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.
Telecom CEO Pay 2026: T-Mobile Leads with $35.4 Mn as Verizon, AT&T Push Executive Compensation Higher
U.S. telecom CEOs are commanding the highest pay in the industry, with T‑Mobile’s Srini Gopalan earning $35.4 million, Verizon’s Daniel Schulman $34.3 million, and AT&T’s John Stankey $29.9 million in 2026. More than 90% of their compensation is performance‑linked stock awards tied to subscriber growth, fiber deployment and balance‑sheet targets, while base salaries stay below $1 million. European operators lag behind, with the top pay at Deutsche Telekom ($13.2 million) but still showing double‑digit increases. The data underscores a shift toward equity‑heavy packages across the global telecom sector.
Saks Global Slashes Workforce as It Edges Closer to Emerging From Bankruptcy
Saks Global, the parent of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, announced a 16% cut to its corporate workforce, representing less than 4% of its total staff. The reductions do not affect retail or distribution employees. The move follows...
Google AI Workers Vote to Unionise over IDF and US Military Tech
Google’s DeepMind AI lab in London has launched a historic unionisation effort, with 98% of staff voting to be represented by the Communication Workers Union and Unite. The workers seek to block the use of Google AI in Israeli and...
Tech Industry Slowly Dropping DEI Efforts, Finds Harvey Nash Survey
Harvey Nash’s latest Tech Talent Report indicates a modest decline in DEI focus within the UK tech sector over the past two years. While 84 % of workers feel their employers support diversity, 10 % perceive investment in DEI slipping, with women twice...
HR Must Reimagine the Entry-Level Role – Here’s How
Entry‑level positions are disappearing as AI automates routine tasks and hiring slows amid economic uncertainty. This contraction leaves a widening gap between businesses that need flexible support and early‑career talent seeking paid, meaningful experience. Pilot programs like Fledgling Work show...
Careerfishing: The Résumé Inflation Game Nobody Wins
Careerfishing describes the growing practice of résumé inflation in India’s hyper‑competitive job market, where candidates stretch roles, projects and skills to match increasingly fictional job descriptions. The article argues that exaggerated postings and keyword‑driven hiring platforms create a feedback loop...
Executive Courage: The Leadership Virtue No One Wants to Practise
Executive courage is the ability to make tough, often unpopular decisions despite risk, uncertainty, or opposition. The concept, rooted in Aristotle’s virtue ethics, has become a corporate buzzword but is frequently reduced to low‑risk posturing. For HR leaders, courage is...
Menopause Support Gaps Push Women Out of Jobs as ‘Masking’ Takes Toll
A new study by health‑tech firm Nurosym finds that lack of menopause support in UK workplaces is driving many women to consider quitting. About 60% of women have thought about leaving, and one in ten have actually quit because of...
Workers ‘Ignore AI Tools and Stick with Manual Tasks’ Despite Heavy Investment
A WalkMe survey of 3,750 employees reveals that 54% bypassed AI tools at least once in the past month and 33% have never used them, highlighting a stark adoption gap. Executives remain optimistic, with over 80% reporting significant productivity gains,...
V-Marc India Appoints Meena Sharma as Corporate Head-HR & Admin
V‑Marc India has appointed Meena Sharma as corporate head of human resources and administration. Sharma brings over two decades of HR leadership, including roles at Samtel Avionics, Uniparts India, UKB Electronics, and a virtual CHRO stint at Mentech General Trading....
Worker, 67, Sues Cushman & Wakefield over Age Bias and Machine-Room Workspace
Susan O'Neill, a 67‑year‑old facilities coordinator, sued Cushman & Wakefield in Manhattan federal court, alleging age discrimination, retaliation, and unsafe working conditions after 13 years of service. She says new managers moved her to a cramped, hazardous machine‑room, slashed her bonus...
Former Director Sues McDonald's, Says Supervisor Called Himself 'Anti-ADA'
A former McDonald’s technology director, Daryl Pace, who has Charcot‑Marie‑Tooth disease, sued the fast‑food giant for allegedly retaliating after he requested a reasonable accommodation to work remotely and limit travel. The complaint alleges his supervisor re‑classified his role as vendor‑facing,...
Black Senior Manager Sues Marriott over 'Lil Kim' Nickname and Swift Firing
Marriott senior manager Kimberly Lilly sued the hotel chain after being greeted with the nickname “Lil Kim” and rap music on her first day, alleging race‑based harassment. Lilly, the only Black employee on the Gaylord Pacific HR team, reported the incident...
Estée Lauder Expands Global Job Cuts, Restructuring Plan
Estée Lauder has expanded its restructuring plan, targeting 9,000‑10,000 job cuts—about 17.5% of its 57,000‑strong workforce—to generate roughly $1.2 billion in annual savings. The cuts focus on department‑store roles as the company pivots to digital channels like Ulta, Sephora, Amazon and...
Ex-Lab Worker Sues Tempus AI, Says HR Turned on Her After Report
A former Tempus AI lab employee, Aisha Doumouya, filed a federal lawsuit alleging race and sex discrimination, retaliation, and constructive discharge after reporting a hostile team lead. She says HR pushed mediation, stalled her training, and forced her to sign...
Toyota Faces ADA Suit over Manager's Alleged Scoring Boast
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama faces a federal ADA lawsuit filed by long‑time team leader Angela Watkins, who alleges the automaker blocked her promotion and placed her on involuntary short‑term disability after a shoulder injury. Watkins claims senior manager Mike Hogan...
Amazon Worker Sues over Book of Racial Slurs at Illinois Fulfillment Center
Amazon faces a federal lawsuit after an African‑American employee at its ORD4 fulfillment and printing center in Monee, Illinois, was required to process a 50‑page book that repeatedly used the N‑word. The employee, Kylisa Young, alleges the material created a...
Doctoral Student Sues Auburn over Alleged 'Boys' Club' And Retaliation
Marlene “Mars” Walters, a doctoral student at Auburn University, filed a Title IX and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 lawsuit alleging sex discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile "boys' club" lab environment overseen by advisor Dr. Jonathon Valente. Walters claims Valente dismissed their ideas, gave preferential...
As Workers Worry About AI, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Says AI Is ‘Creating an Enormous Number of Jobs’
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told MSNBC that artificial intelligence will be a net job creator, not a mass‑unemployment driver. He framed AI as the United States’ best chance to re‑industrialize, pointing to the surge in hardware factories that need skilled...
Talent Clusters Spark Next‑Gen Tech Companies Everywhere
Magical companies tend to concentrate in geographies. These geographies benefit from the virtuous cycle of great companies producing talent that goes on to build the next ones I interviewed in El Segundo a year before SpaceX was founded, and left so...
Remote Rural Workers Feeling Stuck as Quit Rates Drop
✍️ @sarahoconnor_ @ftopinion 💥Quit rates↘️ in US &UK 👉”…people who switched to remote work during the pandemic and moved to rural areas might now be a little trapped in those jobs” https://t.co/VM01o0P5mu
Hiring Managers Deploy AI to Filter Surging Applications
Nearly three‑quarters of hiring managers now employ AI tools to screen candidates, according to MyPerfectResume’s new report. The technology acts as the first decision‑maker, automatically rejecting up to 50 percent of applications before any human review. While AI delivers speed and...
MIT Sloan Defines Three Leader Archetypes to Boost Digital Innovation
MIT Sloan’s Center for Information Systems Research released a briefing that identifies three distinct leader roles—initiative, shared resource, and portfolio—to accelerate digital innovation. The model promises to curb waste and lift bottom‑line impact by coordinating cross‑functional teams and disciplined resource...
60% of U.S. Workers Say Their Boss Is Toxic, New Harris Poll Shows
A Harris Poll survey of 1,334 employed U.S. adults reveals that 60% currently have a toxic boss, while 70% have faced one at some point. The study links toxic leadership to heightened stress, financial loss and a surge in job...
Phenom Acquires Canadian Talent‑Assessment Platform Plum to Cut Bad Hires
Philadelphia‑based Phenom has completed its third acquisition of 2026, buying Canadian HR‑tech firm Plum. The deal, undisclosed financially, gives Phenom a full psychometric assessment stack to combat AI‑generated resumes and cut bad hires by up to one‑third.
IBM to Create 750 Jobs at Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in New Partnership
IBM and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker unveiled a partnership that will add 750 full‑time positions to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. The initiative includes a city‑college apprenticeship program that will train 500 apprentices, with IBM committing to hire a third...
Google’s Pentagon AI Deal Triggers Employee Backlash Over Military Use
Google signed a Pentagon contract that permits its AI models to be used in classified military systems for any lawful purpose, prompting a surge of internal dissent. Around a thousand employees have signed an open letter demanding the company halt...
The Office Is Calling. Again.
A wave of return‑to‑office (RTO) mandates, spearheaded by Wall Street firms such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Blackstone, is reshaping American workplaces. By early 2026, 37% of companies enforce office attendance, up from 17% a year earlier, while tech...
CARSOME and Darwinbox Partner to Reinvent Employee Experience with AI-First HR and Native Payroll for 3,000 Employees Across Southeast Asia
CARSOME, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car‑e‑commerce platform, has appointed Darwinbox as its strategic HR‑technology partner to deploy an AI‑first Human Capital Management suite for over 3,000 employees across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. The rollout began with core HCM functions...
Chris Lucas’ Collective Foundation and Monash Business School Establish Training Academy
Collective Foundation and Monash Business School have partnered to create the Future Hospitality Academy, a new centre focused on developing leadership talent in Australia’s hospitality sector. The Academy will run a 12‑week Leadership Excellence Program in Melbourne, offering 18 places...
6 Layoff Best Practices to Reduce Uncertainty and Protect Morale
Challenger, Gray & Christmas highlights a 58% jump in 2025 layoffs, with more than 1.2 million jobs cut, underscoring the urgency for disciplined layoff processes. The article outlines six best‑practice steps—early leadership alignment, manager preparation, structured notification, support for remaining staff,...
Newly Formed Tripartite Jobs Council to Support Workers and Businesses Through AI Transformation
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation are launching a Tripartite Jobs Council (TJC) to guide the nation’s AI transition. The council will coordinate AI‑responsible adoption, sector‑wide training and targeted support for workers whose roles are...
Gartner Warns CHROs: Managers Spend 20% of Time on Personal Issues, ROI Declines
Gartner told chief human‑resources officers to reset manager expectations after its latest study found managers spend more than one‑quarter of their week on employee personal issues and 47% are working harder without a proportional return. The findings signal a shift...
Sony Pictures Networks India Promotes Tavishi Budhiraja to VP‑HRBP for Revenue Functions and DEI
Sony Pictures Networks India has promoted Tavishi Budhiraja to vice‑president, HR business partner for revenue functions and DEI, expanding her remit to align talent strategy with the company’s commercial engine. The move reflects a broader industry shift toward integrated HR‑revenue...
HR Leaders Launch Framework to Prioritize Employee Data Trust Over Compliance
HR executives are adopting a strategic framework that places employee data trust above regulatory compliance, aiming to strengthen fairness, culture, and credibility as AI tools proliferate. The approach responds to growing scrutiny of hiring algorithms and emerging regulations such as...
AI Adoption Linked to Mass Layoffs and Longer Work Hours, New Data Shows
Atlassian, Block and Snap cited AI as a factor in recent mass layoffs, while Sharebite data reveals a surge in after‑hours corporate food orders, suggesting AI is extending, not shrinking, workdays. The findings revive the Pentagon Pizza theory and raise...
Fourth Circuit Bars Contractual Shortening of Title VII and ADEA Filing Deadlines
The Fourth Circuit held that employers cannot require employees to waive or compress the statutory filing windows for Title VII and ADEA discrimination claims. The March 4, 2026 decision in Thomas v. EOTech overturns a district‑court dismissal and forces companies in...
Occidental Appoints COO Richard Jackson as CEO as Vicki Hollub Retires
Occidental Petroleum's board unanimously appointed COO Richard A. Jackson as president, chief executive officer and director, effective June 1, 2026, when Vicki Hollub retires. Jackson will earn a $1.4 million base salary, a target cash incentive equal to 150% of salary...
Workhuman Debuts AI‑Powered ‘Future Leaders’ Tool to Spot High‑Potential Talent
Workhuman introduced Future Leaders, an AI‑powered platform that leverages its Ascend AI engine to surface high‑potential employees well before they enter formal leadership pipelines. The solution promises to cut the cost of senior‑level mis‑hires by using real‑time workplace interaction data.
Shopify Cuts at Least 30 Operations Staff in Latest Layoff Round
Shopify announced a second wave of layoffs, trimming at least 30 workers from its operations and customer‑support teams in April. The cuts are framed as part of a broader reorganization aimed at sharpening focus on revenue and enterprise customers, with...
Oklahoma Amends Medical Marijuana Law: Employers Lose Discretion to Designate ‘Safety-Sensitive’ Positions
Oklahoma’s medical‑marijuana statute has been amended by House Bill 3127 to impose a zero‑tolerance drug and alcohol standard for employees in designated “safety‑sensitive” positions. The amendment removes employer discretion in defining those roles, limiting the definition to nine specific duties...
Office Relocations – This Time It’s Personnel
Office relocations are evolving from a cost‑center to a core people‑strategy lever, with HR now expected to shape decisions. In London, a projected plunge in prime office supply by 2028 intensifies competition for quality space, while hybrid work pushes firms...
Performance Reimagined: How AI Is Reshaping the Future of Work
The article argues that traditional annual performance reviews are out of step with today’s fast‑moving, hybrid workplaces. Advances in artificial intelligence are allowing companies to turn performance data into real‑time business intelligence, linking goals, feedback, and skill development. Betterworks promotes...
Should Canadian Employers Ban Cellphone Use at Work?
Jamie Dimon’s recent criticism of “phubbing” in meetings has pushed cellphone‑use policies into the boardroom, echoing a 2023 German study that linked simple phone‑limit requests to higher productivity. The Financial Times notes firms are experimenting with lockers and pouches for...
Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards Singled Out Young Female Aides for Special Attention
Rep. Chuck Edwards, a second‑term Democrat from North Carolina, is under a House Ethics Committee investigation after multiple sources reported inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers. The allegations include a handwritten love letter, personal gifts, and a Las Vegas vacation...
Shopify Lays Off 30+ in Operations and Customer Support Reorganization, with AI Cited as Partial Cause
Shopify announced it laid off at least 30 employees in April as part of a broader reorganization of its operations and customer‑support functions in Canada and the United States. The cuts were attributed in part to "technological advancements," with internal...
Fortune: Marriott Is Great Place to Work
Marriott International earned the No. 7 spot on Fortune’s 2026 Best Workplaces list, marking its seventh consecutive appearance. The accolade follows global recognitions in more than a dozen countries and a top‑five ranking among the World’s Best Workplaces. Marriott attributes the honor...
Capacity Is Tested in Transition: Interim Leadership as Nonprofit Infrastructure
Leadership transitions are becoming a critical capacity‑building moment for nonprofits, according to the 2025 *Interim Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector* report commissioned by Third Sector Company. The study, based on insights from over 100 practitioners in the United States and Canada,...
Regulator's Turbulent Culture Exposes Paranoid Leadership Crisis
"those inside the agency that regulates roughly one-fifth of consumer spending in the US describe a culture rocked by staff clashes, leadership turmoil, industry backlash and an embattled, paranoid leader" Gift link: https://t.co/2eZscAPSCH
Payroll Pulse: AI, the Payroll Ledger, and the Real Meaning of ‘Touchless Payroll’
AI is rapidly entering payroll systems, promising "touchless" processing, but it remains distinct from deterministic automation. While AI can flag anomalies, summarize legislation, and suggest adjustments, the payroll ledger still requires human oversight to ensure gross‑to‑net accuracy before the ACH...