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.
Performance Review Examples to Be a Better Leader
The article provides a practical guide with 35 performance‑review examples covering positive, constructive, and tiered feedback. It explains why reviews matter, outlines core categories such as communication, productivity, problem‑solving, leadership, and adaptability, and offers ready‑to‑use language for each. The piece also advises managers on preparation, documentation, and fostering two‑way conversations to make reviews more human and effective. By standardizing language and focusing on observable behavior, leaders can deliver clearer, fairer evaluations that drive performance and trust.
Factors to Consider for Leave Request Not Related to Medical Reasons
An employee has asked for several months of non‑medical personal leave, but the company’s handbook lacks a specific policy. While family‑ and medical‑leave statutes provide clear entitlement criteria, personal leave remains discretionary and must be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis....
MrBeast Claims Sexual Harassment Accuser Is "Clout Chasing"
MrBeast’s production arm, Beast Industries, is facing a lawsuit from former employee Lorrayne Mavromatis who alleges sexual harassment, gender‑based discrimination, and violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act. She claims CEO James Warren made inappropriate comments about her appearance,...
Your Team Reflects Your Leadership Values
In the latest Duct Tape Marketing podcast, executive coach Aiko Bethea introduces her "Anchored, Aligned, Accountable" framework, arguing that many team conflicts stem from hidden values misalignments rather than pure communication flaws. She defines the "BS"—limiting beliefs like scarcity, perfectionism,...
Manufacturers Spent About $32B Training Workers: MI Survey
Manufacturers invested roughly $32 billion in employee training and upskilling, a 22% rise from the $26.2 billion reported in 2019. The average training time per worker climbed to 47.6 hours, up from 42.9 hours four years earlier. About one‑third of firms now...
Stryker Pay Drops for Top Executives and the Median Employee
Stryker disclosed that total compensation for its top executives fell in 2025, with CEO Kevin Lobo earning $21.4 million, a 3% drop, and other senior leaders seeing 7‑8% cuts. Median employee pay also slipped to $81,018, a 3% decline, nudging the...
Angry Chickz VP Tonya McCoy Says People‑First Strategy Boosts Sales by 63%
Tonya McCoy, vice president of marketing at Angry Chickz, says prioritizing people over pure metrics sparked a 63% increase in territory unit sales. Her employee‑centric model, built on data‑driven campaigns and franchisee collaboration, is being touted as a new blueprint...
Why Your HCM Tech Stack Is Costing You More Than the Subscription Fee
The white paper warns that the true expense of human‑capital‑management (HCM) platforms often lies beyond the headline subscription price. It introduces the concept of Operational Drift, where mismatched software architecture and daily workflows erode ROI. Drawing on 25 years of...
Software Engineer Chooses Startup Over Target Internship, Highlighting Retail Talent Crunch
Dianna Dimambro, a 29‑year‑old software engineer, rejected an internship at Target in favor of a full‑time role at a tech startup after applying to more than 2,000 jobs. Her decision spotlights the growing difficulty retailers face attracting junior engineers amid...
Employment Hero Launches AI‑powered HeroForce in New Zealand to Cut $12 Bn SME Compliance Costs
Employment Hero rolled out its AI‑driven HeroForce platform in New Zealand, promising to automate payroll, HR and compliance for small‑to‑medium enterprises and address an estimated $12 billion in duplicate administration costs. The launch marks the first large‑scale co‑employment model in the country,...
Do You Really Want Post‑interview
HR people and Recruiters - do you really want candidates to email you questions and follow-ups after the interview?
How to Find the Right Coach
The article argues that personal and organizational change rarely succeeds without professional coaching, citing meta‑analyses that show moderate‑to‑large gains in performance, well‑being and goal attainment. Success depends on four factors: personality‑style chemistry, alignment of coaching method with the specific goal,...
VC Forecasts AI‑Delivered Outcomes to Redefine HR Services as Companies Eye Outcome‑Based Models
Venture capitalist Bek warned that AI‑delivered outcomes, not software products, will become the next trillion‑dollar market, targeting HR functions such as payroll, compliance and talent analytics. At the same time, a New York congressional candidate unveiled an AI Dividend plan...
A Crazy Take on the Talent Pipeline Crisis
The accounting profession has reversed its enrollment decline, with a 12% rise in undergraduate majors in 2024 and a further 7% increase in 2025. However, the surge in quantity masks a new talent gap: AI automates routine staff work, leaving...
On the Eve of the Draft, NFL Calls on Employers to Judge Candidates Based on Skills — Not Criminal Records
The NFL has partnered with the Center for Employment Opportunities to launch a fair‑chance hiring campaign urging employers to evaluate candidates on skills rather than criminal records. Approximately 600,000 people leave prison each year, and 68% are re‑arrested within three...
Florida UNFI Workers Approve Union Contract, Averting Strike
United Natural Foods (UNFI) warehouse workers in Pompano Beach, Florida ratified a five‑year contract with the Teamsters, averting a strike. The agreement covers over 200 employees, delivering a 31% wage increase, access to the union health plan and pension, and...
Research Highlights Who Wins, Loses in AI-Influenced Job Market
Washington University researchers surveyed nearly 2,000 U.S. workers in December 2025 and found that AI adoption hinges on two factors: perceived productivity gains and, more strongly, whether employees view AI as a career‑relevant learning tool. Respondents who see AI as...
What If Wellbeing Is A Work Design Problem with Jo Yarker
In this episode of the HR Chat Show, Professor Jo Yarker, an occupational psychologist, explains that many organizations treat wellbeing as a tick‑box exercise rather than a work‑design issue, leading to superficial interventions that aren’t measured for impact. She introduces...
Pets at Work? How Benefit Teams Can Prep to Accommodate Service Animals
Employers are increasingly encountering requests to bring service or emotional‑support animals to the office, a practice recognized as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. Legal experts note a post‑pandemic surge in such inquiries, spanning dogs, miniature horses and even less...
Recent Grads Are Settling for Jobs They Plan to Leave, Says ZipRecruiter
A new ZipRecruiter survey of 3,000 recent and rising graduates reveals that many are accepting positions below their qualifications, with 20% feeling overqualified and 18% deliberately applying for lower‑level roles. Only 26% say they are on their ideal career path,...
How Luxury Retail Actually Works: Retail Staff
Luxury retail’s success hinges on staff, not just marble floors or curated lighting, according to former Dior VP Douglas Mandel. He argues that an employee‑centric culture translates directly into a client‑centric brand, especially in Canada’s competitive luxury corridors. Empowering associates,...
SAP SuccessFactors 1H 2026 Release Makes Connections Seamless Across HR and the Business
SAP announced its SuccessFactors 1H 2026 release, adding suite‑wide agentic AI that spans recruiting, payroll, learning and talent development. The update also introduces a workforce knowledge network and AI‑driven Q&A within Learning, delivering expert guidance and instant answers inside the flow...
DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a proposed rule to create a single, nationwide definition of joint‑employer status under the FLSA, FMLA, and MSPA. The rule relies on a four‑factor test for vertical joint employment and narrows the scope...
DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has issued a proposed rule to create a single nationwide standard for joint‑employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker...
Dead Air Silencers Hires Senior Product Manager for Accessories
Dead Air Silencers announced the hiring of Cris McRae, a veteran from Magpul Industries, as senior product manager for accessories. McRae brings over a decade of firearms‑industry experience in product development, commercialization, and market analysis. In his new role, he will...
If You Work Long Hours, Can You Still Have a Life?
The article examines the controversial 9‑9‑6 work schedule—nine a.m. to nine p.m., six days a week—borrowed from Chinese tech firms that later banned it. U.S. AI and tech startups have experimented with the model to speed product development, but the author argues...
Why Great Leaders Ask More Questions Than They Answer
Leaders increasingly favor certainty over curiosity, a bias that hampers adaptation in today’s AI‑driven workplace. The article cites legacy firms like Kodak and Hudson’s Bay that collapsed by clinging to outdated models. It argues that intellectual curiosity—asking more questions than...
Ask for Angela: Addressing Intimate Partner Violence with Supports
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a hidden but costly issue in Canadian workplaces, driving absenteeism, performance drops and safety risks. Toronto‑based Victim Services Toronto reports that employers collectively lose about $77.9 million CAD (≈$58 million USD) annually, with 54% of affected workers...
5 Ways to Take Your Leadership Skills From Good to Great
Beverly Flaxington, a practice‑management consultant, shares five actionable leadership habits for middle‑management professionals in the financial advisory sector. She stresses the need to articulate clear, measurable goals, understand each team member’s motivations, and proactively remove obstacles. The piece also highlights...
Why AI Efficiency Can Lead to Burnout in Recruiting
AI-driven automation is stripping recruiters of routine tasks, leaving them with a higher proportion of cognitively demanding work. This shift raises the intensity of mental effort without reducing total hours, creating what practitioners call “AI burnout.” Research on cognitive load...
UK Study Finds Workers Average Under 3 Productive Hours, Urges Tiny Habit Focus
A recent study reveals UK workers achieve only 2 hours 53 minutes of productive output per day. Business leader Jake Humphrey and productivity expert Ali Abdaal argue the prevailing myth of big‑goal motivation is misleading, urging leaders to adopt micro‑habits. The shift could reverse...
Deliberate Practice Proven Superior in New 2024 Skill Mastery Study
A 2024 meta‑analysis published in Psychotherapy Research found participants using structured deliberate practice outperformed control groups on skill acquisition. The study reinforces psychologist Anders Ericsson’s decades‑long claim that focused, feedback‑rich practice beats simple repetition. Executives and educators are now re‑examining...
Fairphone Urges $1-per-Device Living Wage in 2025 Impact Report, Pressuring Smartphone Makers
Fairphone released its 2025 Impact Report, demanding that every smartphone maker add a living‑wage bonus of roughly $1 per device. The Dutch firm argues the cost is negligible compared with retail prices and points to a $295 monthly wage for...
Stop Duplicate Processes, Unify Your Tools
If your staff is drowning in duplicate processes, disconnected tools, and manual workarounds, this article explains why...and what to do next. Check out my guest blog with @follett_software to see my take on this conundrum.
Rejection Isn't Personal: Selection Focuses Elsewhere
Would extend this to “You are aggressively socialized to read a rejection as being about you and attributes within your control. When you actually operate a selection process, 90% of thoughts will not be about the candidate. Few people reconcile...
AI Lifts Law Firm Productivity but Junior Associate Pay Stalls
Law firms are seeing AI tools cut document‑review time and double billable hours for junior associates, but salaries and bonuses have not kept pace. The gap mirrors a broader productivity‑pay divergence that economists warn could widen as AI replaces more...
Alignment Crumbles When Leaders' Words Diverge From Actions
Where the Golden Thread Breaks Most Often @CustomerThink @https://buff.ly/v54l2O6 It breaks when people stop believing that what leaders say matches how the org operates. From that point, alignment is performative, execution becomes compromised, outcomes become unpredictable. https://t.co/XOwh6orwuz
Hire by Asking: Would Losing Them Kill Us?
ICYMI: Fresh new article dropped: When judging hiring candidates: Here’s a fear-based test I actually like: If they were to join your competitor, do you think “Uh oh, now we’re dead”? https://t.co/lywMRtGXYV
Papa John’s Tipping Box Message Triggers Nationwide Backlash
Papa John’s drew fierce criticism after a TikTok video revealed a delivery box that read “DELIVERY FEE IS NOT A TIP. Please reward your driver for outstanding service.” The post ignited a debate over tipping fatigue, with users accusing the...
Hiring in Japan 2026: Key Strategies Unveiled
Brainfood Live On Air - Ep375 - How to Hire in Japan in 2026 https://t.co/IZMjqpcA5q
Starbucks Shares Slip Ahead of Q2 2026 Earnings as Same‑Store Sales Sluggish
Starbucks Corp. shares dropped 1.62% to $97.35 on Tuesday as the coffee chain approaches its fiscal Q2 2026 earnings release on April 28. Analysts project revenue of $9.1‑$9.3 billion and EPS of $0.59‑$0.65, but warn that same‑store sales remain under pressure...
Thomson Reuters Sued over Alleged Retaliation After Employee Flagged ICE Data Contracts
Billie Little, a former Thomson Reuters legal‑publishing employee, has filed a lawsuit alleging she was fired for leading a whistle‑blower effort that warned ICE could misuse the company's CLEAR data platform. The case pits the former employee against a Toronto‑based...
AME Church Clergy Could Recover $44M More in Retirement Scandal Settlement
A federal judge gave preliminary approval to a settlement that could add $44.4 million to the recovery pool for African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church clergy and staff who lost retirement savings. Combined with earlier partial settlements, the total recovery for roughly...
PNC Cuts 777 Jobs After $4.1 Billion FirstBank Acquisition
PNC Financial Services will eliminate 777 positions at its Lakewood, Colorado office as it integrates FirstBank Holding Company, a deal valued at over $4.1 billion. The layoffs, slated to begin June 30, 2026, reflect the bank’s effort to streamline overlapping functions...
When “Be Human” Isn’t Enough
The article argues that simply telling leaders to “be more human” is insufficient; they need concrete skills and coaching to translate empathy, curiosity, and psychological safety into daily actions. As organizations invest heavily in AI and automation, the demand for...
Should I Give Job Candidates a Way to Contact Me?
Interviewers debate whether to share personal contact details with candidates. Some managers prefer a conference‑room line to avoid harassment, while others argue a direct work email or phone lets candidates withdraw applications, update information, or send thank‑you notes. The question...
Workers Adopt AI Learning, yet 65% Doubt Its Accuracy
Workers are using AI to learn on the job, even though 65% worry about accuracy https://t.co/GgYCcU2OpZ
MetLife CHRO: 3 Ways HR Can Lead Through Uncertainty
MetLife’s new workforce report shows American employees’ financial confidence has slipped to a 14‑year low, echoing pandemic‑era anxieties. The study warns that workers are prioritizing security over growth, which could curb long‑term innovation. To counter this, MetLife CHRO Shurawl Sibblies...
Why a High Salary Couldn’t Stop a One-Week Resignation
A newly hired employee quit after just one week despite receiving a salary double their previous earnings. The departure was triggered by a cultural clash: management questioned the employee’s early departure, emphasizing office presence over productivity. The employee perceived this...
PwC Tells Remote Tax Staff to Get Their Butts Into the Office
PwC announced that its tax practice will move to a consistent hybrid model beginning July 1, 2026, requiring professionals to be in a PwC office or client site at least three days per week. The change ends the “virtual profile”...