.

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STRATEGY

VW chief told he has no 'blank cheque'

Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume has been told by labour leaders at the automaker that he had received no "blank cheque" following the unanimous supervisory-board vote on a restructuring agreement. The roughly 50,000 additional job reductions remain a planned target rather than an agreed programme, and many of the most contentious steps still require detailed plans, further approvals and negotiations, worker representatives said.
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WORKFORCE

Dutch transport strike: limited economic impact

The national public transport strike taking place today in the Netherlands is expected to have a minimal impact on the economy. Trade unions announced the strike in advance, allowing companies to prepare by enabling remote work. Rico Luman, an economist at ING, noted that while productivity may suffer due to rescheduled meetings, the overall disruption will be limited. However, rail freight could face delays due to existing capacity issues. RaboResearch economist Frank van Es stated: "It is not unique or that large in scale that the economy will suffer real damage." Overall, the economy is likely to remain stable despite the strike.

Fit notes risk limiting UK's young workers

Government adviser Alan Milburn has criticised the GP fit note system, arguing that brief consultations can push young people with conditions such as ADHD into long-term welfare dependency rather than employment. Nearly one million fit notes for mental health issues were issued last year, while UK youth inactivity stands at 13.6%, compared with under 5% in the Netherlands. Milburn called the system “bloody insane” and warned that receiving a diagnosis should not automatically imply someone cannot work. Sir Gareth Southgate similarly cautioned against labels that can restrict young people’s expectations. Milburn also criticised apprenticeships, noting youth placements have fallen 35% in nine years, while Southgate highlighted the value of workplace mentoring and warned that higher employment costs may discourage businesses from hiring younger workers.
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TECHNOLOGY

UBS demands new junior bankers show AI proficiency

Swiss lender UBS wants prospective graduates and interns joining its global banking and markets units next year to demonstrate how they can use artificial intelligence to “improve outcomes and efficiency.”

AI makes presentations easier, but nerves remain

Canva's global study, The Presentation Paradox, reveals that while AI simplifies slide creation, many professionals still struggle with presentation anxiety. Approximately 74% of workers feel nervous about presenting, with Gen Z most affected at 90%. The study highlights that strong presentation skills are linked to career advancement, with 77% of respondents noting confidence in presentations has aided their growth. Alli McKee, Head of Visual Suite at Canva, stated: "It still takes a person's ability to persuade, teach, inspire, or move someone else to act." AI is increasingly used as a presentation coach, but the human element remains crucial.
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HIRING

Denmark makes it easier for companies to hire workers from 16 countries

Denmark is set to implement a new work permit scheme on January 1, 2027, allowing certified companies to recruit workers from 16 countries at a reduced salary threshold. The initiative aims to enhance employment opportunities while ensuring collective agreements and union oversight to maintain working conditions. The Danish parliament successfully passed the proposal during its third discussion on Thursday.

Graduate job market faces tough times

Nearly half a million graduates entered the UK workforce this summer carrying average student debt of £47,730, while graduate vacancies are forecast to fall 7% in 2026. Employers now receive about 140 applications per graduate job, compared with 38 two decades ago, and increasingly use online tests and one-way virtual interviews to manage demand. Graduates describe the process as lengthy, impersonal and uncertain, with 35% believing AI is damaging their career prospects. However, employers including Accenture argue AI could instead shift junior roles towards higher-value work. Raena Connelly, Accenture’s UK and Ireland head of HR, said: “We see AI changing early careers rather than diminishing them.” Universities are also expanding placements, internships and careers support as students increasingly view degrees as routes to employment.
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Concerns raised over ‘tick-box’ staff training as UK employers choose short online courses

Data from the Learning and Work Institute think-tank raises concerns about shorter online “tick-box” exercises threatening Britain’s future productivity as businesses reduced spending on more substantive staff training and development.
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LEGAL

Deutsche Bank and former banker settle lawsuit

Deutsche Bank has settled a lawsuit with Dario Schiraldi, a second former employee who sought damages in a case involving business with Italy's Monte dei Paschi. Schiraldi, who worked at Deutsche Bank’s asset and wealth management division, sued Germany's largest lender for allegedly damaging his career by wrongfully accusing him of abetting false accounting and market manipulation at the Italian bank. He was one of six former employees who had sued Deutsche Bank over alleged ​damage to their reputations with regard to their business with Monte dei Paschi in 2008. Four cases are still pending in a London court.

Belgian-Chinese researcher to face trial over suspected semiconductor espionage

Police in Belgium have arrested a Belgian-Chinese technology researcher on suspicion of industrial espionage after the alleged transfer of trade secrets about semiconductor production to China. The unnamed dual-national held a senior research job at Belgian semiconductor manufacturer BelGaN while “simultaneously acting as a director of a Chinese company engaged in a similar manufacturing activity,” the Belgian federal public prosecutor’s office said. He is facing charges related to “espionage, participation in a criminal organisation, misuse of company assets and the unlawful disclosure of company secrets.”
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RISK

UK study highlights failure to prepare for high temperatures

The UK's independent National Heat Risk Commission has identified a failure to implement previous recommendations to prepare for high temperatures in its initial report. The commission's report, ‘A Heat Circuit Breaker for the UK’, states: “Heat risk has been catalogued for more than a decade, yet action to address it has been slow.” It observed that “recommendations are plentiful,” but “delivery is absent.” Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the commission, said: “Knowledge that things are only going to get hotter just needs to be really embraced at all levels of government,” adding: “It’s still incumbent on us all . . . that we don’t forget, so that we are better prepared next year.”

Europe failing to deter Russia’s ‘hybrid’ war, warn defence officials

Defence and intelligence officials say Europe is not doing enough to deter Russia’s “hybrid” war against Nato member states, and must rapidly develop new methods to suppress Moscow’s invidious campaign.
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ECONOMY

Eurozone shoppers retreat in July

Eurozone retail sales fell unexpectedly in July, suggesting consumers are beginning to feel the strain of high energy prices and the ongoing conflict in Iran. Sales volumes dropped 0.6% month on month, reversing a 0.2% rise in June and missing economists' forecast of 0.3% growth. Germany suffered the sharpest decline among major economies, with sales down 3.4%, while Spain fell 0.9% and Italy 0.3%. Harry Chambers of Capital Economics said the fall was the largest in more than a year, indicating a weak start to the third quarter. However, consumer confidence improved in July and August, while underlying inflation pressures remained relatively contained.
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INTERNATIONAL

AI strategies must protect workers and not just profits

Rodney Kinchington, regional managing director, Asia-Pacific, Japan and Greater China at BT International, tells The Straits Times that companies in Asia must carefully plan AI adoption to protect workers and facilitate retraining. Many businesses are unprepared for AI's impact, and are focused primarily on profits, he says. Kinchington observes that a poorly conceived AI strategy could displace workers, particularly in sectors such as business process outsourcing. He highlights the need for clear goals and collaboration across sectors to ensure that AI enhances productivity and workforce skills. “The impact of AI is not just a digital transformation journey, it's a change in company culture,” he cautions.

Amazon cargo crash investigation focuses on aircraft speed and runway safeguards

US aviation investigators are examining the speed, weather conditions and airport safeguards involved in an Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport that killed five people on the ground and injured five others. The 21 Air-operated Boeing 767 travelled around 1,300 feet beyond the paved runway, striking a van carrying seven people and an SUV. Publicly available data indicated the aircraft was travelling at 112 knots, or about 129mph, as it left the usable runway. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate why the pilots did not perform a go-around, alongside the aircraft’s mechanical systems, crew experience and air-traffic control, and will assess whether the absence of an Engineering Materials Arresting System at the end of the runway contributed to the severity of the accident.

Coles to end Palantir partnership following data privacy campaign

Australian supermarket Coles has agreed to end its partnership with U.S. data analytics company Palantir after three years, with the contract not extending beyond 2027 and a transition plan now under way, although the final timing has yet to be determined. The grocer signed the agreement in 2024, giving Palantir’s software access to more than 10bn rows of operational data covering its stores, shifts and 120,000 employees, which Coles says has been used for rostering, store operations and supply-chain planning within its own controlled environment. Coles has rejected claims that the partnership involved surveillance, saying Palantir has had no involvement in CCTV, facial recognition or crime prevention, while Palantir says its technology has delivered operational benefits for the retailer.
 
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