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Human Times helps you stay ahead of the latest news and trends that impact the HR industry. Every weekday, our unique blend of AI and team of expert HR and employment editors and researchers monitor 100,000s of articles, and social posts to create summaries of the most relevant and useful content to help you lead, innovate and grow. The award winning Human Times newsletter has four geographical editions with news tailored to your region.

From HR leadership to diversity and inclusion, hybrid working, organisational data, performance management, and retention strategies, Human Times is the only trusted free online news source dedicated to covering the most up to date headlines, articles, reports and interviews to make sure you’re abreast of changes in the HR industry.

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Recent Editions
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Human Times
North America
Microsoft 'will now pay some employees to leave'

Microsoft is giving low performers the option to accept a payout and leave the company rather than be placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), according to Business Insider, which has obtained an internal email outlining the company’s new performance management system. Microsoft's chief people officer Amy Coleman described the new system as having “clear expectations and a timeline for improvement.” A separation agreement that would be the equivalent of 16 weeks' pay is reportedly being offered to those who want to forgo performance management.

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Human Times
UK
European workers remain the least engaged regional workforce

For only the second time in the past 12 years, the global percentage of engaged employees fell, from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, according to Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report. For the fifth year in a row, European workers' engagement (13%) was lower than in any other world region. The primary cause for the global decline in engagement was a drop in managers' engagement. While engagement among individual contributors remained flat at 18%, managers' engagement fell from 30% to 27%. No other worker category experienced as significant a decline in engagement as the world's managers. Two types of managers were particularly affected: Young (under 35) manager engagement fell by five percentage points. Female manager engagement dropped by seven points. "Manager engagement affects team engagement, which affects productivity. Business performance - and ultimately GDP growth - is at risk if executive leaders do not address manager breakdown," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief workplace scientist.

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Human Times
Europe
European workers remain the least engaged regional workforce

For only the second time in the past 12 years, the global percentage of engaged employees fell, from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, according to Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report. For the fifth year in a row, European workers' engagement (13%) was lower than in any other world region. The primary cause for the global decline in engagement was a drop in managers' engagement. While engagement among individual contributors remained flat at 18%, managers' engagement fell from 30% to 27%. No other worker category experienced as significant a decline in engagement as the world's managers. Two types of managers were particularly affected: Young (under 35) manager engagement fell by five percentage points. Female manager engagement dropped by seven points. "Manager engagement affects team engagement, which affects productivity. Business performance - and ultimately GDP growth - is at risk if executive leaders do not address manager breakdown," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief workplace scientist.

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Human Times
Middle East
Israel labour union chief threatens general strike

Arnon Bar-David, the head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Federation, has issued a stark warning about a potential nationwide strike, citing threats to democracy due to the actions of the government. The union has previously organised strikes in response to political events, including the dismissal of defence minister Yoav Gallant and protests against the handling of hostages in Gaza. “Democracy is still in danger and under attack every day, and the justice system and the security establishment are those who suffer the blows,” Bar-David said in an interview with the Maariv daily, referring to government clashes with the Shin Bet security service and with prosecutors and Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara. “My red line is failure to comply with court rulings,” he said. “If this happens, we will head toward anarchy. If needed - I won't hesitate to announce a strike.”

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