While DE&I and wellness programs have tried to help employees be their authentic selves at work, new research finds that many are still downplaying, or “covering,” their identities.

Some 60% of workers say they’ve engaged in covering at work in the last year, according to a new report from Deloitte and the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU Law. The report, which is based on a survey of 1,269 US workers at companies with more than 500 employees, indicates that many companies have a ways to go on their DE&I journey.

Uncovering a concept. The framework and research on identity covering was developed nearly 20 years ago by Kenji Yoshino, a law professor and director of the Meltzer Center.

Different from passing, when a person tries to conceal their belonging to a group, covering is when an individual acts to downplay or make a known identity less obtrusive. There are four types of covering outlined in the report—appearance, advocacy, affiliation, and association—and while some may be fairly straightforward (like appearance-based covering), others may be less apparent. A mother who doesn’t talk about her children may be exhibiting affiliation-based covering, the report said, and an immigrant who doesn’t challenge a xenophobic joke may be demonstrating advocacy-based covering.

Keep reading here.—KP

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Sometimes when a task feels too big to tackle, we put it off. Addressing the responsible deployment of AI at work might feel like a giant undertaking, but if drafting an HR policy on AI is something you’ve been putting off, you’re in luck.

The Future of Privacy Forum has teamed up with some of the biggest HR software and tech companies to address best practices for responsible use of AI at work.

“I am very optimistic, but also very concerned about the unfolding use of AI that we’re seeing,” said Trey Causey, the head of responsible AI and senior director of data science at Indeed, during a November press conference of its 2024 US Jobs and Hiring Trends report. “We are very early in the AI age, despite the fact that AI is itself an old term...I am watching to see how we can protect ourselves against the worst outcomes…as well as encourage the best outcomes, especially for job-seekers,” Causey added.

The framework, released earlier this fall, is a collaboration with ADP, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Workday. It outlines six cornerstones to guide AI deployment, and incorporates developer responsibilities as well as those who deploy the tools.

Keep reading here.—AD

Like breathing oxygen, AI is all around us, and we don’t even know we’re using it.

A recent UKG survey of more than 4,000 global workers found that while 78% of C-suite execs report their organizations are using AI today, only 42% of employees think they’re using the tech at work.

The survey from the HR and payroll management company revealed an expected disconnect between top brass and the rank and file on company AI use, and underscored a need for better transparency on the technology’s deployment, according to UKG’s chief product and technology officer, Hugo Sarrazin.

Zoom out. It’s on employers to explain where they’re using AI at work, what its limits are, and how to best and safely leverage generative AI to enhance productivity. After rushing to adopt new gen AI tech, employees can benefit from some transparency around company strategy and how it will affect their workflow.

Keep reading here.—AD

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: Only 29% of US workers say their wages matched or exceeded inflation this year, down from 33% in 2022. (Bankrate)

Quote: “In the fast-changing world of work, we should always value innovation and performance, but we must also continue to protect workers with the right regulatory framework. We need to prevent abusive practices and ensure that the human remains in control.”—Joost Korte, director-general for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission, on why governments should regulate companies’ AI use (Euractiv)

Read: A detailed look at the federal government’s RTO push. (Axios)

Pain free: Prior authorization (PA) is critical to keeping treatment + pharmacy benefits affordable—as long as it’s done right. We chatted with CVS Caremark to learn how plan sponsors can help streamline the PA process. Check it out.*

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