Today's Human Resources Pulse
Fragmented HR systems drive costly payroll errors
EY research shows a single payroll input mistake averages $291 and 20% of annual payrolls contain errors. Forrester finds 77% of organizations still rely on multiple, non‑integrated HCM platforms, fueling these mistakes. Paycom claims its unified, single‑database solution can reduce processing time by 75%, underscoring the need for integration.
Exclusive: Pocket FM Lets Go of over 100 Employees; More Job Cuts May Follow
Pocket FM announced a fresh round of layoffs affecting roughly 100‑130 employees, about 10% of its staff, as it seeks to improve efficiency and raise revenue per employee. The cuts may be followed by a second wave that could reach 15% of the workforce by the end of June 2026. Simultaneously, the company is moving 2,000 contractual workers to Quess Corp’s payroll to streamline operations. Despite the reductions, Pocket FM reported $450 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), aiming for $500 million ARR and a valuation near $2 billion.
Building Ethical Benefits that Work for Everyone
The Retail Solutions UK article highlights a widening gap between employer perception and employee satisfaction with benefits, noting that two‑thirds of firms think staff value perks while only one‑fifth of employees agree. Generational data shows 64% of Gen Z feel their...
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault’s Annual Pay Revealed
LVMH disclosed that CEO Bernard Arnault’s fixed annual compensation for 2026 is €1.1 million (about $1.2 million), unchanged from the prior year. He is also eligible for a variable component capped at 250% of his salary, split evenly between financial targets and...
Think the Technical Interview Is Dead? Think Again
Technical interviews are undergoing a rapid transformation as AI reshapes how candidates are evaluated. While algorithmic LeetCode‑style questions remain common at FAANG firms, their weighting is decreasing and many companies are experimenting with AI‑assisted coding stages. Startups are leading the...
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma Reshuffles Leadership and Cancels Gaming Copilot AI
Xbox head Asha Sharma has reorganized the division’s leadership, promoting veterans and importing four CoreAI veterans, while also announcing the immediate cancellation of the Gaming Copilot AI assistant on console and mobile. The moves aim to speed up product delivery...
How HR Can Lead the Human Side of AI Transformation
Enterprises are racing to operationalize generative and predictive AI, but many pilots stall because employees lack trust, understanding, and readiness. The article argues that the technology itself is rarely the barrier; the human factor is. Human Resources is uniquely positioned...
Oracle Cuts Up to 30,000 Jobs to Accelerate AI‑First Operations
Oracle disclosed plans to eliminate as many as 30,000 positions, citing a strategic pivot toward artificial‑intelligence‑first development and new data‑centre construction. The cuts have triggered a wave of employee protests over severance, visa status and lost equity.
Why Freshworks Is Laying Off 11% of Its Workforce as AI Takes over the Majority of Coding Work
Freshworks announced it will lay off roughly 500 employees, about 11% of its global staff, as AI now generates more than half of its code. The cuts will trigger an $8 million restructuring charge and come despite a 16% YoY revenue...
HR Query: Why Global Talent Is the New Competitive Edge
Global hiring is moving from a logistical hurdle to a strategic advantage, according to Laura Maffucci, Head of HR at G‑P. She highlights that 80% of employees want to work for multinational firms and that staying local risks falling behind...
Create a Safe, Trusted Workplace for Honesty and Initiative
"You want people to feel safe enough to be honest at work but also trusted enough to take ownership and initiative." - Sloane Payne (EP.500) With thanks to @AlphaSenseInc, @CanoeAI, and SRS Acquiom.
Jobs Connect Opens Opportunities for Cape Residents
Between July 2023 and April 2026 Cape Town’s Jobs Connect platform placed 12,914 residents into jobs, including 432 graduates and 388 people with disabilities. The service also delivered education and training to 2,376 users and has attracted 170,000 total profiles since its...
Effective Upskilling: 4 Ways to Cure the ‘Silent Standoff’
DeVry University’s third annual upskilling report uncovers a stark perception gap: 69% of employers doubt workers’ skill readiness while many employees claim access to development is slipping. Although 85% of workers feel they won’t need new qualifications in the next...
Before You Fire Someone for FMLA Paperwork Problems, Make Sure Your System Worked
A Wisconsin federal court denied the employer’s motion for summary judgment on both FMLA interference and retaliation claims after a production employee was fired despite a broken third‑party administrator (TPA) system that repeatedly hung up on his calls. The employee,...
How UKG Puts AI to Work for Frontline Employees
UKG, a leading HR tech platform serving 80,000 firms, is deploying agentic AI, voice agents and an autonomous People Assist tool to improve frontline worker experiences. The company uses a democratized innovation framework that lets power users submit ideas, with...
The AI Assessment Gap: Why Your Hiring Process Can’t Find the Talent You Need
The article warns that hiring “AI engineers” without clear role definitions creates an assessment gap. Traditional technical tests measure coding ability but miss the “technical taste” needed to make architectural and deployment decisions in AI projects. It proposes a multidimensional...
Referees Score Key Ruling Against HMRC
A UK tribunal has ruled that around 60 lower‑league football referees are self‑employed, not employees of Professional Game Match Officials Limited. The decision means HM Revenue and Customs will forfeit roughly $742,000 in unpaid employment taxes for the 2014‑2016 period....
Capitec Expands AWS Training to Close Critical Tech Skills Gap
Capitec Bank launched AWS Skill Builder, upskilling 568 employees in cloud competencies while expanding use of Pluralsight (2,071 learning hours) and Udemy Business (42,967 hours). The bank’s internal innovation programme, Dragons’ Den, awarded R120,000 (≈$6,500) across 93 ideas, fostering cross‑functional...
Master Candidate Engagement with SmartRecruiters Talent Communities
Campaigns in #SmartRecruiters Talent Communities: A Complete Guide to Candidate Engagement https://t.co/k4AtNTigox by @sapachauri >a very good explanation. #EnSw #SAP #SuccessFactors #Recruiting #Recruitment
Daon Launches Workforce Identity Fraud Prevention Tool
Daon announced a Workforce Identity Fraud Prevention solution that unifies its TrustX, xProof, xAuth and xFace technologies into a single framework. The platform verifies candidate identities during hiring, issues phishing‑resistant passkey authentication, and provides step‑up and continuous re‑verification throughout employment....
United Breweries Appoints Parul Malhotra as CHRO
United Breweries appointed Parul Malhotra as chief human resources officer, effective July 1 2026, to lead its people agenda. Malhotra brings over 20 years of HR experience, most recently as senior director HR for adidas in Southeast Asia. The board approved the appointment, highlighting...
Freshworks to Cut 11% Staff, Registers 16% Rise in Revenue
Freshworks announced an 11% workforce reduction, laying off roughly 500 employees as AI now writes more than half of its code. Despite the cuts, the SaaS firm posted a 16% revenue increase in Q1 2026, reaching $228.6 million, though net loss...
Apna Mart Lays Off 10% of Workforce, Shifts Base From Bengaluru to Gurugram
Apna Mart, the Accel‑ and Peak XV‑backed quick‑commerce startup, announced a 10% workforce reduction, affecting roughly 35‑40 employees. The cuts are tied to AI‑driven automation and a strategic relocation of its product and technology functions from Bengaluru to Gurugram. The company,...
'Na-Inspire Ng Flood Control': More Jobseekers Flock Ombudsman Amid Aggressive Anti-Corruption Drive
The Philippines Office of the Ombudsman has attracted more than 3,500 applicants for 114 permanent positions opened last month, reflecting a surge of interest as the agency intensifies its anti‑corruption campaign. The recruitment includes lawyers and a range of specialists...
IWGB Union "Have No Reason to Believe Fresh Redundancies Are Taking Place" At MindsEye Studio Build a Rocket Boy, Following...
Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) has reportedly laid off about 170 of its 250‑person MindsEye team, leaving roughly 80 employees. The cuts follow a March reduction and come amid a troubled game launch that strained the studio’s finances. Union IWGB...
Faces of HR: Chih-Hao Huang on Treating Human Capital as a Measurable Business Asset
Delta Electronics’ SEA‑region CHRO Chih‑Hao Huang is championing a data‑first approach to human capital, urging firms to treat people metrics with the same rigor as financial statements. He prepares to share this vision at the #TransformTalentTH conference on May 28,...
Geopolitics Is Now a Talent Problem: What Chief People Officers Are Prioritising in Their Workforce Strategies Today
The World Economic Forum’s May 2026 Chief People Officers Outlook, based on a survey of 140 global CPOs, finds talent matching—not sheer supply—is the chief workforce challenge. While 74% of leaders prioritize job redesign and 70% focus on upskilling, 83% say...
We Let AI Imagine Coinbase's Future without 'Pure Managers.' The Result Is Funny, Unsettling, and Much More Efficient.
Coinbase announced a 14% workforce reduction and a radical re‑org that eliminates "pure managers" in favor of AI‑augmented one‑person teams. CEO Brian Armstrong’s memo envisions managers overseeing 15+ AI agents that handle payments, compliance, product and other functions. An imagined...
No, AI Won’t Destroy Software Development Jobs
The article argues that AI will not eliminate software development jobs but will instead trigger a surge in both employment and software output. It cites the Jevons paradox, showing that efficiency gains historically boost demand rather than cut jobs. By...
Case Study | DJS Research - Perks, Profit Share, and Peak District Walking Meetings
DJS Research transitioned from a family‑owned to an employee‑owned firm, granting partners equity stakes and introducing perks such as tax‑free profit‑share bonuses, extra festive leave, and “Wellness Wednesdays.” The shift is framed as a way to protect the company’s legacy...
Managers: Your Goal Is to Find Your Replacement
The article argues that a manager’s primary objective should be to locate, hire, and train their own replacement. By consistently scouting talent, coaching, and delegating authority, managers create a pipeline of capable employees who can operate independently. This approach not...
Singapore's Overqualification Rate Was 19.4% in 2025: MOM Outlines Measures to Address Skills Mismatch
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower reported that 19.4% of the resident workforce was overqualified in 2025, lower than the 21.6% average in comparable high‑income economies. About nine in ten cases are voluntary; involuntary overqualification affects 1.7% of workers, mainly younger tertiary‑educated...
Best Lone Worker Safety Solutions to Consider in 2026
The lone‑worker safety market in the UK has matured, with five platforms—Vismo, StaySafe, SoloProtect, Peoplesafe and Aware360—offering distinct approaches for 2026. Vismo targets enterprise users needing satellite connectivity, while StaySafe leverages EcoOnline’s EHS suite for app‑based simplicity. SoloProtect supplies a...
AI Hiring Bias Could Derail The Future Of Work For Women
AI-driven hiring tools risk perpetuating gender bias because they learn from historical data that underrepresents women’s leadership experience. Women hold only about 5% of CEO roles, and career interruptions often skew the proxies AI relies on, such as past titles....
What Is the Pretending Pandemic? Angela Cox Explains More
Angela Cox, founder of Paseda360 Coach Training Academy, introduces the concept of "Pretender Masks"—four unconscious leadership patterns (Perfectionist, People Pleaser, Persecutor of Others, Persecutor of Self) that emerge to protect reputation, belonging, control or self‑worth. These masks, once adaptive, become...
Gemba Walks: Why Leaders Must Go and How to Do It Right
The article explains that a Gemba walk—visiting the place where value is created—is a leadership practice aimed at observing processes, uncovering hidden problems, and engaging front‑line staff. It stresses that walks must be conducted with humility, open‑ended questioning, and a...
'Clear Pathways to Grow' | Popeyes Invests in Internal Talent with New 'University' & Apprenticeship Push
Popeyes has launched Popeyes University, an internal learning platform that introduces the "Louisiana Ladder" career pathway from entry‑level roles to Operations Manager. The rollout includes the "Brass Roots" apprenticeship scheme, aiming to recruit 25 apprentices by 2026, and participation in...
Money Box Live: Changes to Rights at Work
The episode breaks down the new Employment Rights Act, highlighting key changes such as statutory sick pay from day one, expanded eligibility, and the introduction of two weeks of paternity leave from the start of employment. Experts John Palmer (ACAS)...
Center Parcs Launches Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme with Tusker
Center Parcs introduced a car salary‑sacrifice scheme on 7 April, selecting Tusker as its partner after a competitive tender. Within the first week, 30% of staff logged in and 19 vehicle orders were placed, showing rapid employee interest. Tusker’s offering includes...
Is the UK Doing Enough to Combat Its Growing AI Gender Divide?
The latest One Year Later report shows UK women’s participation in generative‑AI (GenAI) training slipped by two percentage points, while global female enrollment rose to 36% in 2025. In the UK, women are 7% less likely to complete AI courses,...
Gig Economy | 7,000 Couriers Take Just Eat to Tribunal in Battle for Minimum Wage & Holiday Pay
More than 7,000 Just Eat couriers have filed an employment tribunal claim seeking classification as workers to secure the national minimum wage and holiday pay. The case, launched this week, is slated to run until early June with a judgment...
Boundaries | Working Remotely From a Cricket Ground? Employers Face a New Trust Test
Surrey County Cricket Club launched a "Work From Oval" scheme that lets fans turn the Kia Oval into a remote‑working venue while county matches unfold. Over 100 participants spent four days at the ground during the opening fixture, enjoying high‑speed Wi‑Fi,...
ESD Malaysia Revises Online Appeal Submission Timeline in Line with New Expatriate Employment Policy
Malaysia’s Expatriate Services Division will cut the appeal period for rejected Employment Pass and Professional Visit Pass applications from six months to 14 days, effective 15 May 2026. The change aligns with the new Expatriate Employment Policy and requires employers to submit...
Shuttles | Demand for Workplace Transport Surges as Women Seek Harassment-Free Commutes
Employers are facing a surge in demand for workplace shuttle services as women seek harassment‑free commutes. The "safety‑work" burden forces many female workers to avoid unsafe routes and, in some cases, decline shifts that require travel during unsociable hours. This...
New Skills and Workforce Development Agency in Singapore to Provide Single Touchpoint for Career Guidance, Training & Job Matching
Singapore will create the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) by merging SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, consolidating career guidance, training and job matching under one statutory board. The agency, slated to launch in the third quarter of 2026, will...
Part 2: Solving Workforce Shortages: Bumping Along or Soaring?
The article argues that decades of government‑led studies have failed to fix aviation and aerospace workforce shortages, and that a fragmented network of nonprofits, industry programs, and schools already exists but lacks coordination. It calls for a professionally managed central...
Resources: This Is Your Industry Speaking: By the Numbers: Workforce Shortfalls
A wave of workforce shortages is crippling the aerospace and defense sector, with Boeing alone reporting $5 bn in losses from halted production. Oliver Wyman projects a shortfall of up to 48,000 aircraft‑maintenance technicians by 2027, representing a potential $39‑$58 tr annual revenue...
The Remote Recruitment Landscape in 2026: New Job Categories HR Should Understand
By 2026, over 50 million North Americans earn income from creator‑economy, platform‑based, and AI‑training roles that fall outside traditional occupation codes. HR teams now confront resumes that list titles like content creator, live tutor, or AI data labeler, requiring new verification...
The Overlooked Talent Pool: Why Workers with Criminal Records Could Plug the Sector’s Needs
The construction sector faces a looming labour gap, needing an extra 50,300 workers each year through 2028 to meet housing, infrastructure and net‑zero targets. A potential talent pool of up to 10 million people with criminal records exists, yet fewer than...
The New Career Risk No One Is Talking About: Waiting Too Long To Adapt
Recent Disney layoffs, affecting roughly 1,000 workers, highlight how AI is reshaping even creative roles. The article argues that the biggest career risk today is waiting too long to adapt to rapid workplace changes. It links delayed adaptation to reduced...
Promotion Burnout: Are Women Less Motivated to Pursue Promotions than Two Years Ago?
Robert Walters' survey reveals that 54% of professional women feel less motivated to seek promotion compared with two years ago, and 81% feel disadvantaged during promotion cycles. The dip in ambition reflects growing doubts about fairness and transparency rather than...