In an ideal world, a CHRO could anticipate every resignation, especially those in the C-suite. But since we don’t live in an ideal world, the best a CHRO can do is proactively prepare.

Earlier this week, HSBC’s CEO, Noel Quinn, announced his departure from the global bank after five years to “get a better balance between [his] personal and business life,” CNBC reported. While the news came as a surprise, and HSBC noted Quinn’s intent to stay on until a successor had been identified, the company isn’t likely starting its search from scratch, according to Janice Burns, chief transformation officer at elearning platform Degreed. Most companies, she said, have succession plans in place before they’ll need them.

Burns shared with HR Brew what CHROs should know when handling succession planning.

Under the hood. By the time a C-level exec leaves, their CHRO has likely identified successors, Burns told HR Brew. “You have to have successors named for each of those critical positions from both a development perspective, so you know who you’re developing, but also from a crisis perspective, in case something happens to one of the officers unexpectedly,” she said. But those successors may not be ready to take over immediately.

Keep reading here.—MC

No new hire wants to hear those words. If you want to recruit top talent, your onboarding process should be intuitive, streamlined, and smooth as a baby’s…you get it.

In a recent survey from BambooHR, 97% of employees said it’s important for onboarding to include tools and software to streamline the process—paired with thoughtful and effective practices, of course.

Make sure your process is up to snuff with BambooHR’s free Definitive Guide to Onboarding (updated with new data for 2024). You’ll learn:

• just how crucial the first few days are
• how to boost retention and increase productivity
• the latest trends and employee expectations

Create a more positive, productive, and inclusive onboarding experience. Your new hires will thank you. Download the guide today.

Disability:IN, an organization that advocates for disability inclusion in business, has announced the launch of a new career accelerator, the organization told HR Brew.

The Early Career Talent Accelerator is a 12-week development program that aims to help disabled professionals grow within their current companies. The pilot cohort includes 25 employees from 23 participating employers, including Blue Origin, Dell, Neiman Marcus Group, and Pfizer. All employees were nominated by their employers or supervisors.

The accelerator is broken into three sections, focused on developing oneself, skills, and others as a leader.

Just 5% of the 485 organizations on the Disability Equality Index (the organization’s annual list of best employers for disabled workers) offer employee retention and advancement programs specifically geared toward disabled talent. Employers participating in the accelerator program told Disability:IN that they wanted to provide their disabled employees with development opportunities, but weren’t sure how.

Keep reading here.—KP

Google launched a new elearning course last week to help workers understand the basics of AI. Part of the company’s larger commitment to AI workforce development, the 10-hour course is available on Coursera, and through companies, educational institutions, and nonprofits.

“We have always believed, at Google, that the opportunities that are created by technology should truly be available to everyone,” said Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google, the company’s online career certificate program.

This course is “product agnostic,” so what employees learn in the program can be used with Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Bard, or ChatGPT. It features AI best practices, including how to use it responsibly in day-to-day work.

Zoom out. Business leaders are worried about their workers’ AI skills, according to research from Deloitte, as the technology makes its way into daily workflows. As employees adopt generative AI tools, they’ll need a workforce able to use them, and talent acquisition and development teams are busy assessing their needs.

Keep reading here.—AD

Today is Day 1. Welcome to Mental Health Awareness Month! There’s no better time to become, well, *aware* that the effects of depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1t every year, according to the NIH. Fortunately, BetterHelp’s new service makes it simple for employers to offer online therapy as a workplace benefit. Request a demo.