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.
Point72, BlackRock-Backed Contest Seeks Japanese Banking Talent
Point72 and BlackRock’s Gyoseki contest entered its fourth year, drawing about 300 Japanese college students across 170 teams to evaluate consumer‑product stocks. Participants performed fundamental analysis on Unicharm, Lion and Ezaki Glico, with the winning team receiving ¥150,000 (≈$944) and internship pipelines at the backers. The competition addresses Japan’s shrinking finance talent pool, where 175 jobs per 100 graduates were available and 99% of graduates secured offers. Organizers stress that the contest’s focus on earnings forecasts and macro insights, rather than pure AI or coding skills, helps firms identify high‑potential analysts beyond traditional finance majors.
The Thinking Crisis: Why Organizations Are Losing Talent They Can’t Replace
A new national study reveals that 44% of employees and 59% of executives have left jobs because their thinking was not valued, not due to pay or perks. The research identifies a "thinking crisis" driven by fear of mistakes (76%),...
Early Talent in Peril: Can Work-Based Learning Solve the Entry-Level Career Crisis?
Research from SAP SuccessFactors shows early‑talent employment fell 6% since 2022 while applicants per entry‑level opening doubled over five years. Industry leaders at the UNLEASH conference argued that AI is eroding traditional on‑ramps for recent graduates, leaving a widening skills...
In an Age of Insularity, CHROs in Asia-Pacific Must Move From Talent Metrics to Business Impact
Edelman’s Delicia Tan warns that Asia‑Pacific CHROs must move beyond traditional talent metrics and focus on tangible business impact. While Singapore and Hong Kong retain high institutional trust, internal surveys reveal growing anxiety about skill relevance and leadership confidence. Companies...
Mental Wellness & The Culture You Leave Behind
John Trautwein, founder of the Will To Live Foundation, urges CEOs to confront the hidden mental‑health crisis in their workplaces. He cites that one in five employees silently battle diagnosable mental illness, a stigma‑driven condition that can erode productivity and...
Agile PeopleOps Unveils HARI L 2.0, First AI Governance Score for Individual Leaders
Agile PeopleOps launched HARI L 2.0, the world’s first individual AI governance assessment that assigns leaders a 0‑100 score based on real‑time AI decision‑making. The tool delivers a board‑ready scorecard, gap register and a 90‑day coaching plan, filling a gap in...
Westinghouse Names Gilma Saravia Vice President of Human Resources
Westinghouse Electric Company announced the appointment of Gilma Saravia as Vice President of Human Resources. Saravia will lead the firm’s global HR strategy, focusing on talent transformation, leadership capability, and workforce planning across its nuclear technology operations.
Gamer Recruitment Drive Yields 6,000 ATC Applications
JUST IN: DOT Secretary Duffy's gamer recruitment idea sparks over 6,000 applications for air traffic controller positions.
A Talent Playbook for the AI Era
Companies are pouring money into artificial intelligence, but talent shortages are the primary obstacle to scaling deployments. The article argues that the real bottleneck is a skills gap, not technical integration or regulatory hurdles. It recommends aggressive upskilling and a...
The Hidden Cost of Growth: Leadership Debt
Leadership Debt™ describes the hidden liability that builds when founders cling to day‑to‑day control, preventing the development of a scalable leadership team. The article outlines four stages—from founder‑as‑driver to scaling headcount without output—showing how each compounds operational risk and erodes...
Firms Face Lack of Consistency in Global Social Mobility
New research by the Financial Reporting Council, Lewis Silkin and Progress Together reveals that financial‑services firms worldwide lack consistent methods to measure the impact of socio‑economic background on employee progression. While barriers such as confidence gaps and limited networks are common,...
Are You Building a Strategic Culture?
The final article in the “Building Strategic Capacity in Your Leadership Team” series argues that culture, not just strategy, determines whether strategic thinking spreads beyond the CEO. It outlines three levers—intention, repetition, and recognition—that embed strategic thinking into agendas, performance...
Succession Planning; How Resilient Is Your Firm?
Law firms are finally confronting succession planning, moving beyond the old taboo. While 70% remain single‑generation, firms that integrate succession with broader resilience strategies see lower turnover and higher morale. Resilience involves a unified firm culture, a social contract of...
U.S. Employers Shed 92,000 Jobs in February, Unemployment Rises to 4.4%
American employers unexpectedly eliminated 92,000 positions in February, driving the national unemployment rate up to 4.4%. The losses were concentrated in federal, medical, and hospitality sectors, raising concerns about consumer spending and Federal Reserve policy.
NSW Health Admits to Underpaying Emergency Doctors
The New South Wales Department of Health confirmed that emergency doctors at Westmead Hospital have been receiving their allowance entitlements late, potentially reducing take‑home pay by as much as a quarter. The delay was highlighted by the Australian Salaried Medical...
Funko Elevates Mike Snider to Vice President of People & Culture
Funko announced the promotion of Mike Snider to Vice President of People & Culture, expanding his remit over talent strategy, organizational design and employee engagement. The move reflects the company’s intensified focus on building a high‑performing, people‑centric organization as it...
Crosby’s CEO Makes Sunday Interviews a Hiring Standard for Startup Talent
Crosby founder Ryan Daniels introduced Sunday interviews for candidates, offering relief from taking vacation days and aligning with executives’ lighter schedules. The policy, part of a broader push to re‑think hiring trials, could reshape talent acquisition in the startup ecosystem.
Data Has Turned Worrisome for Women Aspiring to CFO Roles
Recent Bloomberg data reveals that women occupy only about 15% of CFO positions at Fortune 500 companies, and the pipeline of female finance talent is shrinking by roughly 8% annually since 2022. The analysis, highlighted by Melissa Howatson, points to insufficient...
University Fires Library Worker for Criticizing Boss in Private Meeting
A Trinity Western University librarian with 43 years of service was terminated after violating a last‑chance agreement by repeatedly criticizing his supervisor in private. An arbitrator upheld the dismissal, finding the employee’s disrespectful communication breached the agreement and that his...
Tech Cuts Tiger-Cub Teams From 100 to 15
In the 1995-2010 era, it took a lot of bodies to run a scaled Tiger-Cub strategy. 100+ headcount was common across research, back office & trading (starting in '08, I was one of a large research team) Largely due to technology,...
DC Hires Favor Those Who Can Afford Unemployment
IDK. I might have to disagree with Dort and Justice Thomas on this one. My new thesis: the people we want and need in DC are very busy and don’t live anywhere close to the swamp. Personally, I’m beating myself up for...
Resignations and Firings Have Depleted the FBI and Justice Department. They're Scrambling to Rebuild
The FBI and Justice Department are confronting a severe staffing shortfall after a wave of retirements, resignations and politically‑motivated firings. Both agencies have loosened hiring standards – the FBI shortens training for transfers and waives certain assessments, while the DOJ...
Recruiters Demand Impossible Experience on Brand‑new Tools
how recruiters look at you when you don’t have 6 years of experience in a tool that was invented 2 years ago https://t.co/odn8QDsyV7
Higher Teacher Pay Attracts Better-Qualified Educators
Well that's sad. But the main point of raising teacher salaries is to attract a better caliber of teachers to the profession.
Home Depot Salaries: From Sales Rep to CEO
Home Depot disclosed its 2025 executive compensation alongside median associate pay, revealing a CEO base salary of $1.4 million that rose to $16.19 million total. The median hourly‑plus‑stock compensation for a store associate was $37,881, yielding a CEO‑to‑median pay ratio of 427 to 1,...
10 Best Employee Recognition Software I Recommend in 2026
The article outlines the criteria for selecting top employee recognition software in 2026, emphasizing flexibility, integration, analytics, customization, security, and social engagement features. It argues that platforms must support varied recognition styles, embed into tools like Slack and HRIS, and...
Polite Rejection After Seven Interview Rounds, Internal Hire
“We really enjoyed getting to know you over 7 rounds. Your insights were extremely valuable and we’ll probably be implementing some of your ideas. Unfortunately, we’ve decided to move forward with an internal candidate.” https://t.co/ktii2JKDEK
Block Inc. Cuts Workforce by 40% as Gross Profit Doubles, Raises 2026 Outlook
Block Inc. disclosed a reduction of its headcount from over 10,000 to just under 6,000 employees during its fourth‑quarter 2025 earnings call and highlighted that gross profit growth more than doubled year‑over‑year. The company also said it surpassed the Rule...
WNS Appoints Thomas Joseph as Chief People Officer to Steer 66,000-Strong Workforce
WNS, the Capgemini‑owned BPO and AI‑driven operations firm, named Thomas Joseph as Chief People Officer, putting him in charge of the talent agenda for more than 66,000 staff worldwide. The move signals a strategic push to align people strategy with...
Founder Turns $80K Inheritance Into Near‑$1M Real‑Estate Revenue
Steph Mahon, founder of Dwell New Jersey, invested an $80,000 inheritance from her late uncle into a boutique real‑estate firm in February 2022. Six months later the company hired its first director, and today the business is approaching $1 million in...
Snap Cuts 1,000 Jobs, Cites AI Shift to Slash $500 M Costs
Snap announced layoffs of roughly 1,000 employees, about 16% of its global workforce, to reallocate resources toward AI‑focused products such as Snapchat+ and Snap Lite. The restructuring is projected to reduce annual costs by more than $500 million, while the company...
Anthropic only Needs One Skilled Communications Hire
he just needs a modicum of media training. anthropic just needs to hire one good comms person and they’re set
Turning HRIS Sprawl Into a Clear Tech Roadmap
#Podcast Matthew Hamilton: From HRIS Sprawl to a Clear Tech Roadmap @TheHRGazette https://t.co/XlhsavbQRw #HCM #HRM #HumanResources #HRTech #CHRO #FutureofHR
Will AI Steal Your Job? Only 15% of Routine Roles at Risk
Boston Consulting Group’s latest study finds that only 10%‑15% of U.S. jobs—mostly routine roles such as call‑center staff and junior financial analysts—are likely to disappear entirely within the next five years. Meanwhile, 50%‑55% of occupations will be fundamentally reshaped by...
CEOs Ask VPs to Envision AI‑driven Headcount Cuts
Friend at ~2,000 software company just told me last week all the VPs were being asked: “Hypothetically, what could your department’s headcount look like today because of AI?” “We aren’t doing anything…the CEO is just thinking how AI could change the org...
Gen Z Embraces ‘Career Minimalism,’ Prioritizing Purpose Over Corner Offices
Upworthy reports that Gen Z is rewriting professional success by embracing “career minimalism,” a philosophy that puts purpose and personal well‑being ahead of traditional corner‑office ambitions. The trend signals a generational move toward work that funds life rather than consumes...
AI Hiring Bots Reject Qualified Candidates Over Rigid Keywords
AI-driven hiring systems filter resumes using rigid keywords and formatting rules, causing qualified candidates to be rejected before human review. https://t.co/RrB2GudJ8D
Aon’s 2025 Employee Sentiment Study Flags Talent Churn and AI Skill Gaps for Insurers
Aon has released its 2025 Employee Sentiment Study, built on an August 2024 survey of 9,202 employees in 23 countries. The report finds a majority of workers planning to change jobs within a year and only 35% motivated to upskill...
India's New Labour Codes Spark Massive Protests and Wage Rises
Thousands of Noida workers rallied against India’s four new labour codes, demanding higher wages. The state raised skilled wages by 35% to about $203 a month, but authorities arrested over 350 protesters, underscoring a legal clash between labour rights and...
Three Keys To Engagement.
Gallup’s 2026 Global Employee Engagement Survey shows only 20% of workers worldwide—and just 31% in the United States—feel engaged, while top‑performing firms achieve roughly 70% engagement. The report points to managers as the biggest driver of disengagement, with heavy workloads,...
From HR to Running a Multi-Million-Dollar Business
Juhi Dubey, formerly an HR leader at Infosys—a 320,000‑employee, $19 billion revenue firm—felt her role had become overly transactional. Recognizing that HR was often sidelined from core business decisions, she deliberately spent more time on the business floor than in traditional...
Stifel CEO Gets 20% Pay Bump to $18 Million
Stifel Financial announced that longtime CEO Ronald J. Kruszewski will receive $18 million in total compensation for 2025, a 20% increase from the prior year. The boost reflects the firm’s record $5.5 billion net revenue, a 17% rise in its stock price...
A New High Water Mark Doesn’t Always Reflect True Progress
The article explains that a high water mark— the highest performance level reached— can signal genuine progress or merely a one‑off effort. It urges leaders to dissect how a peak was achieved, distinguishing skill‑based improvement from extra effort or luck....
Forbes Warns Overuse of ‘Burnout’ Dilutes Meaning, Hampers Workplace Mental‑health Efforts
Forbes issued a warning that the term “burnout” is being applied too broadly, weakening its diagnostic value and undermining corporate mental‑health programs. The outlet argues that conflating ordinary fatigue with true burnout could stall effective resilience strategies for employees.
WNBA Union Secures 367% Salary Jump in New CBA, Boosting Benefits and Workplace Standards
The Women's National Basketball Association players' union, represented by veteran labor lawyer Deb Willig, negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that raises salaries by 367% and adds parental leave, retirement and facility upgrades. The deal marks the largest CBA-to-CBA jump in...
FAA’s Gamer Recruitment Drive Nets 6,000 Applicants in 12 Hours Amid 3,500-Controller Shortage
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the FAA’s video‑gamer outreach generated almost 6,000 applications within twelve hours, a rapid response to a nationwide shortfall of roughly 3,500 air‑traffic controllers. The initiative highlights the agency’s push to modernize recruitment while...
Linking Cognitive Ability to Personality Profiles in HR
Interpreting Personality Profiles Through the Lens of Cognitive Ability @ABPsychologists https://t.co/cGhzJgOtGS #HCM #HRM #HumanResources #HRTech #CHRO #FutureofHR
When “Zero Tolerance” Tolerates for Four Years
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) faced fresh scrutiny after eight women at its Nashik plant filed harassment complaints spanning February 2022 to March 2026. Police investigations uncovered 78 emails and led to seven arrests, including an HR manager on the internal...
Ted Lasso's 10 Timeless Leadership Principles
10 @TedLasso leadership lessons: 1 believe in yourself 2 winning is an attitude 3 all people are different people 4 see good in others 5 forgive first 6 stay teachable 7 be curious 8 optimists do more 9 be honest 10 doing right thing is never wrong thing https://t.co/BNiTnZfmpU
Tata Steel Prepares for Blue-Collar Job Transitions as Iron Ore Lease Expiry Nears
Tata Steel announced that four iron‑ore mining leases in Jharkhand and Odisha will expire by 2030, prompting a strategic shift in its raw‑material sourcing. The company has slowed new hiring while briefing employees on possible role changes, redeployment, or voluntary...