Christmas cookies often stick around longer than New Year’s resolutions—or maybe that’s just one reporter projecting...

We asked HR leaders what their workplace resolutions are for 2023.

Make hybrid work. It’s no secret that some companies have struggled to RTO. But many HR leaders want their organizations to embrace a hybrid model and are focusing on improving it.

“Whether an employee is in the office, hybrid, or fully remote, it’s important for organizational leadership to ensure employees know that we care about their well-being, mental health, and overall professional development, which requires leadership to reach their people in different ways, depending on their working circumstances.”—Jeri Hawthorne, VP of corporate HR, Aflac

Engage employees. The past year saw retention and engagement dip, while burnout was on the rise. HR professionals hope to turn that tide in the new year.

“I have three HR resolutions heading into 2023—deepening employee engagement, cross functional partnership [and] teamwork, and process improvements. These three resolutions help ensure the foundation is strong enough to weather any storm.”—Bernard Coleman, chief diversity and engagement officer, Gusto

Adopt new tools. Every HR leader is armed with tools that enhance the employee experience. In 2023, they want to take things to the next level. Keep reading here.—KP

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was 2022. We’ve spent the past month reflecting on the ups and downs of HR pros over the course of the past year.

How over-hiring during the pandemic led to the rash of layoffs in 2022

The spring of 2020 was a time of historic job loss, after which a few companies appeared to emerge as winners. Some seized the moment, using the rare economic circumstances to quickly scale. Three years later, those companies are paying the price.

RTO plans saw setbacks this year—here’s what HR needs to consider in 2023

HR leaders will likely remember 2022 as the year of the RTO—and not necessarily because their plans went oh-so well. We looked back at some of the year’s most notable RTOs that didn’t go to plan, and offer some tips for people pros readying to RTO in 2023.

Notable DE&I departures in 2022

Over the past few years, corporate America has made countless commitments in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For many organizations, this meant hiring heads of DE&I—some of whom have already left their posts. As we look back on some of the most notable departures, experts weigh in on the lessons HR pros can learn.

The year in review: HR’s biggest challenges of 2022

Some HR pros may remember 2022 as the year of the buzzword (if we never heard “quiet quitting” again, it would be too soon), but others will remember it for the many obstacles it posed. HR Brew asked people pros to share their greatest challenges of the year.—VV

Do you work in HR or have information about your HR department we should know? Email [email protected]. For completely confidential conversations, ask Vicky for her number on Signal.

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: 31% of US professionals say they’re worried about layoffs. (LinkedIn)

Quote: “Where are places where we can lower price pressures in the economy, lower costs for consumers, and increase the productive potential of the economy?...The things that we will prioritize and focus on will be in that area.”—Brian Deese, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, on the Biden administration’s 2023 priorities (the Wall Street Journal)

Read: Experts say that employees reevaluating their work life following the Covid-19 pandemic has driven the recent rise in unionization efforts. (Forbes)

Work wonders: Deep-learning AI drives the most effective talent intelligence for modern hiring. Eightfold AI’s handy guide breaks down how deep-learning AI makes life easier for talent pros—and optimizes the recruitment pipeline.*

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