Starbucks is increasing its in-office work requirement for corporate employees from three to four days a week starting in October, citing the benefits of collaboration. The company is also requiring all corporate "people leaders" to live in Seattle or Toronto within a year, although their team members will not need to relocate. Employees who choose not to move will have the option to leave with a one-time payout, while future hiring for similar roles will be limited to those two cities.

Skill proficiency is now the key to workforce agility, said Shrikant Pattathil, president and chief technology officer at Harbinger Group, in a recent HRchat Podcast discussion about the importance of a skills-first approach in HR technology. Pattathil outlined six components of a skills-first system and highlighted the significant role of artificial intelligence in personalizing learning and development.

Older workers are becoming a significant segment of the workforce, with the labor force participation rate for those 75 and older expected to increase by 96.5% by 2030. Leveraging older workers' experience, extensive professional networks and strong work ethic can provide a competitive edge, Bill Canady writes. Older workers also tend to stay with companies longer, reducing turnover costs and serving as valuable mentors to younger employees.

Mortgage benefits are increasingly attractive to Generation Z employees as rising housing costs and high interest rates make home ownership more difficult. A survey by Multiply Mortgage found that 67% of employees value the ability to get lower interest rates through employer-based benefits, and 75% would be more likely to join a company or organization that provides mortgage benefits. Employers can use mortgage benefits as a recruitment and retention tool, with 23% of employees saying the benefits could be a deciding factor in job offer acceptance.

Artificial intelligence is transforming corporate learning and development by shifting from a traditional course-based model to a curiosity-driven approach, writes Josh Bersin. AI tools like ChatGPT enable real-time, inquiry-based learning, making employees more productive and engaged. This shift challenges the relevance of traditional L&D methods, urging organizations to adapt to AI-powered learning to remain effective.