The labor market is experiencing some déjà vu. Total labor turnover in May was largely unchanged compared to April, the latest job openings and labor turnover survey (JOLTS) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This year, job openings remain elevated, though hires, quits, and layoffs while firings were once again unchanged at lower levels. But that’s not the only familiarity in the latest data: Employers have reported little change in job turnover in May now since 2024, suggesting that late spring may emerge as the cyclical period when employers reset their hiring plans for the rest of the year, one expert tells HR Brew. Diving into the data. Employers reported 7.6 million total job openings in May, relatively unchanged from April, remaining at their highest-recorded levels in two years. Total hires fell by 45,000 month over month, to 5.17 million in May. Total quits were also relatively unchanged, at 3.1 million in May, though declined by more than 200,000 year over year. Zoom out. Since 2024, the JOLTS data has recorded little to no changes in labor turnover data between April and May, and that slowing labor turnover in late spring could point to an emerging trend in regards to hiring planning, Isaac Hagen, SVP of verticals and sales excellence at ManpowerGroup, told HR Brew. For more on what HR needs to know about the latest JOLTS data, keep reading here.—PM | | |
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Most organizations can explain what their AI does, but far fewer can explain what their people do differently because of it. It’s no big surprise, then, that as organizations race to adopt AI, many are still searching for meaningful business value. The technology is moving quickly, and the challenge is figuring out how work itself changes alongside it. PwC shares that AI may bring transformation, but it’s people who define the breadth of it. Rethinking talent, development, and subsequent evolution will help teams reinvent workflows, make better decisions, and stay accountable for the rest. We asked PwC Principal Shebani Patel what she's seeing organizations struggle with, what investing in people actually looks like in practice, and why many AI initiatives struggle to move beyond productivity gains. Read all about it. |
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On June 16, SHRM announced the Center for Inclusion and Diversity, a new “operating model” and resource center to help employers navigate the evolution of DEI, which SHRM has internally rebranded as inclusion and diversity (I&D). The center was born out of CEO Action, an organization SHRM acquired from PwC in 2024 that encourages CEOs to develop more inclusive workplaces, to provide insights and help companies as they ensure I&D programs are legal and pass the muster of government agencies. “The next iteration of this work does not necessarily need to focus on just the most senior levels of an organization,” Carolynn Johnson, president of the SHRM Center for I&D told HR Brew. “We needed to make sure that it was more inclusive of the folks that may not have ever had any formal responsibility for I&D, but now, given all the executive orders…now have responsibility.” Johnson indicated that SHRM has several components for the center, but at its core, it will bring diversity to the forefront, so “different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds that are all fusing into the workplace” are all considered, while ensuring workers are “respected, heard, and [can] be curious,” and ultimately build inclusive workplaces for all. For more on how the research center came about, and what HR can expect from it, keep reading here.—KP | | |
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Sponsored By Software Advice Matchmaker, matchmaker. Make me an HR software match. That’s what Software Advice wants to do with their 2026 HR Software Comparison Guide. It can help you decide between BambooHR, Paycor, and Rippling in about two minutes. Find the right price, the most responsive customer support, and—yes—an interface that’s easy to use. Download the free guide. |
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When you know better, you do better…or do you? For some employees, that’s not the case when it comes to using AI responsibly in the workplace. According to a June report by AI-native browser security platform Neon Cyber, almost half (48.3%) of US knowledge employees admit to knowingly breaching an AI policy within their company. The findings are based on a May survey of 227 US knowledge workers who use AI at work. Employees also admitted to circumventing AI policies to use tools of their choice without restraint. About half (49.3%) said they would use a tool even if it wasn’t approved yet. Another 41.9% said they would copy work data into a personal, unapproved tool “just this once.” For more on how to enforce an AI policy, keep reading on IT Brew.—BM | | |
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The people pickers’ problem. Leapsome’s webinar on July 14 brings together three business leaders to discuss what needs to change in performance and compensation frameworks in the age of AI, and why. They’ll discuss the importance of hiring and retention, how to maintain engagement, and more. Get in on the action and RSVP here. |
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Today’s top HR reads. Stat: The average US employee works about 21 business days a year from their cellphone. (Adobe) Quote: “If you are reading headlines where CEOs blame layoffs on AI, be skeptical.”—authors of a new study by tech startups Ramp and Revelio Labs on findings that companies that go big on AI adoption actually grow their headcount. (Business Insider) Read: Here’s how employees at AI technology-developing companies are using that AI technology inside their operations. (the Wall Street Journal) People are foundational: We asked PwC Principal Shebani Patel what she's seeing organizations struggle with, what investing in people actually looks like in practice, and why many AI initiatives struggle to move beyond productivity gains.* *A message from our sponsor. |
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Corporate sponsors are returning to pride. Learn what this could mean for DEI. Check it out |
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