AGP Executive Report

Layoffs: Canva plans to cut 22% of its workforce, or about 1,271 jobs, as growth slows; Disney is also weighing thousands of cuts, with managers told to target 20% in savings. Workforce Policy: Saudi Arabia is barring foreign workers from 69 administrative occupations, reshaping access to jobs in the kingdom. AI and Talent: A new survey finds 92% of HR professionals believe employees can be reskilled for AI roles, yet employers are hiring externally more often than redeploying current staff. Employment Law: The EEOC has rescinded its criminal-records guidance, but fair-chance laws remain in force; employers still need to review background-check practices. Worker Protections: Meituan is expanding winter gear, service stations and medical coverage for more than 1 million delivery riders across 186 Chinese cities. Discrimination: Lockheed Martin agreed to pay nearly $30 million to settle claims that its incentive program discriminated against White employees; the company denies wrongdoing.

Workplace Accountability: A 2022 UCLA investigation found the Extension dean violated workplace anti-bullying rules after more than 20 employees alleged abuse; the university later reappointed him for five years. Workforce Cuts: Canva plans to eliminate 1,271 jobs, or 22% of its workforce, amid slowing growth. Disney is also preparing thousands of layoffs, with managers reportedly tasked with finding 20% in savings. Hiring and Mobility: Saudi Arabia now reserves 69 administrative support occupations for citizens, while the UK has listed 104 jobs ineligible for Skilled Worker visas. AI in HR: A Singapore employer survey found 85% of AI-supported HR use cases still require human sign-off, underscoring the need for oversight as companies automate workforce decisions. Compliance: The EEOC has rescinded its guidance on criminal background checks, leaving employers to reassess screening practices and legal risks.

Layoffs and productivity: Disney is weighing thousands of job cuts as CEO Josh D’Amaro seeks 20% savings, following earlier reductions. Freshworks CEO Dennis Woodside says the software company surpassed $1 billion in recurring revenue with 30% fewer employees, after narrowing its focus and dropping smaller projects. AI in HR: A Singapore employers’ survey found 85% of AI-supported HR use cases still require human sign-off, despite widespread adoption. Hiring: Employment Hero’s survey found 41% of job seekers cite little or no feedback as their most common bad recruitment experience; employers risk losing candidates when hiring drags on. Workplace rules: California’s No Robo Bosses Act will bar employers from relying solely on automated systems for disciplinary or termination decisions from July 2027. Saudi Arabia has set a January 2027 deadline for companies to disclose employee training data.

Corporate Cuts: Disney is weighing thousands of layoffs as it seeks up to 20% in savings; the company has already cut hundreds of HR and technology roles. Women in Leadership: An ILO survey of nearly 12,000 employers in 99 countries found women’s representation rising at the top, but falling in junior and middle management from 2013 to 2025. Payroll Controls: Nigeria is tightening checks before new federal hires can join the payroll, as personnel spending reached ₦1.96 trillion in the first quarter. Job Creation: Nigeria’s DICON-D7G says its defence manufacturing expansion could create 7,000 jobs for civilians and retired military personnel. Foreign Worker Oversight: Malaysia’s former HR minister M. Saravanan will face trial next year on corruption charges tied to foreign-worker quotas. Older Workers: Singapore’s planned rise in retirement and re-employment ages highlights a challenge for employers: experienced job seekers report age bias and automated application rejections. Gig Worker Protections: Malaysia’s new rules include social security contributions and partial pay when shifts are cancelled at short notice.

AI at Work: The University of Kentucky granted a humanist employee an accommodation to avoid using AI, after finding the request would not burden the department. The case highlights a new compliance challenge as employers introduce AI tools. Workforce Shifts: Microsoft is offering voluntary exits to about 60,000 eligible employees across the U.S., Canada, India and the UK as it invests heavily in AI infrastructure. Labour Relations: Some 3,000 TELUS workers ratified a contract with 12.25% in total wage increases, stronger job protections and limits on GPS tracking. Training Rules: Saudi Arabia requires private-sector employers with 50 or more workers to report training data by Jan. 31, 2027—even if they ran no training programs. Jobs Outlook: About 1.9 million Americans had been unemployed for at least 27 weeks in September, up 68% from 2023, according to a new report.

Inclusive Employment: Malaysia’s Perlis council signed a declaration to advance disability rights, including job opportunities, accessibility and recruitment quotas for qualified para-athletes. Layoffs: October’s tech job cuts topped 5,000, with Amazon, Netflix and eBay among the companies shedding roles as the industry’s restructuring continues. Early-Career Jobs: China’s graduate jobs crisis is deepening as millions compete for fewer openings, while Malaysian employers face a catch-22 hiring fresh graduates without experience in the AI era. AI and HR: Nearly half of Singapore employers using AI in HR deploy it for recruitment; HR leaders are also being urged to balance adoption with employee wellbeing. Pay and Benefits: Jordan’s 2027 budget circular proposes a JOD 30 monthly increase for public employees and retirees earning under JOD 600.

Talent Mobility: Malaysia is easing work rules for expatriates’ spouses, removing barriers that have led some dual-career families to reject roles. HR teams will need to adapt, while the change could help Malaysia compete for regional talent. Work Permits: Vietnam will exempt 18 categories of foreign workers from permits starting Dec. 5, including some investors and technical advisers. AI and Early Careers: Malaysian graduates say AI is shrinking entry-level tasks that once helped them gain experience; youth unemployment stood at 10.1% in August. Reskilling: Singapore’s new manpower minister says he wants to help workers switch sectors and find jobs faster through reskilling. Pay Transparency: Employers are also preparing for the EU directive, with new guidance outlining how companies should handle information requests.

Workplace Well-being: Experts at Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 HSSE conference urged employers to treat psychological safety as a workplace risk, building cultures where staff can raise concerns without fear of retaliation. AI and Job Design: HR leaders say companies should map how work gets done before deploying AI, distinguishing tasks that can be automated from those requiring human judgment and closer HR-IT collaboration. Career Transitions: Singapore’s manpower minister wants stronger support for workers changing sectors; just 54.9% of retrenched residents found work within six months in the second quarter, down from 60.7% in the first. Remote Work: New data suggests nearly half of young adults who work from home feel lonely, highlighting a connection challenge for employers.

Global Workforce Cuts: Marriott is cutting consumer-affairs, quality-audit, regional HR and IT roles worldwide; its complaint teams are due to close Nov. 13, though the company says it is also posting new positions. Employer Rules: UK budget plans put higher wages, parental pay and hiring reforms on employers’ radar, while the UAE’s human resources ministry urged private firms to meet 2026 Emiratisation targets. AI and Jobs: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees as it manages AI-related costs. HR leaders also advise redesigning work and partnering with IT before deploying AI. Worker Rights: European unions have gained the right to enter workplaces to recruit and organise. Well-being: Bupa data shows 47% of workers aged 18–24 say remote work makes them lonely, up from 42% last year.

AI at Work: Samsung is expanding AI training and incorporating AI into employee evaluations as executives consider how the technology will reshape business. A Singapore survey also found nearly half of employers using AI in HR deploy it for recruitment, while California’s proposed “No Robo Bosses Act” would add restrictions on workplace AI. Training & Skills: Fewer than half of surveyed workers consistently use new methods after training, with many falling back on familiar routines. Workforce Cuts: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees worldwide as it manages costs amid heavy AI investment. Pay & Compliance: Employers face new preparation demands under the EU Pay Transparency Directive, including responding to workers’ pay-information requests. Well-being: Nearly half of remote workers aged 18 to 24 in a UK survey said working alone makes them feel lonely, keeping connection and mental health on HR’s agenda. Worker Voice: Unions in one jurisdiction have gained the right to enter workplaces to recruit and organise workers.

Workplace Culture: SHRM and Pass Kindness Forward launched a global challenge urging employers to make civility a daily habit, aiming for 20 million acts of kindness at work. Remote Work: Nearly half of workers aged 18 to 24 say working remotely makes them lonely, up from 42% last year; the findings renew calls to prioritize connection and wellbeing. AI at Work: California’s No Robo Bosses Act will require human review of AI-driven discipline or termination decisions from July 2027, with written notice for affected employees. Hiring: AI is reshaping both sides of recruitment: 63% of job seekers surveyed had faced an AI interview, while 70% said they weren’t clearly told AI would assess them. Workforce Changes: Microsoft is offering voluntary exits to eligible employees in participating teams across four countries, with as many as 60,000 workers potentially eligible as the company increases AI investment.

Layoffs: Amazon is reportedly cutting about 250 jobs in its Devices & Services unit. Earlier this week, Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to as many as 60,000 employees as it ramps up AI spending. Workforce Policy: UAE employers covered by Emiratisation rules must add 1% to skilled-job targets in the second half of 2026 to reach 2% growth for the year. Saudi Arabia will raise the Nitaqat wage threshold for counting Saudi workers to SR5,000 in 2027 and SR6,000 in 2028; employers are not required to raise salaries. AI in HR: Nearly half of surveyed Singapore employers use AI in recruitment, according to an SNEF survey. Employee Health: The UK Budget left taxes on employer-funded health benefits unchanged, even as statutory sick pay now starts on the first day of absence. Workplace Risks: Reports say injuries and unpaid labour are widespread at data centres built by Google and Microsoft, raising fresh questions about conditions in a fast-growing sector.

Federal Workforce: OPM has formally ended the governmentwide Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, directing agencies to run their own engagement polls. Critics say the change could weaken transparency and make results harder to compare. Inclusive Hiring: Los Angeles County is preparing 25 neurodivergent job seekers for paid, benefits-eligible internships, with coaching for participants and managers. AI and Job Cuts: The Netherlands plans to cut 25,000 government jobs by 2035 as it uses AI to streamline services. Amazon also eliminated about 250 Devices and Services roles, mostly in software, following other cuts this month. Hiring Security: Deel launched a tool to verify worker identities throughout hiring and employment. Its survey found 66% of employers had seen more suspicious remote-work applications in the past year, while 93% of HR leaders worry about AI-generated identities. Labor Relations and Safety: California state workers’ contract talks remain stalled after a one-day walkout, with their union warning of further action. In Malaysia, 35 people and organizations received national awards for workplace safety efforts.

Malaysia’s Wage and Hiring Policy: Employers will be required to prioritize local candidates through MyFutureJobs as Malaysia plans a RM2,000 monthly minimum wage from June 2027. More than four million workers are expected to benefit, with a phased rollout for smaller businesses. A new program will also train and certify caregivers, aiming to professionalize the workforce as the population ages. AI and Retention: SHL research finds workers displaced by AI may return only on better terms: 51% would seek a substantial pay rise, 42% job-security guarantees and 40% transparency on AI use. Workforce Restructuring: Amazon is cutting about 250 jobs in its Devices and Services division, while Disney’s parks unit is shedding at least 100 roles. Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to as many as 60,000 employees as it manages rising AI costs. Minimum Wage Debate: The UK’s Low Pay Commission has advised pausing plans to align the 18–20 minimum wage with the adult rate, warning that further equalization carries risks.

Workforce Cuts: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to as many as 60,000 employees as it reins in costs amid heavy AI spending. Disney has also cut 100 to 200 jobs in its Experiences division, after earlier layoffs across the company. Public-Sector Staffing: A watchdog says staffing losses at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management are still straining services, including retirement support and IT modernization. Migrant Worker Protections: South Korean lawmakers are calling for closer oversight after Uzbekistan and Bangladesh pledged to end financial penalties that can restrict migrant workers’ ability to change jobs. Pay and Wellbeing: A survey finds high inflation is holding back global wage growth, while separate research reports burnout is rising fast in 2026.

Workforce Restructuring: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to as many as 60,000 employees worldwide as it ramps up AI spending, putting nearly a quarter of its workforce in scope. Workplace Harassment: Il Fornaio will pay $3 million to settle EEOC claims that women employees faced sexual harassment and retaliation; the restaurant chain denies wrongdoing. Migrant Worker Protections: South Korean lawmakers are urging stronger oversight after reports that Uzbekistan and Bangladesh imposed financial penalties on workers who changed jobs, raising concerns about coercion. AI in HR: A survey found a quarter of organisations use or are piloting AI in HR or recruitment, while researchers warn AI-enabled impersonation and phishing are testing workplace safeguards. Retention and Inclusion: Columbia Group says the maritime industry must do more than recruit women, focusing on keeping them and opening routes to leadership.