Beshara: Nil Sine Labore

Good news from the world of work and workers changing the world

I don’t remember much from my school days (they were ever so long ago) but ingrained in my memory, ironically without effort, is the Latin motto we had embroidered with a crest on our blazers: Nil Sine Labore.

Nothing without work.

An apt recollection this week as I delved into the many reports and findings from our busy business team who have been dissecting the world of work for a series of special reports – and somewhat surprisingly finding reasons for a positive outlook amid the global downturn.

Across the Gulf, job creation, hiring and salaries are expected to rise this year – and we had some good news for tech workers as their industry faces sweeping cuts in some parts of the world.

There were also silver linings for so-called silver workers and a far less dystopian viewpoint on artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs (97 million new ones).

But if the coming months and years are seemingly still too bleak (though there was some mild optimism from the International Monetary Fund and at the World Governments Summit) we can look much further ahead with a futurist’s take on the world of work beyond 2040, when AI will be a benevolent life coach and mental health safety is prioritised.

So, among the highlights below you will find stories where incredible work is creating invaluable benefits for all.

Best wishes always,

Nicola Leech

Do you have beshara to share? Email [email protected]

'Their hard work - it means a lot to us'

First to a story that is incredibly close to the heart of one of my brilliant colleagues, Shireena Al Nowais who has been learning about the work of Dr Fatima Al Kaabi and the team at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre this week – and so in her own words:

“After living with MS for 20 years, this story about the new treatment trials gave me a little bit of hope. It's been a long and lonely road, and this news is something positive to look forward to for everyone living with this burden.

“Dealing with MS is tough, but it's developments like these that remind me progress is happening and a cure is possible. It's comforting to know that there are constant efforts under way to find a cure and not just new treatments.”

Read her report here.

QUOTED

'We came here not just as doctors but as humans too… Our blood is theirs'

– Mohamed Diaa Ibrahim is a paediatrician at the Emirati Field Hospital in Gaza and is one of many staff donating their blood for Palestinian patients

‘Pocket of Hollywood in Kathmandu’

This week we heard about a little bit of off-screen magic from a renowned film studio that can rival the delightful tales it helps tell on-screen.

Incessant Rain Studios, which has worked on the likes of Kung Fu Panda, Lego Batman and Stranger Things, was held up as a shining example for creating opportunities and increasing diversity in Hollywood productions.

The studio’s leaders serve as special advisers in an initiative that helps women in Nepal to develop skills and find work.

It has been celebrated as an example of how inclusivity programmes can help pave a new career path but also drive economic growth and contribute to diverse storytelling for the wider world. Read more here.

SNAPSHOT

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

It is now the Year of the Dragon – a symbol that you will, no doubt, know is highly revered in Chinese culture.

Said to mean opportunity, prosperity, strength and leadership, the dragon is the only mythological animal in the Chinese Zodiac system, making 2024 a much-anticipated year for many.

It was difficult to choose a single photograph to highlight from these incredibly vibrant images of Lunar New Year celebrations from across the world and you may like this special report on the UAE’s growing Chinese community.

See more of this week's most captivating photos

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HIGHLIGHTS