Amazon is just one in a string of companies letting go of HR folks, leaving already struggling teams to do more with less. (When, oh, when will someone ask us to do less with more?)

Whether it’s expanding a learning and development program, instituting DE&I initiatives, or expanding sustainability efforts, there’s a never-ending list of “nice-to-haves” for a workplace. And that all falls under the HR umbrella-ella-ella. At a time when employees expect employers to have the aforementioned offerings, but may not be hiring more people, HR pros need to get creative.

Ask for help. Kathy Cullen-Cote, chief people officer at Teradata, told HR Brew that when it comes to HR’s offerings, “There will always be a desire for more.” She recommends that HR look beyond their own departments and see where non-HR employees can chip in some of their time.

“Many things don’t have to be done by the human resource organization,” she explained. Talent managers should know who the high-potential employees are, and which ones may be interested in gaining new skills, Cullen-Cote said. She recommended that someone from the HR team run a meeting and ask who would be interested in taking the lead on a certain initiative, like lunch and learns, for example.

“When people come to me and they say, ‘This is a wonderful idea; why aren’t we doing this?’ I say, ‘How can I help you make that happen?’” Cullen-Cote said. She explained that this approach is a win for everyone because it allows employees to potentially gain skills, get extra recognition, build cross-departmental relationships, and position themselves for promotion while the company as a whole can benefit from a new program.

Lean on technology. Leaner teams can also mean that technology will have to pick up some slack, explained Dan Staley, who handles global HR technology at PwC. He said that more automated tools allow for otherwise busy HR teams to focus on managing workplace culture initiatives or personnel changes. He recommends companies use tools like digital assistants or chatbots for the help desk. “[Employees] can just ask, ‘Hey, what is my FSA balance?’ or ‘What was my paycheck?’”—KP

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In an effort to tighten their belts amid tough economic headwinds, tech companies are scaling back on the fancy perks they’ve become synonymous with over the years. There is no more dried mango at Google’s San Francisco office, Meta nixed its free employee laundry program, and it’s curtains for Salesforce’s employee wellness retreat.

Is anyone weeping for the discarded snacks when all the companies mentioned above have let thousands of workers go, as the consequences of the pandemic hiring boom come into focus?

Yes. Yes, they are.

The complaints are no surprise, Jo-Ellen Pozner, an assistant professor of management at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, previously told HR Brew. She explained that slashing costs on snacks might be an indicator of looming difficulties: “What kind of bigger problem is coming down the pike if we need that much cash on hand, and why is it not being spent on us as employees? Those are questions that destroy trust and destroy the nature of the relationship that employees thought they had with the organization.”

Certainly, the perk-cession may have been somewhat inevitable, even without tech companies hitting troubled waters. The rise of remote work during the pandemic made certain companies ask what purpose their ping-pong tables and free kombucha served as early as 2020. With many Americans working remotely at least part of the time—a McKinsey survey last year found that 58% of US workers have the opportunity to work from home at least one day a week—lavish perks may have had limited utility until workers were called back to the office again.

Hey, you. Yes, YOU, there in the back. What do you make of all this perk talk? Are you scaling back perks at your company to stave off layoffs or other cost-cutting measures? If you have thoughts, join the conversation on HR Brew’s LinkedIn page.—SB

Big tech firms are charting troubled waters by slashing once coveted perks and laying off employees by the thousands. HR people might be tasked with the unfortunate job of administering layoffs, but they can also face the chopping block themselves in times of economic pressure, as Amazon’s most recent cuts show.

We asked HR Brew readers if they’re worried about impending layoffs, or if they have already been laid off. Among respondents, 55% said they’re not worried, 33% said they had a bad feeling, and 12% said they’d already been laid off.

Lost in the shuffle. In March, Bloomberg reported that Meta laid off 1,500 recruiting and HR pros. When companies slow hiring, recruiters are often the first out the door, laid-off technical recruiters explained to Insider last summer. Mass layoffs, HR Brew previously reported, can lead to more voluntary departures and germinate into “turnover contagion,” when scores of workers flee en masse.

Problems across the board. Layoffs have also bled into the DE&I space, impacting teams in various industries. “Unfortunately, we are still missing the incentives for the most powerful people in business to feel like this work matters,” Abadesi Osunsade, a DE&I consultant and former global VP of inclusion and belonging, explained to HR Brew last year. Eliminating diversity teams can erode engagement, especially when employees who don’t like DE&I cuts choose to leave, Aaron Terrazas, chief economist at Glassdoor, told CNBC last December.—SB

Today’s quick question: Big Tech CEOs are meeting with the White House to discuss ethics in AI. Do you have any reservations about using AI-enabled tools to increase productivity at your company?

Nope, bring on the generative AI revolution
I am somewhat hesitant
No generative AI for us

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s total compensation for 2022 was $226 million. (CNBC)

Quote: “I think that having a side hustle and then transforming it in a business, if it works, is probably the best and easiest way to make money and build wealth in the long term.”—Sira Masetti, a quality auditor at Amazon, talking about how side hustles are erasing taboos surrounding discussing personal income (BBC Worklife)

Read: CEOs and executives are using generative AI to craft souped-up text for corporate communications—just not all of them will admit it. (the Wall Street Journal)

Well-being wonders: Securing the best mental health + wellness solutions can be a total rigmarole. Fortunately, Modern Health created a mental health solution guided tour that’ll make the lives of HR teams easier. Try it out.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}