Know What's Happening in Human Resources
Know What's Happening in Human Resources
UK government rolls out sweeping workers‑rights reforms
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced day‑one statutory sick pay and paternity leave, raised the state pension and scrapped the two‑child benefit cap. The changes are projected to lift about half a million children out of poverty.
Since 2017 IBM has turned its HR function into a "Client Zero" lab, using internal AI prototypes before market release. The HR team applied an "eliminate, simplify, automate" mantra, even shutting down its phone line and email overnight to test automation. These experiments delivered a 40% cut in operating costs and reshaped workforce strategy. The experience now serves as a roadmap for CHROs shifting focus from speed to sustainable impact in 2026.
Over the past two years, companies have deployed AI tools across their workforces, launching large‑scale pilots and encouraging experimentation. While many organizations report localized productivity gains, most have not yet translated these pilots into measurable financial returns. A recent panel...
Rebecca Hinds, head of Glean’s Work AI Institute, distills findings from the AI Transformation 100 report into actionable ideas for reshaping the modern workplace. The report highlights AI‑augmented knowledge search, automated workflow bots, personalized learning assistants, real‑time analytics, and ethical...
Organizations are confronting AI’s takeover of routine work by redefining the human capabilities that drive performance. Leading firms such as McKinsey and Dropbox are prioritizing learning agility, metacognition, and judgment, embedding these skills into hiring, development, and promotion processes. The...
The Northern California Workplace Investigations Workshop offers HR, labor relations and in‑house counsel a half‑day, in‑person training on conducting lawful, defensible investigations. Participants will learn to design investigative plans, gather evidence, interview witnesses, handle privileged matters and social‑media issues, and...
AI is reshaping the C‑suite by pulling human‑resources, technology, and business leaders into shared responsibility for AI transformation. Executives recognize that AI challenges are as much about people and culture as they are about algorithms and infrastructure. The article highlights...
Rootly launched On‑Call Health, a free open‑source platform that monitors on‑call responder workload. It aggregates observed data—incident volume, severity, after‑hours pages, commit patterns—and optional self‑reported check‑ins to compute a 0‑100 risk score. The tool emphasizes trend analysis over single snapshots,...
A recent Zety survey finds that one in three employees believes companies should offer dedicated “heartbreak leave” and many have already taken time off after a breakup. Younger workers, especially Gen Z and millennials, are most eager for the benefit, with...
After 20+ years working in HR, I’m still learning: about leadership, people, and what actually helps work… work. I share those reflections in my monthly newsletter on HR, leadership, and the future of work. 📩 Scan the QR code to subscribe or...
Congress passed a spending bill that forces pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to disclose detailed pricing information to group health plans starting in 2028‑2029. The law requires semiannual reports on drug spreads, net prices, rebates, and out‑of‑pocket costs, and mandates that...
💥 I just made my HR leadership course FREE. 20+ hours of content from world-class CHROs. 11 modules. Templates, frameworks, and real playbooks. Now completely open source. This course features leaders from Spotify, HubSpot, The Lego Group, Reddit, Asana, and more sharing...
The article defines "cultural drift" as the gap between a company’s proclaimed values and the behaviors that actually emerge, often surfacing after growth, re‑orgs, or leadership changes. Recruiters, as the first human touchpoint for candidates, notice this drift early, sensing...
The tech sector is inventing high‑paying roles such as empathy engineer, a position that blends social, cultural and emotional insights with technology design and can command salaries up to £110,000. A Tide survey found that 80% of British job seekers...
The episode explores why tech giants like Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic are actively hiring SEO leaders, highlighting that these companies see SEO as essential for driving organic discoverability, traffic, and conversions across their AI-driven products. It explains that SEO is...
Strategy‑execution expert Pete Wilkinson warns that building an elite team requires the same relentless commitment as training for the Olympics. He outlines four "power habits"—focus, personal organisation, proactivity and self‑discipline—and stresses consistent goal‑cascading across the organisation. Wilkinson breaks the journey...
The January 2026 appellate roundup highlights several pivotal employment‑law decisions. The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court, holding that any amount of entertainment work qualifies a production company for the Multi‑employer Pension Plan Amendments Act exemption. The Fifth Circuit affirmed...
The IRS issued several key updates between Jan 21 and Feb 9, 2026, including Notice 2026‑9 extending the deadline for IRA and pension plan amendments to Dec 31 2027, and Fact Sheet 2026‑2 outlining the rollout of fully electronic federal payments under Executive Order 14247. It opened applications...
The Pennsylvania Third Circuit in Phath v. Central Transport clarified that the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA) applies whenever an employer considers criminal history, even if the applicant volunteers the information. Employers must now evaluate any disclosed conviction for...
The In‑Comm Training Annual Barometer, surveying over 350 16‑ to 21‑year‑olds, shows apprenticeship consideration slipping to 80%, a 9% drop. More than half of respondents (54%) admit they know no local schemes, and only a third trust the government understands...
Amid economic uncertainty, leaders’ everyday actions create ripple effects that define corporate culture. The article highlights Tony Hsieh’s practice of "WOW" moments, from offering new hires cash to personal thank‑you notes, as a model for intentional leadership. Gallup research backs...
Health inflation is projected at 5.8% annually, more than double the 2.4% Social Security cost‑of‑living adjustment. Medicare Part B and Advantage premiums jumped 9.7% for 2026, while Part D drug premiums have risen 50% since the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The widening...
Most resumes today are professional, polished…and pointless. Issue #172 breaks down Resume Slop and why “tailoring” your resume isn’t working. If you’re optimizing and still not getting interviews, this one’s for you. Read it here: https://www.jobseekingishard.com/p/172-resume-slop
In this episode Jacob discusses how the balance of power in the workplace is shifting back toward organizations, driven by AI and broader labor‑market trends such as résumé inflation and automation of white‑collar jobs. He explains that artificial intelligence creates...
Job seekers are increasingly paying reverse‑recruiting firms anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over $15,000 to have professionals apply, optimize resumes and network on their behalf. Executive‑level packages cost $10,000‑$15,000 for candidates targeting $200K‑$400K salaries, while mid‑tier services charge...
The article offers candid advice for professionals targeting health‑tech startup jobs, emphasizing the trade‑off between flashy titles and actual compensation. It stresses the need for candidates to be opinionated, self‑aware of their performance level, and to leverage AI tools for...
Toronto Pearson International Airport has been named to Forbes Canada’s Best Employers 2026 list for the third straight year, climbing five spots to rank 102nd among the nation’s top 300 workplaces. It is the only airport featured in the ranking,...
The article explains why pharmacy‑benefit transparency has become a critical governance issue for HR leaders and outlines the hidden levers employers can use to improve cost control and participant outcomes. It highlights the complexity of PBM contracts, geographic fragmentation, and...
The March 15 deadline closes the 2025 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) grace period, the final window for employees to spend remaining tax‑free funds. On average, workers forfeit about $441 each year due to missed deadlines or unclear plan rules. HR...
The Employment Rights Act 2025’s first phase takes effect on 18 February 2026, introducing major trade‑union reforms. It switches political fund contributions to an opt‑out system while preserving existing opt‑outs. The Act also removes certain public‑sector reporting duties and streamlines industrial‑action notice requirements,...
The article outlines seven practices that leaders can adopt to build credibility and amplify their influence. It emphasizes quiet, backstage work such as processing emotions, avoiding outbursts, focusing on ideas, analyzing success, growing personal capability, investigating issues before speaking, and...
A federal court ruled that a pregnant employee’s resignation, prompted by a one‑day stay‑or‑leave ultimatum, could be treated as constructive discharge. The judge found that the rushed deadline, supervisor comments suggesting termination was inevitable, and internal discussions about maternity‑leave optics...
The post‑open enrollment window is a critical period for benefits brokers to re‑engage employer clients and translate enrollment insights into actionable strategy for 2026. Employers are pressuring brokers to control rising healthcare costs while employees face mounting financial stress from...
HCML, a leading corporate health and wellbeing provider, has appointed Kathryn Goldfinch as Commercial Director for Corporate and Insured Health. Goldfinch brings nearly three decades of experience from senior roles at Bupa, Nuffield Health and Doctor Care Anywhere, most recently...
Zellis’ new research shows UK organisations could unlock up to £40 billion a year in productivity and an additional £20 billion in operating‑cost savings by better aligning AI use between leaders and employees. While 94 % of executives say AI tools are deployed,...
Max Moen, Haypp’s Head of People and Culture, argues that hybrid work must be driven by culture rather than a static policy. He emphasizes that flexibility should serve employee energy cycles and wellbeing, especially during low‑energy periods. Effective hybrid models...
The latest global ranking of the most connected cities shows no UK location among the top destinations for digital nomads, with Kuala Lumpur, Milan and Lisbon leading the list. The study evaluates mobile data affordability, internet speeds, free Wi‑Fi and...
Hybrid working has become the norm in post‑pandemic Britain, but its benefits are unevenly distributed. While many employers tout flexibility to attract talent, lower‑paid workers and those in deprived regions still lack remote options. Politician Nigel Farage recently called for...
UK managers report growing pressure over pay and promotion decisions, with 78% facing formal challenges despite 83% believing their choices are data‑driven. The HiBob study of 4,700 managers reveals pervasive data gaps: 30% say missing information led to high performers...
DHL eCommerce announced a strategic partnership with Georgia Tech’s H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering to create a direct pipeline of engineering talent. The agreement includes on‑campus recruiting, advisory board participation, and sponsorship of a senior‑level student...
A TalentLMS survey of 1,000 employees reveals a stark gap between perceived safety and actual workplace misconduct. While 71 % feel protected, only 38 % report no incidents in the past year, with incivility, exclusion, physical violence and sexual harassment still common....
Home‑based care providers are confronting a fragmented employment‑law landscape, prompting a Polsinelli webinar that outlines urgent compliance steps. Within the next three to six months firms should audit wage, leave and worker classification, verify salary‑range postings, and evaluate AI‑driven recruiting...
What if your workplace culture actually brought generations together instead of pulling them apart? This week on Generations at Work, Dr. Tim Elmore and William Vanderbloemen share practical wisdom for leading Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers on the same...
When AI shifts from pilots to production, the workforce must evolve with it. @Microsoft’s education push in Brazil signals something bigger: AI adoption only scales when skills scale. Human capital is infrastructure. https://t.co/uchyiGIUEI #MicrosoftAITour #MicrosoftAmbassador @MSFT_Business
On January 17, 2026 Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill 3451, expanding the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). The law lowers the employer coverage threshold from 30 to 15 employees and reduces employee eligibility to three months of service...
The U.S. District Court for Massachusetts held that Chapter 93A does not cover routine employment disputes but can apply when an employee secretly competes using the employer’s resources and brand. In CMTA, Inc. v. Dussault, the court allowed the unfair‑practice claim...
California Assembly Bill 692 curtails the use of “stay or pay” provisions that require employees to remain employed or reimburse training costs. The law mandates that any repayment terms be narrowly limited to actual training expenses and be disclosed in...
Employers are turning to Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs) to let staff use benefit funds for everyday needs like groceries, childcare and health services. Data from benefits platform Compt shows 64% of partner firms now use LSAs as their primary benefit,...
In this episode, psychologist and bestselling author Guy Winch explains why high‑performers are the first to burn out, debunking the myth that burnout only affects the disengaged. He explores how autopilot, procrastination, rumination, and after‑hours email habits hijack our lives,...
Kellogg faculty outline five common workplace conflict scenarios and evidence‑based tactics for leaders. They stress cultural awareness, preventing retaliation, exposing bias, transparent compensation, and leveraging knowledge of former teammates for competitive advantage. Real‑world examples—from a French hotel contract dispute to...
Company culture has become a decisive factor in attracting, retaining, and energizing talent. The article outlines four proven strategies—defining mission/vision/values, frequent recognition, robust learning and development, and continuous feedback—to build lasting cultural strength. It emphasizes that talent acquisition teams are...
