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Employers are under pressure to cover GLP-1s for weight loss, but the research on how these trending medications impact the workforce is still evolving.

A recent paper published in the National Bureau of Economic Research provides one new datapoint for benefits leaders seeking additional information on GLP-1s, specifically with regard to sick leave.

The paper, which hasn’t yet been peer reviewed, analyzed Danish administrative data for two separate groups of patients taking GLP-1s; it compared those who started the medications between August 2018 and December 2019 with those who started four years later, from August 2022 to December 2023.

Over this time period, the amount of long-term sick leave that patients took declined by 17.3%, researchers found. Reduced sick leaves among these GLP-1 patients translated to a 1.3%–1.5% reduction in savings for employers and the government, which pay out sick leave benefits in Denmark.

For more on the findings, and what they mean for HR pros, keep reading here.—CV

      

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RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Morning Brew

It’s almost the end of summer, but many recent college graduates in the UK are still looking for work.

Where in the world? There were just 8,383 jobs for new graduates in the UK in July, down 45% from 2025, according to data from job match platform Adzuna. That’s the lowest number since the company started tracking vacancies in 2016. Entry-level job openings were down 8.1% YoY, Business Insider reported, with those in the healthcare, hospitality, and logistics industries declining the most.

Many employers have slowed hiring amid rising talent costs, economic uncertainty, and increased automation. Some are instead choosing to offshore jobs to cheaper labor markets, according to Business Insider, while others like EY and PwC are offering longer internships or trainee roles instead of jobs.

Satellite view. Recent graduates in the US have struggled to find work as well, according to an April report from ZipRecruiter.

For more on how recent graduates are faring in job markets around the world, keep reading here.—KP

      

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TECH

Morning Brew Inc., Photo: Annette Riedl/Getty Images

Bill Gates, in his own words, might now be the “shrillest voice” on AI risk. He’s done a flurry of interviews sounding the alarm on a technology he thinks could destabilize the world, posted a 5,900-word blog post on how it could be the “worst source of injustice”—and says he’s been talking about it with leaders in government and the tech industry, too. The question is, will people listen?

What happened? In a wide range of interviews published last week, the Microsoft co-founder sent a dire warning about how AI could drive job loss and bioterrorism. And he’s not alone. Behind closed doors, Gates says tech executives are actually “very worried” about AI—but are downplaying it publicly.

Tell me more. During his media tour, Gates zeroed in on the tech’s potential impact on jobs, saying that there won’t be a job left unaffected because humans will eventually be “vastly inferior to the AI doing the job.”

For more on his concerns and suggestions, keep reading on Tech Brew.—WK

      

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Francis Scialabba

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: Nearly half (32.6%) of US workers who lost their jobs between 2023–2025 after at least three years at their employer were displaced because their company or factory shut down. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Quote: “I don’t think anything above the knee is appropriate, really. It’s distracting.”—Victoria Hitchcock, a style consultant who works with clients in the tech sector, on the appropriateness of wearing shorts and other so-called revealing clothing at work (NPR)

Read: Some construction companies are offering living allowances and higher pay to attract workers to remote locations. (Facilities Dive)

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