The 2025 SHRM State of the Workplace report reveals a shift in HR priorities from recruiting to developing leadership and management skills among existing employees. HR leaders are now emphasizing employee experience and training programs, especially for hourly workers, to combat burnout and turnover.

By utilizing real-time workforce data, companies can address workload imbalances between underutilized teams and those at risk of burnout and improve delivery of services. Ultimately, data-driven workforce management directly contributes to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization growth by ensuring every hour of work translates into measurable business value.

Colorado-based startup Multiply Mortgage is redefining employee benefits by offering mortgage rate discounts and educational resources through employer partnerships. Multiply's model emphasizes financial wellness and efficiency by automating back-office processes, allowing it to offer lower rates. The company, which plans to begin direct lending, currently operates in 19 states and partners with 23 companies to support homeownership among employees. "We're really creating the category of mortgage as a financial wellness benefit," says CEO Michael White.

A US District Court in Maryland has ordered the rehiring of cybersecurity professionals laid off from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency without proper notification, while US federal Chief Information Officer Greg Barbaccia has urged agencies to avoid cutting cybersecurity teams, pointing to their role in national security.

Change management expert April Callis-Birchmeier, CEO of Springboard Consulting emphasizes the importance of effective, timely communication to help employees adapt to changes such as AI adoption and staff restructuring. "A lot of leaders at organizations are afraid to communicate because they want everything to be perfect. But if you hold the communication until it's perfect, you'll never get it," Callis-Birchmeier says.