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.

Corporate Training Courses: A Complete Guide For Modern Organizations
Corporate training courses have evolved from one‑off workshops to continuous learning programs that align directly with business objectives. Modern organizations invest in a mix of onboarding, compliance, leadership, technical, and soft‑skill courses to upskill employees at every career stage. Flexible delivery formats—online, in‑person, and hybrid—allow firms to scale training across remote and on‑site teams while maintaining engagement. By embedding learning into the employee lifecycle, companies see higher productivity, lower turnover, and stronger cultural cohesion.

Texas Freezes Filing of New H-1B Petitions by State Agencies and Public Institutions of Higher Education
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies and public universities to halt all new H‑1B visa petitions until May 31, 2027, pending written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission. The directive also requires these entities to submit detailed sponsorship data by March 27, 2026....

Core Skills for 2026: Leadership, Data, EPR, Governance
The most valuable skills for 2026 are not mysterious. Delivery leadership, data literacy, EPR fluency, governance, and communication keep reappearing. These skills survive restructures, tech shifts and policy cycles. Career Navigator 2026 outlines the full skills picture.

The Internship Was Never a Pipeline; It Was Always a Courtship
Internship programmes in India have surged, expanding 25 % in the past year and 135 % over five years, yet only about ten percent of interns receive full‑time offers. A TeamLease EdTech survey of 932 firms shows that three‑quarters plan to hire...
Salaries Delay Hit Eala Lawmakers and Staff
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has halted most operations because partner states have failed to remit their annual contributions, leaving the Assembly with only 38% of its budget. Salaries for MPs and staff have been unpaid since November, and...

Fox News’ Dana Perino’s Advice for Gen Z Graduates: Stop Waiting for the Perfect Job and Just Start Working
Gen Z is confronting one of the toughest job markets in recent memory, as AI‑driven cost cuts shrink traditional entry‑level positions. Fox News host Dana Perino, drawing on a non‑linear career that spans journalism, politics and media, advises graduates to...

What Nobody Tells You About Work
In this episode, host The Contrarian HR dives into the hidden pitfalls of modern work culture, emphasizing how common advice can set employees up for failure. Key takeaways include the importance of setting realistic expectations, recognizing the limits of hustle...

Facing Meltdown? Over 75% of People Suffer From Burnout - Here’s What You Need to Know
Burnout is affecting a majority of the workforce, with a Moodle report showing 66 % of U.S. employees experiencing symptoms and a UK survey indicating one‑third of adults under high stress. The article debunks common myths, clarifying that burnout is an...

AI‑Driven Reskilling Needed to Meet Energy Workforce Gap
The global energy transition won’t scale without people. Newly qualified energy workers aren’t keeping pace with demand, and without a ~40% increase in trained entrants by 2030, the skills gap will widen fast. This is where #AI, digital skills, and reskilling become...
Automation Shifts Jobs to Higher‑Level Human Oversight
The future of work will look something like what Boris is describing. Anthropic is hiring engineers because people who know what they’re doing still have to tell the agents what to do, review their work, and integrate that work into...

AI Is Crushing These Job Roles First; New Study Reveals How You Can Stay Relevant
A recent survey of 651 companies reveals that 65% reduced entry‑level hiring after adopting generative AI, as AI tools allow existing staff to handle workloads previously assigned to new hires. While hiring at the bottom of the ladder slows, demand...

East Asia, Africa Match West; MENA, South Asia Lag
East Asia has labour-market gender gaps comparable to those in Europe and North America. Sub-Saharan Africa is also surprisingly similar (in the formal labour market). MENA and South Asia have massive gender segregation and LatAm and Carib are surprisingly in-between....

Empower Employees, Not Just Automate, to Meet Expectations
Automation alone is not the answer. Institutions that replace people instead of empowering them will struggle to meet rising customer expectations. https://t.co/3KhyMMpnPe

How to Lead a High-Performing Team of Competitive Achievers (With Video)
The article outlines how leaders can turn a group of high‑achieving, competitive individuals into a cohesive, high‑performing team by emphasizing the "AND" mindset—leveraging personal strengths while fostering collaboration. It shares a real‑world example from Bell Atlantic where a leader used...

Great Leaders Give Needed Support, Not Deserved Criticism
There’s a powerful leadership lesson in watching Trae Turner. When you’re in a tough season, people can either give you what you deserve — criticism, frustration, distance — or they can give you what you need — encouragement, belief, support. The best...

5 Leadership Decisions High-Performing Operators Make Every Day (Panel Discussion at Prosper Forum, Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island)
At the Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, a panel of senior operators distilled five daily leadership decisions that separate high‑performing teams from the rest. They emphasized that leadership is a responsibility exercised when people rely on you, not a title...
A16z Hiring Leaders to Shape Tech Narrative
This is the part of my job at @a16z that most gets me up in the morning: building an incredible team. We’re hiring for a lot of roles at the moment: Chief of Staff: help me run all our initiatives at...

Providence Cedars-Sinai Nurses Plan 5-Day Strike
Registered nurses and licensed staff at Providence Cedars‑Sinai Tarzana will begin a five‑day strike on Feb. 16, organized by SEIU Local 121RN, which represents more than 11,000 California healthcare workers. The union’s grievances include unsafe staffing levels, poor environmental conditions, workplace harassment,...

Rivalry to Scale Back Operations
Rivalry Corp., a TSXV‑listed esports betting operator, announced it will dramatically scale back operations while evaluating strategic alternatives. The board approved immediate cost reductions, including a significant workforce cut and a pause on player activity with withdrawals permitted. Rivalry is...
Resistance to Management Style Didn’t Create Hostile Work Environment, Court Finds
A federal district court in Pennsylvania ruled that a White internal audit head’s resistance to a Black compliance executive’s supervision was based on management style, not race or gender. The court found Drexel University had not adequately communicated expectations, but...

‘My Dream Job Has Turned Into a Nightmare’: Ex-Feds and Public Service Experts Testify to Congress on How to Rebuild...
House Democrats held a hearing on the Trump administration’s Schedule P/C, a rebranded version of Schedule F that removes civil‑service protections for thousands of policy‑related federal workers. Former officials and experts warned that politicizing the workforce erodes merit‑based hiring and could deter...

How to Decide Whether Internal Growth or Outside Talent Fits Your Scaling Strategy
University of South Florida researchers examined eight years of training and hiring data from 174 large U.S. law firms, revealing that resource‑rich, older firms tend to build talent internally while younger, smaller firms favor external hiring. The study highlights the...

Key Development in the Nonstatutory Labor Exemption to the Antitrust Law
A Colorado district court dismissed antitrust claims in Morgan v. Kroger, holding that the employers' informal coordination during parallel collective‑bargaining fell within the nonstatutory labor exemption. The ruling distinguished the case from the Ninth Circuit’s Safeway decision by noting simultaneous...
Concerns About Employee’s Off-Duty Social Media Posts on Politics?
Employers facing concerns about a new hire’s off‑duty political posts must proceed cautiously. California law and the National Labor Relations Act protect lawful political expression outside work, limiting an employer’s ability to discipline based solely on beliefs. However, conduct that...

Sean Duffy Orders Airlines to Halt DEI Pilot Hiring Or Face Enforcement Action
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy directed the FAA to issue an Operations Specification that bars U.S. airlines from using diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) criteria when hiring pilots. The order, framed as a merit‑based safety measure, applies to all Part 121...
Incentive Pay Boosts Advisor Revenue and Client Growth
This #WeekendReading kicks off with the news that @CharlesSchwab's latest RIA compensation report finds that while base salaries remain the largest component of advisor compensation, firms that offer incentive pay have seen more revenue and client growth in recent years than...

Federal Court Rules Employee Health Mentions Don't Automatically Trigger ADA Protections
The Eighth Circuit ruled that merely mentioning a medical condition does not automatically trigger ADA protections. In the Stephens case, the court found his heart condition did not constitute a disability because it did not limit his work activities. The...

Indiana University Wins Case After Firing Employee Who Emailed Executives Complaints
The Seventh Circuit upheld Indiana University’s termination of online instructional designer Jennifer Shirk, who was fired after sending critical emails to senior executives despite having approved FMLA leave and most requested accommodations. The court distinguished retaliation claims from discrimination claims,...

Editor Sues Emerson Collective for Retaliation After LGBTQ+ Complaint
Emerson Collective, the Laurene Powell Jobs‑founded organization, is being sued by former editor Andrew Giambrone for alleged retaliation after he raised a discrimination complaint over the removal of LGBTQ+ Pride Month content. Giambrone claims the Office of the President deemed...

Senior Manager Sues Walmart over Alleged Retaliation for Disability Accommodation
A senior Walmart manager, Scott Carrasquillo, filed a federal lawsuit alleging retaliation after requesting disability accommodations following a workplace injury. He claims his supervisor dismissed his injury, issued inaccurate performance reviews, and placed him on a Performance Improvement Plan despite...

Citadel’s Sticky Employee Pay Weighed on $5.3 Billion Gains
Citadel kept employee pay unchanged last year despite a dip in investment returns. Operating costs for its three flagship multistrategy funds climbed 4% to nearly $4.5 billion, reflecting a $66 billion AUM base. The steady payroll underscores the premium placed on talent...

This CPO Knows What’s at Stake when It Comes to HR in Healthcare
Allison Velez, chief people officer at Marathon Health, treats HR as a strategic business unit that directly supports patient care. By aligning talent, culture, and organizational design with clinical and financial goals, her team ensures HR decisions impact provider staffing...
IT Bonuses Reward Network, Security Skills that Can’t Be Automated
Foote Partners’ Q4 2023 IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index reveals that premium pay is shifting from routine, execution‑level tasks to high‑order engineering, architecture, and risk‑ownership roles. Security‑focused skills such as risk analytics, security architecture, and threat detection command cash...

Want to Maximize Your AI ROI? Try Sharing the Wealth of Productivity Boosts With Your Staff
AI hype has spurred billions in enterprise spending, yet most firms see little return. An MIT study found 95% of organizations achieve zero ROI on generative AI, and Workday reports only 14% of employees experience net productivity gains after accounting...
Founders Must Hire Themselves to Master Interview Insight
A friend asked me recently if he should use a hiring agency to scale his team faster. He's juggling inventory issues, trying to build out his creative systems, and hiring at the same time. Classic founder chaos. I told him “No, do...
Ramp and Rippling Are Less Overlapping Than Assumed
Ramp and Rippling don't have as much overlap as people think. So says @rabois 👀 @eglyman @parkerconrad https://t.co/6Xh1bcpnjw

FDA Staff Dropoff Continues In First Quarter Of FY 2026
FDA’s drug and biologic product centers reported a continued decline in staff during the first quarter of fiscal 2026, extending a year‑long downward trend. The reduction persists even as Commissioner Marty Makary publicly pledged to accelerate hiring. The agency has...

What Is Candidate Disposition Data? The Down-Funnel Metrics that Actually Predict Hiring Success
The 2026 Benchmark Report adds candidate disposition data, a down‑funnel metric that tracks candidates through each hiring stage from application to hire. This visibility lets talent‑acquisition leaders compare funnel health across sources, not just cost‑per‑click or cost‑per‑application. By revealing conversion...

Recognition Tech Is Beating AI Hype. Plus, Workday Gets a Familiar New CEO
The latest Building Human Workplaces report from Reward Gateway and Edenred shows that employee‑recognition platforms are delivering tangible engagement gains, outpacing the current AI hype in HR. While 89 % of senior HR leaders cite AI as a priority, workers are...
Amid AI Transformation, Indeed Bets on More Human Connection in Hiring
Indeed has launched a beta tool called Interview on Demand, letting employers start live video interviews with candidates within seconds of application. The feature bypasses traditional résumé screening, aiming to re‑introduce human judgment amid AI‑driven hiring. Early beta data show...

Higher English Language Requirements for UK Work Visas
The UK government will raise the English language benchmark for Skilled Worker, Scale‑up Worker and High‑Potential Individual visas from CEFR level B1 to B2, effective 8 January 2026. The change applies to new applications, including those switching from other routes, and aims...

PA Pay by State
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants released its 2024 compensation report, showing a mean PA salary of $129,291 nationwide. California tops the list with a mean income of $151,351, while Nevada, Connecticut, Alaska, and Washington round out the...
Human-Led Training May Be More Effective than Digital Learning
A new report from Insights Learning and Development and the Association for Talent Development reveals that only 32% of U.S. digital learning is personalized, despite 94% of learners demanding it. Human‑led training outperforms digital formats, with 84% of participants reporting...
Employees Need a Real Say in How Things Work to Flourish, Study Finds
A February 2026 survey of 2,000 U.S. workers found that 68% of employees flourish when they belong to high‑autonomy, high‑support "empowered squads," while only 10% thrive in low‑autonomy, low‑support settings. The study, conducted by the University of Illinois’ Gies College...

New UK Immigration Measures Are Set to Facilitate Entering the UK Tech and Science Sectors
UK ministers announced a package of immigration reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s tech and science sectors. A fast‑track referral route will accelerate sponsor licences for high‑growth firms, while the Global Talent visa will be broadened for academic and industry...
Talent Industry Prioritizes Optics Over Reasonable Judgment
Should a guy lose his company because he sent flirty emails 20 years ago? Clearly no. But in the talent business, optics can matter more than reason. ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/BOp7Xmhkrh

Delta Just Gave Employees $1.3 Billion in Bonuses Plus Announced Raises—While American and United Workers Get Left Behind
Delta Air Lines paid $1.3 billion in profit sharing, roughly 8.9 % of an employee’s salary, and announced a wage increase for its workforce. This marks the ninth year the carrier has exceeded $1 billion in profit‑sharing payouts, outpacing the combined totals of...

Ossisto Enters EdTech Space With Specialized Content Marketing and Recruitment Services for Educational Institutions
Virtual‑assistant firm Ossisto has launched an EdTech unit that provides specialized content marketing and recruitment services for higher‑education institutions, schools, and online learning providers. The offering targets enrollment growth and faculty hiring challenges by delivering agency‑level execution without traditional retainers,...

Match Group CEO: Public Performance Reviews Build ‘a Culture of Transparency’
Since taking the helm in early 2025, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff has launched a transparency‑driven culture overhaul, including a public employee feedback channel that he reads and answers personally. The initiative has generated more than 300 messages, prompting actions...
How to Create an Effective Recruitment Plan [Template Included]
A recruitment plan provides a strategic blueprint that moves hiring from a reactive, role‑by‑role scramble to a coordinated, business‑aligned process. It outlines timelines, budgets, responsibilities, and tools, helping small‑ to medium‑sized firms prioritize roles, improve candidate quality, and reduce time‑to‑fill....