TOTAL REWARDS

Beyond the (bare) minimum

Not all policies surrounding benefits such as vacation and healthcare are created equal.

While an employer would be required to grant full-time workers based in Germany 20 days of vacation, for example, the same wouldn’t be true for employees in the US, where there’s no federal statute requiring paid vacation. Similar country-level disparities exist for parental leave and other benefits.

Inequities in benefits packages can create tension among global workforces. Spend management company Emburse started requiring all of its employees to take at least two weeks of paid time-off (PTO) in 2022, in part to encourage US employees to catch up to their European colleagues, HR Brew reported last year.

Recent data suggests more employers are now looking to standardize their benefits packages across countries.

Keep reading here.—CV

PRESENTED BY HIBOB

Gen Z the workplace

Understanding your youngest co-workers isn’t as simple as using “rizz” correctly. Fortunately, you can find the info you need at HiBob’s upcoming webinar.

On March 13, five-time bestselling author Jacob Morgan will lead an interactive panel alongside Gen Z thought leader Melanie Wertzberger and HiBob People Leader Keren Kozar.

They’ll discuss how leaders can foster an environment that supports growth, inclusivity, and genuine connections—all principles outlined in Morgan’s new book, Leading with Vulnerability.

Expect to leave with:

• practical approaches for increasing engagement with Gen Z talent
• tactics for integrating Gen Z’s unique values into the workplace
• ways to engage Gen Z through performance management, transparency, mentorship, and authenticity

Don’t just learn the lingo. Learn how to lead this new generation. Register for HiBob’s webinar today.

HR STRATEGY

MO for M&As

Capital One announced last week a plan to acquire Discover in a $35.3 billion all-stock deal, CNBC reported. If it goes through, the acquisition would combine two of the biggest credit card companies in the world, combining over 70,000 employees into one massive new org chart. The impact of such a large merger could result in company culture clashes and reduction in workforces, according to Investopedia, that HR leaders will have to navigate.

For insight on what this could look like, HR Brew talked with three consultants about what HR pros might focus on after an acquisition is announced.

There’s going to be “angst or anxiety,” said Karan Ferrell-Rhodes, organizational strategist and CHRO at consulting firm Shockingly Different Leadership. “Not because of the work ahead [or] because they’re afraid of it, but…there’s a lot of prep, scrutiny, [and] negotiations.”

Marvels, assemble! Ferrell-Rhodes told HR Brew that after an acquisition is announced, companies will likely assemble a task force of decision-makers to perform due diligence, assessing acquisition risks, costs, operations, taxes, and more.

Keep reading here.—MC

DE&I

Ruling

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Home Depot violated labor rules when it disciplined an employee for wearing a Black Lives Matter (BLM) emblem at work, according to a decision issued Feb. 21.

The 3–1 decision, which overturned a 2022 ruling by an NLRB administrative judge, came three years after former employee Antonio Morales resigned under duress from Home Depot after he was repeatedly told to remove “BLM” signage from his work apron.

Home Depot disagrees with the ruling, the company’s corporate communications manager, Terrance Roper, wrote in an email to HR Brew, adding that “Home Depot is fully committed to diversity and respect for all people. We don’t tolerate any kind of workplace harassment or discrimination.”

Labor lawyers believe the ruling could have further implications for employers, as the NLRB is considering similar racial justice complaints against Whole Foods, Amazon, and Kroger, Reuters reported.

Keep reading here.—KP

TOGETHER WITH GEORGETOWN

Learn now, lead tomorrow. Businesses need knowledgeable, agile HR leaders—now more than ever. Chart your course to HR leadership with an online master’s in human resources management from Georgetown University. Get the training to plan + lead organizational initiatives, inspire teams, and deliver meaningful results. Get started.

WORK PERKS

JOBS