A plan to treat AI bots as employees quickly went south after HR and tech professionals said the idea disrespected human employees. San Francisco-based Lattice dropped the plan, but CEO Sarah Franklin said, "The AI workforce is here, and Lattice believes that we need to fully understand what it looks like to integrate AI employees into the workforce to make sure we create transparent, responsible practices around hiring AI." Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (7/16)
Recruiting & Retention
Talent marketplaces can curb "dry promotion" trend Dry promotions, where employees receive new titles without pay increases, are driving high turnover rates, with 29% of promoted employees leaving within a month, according to ADP. This trend has grown by 5% since 2018. To address this, companies such as Unilever, IBM, and Schneider Electric are adopting talent marketplaces that allow employees to seek internal opportunities and managers to find the right talent. Ensuring the success of these marketplaces requires incentivizing managers, maintaining fairness, and tracking retention metrics. Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (7/18)
Are summer Fridays a perk worth saving? Once a popular workplace perk, summer Fridays have seen a sharp decline due to the increasing prevalence of hybrid and remote work and a push for more productivity. Gartner reports North American workers with summer Fridays dropped from 55% in 2019 to 11% in 2023. However, HR leaders say the perk could help reduce burnout and disengagement. Full Story: Fortune (tiered subscription model) (7/18)
The HR Leader
A millennial CEO's take on leadership Helios CEO Rick Hammell provides a millennial perspective on leadership and HR in his book "Getting Sh*t Done!" in which he shares his experiences, overcoming biases and continuously learning. Hammell says HR leaders need adaptable practices and an understanding of global diversity. Full Story: HR Brew (7/18)
Tim Bushe began topiary art of the bushes around his own house at his wife's urging, and now cuts images of cats, squirrels, fish and even late British sculptor Henry Moore's "Reclining Nude" for neighbors all around his London neighborhood. The artful hedges have become a tourist attraction, and Bushe, an architect by trade, has leveraged the attention to raise money for charity. Full Story: CBS News (7/16)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
The story goes that delegate Caesar Rodney rode swiftly on horseback in time to cast the deciding vote to approve the Declaration of Independence in Philly. What state was he from?
What say you? Summer Fridays The trend of summer Fridays is fading, according to our Benefits & Compensation story today. In 2019, 55% of North American workers had summer Fridays, but in 2023 that number dropped to 11%, according to data from Gartner. I’m curious where all of you are with this practice. Do you offer summer Fridays to your employees?
