Employee Benefits Regulator to Focus on ‘Bad Actors’
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced a strategic shift to target enforcement on the most egregious conduct that harms employee benefit plans. The agency outlined four guiding principles emphasizing timely, fair action tied directly to law, guidance, or case precedent. This move de‑emphasizes technical or good‑faith errors and focuses on self‑dealing, hidden conflicts, and misuse of plan assets. The change follows a FY2026 enforcement overhaul that also highlighted cybersecurity, mental‑health benefits, and retirement asset management.
Snap Lays Off 16% of Its Full-Time Staff
Snap announced a 16% reduction in its full‑time staff, laying off roughly 1,000 employees and closing over 300 open positions. The cuts are projected to shave more than $500 million from the annualized cost base by the second half of 2026,...
Duolingo Was Evaluating Its Workers’ AI Use. Workers Pushed Back.
Duolingo introduced a new performance‑review metric that measured how effectively employees used AI, but strong internal pushback led CEO Luis von Ahn to reverse the policy. The company clarified that AI tools are optional aids rather than mandatory performance criteria....
Did ‘Disgusting’ Tattoo at Work Add up to Discrimination?
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a discrimination complaint filed by a camera assistant against the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE 669/ICG). The assistant alleged the union failed to address sexualized imagery on set and a coworker’s offensive tattoo, claiming sex‑based...
PBGH Survey Finds Employers Bracing for Higher Health Premiums in 2026
The Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH) reports that U.S. employers anticipate a 6‑7% rise in health insurance premiums for 2026, with some individual‑market plans climbing over 20%. To counteract cost pressure, 37% of members are issuing medical requests for...
Is DEI Dead in U.S. Workplaces? IBM’s Settlement Raises New Questions for HR
IBM agreed to a roughly $17 million settlement with the Justice Department over alleged false statements about its DEI practices in federal contracts, marking the first False Claims Act case targeting diversity programs. The settlement highlights a broader federal push against...
LinkedIn Data Shows AI Isn’t to Blame for Hiring Decline… Yet
LinkedIn’s economic graph, covering over a billion members, shows hiring fell roughly 20% since 2022. The decline aligns with recent Federal Reserve rate hikes that raised borrowing costs and slowed corporate recruitment. Lawit emphasized that AI has not yet produced...
The BBC Is Also Laying Off 2,000 of Its Employees
The BBC announced it will cut roughly 2,000 jobs, representing about 10% of its workforce, as part of an $815 million cost‑reduction program unveiled in February. The layoffs are the largest staff reduction the public broadcaster has faced in 15 years...
BBC to Cut up to 2,000 Jobs in Biggest Downsize in 15 Years
The BBC announced up to 2,000 job cuts – roughly 10% of its 21,500‑strong workforce – as part of a £600 m (≈$750 m) cost‑reduction drive. The moves follow a February plan to trim £5 bn of annual operating costs amid falling licence‑fee...
People News: HNTB, TRB
HNTB announced that former New Jersey DOT commissioner Francis O’Connor has joined as Senior Vice President and Business Development Director, focusing on agency and tolling growth. O’Connor brings leadership experience from NJDOT, NJ Transit, and the Turnpike Authority. The firm...
A Practical Guide to Recruiting in Manufacturing
U.S. manufacturers face a volatile hiring pool as layoffs and a shrinking skilled‑labor supply intersect with rapid automation. Demand is moving from low‑skill roles to mechatronics technicians, robotics programmers, CNC and PLC specialists, and higher‑level supervisory positions. Employers must revamp...
Companies Just Learned a Brutal Lesson About Training AI to Do Human Jobs
Mercor, a San Francisco AI startup, hired underemployed contractors to train models for firms such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta. In late March the company disclosed a cyber‑attack linked to the open‑source LiteLLM project that exposed Slack data and recordings...
The 10-Second Feedback Mistake That Could Damage Employees for Years
Research by 5app shows 81% of employees recall damaging feedback for years, and only 20% stay fully engaged after poor feedback. The core mistake is conflating identity with behavior, turning constructive guidance into lasting judgment. Effective feedback must be specific,...
Smartwage Raises €2M to Scale AI-Driven Corporate Welfare Platform
Smartwage, an AI‑driven corporate welfare startup, closed a €2 million pre‑seed round led by Step Fund. The funding, roughly $2.2 million, will be used to expand platform architecture, security, and AI models. The platform lets employees spend welfare credits across any provider,...
Leadership 2.0: 9 New Ways to Harness the Power of AI
Artificial intelligence is reshaping executive leadership through nine practical applications, from data‑driven decision‑making to predictive scenario planning. AI tools such as analytics dashboards, chatbots, and sentiment‑analysis engines give leaders real‑time insights and automate routine tasks. The shift enables managers to...
Ulster University to Cut up to 450 Jobs
Ulster University announced plans to cut up to 450 jobs, representing roughly 15% of its 3,100‑strong workforce. The cuts are intended to generate savings of about £25 million (≈ $32 million) amid an operating deficit of £20.2 million (≈ $26 million) on revenues of £304 million (≈ $386 million)....
Inside Irwin Simon’s Leadership Philosophy: ‘Don’t Yes Me’
Irwin Simon, the venture‑backed entrepreneur behind BrewDog’s rapid expansion, outlines a leadership mantra he calls “Don’t Yes Me.” He argues that leaders should actively discourage automatic agreement and instead invite dissent to surface blind spots. Simon credits this approach with...
Labour Ministry to Look Into POSH Compliance by IT Services Firms, Says Employees Union
India's Ministry of Labour and Employment has instructed the Chief Labour Commissioner to audit POSH compliance across IT services firms after the NITES union raised concerns following a sexual assault case at TCS Nashik. The union’s letter demanded a review...
Podcast Editor
History Hit, the UK’s largest digital history brand under Little Dot Studios, is hiring a full‑time Podcast Editor in Shoreditch. The role involves editing 3‑5 audio/video episodes weekly, producing promotional assets, and collaborating with producers and talent. Candidates must be proficient...
Britain May Extend Bans on Gagging Orders That Cover Up Workplace Abuse
Britain's Employment Rights Ministry has opened a 12‑week consultation to consider extending its ban on non‑disclosure agreements that silence workplace abuse to agency workers, freelancers and the self‑employed. The proposal would tighten the conditions under which any NDA is enforceable...
Up to 2,000 Jobs to Be Cut at BBC in Cost-Saving Drive
The BBC announced plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs over the next two years, aiming to save £500 million from its £5 billion operating budget. The cuts, the largest in 15 years, respond to falling licence‑fee revenue—down 24% in real terms...
Sixth Circuit Points Out Limits of NLRB Adjudicatory Rulemaking
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit invalidated the NLRB's new "Cemex" bargaining‑order standard, ruling that the Board overstepped its adjudicatory authority by creating a broad rule without notice‑and‑comment rulemaking. The decision, issued in Brown‑Forman v. NLRB, reaffirms...
Why AI Readiness Training Fails
Companies are pouring resources into AI readiness programs, yet Docebo’s 2026 AI Readiness Gap report shows most initiatives miss the mark. Eighty‑five percent of employees say they cannot translate training into everyday tasks, while 56% feel swamped by pre‑AI manual...
Opaque Hiring Process Prompts Job Seekers to ‘Spray and Pray,’ Monster Says
Monster’s April 10 survey of 1,006 U.S. job seekers reveals that nearly half now use a “spray and pray” approach, applying to many openings quickly due to a lack of employer feedback. Over 75% say they would be more selective...
How to Upgrade Cancer Support at No Additional Cost
The CancerBuddy app provides free, employer‑linked peer support and care‑navigation for employees facing cancer or caring for a loved one. By mimicking dating‑app filters, users can connect by diagnosis, symptoms, demographics, and even by workplace, creating instant community ties. The...
Sir Robert McAlpine Sees Strong Early Engagement Following Launch of Tusker’s Enhanced Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme
Sir Robert McAlpine launched an updated car salary‑sacrifice scheme, called Tusker, on 24 March. Within 48 hours, a quarter of its 1,300+ eligible employees logged on to explore the benefit, indicating strong pent‑up demand. The scheme focuses on making electric vehicles more affordable...
Common Mistakes When Estimating Workplace Injury Compensation
The article outlines how workers often miscalculate workplace injury compensation by overlooking key components such as future medical costs, long‑term wage loss, and non‑economic damages. It breaks down what typical compensation covers—medical expenses, lost wages, rehab, travel, and disability support—and...
From Intern to Leader with Skanska’s Dianna Barba
Dianna Barba, now a senior project engineer at Skanska, rose from an internship to leading the $1.6 billion LA Metro Purple (D Line) extension. Her career was accelerated by Skanska’s two‑year Core Competency Training Program, which rotated her through rail, bridge...
‘Canadian Experience’ Keeps Skilled Immigrants Out of the Labour Market
Canada markets itself as a destination for skilled immigrants, yet the pervasive "Canadian experience" requirement leaves many newcomers underemployed. Recent data show 34.7% of new immigrants feel over‑qualified, more than double the 18.5% rate for native‑born workers. International students often...
Snap Is Cutting 1,000 Jobs, 16% of Its Workforce
Snap Inc. is cutting about 1,000 jobs, representing 16% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring announced by CEO Evan Spiegel. The company attributes the layoffs to rapid AI advancements that have reduced repetitive work and boosted product...
Mendy Friedman Joins Alliant Insurance Services’ Employee Benefits Group in Chicago
Mendy Friedman has been appointed First Vice President of Alliant Insurance Services’ Employee Benefits Group in Chicago. He will partner with a broad range of employers to craft data‑driven health and welfare strategies that balance cost, mitigate risk, and improve...
When Creating an AI Strategy, Don’t Overlook Employee Perception
Executives face a fork in AI strategy: automate to cut costs or augment to boost growth. Recent high‑profile moves—from Jack Dorsey’s mass layoffs to Fiverr’s call for employee upskilling—illustrate both paths. A survey of 1,294 desk workers across the U.S.,...
Accountability Is Leadership’s Greatest Weakness
Gallup’s latest survey finds that creating accountability is the lowest‑rated leadership competency, with less than half of leaders rating themselves as outstanding. Managers rate their leaders even lower, trailing self‑assessments by at least 20 percentage points on six of seven...
Asymbl Revolutionizes the Talent Relationship Management Experience With Talent Intelligence and Recruiter Agent Products
Asymbl announced the launch of Talent Intelligence and the general availability of Recruiter Agent, AI‑driven workforce applications built on Salesforce Agentforce. The Talent Intelligence layer enriches candidate matching with pipeline history, interview feedback and unstructured data, while Recruiter Agent automates...
Trade Republic Axes Customer Service Chatbots, Replaces Them with over 1,000 Humans
Germany’s fintech unicorn Trade Republic, now valued at about $13.5 billion, is scrapping its AI‑driven chatbots and hiring over 1,000 human agents to handle customer inquiries. The company is spending a double‑digit‑million‑euro sum—roughly $10‑12 million—to build new infrastructure and train staff to...
Career Highways Announces SkillXP to Help Enterprises Turn Learning Investments Into Workforce Capability
Career Highways unveiled SkillXP, a Skill Experience Platform that ties corporate learning directly to the skills, roles, and career pathways employees need. Powered by the company’s Skills Intelligence layer, the solution maps courses to skill requirements, adds assessments and certifications,...
Snapchat Parent Snap Cuts 16 per Cent of Workforce in AI-Driven Restructuring
Snap Inc., the parent of Snapchat, announced a 16% workforce reduction, cutting roughly 1,000 jobs and closing 300 open positions to achieve $500 million in annualized cost savings. The move follows pressure from activist investor Irenic Capital, which holds about 2.5%...
InfoReg Calms Payroll Fears After Sage 360 Switch
The Information Regulator migrated its payroll from the legacy Persal system to Sage 360 on 1 April, assuring that the 15 April salaries for permanent staff were paid on time. The Public Servants Association raised alarms about pro‑rata bonuses, missing medical aid contributions,...
HDAC Names 2026 Awards of Excellence Winner
The Hospitality Diversity Action Council (HDAC) announced Kamille Glenn, founder of dsgnrs.wrkshp, as the winner of its sixth annual Awards of Excellence. The award celebrates individuals and firms that drive diversity, inclusivity, and equity in hospitality design. Glenn’s multidisciplinary practice spans...
Purple Acorn Network Partners with PodStar to Scale Founder Voices Across the Future of Work
Purple Acorn Network, a fast‑growing HR‑tech podcast platform, announced a strategic partnership with PodStar, a global podcast guesting community. The deal makes Purple Acorn a recommended network within PodStar, giving founders access to curated shows such as The HR Morning...
Xref Launches Australian-First Platform to Combat AI-Driven Job Market Despair
Xref has launched Australia’s first candidate‑owned verified career profile platform, Xref.me, to counter the surge of AI‑generated job applications and dwindling trust in traditional resumes. The service moves reference verification from a final‑stage task to the point of application, giving...
SDLC Corp Launches Advanced Odoo HRMS Dashboard to Revolutionize Workforce Intelligence
SDLC Corp announced the launch of its Odoo HRMS Dashboard, an analytics‑driven platform that provides real‑time visibility into attendance, leave, performance and workforce trends. The solution integrates natively with Odoo’s HR modules, consolidating data into interactive dashboards and automating routine...
What Meta’s Visa Filings Tell HR Leaders About the Real Cost of AI Talent
Meta’s 2025 H‑1B filings reveal base salaries ranging from $124,000 to $450,000 for software engineers and a $650,000 floor for a Vice President of Engineering, AI. The data, drawn from more than 5,000 visa applications, also shows research engineers earning...
Why Leaders Need “Power Skills”
Leaders are facing a widening gap as technical expertise alone no longer drives performance. The article argues that "power skills"—empathy, active listening, trust‑building—are essential to reverse declining engagement, talent loss, and stifled innovation. Practices such as empathy shadowing, listening tours,...
Regulatory Chaos Is Coming. AI Agents Are Already Ahead of It
The article highlights a rapidly fragmenting AI regulatory landscape, with 45 U.S. states introducing over 1,500 AI‑related bills and cities adding their own hiring rules. It explains how compliance‑focused AI agents can flag potential violations while leaving final decisions to...
Salary.com’s 2026 Pay Practices Report Finds HR Pros Believe Pay Is Fair But Are Not Confident Employees Agree
Salary.com’s 2026 State of Pay and Compensation Practices Report, based on 525 HR and compensation professionals, reveals a 31‑point confidence gap: 74.8% of HR leaders believe pay is fair, yet only 44% think employees share that view. The study attributes...
Should You Develop Your Leadership Strengths—Or Fix Your Weaknesses?
The article tackles the long‑standing debate of whether leaders should double‑down on their strengths or remediate their weaknesses. It proposes a four‑question diagnostic to map role requirements, manager expectations, personal capabilities, and development options. Based on that analysis, leaders should...
Startup Essentials: A Starter Guide to Employee Share Plans: Common Founder Concerns
Employee share plans are a potent tool for startup talent attraction, yet founders often fear loss of control, dilution, and tax inefficiencies. The article outlines practical solutions such as exit‑only options, growth shares, and government‑approved EMI or CSOP schemes that...
Almost Half of UK Workers Don’t Understand Their Pension
Penfold’s Retirement Reality Check surveyed 2,000 UK employees and 500 SMEs, revealing that 44% of workers want more guidance on their workplace pension. Most staff receive only minimal communication—typically just enrollment or an annual update—leaving them unsure about contributions, growth,...
Europe Ranks Last in Employee Engagement. How Can HR Help?
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace survey of 141,000 employees shows Europe lagging far behind on engagement, with only 13% of workers feeling engaged. Meanwhile, 73% are not engaged and 15% are actively disengaged, despite low job‑seeking intent (30%). The...