Today's Human Resources Pulse

Lateral Associates Now Dominate Biglaw Hiring
In 2025, lateral‑hired attorneys accounted for roughly 48% of associate hires, overtaking new law‑school graduates for the first time. The shift reflects firms’ growing appetite for experienced talent amid heightened client demand and billing pressures, tightening the market for recent graduates.

Friday Forum: Degrees or Diesel?
Britain’s rail freight sector is celebrating its 200th anniversary by pledging to recruit 2,000 apprentices, signalling a major push to address skills shortages. The industry now competes with road logistics, aviation, ports and tech firms for talent, offering both apprenticeship and graduate pathways. Operators such as GB Railfreight and the Rail Delivery Group highlight structured career routes from hands‑on roles to strategic positions. The sector also aims to reshape outdated perceptions, improve diversity, and showcase the stability of regulated rail careers.

What Your Workspace Quietly Reveals About How You Work
HR leaders say a desk is more than a workstation; it mirrors memory, productivity habits, and cultural cues. Executives like Viekas Khokha note personal memorabilia coexist with deadlines, while Anil Mohanty stresses results over tidy surfaces. Pallavi Poddar highlights comfort...
Compliance Beats Excellence: Why the Best Stay Unpromoted
The most qualified person in the room rarely gets the title. They ask too many questions. They flag the problems nobody wants to see. They care more about results than optics. Meanwhile the one who smiles, nods, and never rocks the boat? Corner office. This isn’t...

Her Voice. Her Vision. Her Impact: Women Leadership in Telecom in 2026
Telecom Review’s International Women’s Day 2026 feature spotlights senior female leaders from Mobily, du, Huawei and Ericsson, illustrating how the industry’s "Give to Gain" theme translates into concrete actions such as sponsorship, mentorship and strategic project access. The executives argue...
Court Ruling Highlights General Protections Regime Is a "Different Beast"
The Federal Circuit Court ordered Alfred Health to pay $30,000 after finding it engaged in unlawful adverse action against an aged‑care nurse practitioner. The judge highlighted the employer’s failure to review its procedures despite the ruling, emphasizing a need for...

Dhirendra Nath Is Altimetrik’s New CHRO
Altimetrik, an AI‑first data and digital‑engineering firm, has appointed Dhirendra Nath as its chief human resources officer. Nath arrives from SLK Group, where he served as president and group chief people officer, and brings more than two decades of HR...
Post-Pregnancy Returns Overlooked in Risk Management Strategies
Returning to work after pregnancy presents significant retention, safety, and legal risks that many employers overlook. HR expert Amanda Mitton highlights frequent mishandlings, such as revoking graded return agreements and using maternity‑leave fill‑ins to block previous roles. These practices can...

Young Non‑College Workers See Sharp Employment Decline
That young workers are broadly seeing a decline in employment rates regardless of education is consistent with our low-churn labor market. Hiring & voluntary quits have corrected from their 2021/22 Great Resignation highs & now young workers are feeling frontline...

14 Companies Lauded for Their Innovative HR Solutions in Malaysia and Singapore
The HR Vendors of the Year 2025 recognized fourteen firms across Malaysia and Singapore for breakthrough HR solutions. Info‑Tech captured gold in both markets, while BIPO Service Malaysia and Mercer took silver and bronze respectively. Finalists showcased a range of tools...

Video of the Week: Asia Pacific’s Talent Test - Staffing Growth in a Constrained Labour Market
Asia‑Pacific airlines face a decade‑long talent crunch as passenger traffic surges, requiring over 400,000 additional aviation professionals by the mid‑2030s. The shortage spans pilots, engineers, cabin crew and digital specialists, creating a structural mismatch between demand and supply. Recruitment struggles...

PBM Reforms May Open a New Era for Group Health Plan Sponsors
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (CAA 2026) introduces sweeping federal regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for employer‑sponsored group health plans. It mandates full 100 percent rebate pass‑through and detailed compensation disclosure, with semi‑annual reporting requirements taking effect for calendar‑year plans...

The Referral Advantage: Turning Employees Into Your Best Hiring Source
Employee referral programs remain dramatically under‑utilized, representing just 7.5% of hires in 2025 despite their proven advantages. Referred candidates typically deliver higher quality, faster time‑to‑hire, stronger cultural fit, and longer tenure, while lowering overall cost‑per‑hire. The article outlines eight core...
Omada Launches Flexible GLP‑1 Care for Employers
When it comes to GLP‑1s, many employers feel stuck between “do nothing” and “all‑in coverage.” That’s not a great set of choices, especially when they want to find a way to say yes. I’m excited that @OmadaHealth is adding a...
AI Will Redefine White‑Collar Work, Not Just Eliminate Jobs
Note that "exposure" here does not necessarily mean "job loss". It means AI can automate -- or is now automating -- many of the TASKS involved in a job. That CAN manifest as job loss, but it can also free...

The Business of Benefits: Onsite Therapy at AT&T
AT&T has rolled out onsite therapy clinics across its U.S. offices, now operating ten locations and targeting twenty by year‑end. The Dallas hub, the program’s first site, logged more than 2,100 visits in 2025, averaging over 11 appointments per day....

The Hopkins Forum: Will AI Make Work Obsolete?
The Hopkins Forum hosted a high‑profile debate on whether artificial intelligence will render human work obsolete. Featuring proponents like Andrew Yang and Simon Johnson against skeptics such as Chris Hughes and Rumman Chowdhury, the discussion highlighted AI’s rapid expansion into...

AI, Analytics, and Automation: The New Currents in Maritime Operations
Maritime operations are shifting from paper‑based, manual processes to integrated, data‑driven platforms powered by AI, analytics, and automation. The global maritime digitization market, valued at $176 billion in 2023, is projected to more than double to $361 billion by 2030, driven by...

Don't Let Small Business Clients Keep Kicking the Payroll Can Down the Road
Small businesses should outsource payroll the moment they hire their first employee or contractor because manual processes quickly become error‑prone and legally risky. The article outlines seven common payroll mistakes—misclassification, missed state registrations, S‑corp salary errors, late tax deposits, incorrect...

Minted Offers Homebuyer Education as New Employee Benefit
Minted has introduced Nestment, a personalized home‑buyer education platform, as a new employee benefit. The move comes as first‑time homebuyer share hit a historic low of 21% in 2025 and the median age rose to 40. Nestment guides users from...

Learning Curves: Meaning, Theory, And Types
Learning‑curve theory explains how proficiency rises with repeated experience, showing rapid early gains that taper as mastery approaches. Originating from early 20th‑century manufacturing and psychology, the concept now guides HR, L&D, and operations to forecast onboarding speed, training costs, and...

Ssense Cut More than 200 Jobs Days After Founders Won Bid to Buy Back Company
Ssense, the Montreal‑based luxury fashion e‑commerce platform, announced layoffs of 215 employees on February 6, cutting 169 warehouse staff and 46 office workers. The cuts came two days after a Quebec Superior Court approved a $78 million founder‑led buyback, rejecting lenders’...
How to Be a Great Employer
The article outlines practical steps for employers to boost retention, emphasizing clear role definitions, transparent career pathways, and regular communication of company vision. It recommends budgeting $1,000 per employee for professional development and hosting monthly skill‑building sessions. Compensation strategies include...

Financial Education: The Overlooked Employee Benefit Companies Need
Most jobs will offer things like health benefits, retirement plans, and gym discounts upfront. But one benefit that doesn’t get talked about enough is financial education. If you think your company could benefit from something like this, feel free to pass...

ADP Numbers and New Look for iCIMS
This episode covers three major developments in talent acquisition: Upgrad Asia’s acquisition of Internshala to integrate AI‑driven internship matching, ManpowerGroup’s partnership with AI pioneer Hubert to automate initial chat‑based interviews while keeping final decisions human, and iCIMS’s brand refresh alongside...
Early Marketing Hires: Prioritize Strategy, Execution, or Creativity?
For other founders: When hiring early marketing talent, what do you prioritize most — strategy, execution, or creativity?

Quick Hits: New York Employment Law Updates (US)
Employers in New York City must now provide 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick leave in addition to existing paid time, with expanded usage categories and no rollover. The state’s Trapped at Work Act, which bans mandatory repayment agreements, has...

From Intern to Regional Director: How Cultivating Local Talent Is Reshaping the Region’s Future
Colleen Dougherty, a former Jefferson Educational Society intern, has been appointed Director of Regional Collaboration and Economic Development for the Erie Regional Chamber and Infinite Erie. Her new role bridges the Chamber, Infinite Erie, and other redevelopment agencies to execute...

How HR Leaders Can Get Unstuck on Their Skills-Based Transformation
HR leaders are struggling to move beyond pilot projects toward true skills‑based organizations, a shift accelerated by AI’s impact on work. A BCG white paper finds most initiatives falter because they are isolated HR projects lacking alignment with overall business...

AHLA and Travel Organizations Launch Campaign Advocating for Payment of Federal Aviation Workers
Travel industry leaders—including the U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America, the American Association of Airport Executives, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association—launched the “Pay Federal Aviation Workers” campaign to pressure Congress into guaranteeing pay for TSA, CBP and air‑traffic...

Inside Bank of America's Strategy to Support Its Employees' Caregiving Journeys
Bank of America has rolled out a comprehensive "family arc" benefits program that supports employees from fertility and adoption through child‑care, elder‑care, and college‑savings planning. The package includes up to $20,000 in fertility or adoption assistance, 16 weeks of flexible...
How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI
In a March 5 2026 HBR Executive Live, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky discussed how AI is reshaping work. He argued executives must decide whether to use AI merely to optimize existing processes or to reinvent their business models for the future. Roslansky...
Hire as Fast as You Train, or Fail
Most startups fail at hiring, not product. They scale headcount faster than they scale training. Lean teams stay small, ship MVPs, track metrics, and fix root issues with Five Whys before adding people. Amazon runs teams small enough to feed with two pizzas...

Self‑advocacy at Work Turns Promotions Into Popularity Contests
If the only way to get promoted at your company is to "advocate for yourself," congrats, you just built a popularity contest. 💅🏻
Rep Cap Launches Analyst Relations for HR/Work Tech
Rep Cap, a B2B content consultancy for work‑tech, insurance and financial services, announced a dedicated Analyst Relations practice aimed at boosting HR and work‑tech firms' visibility with industry analysts. The new service offers three engagement models—a continuous retainer, a short‑term...

NDreams Proposes Restructuring with 78 Roles at Risk and Two Studios Set to Close
VR developer nDreams announced a sweeping restructuring that could eliminate 78 positions and shut two internal studios, Near Light and Compass. The Elevation studio, housing roughly 120 staff, will become the nucleus of the leaner organization, while a smaller XR...

Former PlayStation and Xbox Hiring Lead Launches Rocket Game Talent
Former Sony PlayStation and Xbox Game Studios talent leader Fiona Cherbak has founded Rocket Game Talent, a boutique fractional talent firm. The company targets indie developers, startups, and growing studios that lack the hiring infrastructure of major publishers. It will...

7shifts Accelerates Growth and Industry Leadership with Major Customer Expansions, Product Innovation, and Workplace Recognition
7shifts announced a wave of enterprise rollouts, adding marquee franchise partners such as IHOP and HCI Hospitality while expanding its payroll and compliance suite. The company introduced Multi‑EIN payroll, ADP Workforce Now integration, and the Clair Earned Wage Access feature...
WOMEN in ROBOTICS 2026 Awarded by International Federation of Robotics
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) recognized eleven women in 2026 for their contributions to robotics, highlighting the growing role of female talent in the sector. Global industrial robot installations are expected to exceed 700,000 units by 2028, driven by...

PE Weekly: Dealmakers Target the Enterprise—And the Workforce
This week’s middle‑market private‑equity roundup highlighted a wave of strategic acquisitions and a massive fundraising win. New State Capital Partners bought Vast Coworking, expanding its footprint in flexible office space, while Gryphon Investors took a majority stake in HRSoft, a...

Cypher Learning Names John Mazur CEO to Accelerate AI-Native Learning for Enterprises at Scale
Cypher Learning announced John Mazur as its new chief executive officer, while founder Graham Glass transitions to chief technology officer to focus on AI architecture. Mazur brings a track record of scaling SaaS firms, most recently leading Chatmeter to a...
Blackberrys Brings Onboard Apparel Industry Veteran Sartaj Singh Mehta
Blackberrys, the Indian menswear label, has appointed Sartaj Singh Mehta to its senior team, tapping a veteran with nearly three decades in fashion and lifestyle. Mehta most recently served as Senior Director of Product and Design at Pepe Jeans London,...

The Friday Nobody Needed
Historical and recent experiments show that cutting scheduled work hours can dramatically increase productivity. Henry Ford’s 1926 shift to a five‑day workweek raised output, while Microsoft Japan’s 2019 four‑day week trial delivered a 40 % jump in sales per employee and...

Dara Brenner – Trust in the Age of AI: Tackling Candidate Fraud While Preparing for Next-Gen Hiring
Dara Brenner of Employ discusses the emerging threat of candidate fraud amplified by generative AI in talent acquisition. She outlines how AI governance is evolving to protect hiring integrity and recommends proactive verification strategies. Brenner emphasizes the need for HR...
Boring, Well-Documented Work Beats Flashy AI Projects
After 100+ AI engineering interviews, here’s the pattern I didn’t expect: The strongest candidates are not the ones with the coolest projects. They’re the ones that care enough to make the boring work. Boring is good. Boring means: clear scope clear outputs clear measurement clear tradeoffs clear documentation One...
Calling Layoffs “Efficiency” Earns Swift, Repeated Backlash
New rule: if you use the word “efficiency” to try and sound better/smarter/more caring than saying “layoffs” or “jobs lost,” immediate big kick in the butt. Immediate. And repeated.

The Parkside Hotel & Spa Elevates Corporate Retreats
The Parkside Hotel & Spa launched the Parkside Retreat & Wellness Guide, a planning tool that frames corporate off‑site meetings around restoration and purpose. The guide highlights naturally lit meeting rooms, a private theatre, rooftop garden terrace and a suite...
Rising Health Benefits Are Shrinking Wage Growth
Sorry, this is misleading to the point of being dishonest. Benefits are roughly 20% of compensation. You're saying if benefits costs didn't rise at all, wages could increase more, but benefit increases have actually lagged pay in the last year...
Weak Job Market Affects All Young Workers, Not Just Grads
Everyone is trying to explain the mystery of why the job market is weak for college grads, most blaming AI. But that IS NOT THE MYSTERY. The mystery is why is it weak for young workers of ALL EDUCATION LEVELS...

Oracle to Slash Thousands of Jobs in $1.6B AI‑driven Restructuring
Oracle Plans Thousands of Job Cuts in Face of AI Cash Crunch “In September @Oracle disclosed in a filing it was planning its largest-ever restructuring, which will cost as much as $1.6B in the current fiscal year ending May, incl severance...
5 Hidden Habits Blocking Mid‑Level Designers’ Promotion
I've mentored over 500 designers at this point. Here are the top 5 common patterns that quietly stall growth from mid → senior level design positions. Some may surprise you.