
Klarna claims its AI now matches workload of 853 staff. The payments company says its generative-AI customer-service assistant has handled millions of queries with human-level satisfaction, underscoring automation’s accelerating impact on service jobs as financial-technology leaders weigh the gains — and risks — of digital labour.

Addiction is already in the workplace, often hiding in plain sight. As Professor Marcantonio Spada of Onebright writes, silence and stigma prevent many from seeking help until crisis strikes. Creating open, supportive cultures where employees can talk about addiction is both compassionate and critical for business health.

Budget talk is already weighing on Britain’s Christmas shoppers. New BRC and GfK data shows consumer sentiment sliding again in November, just as inflation eases and retail sales stumble. With Rachel Reeves facing a sizeable fiscal gap, retailers are braced for a Budget that could define demand well into 2026.

A third of UK employees feel uninspired at work. O.C. Tanner’s latest Global Culture Report finds a significant “inspiration gap” between employees’ ambitions and workplace reality, linking it to falling engagement, slower innovation, and weaker productivity across British organisations.

Samsung officially names TM Roh as co-chief executive officer. The appointment reinstates a dual-leadership model at Samsung Electronics, dividing oversight between its mobile and semiconductor divisions. The move underscores the company’s intent to strengthen governance and sustain competitiveness across its consumer technology and component businesses amid a shifting global market.

Europe is eyeing stakes in Australian resource ventures. The European Union has announced plans to invest directly in Australian critical-minerals operations to secure key supply for its green transition, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said following talks in Melbourne with Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King.

US employers added more jobs than expected in September. The 119,000 payroll gain came alongside a rise in unemployment to 4.4 percent, signalling a labour market that remains steady but not overheating. For the Federal Reserve, the figures strengthen the case for patience before adjusting interest rates.

Technology has blurred the boundaries of the workday. Bryan Stallings, Chief Evangelist at Lucid, warns that constant connectivity has created an ‘infinite workday’ — one where interruptions, late-night meetings, and reactive communication are eroding psychological safety. A cultural reset is needed to restore focus, clarity, and humane productivity.

Upgrading connected tech could add nine days of productivity. A BT Business report suggests better connectivity could offset the average sick leave lost per UK worker and ease workplace stress by 2030, as companies invest in AI and cloud-enabled tools to improve efficiency, retention, and wellbeing.