The HirED Report Newsletter
The HirED Report is a new monthly newsletter targeting HR leaders in K‑12 education. It addresses the acute teacher shortage, burnout crisis, and shifting workforce expectations that make district HR a high‑stakes function. The brief promises zero‑fluff, actionable insights and a playbook of strategies proven in top‑performing districts. Subscribers can quickly translate the intel into Monday‑morning cabinet decisions, helping build resilient schools while preserving their own sanity.
$2.03 an Hour: Labor Dept. Finds Major Wage Violations at Warehouse
The U.S. Department of Labor recovered $1.08 million for 24 warehouse workers at Expresso Forwarding Inc. and its affiliate after uncovering pay rates as low as $2.03 per hour in Mexican pesos, breaching federal minimum‑wage and overtime rules. The settlement mandates...
How to Make Performance Evaluations More Accurate
Researchers at Binghamton University, led by Associate Professor Tiffany Keller Hansbrough, are using a $1 million U.S. Army grant to conduct five studies aimed at making performance evaluations more accurate. The team argues that vague, memory‑based questions encourage "gap‑filling" and produce...
Portland Community College Faculty and Staff Commence Historic Strike over Wages
Hundreds of faculty, staff, and students gathered at Portland Community College campuses to launch a historic strike over wages. Demonstrators at four sites, including the Cascade campus, carried signs demanding a living wage and cost‑of‑living adjustments. The strike follows nearly...
Federal AI Series: Training and the Workforce
Chad Tetreault, Zscaler’s Public Sector CTO for AI Strategy and Governance, outlined how federal agencies can modernize their AI workforce training. He argued that conventional classroom models lag behind AI’s rapid evolution, recommending "prompt‑athons" to democratize skill acquisition. Hands‑on, mission‑driven...
Atlassian CEO Cites AI Shift When Announcing Plan To Shed 1,600 Jobs
Atlassian announced it will eliminate 1,600 positions, about a tenth of its global workforce, as part of a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence. Founder Mike Cannon‑Brookes said AI is reshaping the skill mix required across the company, prompting the cuts....
ABC Supports Trump Administration’s Critical Improvements to Apprenticeship Programs
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration issued four new guidance documents aimed at improving registered apprenticeship programs (RAPs). Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) welcomed the changes, citing greater flexibility for sponsors, reduced regulatory burdens, and alignment with...
South Dakota Lawmakers Reject Mandatory E-Verify Checks of Worker Citizenship, Immigration Status
South Dakota Senate voted down House Bill 1209, which would have mandated employers with more than 25 staff to verify new hires through the federal E‑Verify system within ten days. The measure, originally passed by the House, faced amendments and...
‘Why Was My Raise only 3%?’ and Other Pay Questions Managers Must Be Able to Answer
HR leaders are urged to equip managers with concrete training and documentation for merit‑raise conversations, according to Salary.com’s Sean Luitjens. By providing office‑hour style sessions, one‑page compensation philosophies, and FAQ sheets, managers can answer why raises are modest, how budgets...
Family-Friendly Workplaces Are Great − But ‘Families of 1’ Get Ignored
Family‑friendly policies have expanded to support dual‑career couples and parents, but they still overlook the growing segment of single, childless workers. Today, 46% of U.S. adults are unmarried and 29% live alone, yet HR benefits remain rooted in amatonormative assumptions....
US Companies Say They Plan to Accelerate Global Hiring Despite Hurdles
Business leaders across North America and Europe intend to speed up global hiring, even as nearly half report severe difficulty attracting and retaining international talent. Employee engagement is a growing pain point, with 69% citing challenges such as turnover, cultural...
Record Uptake for Family-Friendly Factory Project
The Ethical Supply Chain Program (ESCP) announced a record uptake of its Family‑Friendly Factory initiative. Participation surged among apparel and textile manufacturers in China and Vietnam. The 2025 Worker Well‑Being Impact Report links the program to efforts to mitigate labour...
USA Oil, Gas Hiring Remains Disciplined
U.S. oil and gas hiring remains disciplined, with firms prioritizing margin protection over headcount expansion, according to Birmingham Group CEO Brian Binke. Companies focus on optimization, maintenance and targeted buildouts, adding talent only where it directly improves efficiency or reduces...
How New Law Enforcement Pay Rates Affect Federal Retirees
The federal government introduced a 3.8% special pay increase for law‑enforcement personnel, while most other GS employees receive only a 1% raise. Retirees who left on December 31 may see their annual‑leave lump‑sum paid at the prior year’s salary, with a...
Employment Tribunal Dismisses Ex-Google Employee’s "Boys’ Club” Claims
On 18 February 2026 an employment tribunal dismissed a former Google engineer’s claim that the company operated a “boys’ club” that disadvantaged women. The ex‑employee alleged gender bias, unequal pay and blocked promotions, but the tribunal concluded the evidence did...
L2 Brands Earns Fair Labor Accreditation
L2 Brands has been awarded Fair Labor Accreditation by the Fair Labor Association after a multi‑year review of its social‑compliance systems. The accreditation recognizes the company’s efforts to improve worker wellbeing across its supply chain, which includes 18 contract factories...
Networking Becoming More Important in Uncertain Job Market, But Job Seekers Struggle in a Digital World
A new Express Employment Professionals‑Harris Poll shows 82% of Canadian job seekers and 86% of hiring managers view networking as critical for landing roles, with 45% saying its importance has risen over the past decade. Respondents rely on a mix...
Equity Partnership Still Heavily Dominated by Men, SRA Data Shows
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s latest data shows women now comprise 55% of UK lawyers but only 35% of equity partners, with parity at salaried partner level (49%). Representation of disabled solicitors has risen to 8%, still well below the 17%...
Report: Hotel Labor Costs Rising Faster than Productivity Gains
HotelData’s 2025 Labor Costs & Trends report shows U.S. hotel wages rising sharply, with wage cost per occupied room (CPOR) climbing 12.8% year‑over‑year to $48.32. The acceleration intensified in Q4, where wage CPOR jumped 21.1% YoY, while hours per occupied...
Job Opening at Canadian Running: Web Writer
Canadian Running, Canada’s leading endurance‑sports publication, is hiring a full‑time web writer. The role demands creating race coverage, gear reviews, nutrition pieces, personal stories and humor for a runner‑focused audience. Candidates must be proficient with WordPress, multimedia handling, and social...
BC Employment Law Changes Aim to Add Early Dispute Resolution Opportunities
British Columbia announced amendments to the Employment Standards Act and the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act aimed at streamlining dispute resolution. The changes let the Employment Standards Branch use Unclaimed BC to recover unpaid wages faster and require employers to deposit...
NLRB Declines to Overrule Ex‑Cell‑O: What Employers Should Know
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board denied a request to overturn the 1970 Ex‑Cell‑O decision, preserving the longstanding rule that limits remedies when an employer refuses to bargain during a test‑of‑certification. The Board, led by two Trump...
The Adecco Group to Scale Agentic AI with Salesforce
Adecco Group signed a multi‑year agreement with Salesforce for unlimited access to Agentforce 360 through 2027, enabling the company to scale agentic AI across its global operations. The partnership builds on a UK pilot that delivered 15 percent recruiter time savings and...
Screwfix Reaches Trade Apprentice Milestone in Drive to Tackle Skills Shortage
Screwfix has funded over 50 trade apprentices through its partnership with flexi‑job agency TrAC, aiming to curb the UK skills shortage. Since the 2022 launch, apprentices have been placed in plumbing, electrical, landscaping and decorating roles, with funding drawn from...
Neurodiversity: Better Training Is Needed for Managers
A recent Acas survey of 1,000 UK employees finds 35% view their employer’s training for managers on neurodiversity as ineffective, with another 18% rating it “very ineffective.” Only a third of respondents believe their organisations train managers adequately, while 32%...
Daimler Truck Cuts Employee Bonuses After Profit Decline
Daimler Truck announced a cut to its German profit‑sharing bonuses after a sharp earnings decline for the 2025 fiscal year. The payout drops from €4,140 to €2,701 per eligible employee, affecting roughly 25,000 workers. Consolidated net income fell to about...
Developing Employees Who Thrive Through Continuous Change
Gartner’s 2026 survey reveals employees endured ten organization‑wide strategy shifts in 2022, up from two in 2016, while willingness to support change fell from 74% to 43%. The article argues that leaders must redesign change programs so workers help shape...
How Well Do You Know Your Workforce and What Happens when You Don’t
Traditional "hire once, check once" models are increasingly inadequate as employees’ roles and responsibilities evolve rapidly. Recent high‑profile failures at the Bank of London, Metropolitan Police and Oxfam illustrate the financial and reputational damage of outdated vetting practices. Continuous screening,...
How to Create a Learning and Development Strategy in Retail
Retail leaders face accelerating operational, technological, and customer‑experience pressures, prompting a shift from ad‑hoc training to a strategic learning and development (L&D) framework. The article outlines a step‑by‑step approach that begins with a skills‑gap analysis, incorporates AI‑enabled learning platforms, and...
Patients Lose Out From Blind Spot in NHS Staff Survey
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is urging the NHS to add agency workers to its annual Staff Survey, highlighting a critical blind spot that excludes a sizable portion of the workforce. While the survey recently expanded to include Bank‑only...
Evotec Slashes Staff as Turnaround Plan Gathers Pace
Evotec unveiled the second phase of its Horizon turnaround, announcing 800 job cuts and the closure of four sites to save €75 million by 2027. The move follows a previous round of 600 layoffs and a failed $2.1 billion Halozyme takeover, reducing...
Oracle’s Potential Mass Layoff Signals an AI Trade-Off
Oracle announced a $50 billion capital raise to fund AI infrastructure, positioning 2026 as the year it will operationalize artificial intelligence across its suite. The aggressive investment follows earlier promises at Oracle AI World and raises concerns that the company may...
Zoho Asks Most Employees to Work From Home for 2 Weeks
Zoho Corporation has instructed the majority of its workforce to work from home for two weeks starting March 16, citing operational concerns and fuel‑supply disruptions. Employees in non‑critical roles are encouraged to remote, while essential teams must coordinate on‑site schedules...
What Gen Z’s Lunch Breaks Really Tell Us About the Criticism They Face at Work
Just Eat for Business research shows 56% of Gen Z take full lunch breaks daily, and 66% eat with colleagues. This challenges stereotypes of disengagement, highlighting their focus on rest and social connection. In the hybrid work era, lunch breaks...
Usman “Oz” Khan – Unlocking the Future of HR Tech with AI, Innovation, and Trust
In a recent HR Tech podcast, Usman “Oz” Khan of ADP Ventures explains how artificial intelligence is reshaping HR workflows, enhancing data‑driven decision‑making, and fostering employee trust. He highlights concrete use cases such as automated talent sourcing, predictive attrition modeling,...
Emversity Buys Back Rs 6.5 Cr ESOPs From 20 Employees
Emversity has repurchased employee stock options worth Rs 6.5 crore from 20 staff members as part of a liquidity programme for employees who joined on or before 31 January 2024. The company now employs more than 700 people across 24 Indian states and over...
J&J, AbbVie CEOs See Pay Spike to More than $30M
Johnson & Johnson chief Joaquin Duato and AbbVie chief Robert Michael each earned more than $30 million in 2025, pushing them into the top tier of pharma CEOs. Michael’s pay jumped 75% to $32.5 million, driven by $16.5 million in stock and option...
Nearly 9 in 10 Workers Report Satisfaction with Employer Sponsored Health Coverage
A recent AHIP survey shows nearly nine in ten U.S. workers are satisfied with their employer‑provided health insurance, citing financial security and peace of mind. Health coverage ranks as the top workplace benefit, with 68% naming it most valuable, and...
Leadership Style Assessments: What Kind of Leader Are You? | The Predictive Index
Leadership style assessments help managers pinpoint how they lead, revealing strengths, blind spots, and preferred approaches such as transformational or authoritative. The article highlights popular tools like the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment and Myers‑Briggs, explaining how they translate personality data...
Union Faces Legal Challenge over Gender Policy
The Community trade union is confronting a judicial review filed by members Norma Austin Hart and Alison Ann‑Dowling, who argue its gender equality strategy unlawfully groups women with non‑binary individuals, contravening a recent UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex....
From Call Trees to Agentic AI - How Kingfisher Is Winning Back Employee Time for Customers
Kingfisher has upgraded its ServiceNow virtual agent, Vita, from a structured call‑tree to a generative‑AI powered assistant (Now Assist) called Vita version two. Within 18 months, the original bot logged 200,000 interactions, and the new AI interface now offers natural‑language ticketing,...
Leaders at All Levels: Kraft Heinz’s 5X Speed Secret
Kraft Heinz slashed its new‑product cycle from 36 months to six by overhauling its development process. The company limited active projects to a "golden number" of seven, consolidated work into a single financial‑outcome‑driven backlog, and granted teams decision rights. These...
Why AI Augmentation and Up-Skilling Are the Secrets to Boosting Staff Productivity
Deploying AI without putting employees at the centre delivers only modest productivity gains. Pearson’s report estimates that an AI‑augmentation strategy combined with workforce upskilling could add $4.8‑$6.6 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2034 – roughly 15 % of current GDP. Experts...
As AI Boosts Collaboration, Employees Resist Office Mandates
Artificial intelligence tools are reshaping workplace collaboration, making remote interactions nearly as effective as in‑person meetings. A Byteiota survey shows 80% of employers have lost talent due to return‑to‑office (RTO) mandates, and 41% of workers would consider leaving if forced...
Motocross Champion Becomes First Apprentice to Qualify as NHBC Launches Its First Multi-Skill Construction Training Hub in Staffordshire
NHBC launched its first multi‑skill construction training hub in Lichfield, part of a £100 million programme to open twelve sites and train up to 3,000 apprentices annually. The inaugural cohort achieved a 93% pass rate, far above the 53% industry average....
Amazon’s AI Push Leaves Employees Spending More Time Fixing Errors
Amazon’s rapid rollout of internal AI tools is backfiring, with employees across engineering, supply chain and operations spending more time correcting flawed outputs than accelerating work. The generative systems frequently produce incomplete, inaccurate or fabricated code and data, forcing staff...
Your Employees Aren’t Lazy, They’re Afraid
Employees often appear lazy or resistant, but neuroscience shows they’re actually in threat mode due to change fatigue. The amygdala treats reorganizations, AI rollouts, or new leadership as physical danger, shutting down the pre‑frontal cortex and narrowing focus. Gallup’s 2025...
Cathay Pacific to Grant Employees Bonuses Worth over 11 Weeks of Pay
Cathay Pacific announced a discretionary bonus and profit‑sharing payout that totals more than 11 weeks of eligible pay, alongside a 2026 salary increase. The carrier reported 2025 revenue of HK$116.77 billion, up 11.9% year‑on‑year, and net profit of HK$10.83 billion, a 9.5%...
6 Worthwhile Conferences for Women in Tech
Women remain a minority in tech, occupying roughly 30% of roles and an even smaller share of leadership positions at major firms such as Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. Persistent workplace microaggressions and low representation of BIPOC women underscore the...
Why Women over 50 Are the Future of Work in the Age of AI
Companies are increasingly recognizing that women over 50 represent a vast, underused talent pool essential for navigating the AI‑driven future of work. Demographic shifts mean this cohort is growing, yet they remain absent from hiring pipelines and leadership tracks. Their...