Human Times

European Edition

22nd September 2026

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THE HOT STORY

French prosecutors probe misuse of smart glasses

Prosecutors in Paris have launched at least one criminal investigation into suspected sexual harassment following complaints that people used smart glasses to film women on the street without their consent. The Paris prosecutor’s office tasked its cybercrime unit with testing smart glasses two weeks ago to better understand how the technology could be used to facilitate crime. France's data protection authority, CNIL, said it had received under 10 complaints concerning smart glasses being used in the workplace. CNIL's head of economic affairs Nacera Bekhat said smart glasses pose "real challenges" in terms of informing people that they are being filmed and getting consent when needed. AI-enabled wearable devices are regulated by the European Union's AI Act and the General Data Protection Regulation.

Reuters

THE NEW TALENT EQUATION

Why Augmentation Is Outperforming Automation

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way organizations attract, develop, and deploy talent. While many companies have focused on automation, new research from Talent Solutions RPO and Right Management, conducted by Everest Group, shows that the greatest value often comes from augmenting human work rather than replacing it.

In fact, 34% of organizations report their strongest gains from AI-augmented roles, compared with just 8% from fully automated roles.

Join Talent Solutions RPO, Right Management, and Everest Group for an executive discussion on why augmentation is outperforming automation and what this means for talent acquisition, workforce strategy, and organizational transformation.

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Register for the Webinar

WORKFORCE

German auto workers protest to save jobs

German automotive workers staged nationwide protests on Monday, urging government and management to safeguard jobs and factories amid a crisis in the industry. The German car sector faces challenges from rising Chinese competition, weak domestic demand, and US tariffs. Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 jobs by 2030, and Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also downsizing. Speaking at VW's Wolfsburg factory, IG Metall leader and VW supervisory board member Christiane Benner said: "Things have really hit the fan . . . Companies like VW, BMW, Audi, Bosch, Mercedes and Porsche were synonymous with fantastic cars and high quality . . . Now, management is driving the industry at full throttle into a brick wall."

France 24

Icelandair rejects offer to postpone strike for seven days

Icelandair has rejected a proposal from the Icelandic Aircraft Mechanics Association (FVFÍ) to postpone a planned strike by seven days. The strike was set to commence at midnight on Tuesday. FVFÍ said: "It is disappointing to find ourselves wanting to keep the dialogue going . . . only to receive no response." The association said it remains prepared to work on a proposal from the State Mediator.

Iceland Monitor

Workers at Diageo’s largest distillery to go on strike as demand slumps

Workers at drinks giant's Diageo’s Cameronbridge distillery in Scotland are set to strike for almost three weeks from September 28th in protest against planned job cuts. More than half of the site’s 200 employees expected to take part. Unite has said the industrial action could bring production at Europe’s largest grain distillery to a standstill. Diageo has said its proposal to remove up to ten roles at Cameronbridge is necessary as it maintains reduced production volumes amid weaker demand. The dispute comes as new chief executive Sir Dave Lewis pursues $1bn of cost savings over three years, with production paused at three other Scottish sites.

Yahoo News

Financial Times

The National

STRATEGY

Job cuts at Novo Nordisk much larger than expected

Job cuts at Danish pharmaceutical company Novo, previously known as Novo Nordisk, have ended up much larger than previously expected, with a total 13,000 full time jobs lost in the past year compared to the 9,000 previously forecast, as the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy falls behind rival Eli Lilly in the multibillion-dollar obesity-drug market.

Copenhagen Post

Financial Times

The Local (Denmark)

LEGAL

Former Deutsche banker convicted for embezzlement of €600,000

The former head of a Deutsche Bank private banking team in Frankfurt has received a suspended prison term of two years for embezzling more than €626,000 ($718,400) from rich clients. The Frankfurt Regional Court convicted the banker - who worked at Deutsche’s flagship branch at its Frankfurt headquarters and who under German law can only be identified as Sven R. - of aggravated breach of trust. Starting in late 2023, he exploited weaknesses in the lender’s internal controls until he was finally apprehended early in 2025. “Deutsche Bank’s security measures at the time were easy to circumvent,” Presiding Judge Eva Livesey-Wardle said. “There were no checks built into the system, there were only the other employees. That was easy to get around if you’d built up trust for years.”

Bloomberg

Financial Times

Hungary to amend anti-LGBTQ law to align with EU norms

Hungary's government has introduced a bill to amend anti-LGBTQ rules that were originally enacted under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The 2021 law, which banned the “promotion of homosexuality” to those under 18, had faced criticism for stigmatising LGBTQ individuals. The new bill aims to remove references to “promotion” and instead focus on material that could harm a child's development. Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the changes would align Hungary with EU regulations.

AlJazeera

MANAGEMENT

Flexible working keeps UK managers on board

Research by the Chartered Management Institute reveals that flexible working is one of the main reasons for managers in the UK to stay in their jobs. In a survey of 1,035 managers, nearly 40% cited flexible working as a key reason for staying with their employer. Remote and hybrid work arrangements were chosen by 37% of respondents. Other factors included job security (32%), interesting work (30%), and competitive salaries (24%). The UK government has said it wants to make it more difficult for employers to deny flexible working requests.

The Times

INTERNATIONAL

Australian regulator sues former Super Retail chief over alleged disclosure failures

Super Retail Group’s former chief executive Anthony Heraghty has been sued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which alleges he breached his directors’ duties and misled the board and market over an alleged relationship with former head of human resources Jane Kelly. Heraghty was dismissed in September 2025 after the retailer’s board concluded he had inadequately disclosed the alleged relationship, while ASIC has alleged he failed to properly manage the resulting conflict of interest despite participating in decisions concerning Kelly’s employment, remuneration, incentives and redundancy package. The regulator is seeking financial penalties, declarations of contravention and disqualification orders against Heraghty, who became chief executive of Winning Group in July.

Reuters

US law firms encourage senior partners to retire

Major US law firms are increasingly looking for ways to encourage senior partners to retire as lawyers remain in their careers well into their 70s, 80s, and even 90s. Roughly one-third of US lawyers are 55 or older, including 14% who are over 65, creating potential bottlenecks that can limit leadership opportunities, major assignments, and client relationships for younger partners. Firms are responding with measures ranging from mandatory retirement ages and pension packages to reductions in equity and financial incentives. Some, including Latham & Watkins, Morgan Lewis, and Debevoise, have hired consultants to help senior lawyers plan for life after their legal careers. The programmes encourage partners to consider alternative pursuits; participants go on to careers and interests including photography, theatre production, screenwriting, and volunteering.

Wall Street Journal

Singapore firms 'must plan for workers amid transformation'

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has highlighted the need for businesses to consider their workforce during operational transformations. He said that workforce issues should not be an afterthought for HR departments. Wong outlined three key shifts for Singapore: aligning learning with jobs, simplifying the employment support system, and ensuring that workforce development is integrated with business transformation. The newly formed SkillsFuture Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) will seek to facilitate these changes through its centre, Connect by SWDA, which aims to provide tailored support for both workers and employers. “Our workers cannot be an afterthought in business transformation,” Wong said. “When a company transforms, its workers should have the chance to transform with it. So the two must go hand in hand . . . We want businesses to become more productive and competitive. But we also want workers to benefit – through better skills, better jobs and better prospects,” he added.

Straits Times

OTHER

Meloni announces ban on burqa and niqab in Italian schools

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce a measure that would limit the number of foreign students in classrooms and prohibit the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools. Speaking at the Gioventù Nazionale national festival, Meloni said: "For us, anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future here must learn our language, understand our culture, and respect our rules." The proposed measure will require parliamentary approval within 60 days after government approval. Meloni's administration recently became Italy's longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II.

Euronews.com

Los Angeles Times

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