Today's Human Resources Pulse
Greenhouse completes acquisition of Ezra AI Labs, adding voice‑AI interviewing
Greenhouse announced the completion of its acquisition of Ezra AI Labs, a voice‑AI interviewing platform. The technology enables on‑demand, role‑specific conversations that are scored against a uniform rubric, delivering transcripts and explainable evaluations. The deal expands Greenhouse’s structured hiring methodology to the earliest stage of the recruiting funnel.
Don’t Use AI to Automate a Bad Process — Including Performance Reviews
The article warns against using AI to automate performance reviews, a process many consider ineffective and anxiety‑inducing. It highlights that 13 % of companies claim to use AI for reviews, despite leading firms like Adobe, Microsoft, Netflix, and Accenture abandoning the practice altogether. The author argues that AI merely smooths a flawed ritual, preventing organizations from questioning its value. Instead, a shift toward frequent, coaching‑focused conversations is presented as a more productive alternative.
MoU Between SRA, TikTok Shop and WSG to See Deeper Focus on Social Commerce Scene
The Singapore Retailers Association, TikTok Shop, and Workforce Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop social commerce capabilities across the retail sector. The partnership will create training programmes for three new roles—livestream hosts, sellers, and engineers—through job redesign and...
MOH Releases Details on Updated Salary Guidelines for Community Care Staff in Singapore
Singapore’s Ministry of Health released updated salary guidelines for the community care sector on 8 April 2026, recommending roughly a 7 % increase in total annual compensation for most roles. The new tables detail starting and mid‑point monthly base salaries and median annual...
Singapore’s Workforce Shake-Up Drives Demand for Neuroscience-Led Coaching to Support Professionals Through Transition
Singapore’s tech, banking and professional services sectors are shedding roughly 20,000 jobs in 2025, driven by AI adoption, cost pressures and broader business transformation. In response, neuroscience‑led performance expert Sonia Ouarti, backed by Google Cloud, is offering a free, invitation‑only...
US Computer Chip Giant Intel Taps Zoom for CLO Replacement
Intel has appointed Aparna Bawa, formerly Zoom’s chief operating officer, as its new chief legal and people officer. Bawa will oversee global legal, ethics, compliance, human resources and culture, reporting directly to CEO Lip‑Bu Tan. She replaces April Miller Boise, who...
HR Experts Finally Seeing Real Value in Fit Notes
A March survey of 160 UK employers covering over 600,000 workers shows a growing appreciation for the Fit Note system, with 61% reporting some benefit and 10% calling it pivotal to absence‑management. The 2022 digitisation and expanded certifier pool appear...
Andaz Delhi Appoints Mandeep Sodhi as Director-HR
Andaz Delhi by Hyatt has appointed Mandeep Sodhi as director‑human resources, responsible for both the hotel and the adjacent Hyatt Delhi Residences. Sodhi will steer employee engagement, leadership development and operational excellence across the property. She brings more than 14 years of hospitality, real‑estate...
Visa Processing Startup Atlys Buys Back ESOPs Worth ₹4 Cr
Visa‑processing platform Atlys has executed its first ESOP buyback, repurchasing employee stock options worth ₹4 crore (approximately $0.5 million). The move allows eligible staff to liquidate up to 25% of their vested shares and aligns with Atlys’s recent $36 million Series C round led...
The New Playbook HR Leaders Need To Become Workforce Architects In The AI Economy
Artificial intelligence is outpacing traditional workforce planning, forcing HR leaders to move beyond static headcount models. The World Economic Forum predicts most changes will be task‑level transformations rather than full‑role eliminations, making capacity and skills architecture essential. HR must redesign...
The Value of Apprenticeships for Social Mobility and Regional Growth Is Real. So What’s Holding Businesses Back?
Construction apprenticeships are a proven driver of social mobility and regional growth, yet the sector cannot meet demand. Seddon received 2,694 applications for just 20 apprentice positions, highlighting a massive talent pool. Structural issues—project‑based work, low margins, and uncertain pipelines—make...
The Construction Gender Gap Is a Leadership Problem
The construction sector in the UK still sees women at only about 15% of the workforce, yet their representation in senior leadership is far lower. The article argues the gap is not a pipeline problem but stems from how leadership...
Faces of HR: Ramya Balakrishnan's Tips on Ensuring "AI Feels Like Having an Extra 0.5 Headcount by My Side"
Ramya Balakrishnan, VP of Global Talent at Coty, treats AI as an extra “0.5 headcount” that helps her think faster and clearer. She uses AI as a thought partner to brainstorm, pressure‑test ideas, and sharpen clarity while always starting with...
When a Good Boss Is Bad for Your Career
The piece argues that not all good bosses drive career growth, separating “stretch leaders” who broaden scope and expose employees to senior‑level reasoning from “comfort leaders” who shield teams from politics but limit development. Stretch leaders build judgment, visibility, and...
Skills Erosion | Is AI Really Making Employees More Stupid? And What Can HR Do?
A new University of Bath paper warns that widespread AI, especially large language models, may be eroding core workplace skills such as creativity and critical thinking. The study describes a phenomenon dubbed “great deskilling,” where employees rely on AI for...
Negotiating a Salary When Compensation Is Public
Recent pay‑transparency legislation in New York City, Colorado and upcoming rules in California and Washington now require employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings. Major firms such as Citigroup, American Express, Amazon and Zillow have already begun posting minimum...
Why HR Leaders Are Prioritizing Recognition to Retain Skilled Employees
HR leaders are increasingly deploying structured employee recognition programs to combat rising turnover and talent shortages. By moving beyond sporadic praise to systematic, values‑aligned acknowledgment, companies aim to boost engagement, loyalty, and overall performance. The article outlines multiple recognition formats—peer‑to‑peer,...
Why Human-Centred Growth Is Essential in a Time Dominated by Technology
Amid rapid AI and automation adoption, CEOs warn that businesses risk neglecting the human element. While technology can boost efficiency, its true value emerges only when people guide, monitor, and innovate with it. Human‑centred growth—prioritizing employee safety, empowerment, and transparent...
Seasoned Workers Turn to AI for Survival
Experienced workers are turning to AI out of necessity, not curiosity. Many with years of expertise are struggling to find jobs, and see AI training as a way to stay relevant in a changing market. It is less about opportunity and...
LPL and Raymond James Add $300M+ in Advisor Assets with New Hires
LPL and Raymond James announced major advisor hires, adding roughly $321 million in client assets. LPL absorbed Emerald Legacy Advisors, a team with about $140 million in advisory and brokerage assets, while Raymond James recruited Louis Romano Jr., bringing $181 million from his RPK Wealth Group practice....
Waitrose Case Exposes Legal Risks for Employers when Staff Confront Shoplifters
Waitrose dismissed long‑serving employee Walker Smith after he intervened in a shoplifting incident, breaching the retailer’s strict "no‑approach" policy. The dismissal underscores the legal duty under the UK Health and Safety Act for employers to assess foreseeable risks and protect...
State Pension Age Begins Rise to 67 as Payments Increase
The UK state pension age has begun its staged rise to 67, starting with people born between 6 April and 5 May 1960, adding roughly one month to their wait for benefits. At the same time, weekly pension payments have risen 4.8%, bringing...
VC Firms with All-Male Teams Halved over Past Decade in UK, Report Shows
Diversity VC’s latest report shows UK venture‑capital firms with all‑male investment teams have more than halved over the past decade. The share without any women fell from 48% in 2017 to 21% in 2025, while women now represent 31% of...
Can Taxi Rides Decide Careers?
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn revealed that the company’s hiring process starts long before a formal interview, using everyday interactions like a candidate’s treatment of a taxi driver as a litmus test. A CFO candidate who performed well in interviews...
HR Perspectives by Anaahat Singh: “Progress in Diversity Is Rarely Dramatic”
Anaahat Singh, CHRO of Aviva India, says the insurer is shifting hiring from static skill checklists to assessing candidates' capacity to learn and adapt, especially as AI reshapes work. She stresses a shared cultural core—purpose, psychological safety, respect—delivered through personalized...
Retirement Notice Takes Effect if Not Refused in Time: SC
India's Supreme Court ruled that a voluntary retirement notice becomes legally effective at the end of the notice period unless the employer explicitly refuses it within that timeframe. The judgment arose from a dispute involving UCO Bank and former manager SK Shrivastava,...
Helping Women Progress in Their Professional Careers
The Jakarta Post editorial calls for genuine actions—not just gestures—to advance women’s professional lives across Indonesia’s white‑ and blue‑collar sectors. It highlights entrenched patriarchal norms, cultural bias favoring sons, and the stigma attached to gender‑equality advocacy. The piece urges male...
Online Labor Demand Increased in March
The Conference Board‑Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index climbed to 109.1 in March 2026, a 3.8% rise from February’s revised 105.1 reading. The gain lifts the index 2.7% above its level a year earlier, signaling expanding online job vacancies across...
Leadership Programmes Turn to Mindfulness as AI Reshapes Workplace Demands
Leadership development firms are redesigning programmes to emphasize mindfulness, empathy and whole‑brain decision‑making as artificial intelligence automates routine cognitive tasks. Soul Diets launched a 16‑hour residency called ELEVATE in Mumbai, blending vision, action, impact and change, and has already engaged...
Rajesh Jain Appointed Group CPO, Vishvaraj Environment
Vishvaraj Environment, the ESG‑focused water utility aiming to reshape India's water sustainability, has appointed Rajesh Jain as Group Chief People Officer. Jain arrives from Welspun Living, where he served as CHRO, and brings more than three decades of HR leadership...
Experience = Exposure, Not Years—Prove Your Problem‑solving
“2+ years experience required” doesn’t mean: Go away. It means: Show me proof you can solve real problems. Experience isn’t time. It’s exposure.
Up the Ranks: Accor Strengthens Its Global Leadership with Appointment of Laurent Choain as Global Chief People & Culture Officer
Accor announced the appointment of Laurent Choain as its Global Chief People & Culture Officer, effective 1 April 2026, adding him to the Group Management Board and the Premium, Midscale & Economy Executive Committee. Choain brings more than three decades of international...
Case Study: Inside Kerry’s Playbook for a Real‑life, Globally Consistent Employee Experience
Kerry Group is redefining its employee experience (EX) by rejecting a one‑size‑fits‑all model and adopting a "globally aligned but locally activated" framework. The approach anchors on three principles—simplicity, responsiveness, and focus on critical moments—while giving regional teams the freedom to...
Beyond Inclusion: Why Equity Matters in the Digital Economy
The article argues that equity—not merely inclusion—is essential for a fair digital economy, especially in fast‑growing Southeast Asia. It identifies four systemic levers—access, capital allocation, product design, and workplace culture—where bias persists. Rather than simply adding more participants, the piece...
Macquarie Academics Question Redundancies
Macquarie University announced cuts of 60‑70 full‑time arts and science academic positions to save about $15 million annually, replacing them with casual staff despite rising enrolments in popular majors. Lecturers in media, communications and international studies say courses are being downsized...
Better Leadership, Work-Life Balance Draw Back ‘Boomerang’ Employees
A new report shows that two‑thirds of workers would consider returning to a former employer if leadership improves and work‑life balance strengthens. Boomerang hires accounted for 35% of all new hires in 2025, and 55% view a return as a...
Decoding Harnesses, Burnout Patterns, and MCP Preference
Seroter Daily Reading List – April 7, 2026 (#758): Today’s links look at the components of a coding harness, how burnout looks across the org chart, and why some prefer MCP over Skills. https://t.co/Nlcz2tBEeE
Walmart to Close Two Montreal Stores While Pledging $150 M Quebec Investment
Walmart Canada announced it will close its Côte‑des‑Neiges and Pointe‑aux‑Trembles supermarkets in Montreal in June 2026, part of a broader review of its Quebec footprint. The retailer simultaneously reaffirmed a $150 million provincial investment, including a new store in Sherbrooke and...
Women Working From Home or on Reduced Hours at Greater Risk of Damaging Their Career
A University of Oxford PhD study of 11,981 British women and 9,829 men (2010‑2024) finds women who adopt flexible work—remote, part‑time, job‑sharing or flexitime—are 19% more likely to shift into non‑professional roles within two years. Men using the same arrangements...
California Bill Would Expand Background Check Restrictions for Employers
California Assembly Bill 2095 seeks to tighten the state’s Fair Chance Act by prohibiting any conviction‑related questions on job applications and requiring employers to disclose specific job duties before conducting background checks. The bill mandates written, good‑faith individualized assessments and...
Supporting Women in Research Helps Hong Kong’s Gender Equality Push
Gender equality is progressing in Hong Kong, yet women remain under‑represented in medical research, comprising only one‑third of fellows and non‑fellows despite making up half of medical students. The Chinese University of Hong Kong launched the Women in Science and...
Young Professionals Seek Purposeful Leadership, Says Colin Webb
New episode of Generations at Work: From MIT to building robotics companies—Colin Webb shares what today’s young professionals really want from leaders. Listen now: https://www.maxwellleadership.com/generationsatwork/
NSW Council Considers 4-Day Week
Murrumbidgee Council in south‑west New South Wales is evaluating a four‑day work week for its 90 employees to address mounting financial pressures without raising rates. The proposal keeps 35‑hour weekly service delivery Monday‑Thursday, closing offices and libraries on Fridays while...
Employers Pay Minimum to Retain, Not Partner With Employees
Your employer sets your salary based on the minimum they can pay to keep you from leaving. That’s not a partnership. That’s a transaction. And you’re on the losing end.
Listen to Early Signals Before They Become Crises
Canary In The Coal Mine: Early Warning Signs From The Inside - CX Journey™ https://t.co/OL53i5OqbS The canary doesn’t cause the problem; it reveals it early. Ignore the signal, and you’re walking straight into danger. #leadership #listening #learning #employeeexperience https://t.co/DpY1pKoePB
Companies that Act on Workforce Data Are 11 Times More Adaptable: Study
A 2026 Lighthouse Research study of over 1,000 executives finds that organisations that combine workforce intelligence with the ability to act on it are 11 times more likely to describe themselves as highly adaptable. Those firms also enjoy seven‑to‑eight times...
Best Teams Leverage Individual Differences
The Strengths Edge: Why the Best Teams Are Built on What Makes People Different https://t.co/FicI9jlmk6 #leadership #employeeexperience @tanveernaseer https://t.co/8d64aa3gIP
Leaders Fail When Gemba Walks Miss Reality
Gemba Walks Don’t Fail. Leaders Do. - CX Journey™ https://t.co/mm78fD9gR5 Done right, #Gemba replaces executive imagination with operational truth. #leadership #culture #employeeexperience https://t.co/T9HeaGysaC
How to Boost Morale in Your Workplace
Boosting workplace morale is essential for higher productivity, stronger teamwork, and sustained innovation. The article outlines practical tactics—including open communication, team‑building events, recognition programs, white‑label wellness offerings, flexible schedules, and career‑development pathways—to create a supportive environment. It emphasizes that small,...
Interviewee Nets $495K Settlement After Receiving Email Stating He Was ‘Too Old’ for the Role
HCL America, a Santa Clara‑based tech consulting firm, agreed to pay $495,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit alleging age and national‑origin discrimination. The case stemmed from an email in which a sales director labeled a candidate “too old” and urged...
Employers Paid $528M in Pre-Litigation EEOC Settlements Last Year
Employers paid the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission $528 million in pre‑litigation mediation, conciliation and settlements during fiscal 2025, the highest amount ever recorded. The agency reported total payouts of $660 million to 17,680 workers, including a 24% rise in conciliation awards...