In this economy, the only thing making moves is our cortisol levels. Economic uncertainty saw employers and workers pull out of the job market in 2025, leading to what’s since been described as a “no-hire, no-fire” labor market. New data shows that trend is continuing in 2026. Despite a slight uptick in job openings, labor turnover primarily continued to stagnate in January, per the latest job openings and labor turnover survey (JOLTS) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Diving into the data. Job openings rose to 6.9 million in January, up from 6.6 million in December. Openings increased the most in finance and insurance, by 184,000 to 313,000, while private educational services saw the steepest decline, by 28,000 to 129,000. Total hires in January remained unchanged month over month at 5.3 million. Total hires rose the most in professional and business services, by 35,000, and fell the most in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, by 67,000.

But don’t hold out hope that the uptick in job openings in January will materialize into job growth. The opposite happened in February, when total employment declined by 92,000, per the BLS’s latest jobs report.

Zoom out. Caution is driving both employers and workers’ job decisions.

For more on what HR needs to know about the JOLTS report, keep reading here.—PM

The war in Iran has created the largest oil transport disruption in history. As costs increase and supply remains uncertain, Asian nations with smaller oil reserves are responding by encouraging businesses and residents to change their day-to-day operations.

“They’re trying to manage the supply situation before it even comes close to hitting them,” Priyanka Kishore, director and principal economist at Asia Decoded, told Al Jazeera.

The president of the Philippines issued a directive for government employees to work four days a week, while the Federation of Free Workers and BPO Industry Employees Network encouraged remote work, Channel News Asia reported. Thailand issued various recommendations for businesses and individuals to help preserve energy. And Vietnam’s government is asking businesses to allow employees to work remotely, Reuters reported.

While employers in Asia are taking proactive steps to reduce the burden on workers, some experts told Business Insider they believe the US is less likely to follow suit.

For more on how employers and governments in Asia are promoting alternative work arrangements amid the oil crisis, keep reading here.—KP

Over the last few years, the pharmaceutical industry has gone all in on direct-to-consumer (DTC) cash-pay sales for drugs that widely lack health insurance coverage.

Now, pharma is taking it to the next level by going direct to employer.

Eli Lilly launched its Employer Connect platform on March 5, which gives employers their choice of 15+ independent program administrators and pharmacies where they can access its GLP-1 Zepbound Kwikpen for a reduced price of $449 for all doses. A press release touts it as an option offering “greater cost predictability and transparency.”

In related news, GoodRx, one of Employer Connect’s program administrators, announced its own expansion into the employer market on Feb. 24: GoodRx Employer Direct. Though GoodRx is initially focusing on GLP-1s, this new approach is related to a wider change in how healthcare is delivered and paid for, Julia Croxen, VP of strategy consulting at venture fund and advisory firm Rock Health, told Healthcare Brew.

For more on direct-to-employer models, keep reading on Healthcare Brew.—CC