Human Times
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UK Edition
4th September 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

Services sector employment dips again

Employment in the UK's services sector fell for the 23rd consecutive month in August, according to S&P's latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the industry. The latest dip came as businesses continued hiring freezes and headcount cuts amid rising fuel, transport and wage costs, with some turning to automation to improve productivity. The pace of job losses nevertheless eased to its slowest rate since October 2025, while the services PMI rose from 52.1 to 52.5, indicating modest growth and improving business confidence.
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WORKFORCE

Sick workers cost £87bn

Poor workforce health cost the UK economy £87bn last year, according to a Simplyhealth analysis. The largest expenses included £51.6bn from sickness absence and £20bn in lost productivity. Employees reported losing an average of 2.1 working days due to difficult access to healthcare. Simplyhealth said: "The impact of workforce health on the economy is significant and requires urgent attention."
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ECONOMY

Growth does not boost living standards for 46% of households

Almost 46% of households in Britain live in areas where economic growth does not improve living standards, according to a new report by PwC. The North-South divide is stark, with regions in the North and Midlands showing lower spending power than the national average. Spending power is 6.6% below the national average in the North East, £1,493 lower in the North West and £1,917 lower in Yorkshire and the Humber, while the South East is 9% above average. Rachel Taylor from PwC said the research "shows just how differently prosperity is experienced across the UK." The report calls for local authorities to retain more revenue from local growth to enhance community prosperity.
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Asda launches nationwide virtual work experience

Asda is expanding its virtual work experience programme to schools across the UK. The initiative aims to enhance employability skills like teamwork and public speaking while addressing real-world sustainability challenges. The programme has already been implemented in nearly 50 schools in Yorkshire. Emma Brough, Director of Learning at Asda, said: "This programme is designed to showcase hidden careers within retail and give students practical skills they can carry into their future careers."

Convicted criminals hired for new prison

Convicted criminals are being employed to help construct the new HMP Glasgow. Kier Construction has offered jobs to 40 prison leavers. The initiative is part of Kier's Making Ground programme, which aims to provide training and employment opportunities for ex-prisoners. HMP Glasgow, which is significantly over budget and delayed, will add around 350 spaces to the prison estate.
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LEGAL

Estate agent wins £48,000 for maternity discrimination

Murron Stewart, an estate agent, has won £48,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal and maternity discrimination after her treatment at Purplebricks. The tribunal found that Stewart was not contacted during her maternity leave and faced unreasonable performance targets upon her return.
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TAX

‘Exit tax’ on UK entrepreneurs ruled out by business department

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has privately reassured business leaders that the government will not be pursuing an exit tax for companies that move overseas after spinning out of British universities.
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RISK

Watchdog warns Britain to prepare for food shortages

The National Audit Office has warned the government to strengthen preparations for serious food shortages as extreme weather, cyber-attacks and disease increase risks to UK supplies. It urged Defra to develop emergency plans with businesses and households. The warning follows drought and wildfires that damaged European crops and a difficult year for British farmers. National Farming Union president Tom Bradshaw said food availability had been taken for granted. Defra said it was working with farmers and the food industry to strengthen food security.
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CYBERSECURITY

AI spots cyber gaps faster than financial firms can fix them

The use of AI at financial services companies to search for cyber weaknesses threatens to create “bottlenecks” because the models are identifying so many problems, the Financial Conduct Authority says.
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INTERNATIONAL

Cisco accused of fostering a hostile workplace for Muslim staff

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found that Cisco may have violated the civil rights of its Middle Eastern and Muslim employees by subjecting them to a hostile work environment amid anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments on internal messaging platforms. A group of Cisco employees called “Bridge to Humanity” (B2H), which had voiced concerns that the company’s technology was provided to the Israeli military for use in Israel’s war on Gaza, alleged that Cisco had not responded to their complaints until they created a 76-page report cataloguing the hate comments they had been subjected to in an internal messaging group called Connected Jewish Network. Jeffrey Wang, a civil rights managing lawyer at the Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) San Francisco Bay-area chapter, said: “Employers have a legal responsibility to address harassment and discrimination fairly and consistently. Workers should not have to fear retaliation or a hostile work environment because of their religion, national origin, or association with protected communities.”

VW board backs job cuts

Volkswagen's supervisory board has approved a transformation plan that may see around 50,000 jobs being cut, including management roles. The company said the changes are necessary amid rising global competition, shifting demand, and technological advancements. Volkswagen aims for an operating margin of 9% by 2030, up from 3.8% in H1 2026. Asset manager Union Investment has warned that VW's credit rating could be cut to 'junk' status unless it cuts costs.

The unseen workforce behind commercial AI

The sociologist Antonio Casilli has spoken with the Democracy Now website about the hidden workforce - primarily in the Global South - behind commercial AI. These workers perform repetitive work to train and maintain the systems, even though the technology is often presented as if it is autonomous. Casilli says public discussion about AI often focuses on future job threats, but the technology is already changing working conditions for millions of people, many of whom are in unstable, underpaid gig-style arrangements, precipitating demands for fair wages and employment protections.

Maternity leave cannot cost women their careers, Delhi HC says

The Delhi High Court has ruled that women returning from maternity leave must be reinstated to their previous roles without facing professional disadvantages. The court ordered an employer to pay ₹10 lakh in compensation and ₹1.5 lakh in costs to a chartered accountant who said she was demoted after her leave. Justice Sachin Datta said that the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 protects women from adverse employment actions due to pregnancy.
 
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