Most HR leaders believe their employees are breaking the rules, according to a new survey from learning and development company CYPHER Learning.

The survey draws on responses from 400 HR or people management and senior business leaders in the US and the UK. Some 71% of those surveyed said they “think staff are likely breaking the rules, but often don’t know until something goes wrong,” according to the report, which was released on Jan. 18. When a policy or procedure is violated, employees most often say they either did not understand the rules, or were not aware of the rules, respondents said.

HR pros overseeing compliance are navigating an increasingly complex environment, as employers update policies and procedures to cover issues such as hybrid working, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI). The regulatory landscape is ever-changing; Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence tracked 61,228 “regulatory events” in 2022, the third-highest annual total since 2008.

The report points to a lack of resources and follow-through that may be contributing to noncompliance.

Keep reading here.—CV

Transform is back and better than ever for 2024—and you’re invited. You’ll be joining an inspiring group of people-first leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the new world of work.

Join the industry’s most forward-thinkers in Las Vegas from March 11–13 at Transform 2024. Topics will cover the future of the workplace and healthcare ecosystems, drilling down into issues like:

• GenAI
• experience design
• L&D
• people-first business transformation
• internal mobility
• DE&I

Don’t miss keynotes and talks from an all-star panel of speakers. That includes a discussion with global industry analyst Josh Bersin, CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, and Joel Hellermark, CEO and founder of Sana.

The best part? HR Brew readers get an exclusive discount on tickets. Save your spot.

HR pros looking to improve their recruitment and retention efforts might consider enhancing their paid leave policies.

That’s what 84% of US employers plan to do over the course of the next two years, according to a new WTW survey. Employers are prioritizing changing and expanding their paid parental, bereavement, and caregiver leave policies as they battle it out to remain competitive and attract the best talent.

Organizations with robust leave policies are more likely to see employee retention and productivity rates rise, according to Appalachian State University researchers. Some 73% of respondents to WTW’s 2023 Leave, Disability, and Time Off Trends survey said the number one reason for making changes to their leave policies is improving their attraction and retention efforts.

“Following a great deal of change over the past few years, including how and where people work, employers are recognizing the importance of flexible leave programs that accommodate the diverse needs of their employees and evolving work styles,” Alex Henry, group benefits leader for WTW, said in the report. “By modernizing time-off programs, employers can create a supportive work environment that fosters engagement and improves the overall employee experience.”

Keep reading here.—AS

Here’s this week’s edition of our Coworking series. Each week, we chat 1:1 with an HR Brew reader. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Jeffrey Barney is a self-professed “HR nerd” with 22 years of experience, whose transition from larger public companies to smaller private firms helped him break away from corporate silos and really “mix the people side with the business side more.”

“I think [smaller companies] are a little more entrepreneurial, a little more nimble, less rigid and set in their ways,” he said. “It allows, from the HR perspective, to really blend the art and science of business, which I think is a heck of a lot of fun.”

Barney has been the VP of people and culture at Arixa Capital since January 2022. At Arixa, he has got a good handle on the “science” part of HR with good systems in place. Now, he’s really dialed into the “art” part: company culture and bringing that “secret sauce” into the office. He said good people professionals know how the business operates and how all the pieces go together, not just how HR fits into the puzzle. Barney told HR Brew that the Covid-19 pandemic really sped up a transformation of the function to be more business-minded.

What’s the best change you’ve made at work?

Moving us to a benefit structure that enhances people’s lives, is easy to use, and provides value to the organization.

Keep reading here.—AD

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: 44% of US CEOs see generative AI as a tool that will boost profits in the next year. (PwC)

Quote: “We’ve found them on a receiving dock, just lost like a child in the park.”—Scott Samples, an employee and “robot wrangler” at GE Appliances subsidiary Roper, on errant bots at his appliance-manufacturing plant (the Wall Street Journal)

Read: Tech cuts have persisted in the new year, but mass layoffs have been replaced with focused reductions to specific business groups by the industry’s big players. (the New York Times)

RSVP here: Head to Las Vegas from March 11–13 and connect with fellow innovators and forward-thinkers at Transform 2024. Don’t miss keynotes from the execs at LinkedIn, Eventbrite, and more. Register here.*

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