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.
Worth Reading – Why Your People Managers Are the Weakest Link in Learning and Development
Many firms tout a learning‑first culture, yet employees are still judged on billable hours and revenue targets, leaving little room for skill development. The article argues that people managers become the primary barrier to effective learning because they enforce these performance metrics. Without managerial support, even well‑funded L&D programs fail to gain traction. The piece calls for a shift in incentives and manager accountability to close the gap between rhetoric and reality.
Alternative Career Paths Outside Traditional Office Jobs
European workers are increasingly abandoning traditional office jobs as rising living costs and robust remote‑work infrastructure drive demand for flexible, location‑independent careers. Digital‑first sectors such as iGaming are expanding rapidly, hiring multilingual talent for roles ranging from customer support to...
Deloitte to Trim Benefits for ‘Center’ Workforce Amid AI Shift
Deloitte will slash several benefits for its "centre" talent pool starting Jan. 1, 2027. Paid family leave drops from 16 to 8 weeks, adoption and IVF subsidies up to $50,000 are removed, and mid‑tenure staff may lose up to 10 PTO days....
5 Questions Leaders Should Ask Before Turning to Fractional Work
The Harvard Business Review article outlines five critical questions senior leaders should ask before moving into fractional work, a growing employment model driven by AI uncertainty and market volatility. It contrasts fractional roles with other part‑time options, details client‑acquisition strategies,...
R24980 - Talent Project Manager
Euronext is hiring a Talent Project Manager in Athens to lead and coordinate talent‑related projects across its European network. The role will harmonise international recruitment processes, embed AI‑driven automation, and strengthen employer branding and diversity initiatives. It also oversees onboarding,...
AI, Transparency, & Fairness: How to Close the Gap Between HR Teams and Job Seekers
Checkr’s lead recruiter Sloane Tolleson says AI is becoming a "third wheel" in hiring, offering tools like interview companions that free interviewers to focus on candidates. She highlights a trust gap: candidates, especially early adopters, are comfortable with AI, while...
AI, Market Whiplash and the Case for a Force Multiplier
In early February 2026, software shares slumped and insurance‑broker stocks tumbled after investors reacted to new AI capabilities, including OpenAI’s approval of a self‑service insurance broker app. The rapid valuation swings underscored how AI sentiment can dominate market perception even...
AI Hiring Is Creating a Sea of Sameness
AI is now the most widely adopted technology in HR, especially for recruiting, according to SHRM's 2025 research. While AI speeds resume screening and candidate matching, it also pushes applicants to craft algorithm‑friendly narratives. This optimization creates a homogeneous pool...
AI Hiring Is Creating a Sea of Sameness
AI-driven hiring tools are now routine, automating résumé screening, candidate matching, and outreach. The technology streamlines recruitment but also standardizes evaluation criteria, leading to a uniform pool of candidates. As algorithms dictate more of the employer‑applicant interaction, the human element...
TCS Moves Nashik Unit to Remote Work Amid Safety Concerns
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has moved its Nashik business process outsourcing unit, which employs about 170 staff, to a full work‑from‑home model after local groups attempted to damage the premises and safety concerns escalated. Police have bolstered security around the...
Manager Who Took X to Court Has Compensation Slashed
A former senior manager at X (formerly Twitter) who sued the company over a 2022 mass layoff saw his award dramatically reduced. An Irish tribunal originally granted him a record €550,000 (about $594,000) for unfair dismissal, including restricted‑share‑unit (RSU) payments....
IBM, DEI and a $17 Million Warning Shot
IBM agreed to pay $17 million to resolve DOJ allegations that its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices violated federal contracting rules. The settlement stems from the Justice Department’s newly created Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which targets companies that use race...
Incentives for AI Use: A ‘Spectacularly Bad Idea’
HR Executive warns that imposing quotas or incentives for AI adoption is counterproductive. Self‑reported usage metrics often inflate activity without delivering real productivity gains, and only about 5% of AI projects achieve tangible results. The article argues that AI effectiveness...
Incentives for AI Use: A ‘Spectacularly Bad Idea’
HR Executive warns that imposing quotas and incentives to force AI tool usage is a spectacularly bad idea. Companies like Google, Meta and Amazon are making AI adoption a job requirement, tying it to performance metrics. The article argues that...
16 Top Applicant Tracking Systems for 2026
As the labor market remains volatile, companies are turning to applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline hiring and gain a competitive edge. Modern ATS platforms now embed AI for resume screening, job description generation, and candidate outreach, while also supporting...
How to Keep Empathy Sustainable in a World of Hybrid, Intergenerational Work
Empathic leadership is now a baseline expectation, linked to higher engagement and lower turnover, but sustained empathy can become an invisible source of emotional fatigue for managers. A recent study of millennial managers shows that while they often appear on...
E.l.f. Beauty Promotes Kory Marchisotto to President of Brands
e.l.f. Beauty has created a President of Brands role and promoted Kory Marchisotto to fill it. Marchisotto will oversee e.l.f. Skin, e.l.f. Cosmetics, the vegan brand Well People, and Alicia Keys’s Keys Soulcare line. The move follows a 38% sales...
What Sport Gets Right that Workplaces Still Miss
An opinion piece argues that workplaces can learn from sport to close the gender‑pipeline gap. Using Snow Camp’s apprenticeship model, the author shows how confidence, visible role models, and inclusive environments help young women thrive. The article highlights that policies...
Company Policies and Rules That Are Too Specific Can Replace Sound Judgment
General Motors CEO Mary Barra replaced a 10‑page dress code with the two‑word directive “Dress Appropriately,” demonstrating that broad guidelines can drive higher standards. She argues that overly specific policies cause employees to do the minimum required, while general principles...
Smartsheet VP Says Busy Work Costs UK Firms $15K per Employee Annually
Sarkis Kalashian, Smartsheet’s vice‑president of applied AI and core product, says UK companies waste a full working day each week on low‑value "busy work," translating to roughly $15,000 in lost productivity per employee annually. The finding, based on Smartsheet’s Great...
Employees at First Ever Starbucks Store Seek to Unionize Amid Fight for Contract
Baristas at Starbucks' original 1971 Pike Place Market store have filed a union election petition, joining more than 600 U.S. locations that have already voted to unionize since 2021. The drive comes as Starbucks Workers United lodged an unfair‑labor‑practice charge,...
Radiologists Earning an Average of $571,000, up 9% Year over Year
Radiologists now earn an average of $571,000, marking a 9% increase from the previous year, according to Medscape’s latest physician compensation survey. This places radiology third among the highest‑paid specialties, behind orthopedics ($611,000) and cardiology ($575,000). The rise mirrors a...
Desi Daru Strengthens UK Team
Desi Daru, a British‑Indian vodka brand, hired Chet Patel as national account manager and Gregorio Soriente as brand manager/investor to accelerate its UK on‑trade expansion. Patel brings Diageo and Nxus Drinks experience, while Soriente adds luxury bar expertise and influencer...
How to Make HR-PEO Partnerships Succeed
Economic uncertainty and rising healthcare costs are pushing mid‑size firms toward Professional Employer Organizations, with 87% of non‑PEO users now considering a partnership. More than 230,000 U.S. businesses—about 15% of employers with 10 to 499 employees—already rely on PEOs. Experts...
Deloitte to Slash PTO, Parental Leave and IVF Funding for U.S. Center Staff Starting 2027
Deloitte announced that, effective Jan. 1 2027, employees in its U.S. “Center” talent model will see annual paid time off, parental leave, pension contributions and IVF funding reduced or eliminated. The move is part of a broader talent‑architecture overhaul aimed at aligning...
TCS Sends Nashik Staff Home Over Safety Fears, Sparks Protests
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) instructed employees at its Nashik BPO to work from home on safety grounds as police probe sexual harassment and forced religious conversion claims. The move triggered a bike‑rally protest by women's groups and intensified scrutiny of...
MLBPA Fires COO and HR Head Amid Federal Probe
The Major League Baseball Players Association terminated Chief Operating Officer Xavier James and Human Resources Director Michael O'Neill with cause after an internal investigation linked to a federal inquiry. Veteran player Chris Capuano was named interim COO as the union...
Global Employee Recognition Programs in 2026: Why Service Year Recognition Is Becoming the Core of Workforce Strategy
Service year recognition programs are emerging as a core component of modern employee engagement strategies, moving beyond ad‑hoc peer praise to structured, automated milestone awards. Companies across the U.S. and Canada are adopting platforms that integrate with HRIS to deliver...
Firms Ramp Up AI Upskilling as Automation Threat Looms
Major corporations are fast‑tracking AI upskilling initiatives to shield workers from automation. Cisco mandates AI training for all employees, while PwC reports that its clients are seeing productivity gains after reskilling. The push coincides with bipartisan legislation offering tax credits...
AI Boom Collides with Skills Shortage in SA Workforce
South Africa faces a talent paradox as AI adoption accelerates while a deep skills shortage persists, according to Mercer’s 2026 Global Talent Trends report. The study, based on nearly 12,000 respondents, finds 52% cite talent scarcity and 50% point to...
UKG Cuts 950 Jobs in Global Restructuring, Hits South Florida Workforce
Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG) notified 950 employees of termination as part of a global restructuring, with roughly 600 exits effective immediately and 350 staff retained temporarily. The cuts, centered on its Sunrise and Weston campuses, underscore pressure on the HR‑SaaS...
Vanguard to Scale Hyderabad GCC, Targets 2,400 Workforce by 2029
Vanguard announced plans to expand its Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad to nearly 2,400 employees by 2029. The hiring push targets engineering, data science, cybersecurity and product development roles, moving the centre from a support function to a full‑stack technology...
The $11.5M SHRM Post-Trial Ruling Is Here. The Warnings Inside Apply to Every HR-Sophisticated Employer.
A federal court rejected SHRM’s post‑trial motions, leaving an $11.5 million jury verdict for race discrimination and retaliation intact. The verdict includes $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. The opinion emphasized that SHRM, as a leading trainer on...
7 Destructive Things Leaders Say that Stifle Innovation, Trust, and Teamwork (and What to Say for More Innovation)
Episode 349 of Let’s Grow Leaders spotlights seven everyday phrases that silently crush innovation, trust and teamwork. The host explains why language like “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves” or “That’s how the industry works” can shrink ambition and shut...
Inside Wealthsimple’s “Simple” Effort to Bring Canadian Talent Home
Wealthsimple launched the North Star program to lure Canadian tech talent back from abroad, starting with a Thanksgiving dinner in San Francisco. The initiative posted an evergreen job listing that drew over 6,000 applications, resulting in seven offers, five hires,...
Assistant Production Manager // Indigo at The O2 (London)
Indigo at The O2, part of AEG, is hiring an Assistant Production Manager with a salary of £33,000‑£38,000 (≈ $42,000‑$48,000) plus benefits. The permanent role supports the Production Manager in coordinating technical crews, staging, and labour for live events at the...
Novo Nordisk Adds 2,000 Roles, Signals Shift to Targeted Hiring
Novo Nordisk announced it will add approximately 2,000 employees in 2026, marking a shift from the massive 7,800‑person layoff program executed in 2025. The new hires will be concentrated in production, research, and commercial functions that support its fast‑growing diabetes...
Training Consultants Hurts Now, Fuels Long‑term Profitability
We invest an obscene amount of resources, time, energy into training our financial consultants. Ask any organisation, they will tell you that it does not make financial sense. Why? In the short term, profitability takes a hit. Because if I’m here...
Engineers Still In Demand: Product Goes Beyond Code
Don’t you find it ironic how on one hand we hear we need a lot less engineers yet hottest hires are forward deploy engineers? Product is a lot more than code. And also, there will be more engineers not less...
How Companies Are Self-Funding Workplace Transformation With AI
Companies are adopting a “Harvest to Invest” model that uses AI to identify and capture savings from real‑estate, technology and operations inefficiencies, then reinvests those funds into higher‑impact workplace initiatives. AI‑driven occupancy analytics expose underused desks and predict future space...
AI Will Disrupt 18% Jobs, Boost 12% Growth
OpenAI's chief economist published an AI Jobs Transition Framework mapping 900+ occupations: 18% face higher near-term automation risk, 24% will reorganize (fewer workers, same role), 12% could grow from AI, 46% see less change. ChatGPT is used 3x more in...
HR's Role Amplified in the AI Era
HR has rarely been more important than in the #AI era @UNLEASHgroup https://t.co/duoxqK4tf2 #HCM #HRM #HumanResources #HRTech #CHRO #FutureofHR
Pendulum Swings Again: DOL’s Proposed Rule on Independent Contractors
On February 27, 2026 the U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would revert the federal independent‑contractor test to the 2021 framework, emphasizing the degree of control and the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss. The...
HR Leadership: The Era of Responsible Influence
HR executives have moved beyond administrative duties to become strategic architects of business, mission, and human outcomes. Automation and AI have offloaded routine tasks, pushing leaders to address ethical AI use, fairness, and moral decision‑making. In a climate of constant...
HR Leaders Must Prioritize Experimentation over Engagement, Says Amy Edmondson
At UNLEASH America 2026, Harvard professor Amy Edmondson urged HR leaders to replace traditional engagement‑centric metrics with a focus on structured experimentation. She argues that AI‑driven speed of change makes “intelligent failure” essential for continuous learning. Edmondson stresses that psychological...
Do You Love Swimming? See 341 Swim Jobs You Might Love
SwimSwam’s job board now lists 341 open positions in the swimming sector, ranging from assistant coaches and head coaches to aquatics directors and business managers. The roles span part‑time, full‑time, graduate assistant, and senior leadership levels across clubs, universities, and...
Abu Dhabi Pushes AI-Ready Workforce Strategy Through Mawaheb Talent Hub
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Government Enablement is scaling the Mawaheb Talent Hub to create an AI‑ready workforce. The platform upskilled more than 10,000 Emiratis and placed over 6,000 in jobs during 2025, expanding into Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Partnerships with G42,...
Martin Schori on Hiring for Yesterday While Bracing for Tomorrow
Martin Schori argues that media outlets are stuck hiring for yesterday’s production‑centric roles while the future demands relationship‑focused, creative talent. He notes AI is automating speed and standardisation, eroding the value of traditional newsroom functions. Yet editors still prioritize measurable,...
Strike Threat Grows at Ichthys LNG After Workers Reject Deal
Inpex reported that workers at its Ichthys LNG plant in Australia voted against a new employment agreement, heightening the likelihood of industrial action. The Offshore Alliance, representing 430 union members, said the offer fell short of industry‑standard wages and conditions....
SeekOut Names Sean Thompson as CEO to Lead the Agentic AI Recruiting Revolution
SeekOut, the agentic AI recruiting platform, announced Sean Thompson as its new chief executive officer effective May 4, 2026, while co‑founder Anoop Gupta moves to executive chairman. Thompson, a veteran of NAVEX, SAP Ariba and Microsoft, brings enterprise SaaS scaling experience to the...