Major miners expected to make submissions on Australian government inquiry into sexual harassment.
Google Calendar takes on hybrid work location requirements, and Europe deals with staff shortages as the workforce looks to the new normal. Meanwhile, Elon Musk takes on the humanoid robot frontier, with the initial prototype of an androgynous Tesla Bot expected in 2022 and an Australian government inquiry plans to shed light on sexual harassment in the mining industry.
Competition for staff hots up
Having spent more than a year living with the stresses of the coronavirus pandemic, many now find themselves able to call the shots on pay and conditions as companies compete for staff amid labour shortages created by fast vaccine-led recoveries in rich-world economies.
In Germany, more than a third of companies complained of staff shortages last month, the highest rate for three years, an Ifo institute survey showed.
The Microsoft 2021 Work Trend Index showed 41 percent of the global workforce are considering resigning this year – a near doubling of job-switching intent on the two years before the pandemic, reports Reuters.
Google Calendar adapts for hybrid work
With most companies adopting a hybrid work plan that includes attending the office for limited days in a week, it becomes difficult to plan in-person meetings as a person’s physical work location remains unclear. Google has therefore added a new feature to its calendar, which automatically lets colleagues know an individual’s location on a particular date.
This feature will roll out from 30 August, with users being able to add a weekly working location routine, and update the location as plans change.
Tesla Bot to eliminate need for people to handle dangerous, boring work
After dominating the electric vehicle market and throwing his hat into the billionaire space race, Tesla boss Elon Musk plans to launch humanoid robots.
He expects to have an initial prototype of an androgynous “Tesla Bot” by next year.
Based on the same technology as the company’s semi-autonomous vehicles, the robot will be able to perform basic repetitive tasks with the aim of eliminating the need for people to handle dangerous or boring work, according to a report on AFP.
Australia’s mining industry braces for sexual harassment inquiry
Australia’s mining industry is bracing for a government inquiry that is expected to shed light on sexual harassment in the country's mineral-rich west, as the sector struggles with a dire skills shortage and low female representation, reports Reuters.
Major miners including BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue are among those expected to make submissions to the state government inquiry, which will make recommendations to West Australia’s parliament in April 2022.
