From recruiting and retention to company culture and the latest in HR tech, HR Brew delivers up-to-date industry news and tips to help HR pros stay nimble in today’s fast-changing business environment.

HR Brew

World of HR

Kristen Parisi

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Despite some global efforts to level the playing field for working parents through legislation and employee benefits, fathers in one wealthy nation still don’t have wide access to leave.

 The UK has tried to make it easier for more people to juggle work and parenting more, passing in 2014 legislation allowing mothers and fathers who work for the same employer to share up to 50 weeks of parental leave, Bloomberg 

The government hoped this legislation would encourage fathers to take on more caregiving responsibilities, but research published this year in the Cambridge Journal of Economics found that only 5% of eligible dads in the UK are taking advantage of the benefit. And it’s negatively affecting the people who do use it, according to research shared with Bloomberg from University College London, King’s Business School, and City St. George’s, University of London. Fathers who took leave experienced saw their hourly pay decrease by 3.5%, while women saw theirs cut by less than 1%.

“Even the gender-neutral policies on flexible working may inadvertently exacerbate gender inequalities in labor force participation by pushing women more into part-time work,” Baowen Xue, a lecturer in social epidemiology and quantitative methods at University College London, told Bloomberg.

Critics of the shared leave policy claim the program is difficult to navigate and littered with red tape, according to 

“Most people in the UK work for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and it’s just totally unrealistic to expect a pub or gardening business to have the HR capacity needed to get shared parental leave set up,” George Gabriel, co-founder of the Dad Shift said.

Fathers in the UK are still guaranteed just two weeks of leave, on reduced pay, making them less likely to take it, HR Brew previously 

. The UK has been ranked as one of Europe’s worst paternity leave plans; the Princess of Wales has 

 Several countries, including Finland, Colombia, and South Korea, have tried to make parental leave more equitable in recent years, especially as birth rates in industrialized countries have fallen. The results have been mixed so far, but Finland, which provides 160 days of paid leave to both parents, has seen some success. The paternity leave rate has doubled since 2022, when the law went into effect.

Sweden expanded paternity leave nearly 50 years ago, with success for employers and new parents, the BBC 

. Amanda Lundeteg, head of Allbright, a business diversity nonprofit, said that companies “are using parental leave as an employer-branding strategy…something that many parents really appreciate when they apply for jobs.”

Men aren’t taking shared parental leave in the UK

Just 5% of fathers take shared parental leave, as critics call the program limiting and hard to navigate.

World of HR: Shared parental leave isn’t working in the UK

A new report suggests Argentina is making progress on LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace, and expanding overall DEI efforts.

 Argentina, a majority-Catholic country with roughly 46 million residents, appears to be expanding LGBT+ inclusion, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 

 in a study of 93 organizations. It looked at non-discrimination policies, employee resource groups (ERGs), LGBT+ training, and public support of the LGBT+ community.

HRC found that more organizations in Argentina now have gender transition protocols in place and offer LGBT+ ERGs than in previous years. Some 78.5% of this year’s participating employers have formalized diversity committees, and 84.9% have a dedicated DEI practitioner or team.

HRC expanded its workplace program to include Argentina in 2022 and has since seen an uptick in inclusion practices, according to the report. Several prominent US-based companies participated in this year’s report as well, including McKinsey, Bristol Myers Squibb, and JPMorgan.

LGBT+ inclusion efforts have proliferated despite the political actions from Argentine President Javier Milei, an opponent of the LGBT+ community who has been dismantling the country’s diversity efforts. Milei closed the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity, as well as the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism, according to the 

, an LGBTQ+-focused news outlet. Employers that fire workers based on their identity, like being transgender, will not be punished.

“Even in the face of political resistance to diversity and inclusion in Argentina, businesses are not just holding the line. They are setting the standard,” Shawnie Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s workplace equality program, said in a statement. “It shows that companies in Argentina are stepping up and saying yes to inclusion, yes to equality, and yes to creating workplaces where LGBT+ people can thrive. This kind of progress is not only inspiring, it’s a powerful reminder that when businesses lead with values, everyone benefits.”

 HR pros probably don’t need the reminder, but the US has faced DEI pushback over the last year, 

 the Trump 2.0 administration. States have 

 121 anti-trans bills so far in 2025, and the 

 it will not pursue transgender discrimination cases. Many companies, including Verizon, Target, and AT&T, have stopped participating in benchmarking reports like HRC’s, and have 

However, HRC still sees signs of hope, according to its 2025 US Corporate Equality Index, HR Brew previously 

. Almost all (98%) participating companies have gender identity and sexual orientation policies, and more than 80% provide LGBTQ+-specific benefits, like partner medical coverage and gender-affirming care.

“The deeper your roots are into creating safe and affirming environments, the stronger you are to weather the storm,” Hawkins told HR Brew. “If your roots aren’t that deep, then you’re easy to blow over. So do some evaluations. See how deep your roots are.”

Employers in Argentina make strides in LGBT+ inclusion

Companies are focused on LGBT+ employee resource groups, training, and have dedicated DEI teams, a new report from the Human Rights Campaign finds.

World of HR: Employers in Argentina expand LGBT+ inclusion

The Trump administration recently told employers in Europe that they must comply with President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting DEI, bringing a quick rebuke from foreign leaders who say the administration should not dictate foreign employment practices.

The State Department directed its embassies in the European Union to end contracts with vendors or suppliers that don’t comply with the administration’s anti-DEI executive orders, Reuters 

. The memorandum comes as contractors that provide services to US embassies are being required to answer a seemingly mandatory DEI questionnaire; those that fail to comply may not be paid.

“We inform you that Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunities, 

 by President Trump, applies to all suppliers and service providers of the US Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate,” the letter said.

The move could be viewed as an overstep by the administration, because, as HR Brew previously 

, certain DEI practices, including equal pay regulations, are the law in many European countries. Several European countries and employers pushed back against the letter, and said they would not comply.

“If contracts were to be terminated solely because a company is committed to diversity and inclusion, this could constitute a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” Maxime Prévot, Belgium’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, said in a statement.

The State Department attempted to clarify the intent of the letter amid the negative feedback from European countries, and said the letter was only meant for “US employers” that employ US citizens, 

 to the New York Times. Since the government hasn’t defined what it considers “illegal DEI,” it’s unclear which practices the US wants suppliers to end since the State Department asserted that its questionnaire was solely a request for companies to “self-certify” that they comply with the American law, and that the US government will not verify the information.

Aurore Bergé, French minister for equality between men and women, 

 that the letter is just an attempt for the US government to dictate business practices in France. "Thankfully, a lot of French companies don’t plan to change their rules.”

The top of a globe with a phone, notebook, laptop, glasses, iPad and coffee cup floating above it

World of HR: State Department tells embassy vendors, contractors to comply with anti-DEI orders

Foreign ministers and employers said their diversity and inclusion practices will continue.

DEI rollbacks? Not so much in one east Asian country, according to a new report.

 An overwhelming number of employers in Japan plan to stick with their current DEI initiatives, according to a recent Reuters 

. Some 77% of companies said they will “continue promoting diversity,” while just 3% are “reviewing” their DEI initiatives.

“DEI is a global trend. We don’t see it necessary to change our direction just because one country’s president is against it,” one respondent said.

Japan, however, hasn’t adopted diversity and inclusion efforts as much as some other countries, and appears to be struggling with inclusion, 

 to the Japan Times. One in five respondents to Reuters’ survey said they have no plans to diversify their workforce.

 behind many other industrialized nations in gender equality, while disabled people face barriers to inclusion at work, an issue Japan has tried to rectify through hiring quotas. The Japanese government also does not prohibit the discrimination of LGBTQ+ workers, with 50% reporting having experienced discrimination at work, according to a 2024 

 in the US have been convinced by DEI opponents to back away from their diversity programming since 2023, but especially in recent months, following multiple moves by the government to discourage and prohibit the 

. This has prompted some companies outside the US to recalibrate their initiatives moving forward.

Several employers—in an effort to comply with local legislation around diversity measures such as reporting on their gender gap and hiring of disabled workers—have changed their US DEI programming while leaving their international initiatives untouched. Aldi US, for instance, removed all diversity-related language from its website in February, though the company’s Ireland and Australia websites still boast DEI, HR Brew previously 

 are directly mentioning diversity in earnings calls, the global impact of the anti-DEI messaging in the US remains unclear.

World of HR: 77% of employers in Japan say they’re sticking with DEI

As companies in the US decide how to handle DEI pushback, Japan’s diversity efforts will continue.

While employees in Europe are largely happy at work, their country, location flexibility, and age all play a part in their overall worker satisfaction, a recent report found.

Great Place to Work, a workplace culture index, recently released its 

 European Workforce Study. The organization surveyed roughly 25,000 employees across 19 countries.

Overall, employees in Italy and Greece reported the lowest worker satisfaction, with just 43% and 44% of respondents, respectively, calling their company a great place to work. Employees in Denmark and Norway, meanwhile, reported 75% and 73% satisfaction. The authors noted that employee satisfaction has a direct impact on productivity, and productivity levels mirrored satisfaction numbers.

The report also identified factors that can drive a positive work culture, including employees feeling as though they have respect, work-life balance, and psychological safety, and leaders embodying the organization’s values.

As is the case in the US, employee retention rates seem to differ by age group. In Europe, just 25% of those over 55 “would like to leave” their current employer, but that number climbs to 40% of people aged 18–24.

Location also impacts employees’ commitment to their employer, with workers in Italy, France, and Poland being most likely to plan on looking for a new job in 2025. Those in the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria were most likely to report being happy with their current company.

As remote and flexible work options have 

 in the US, they appear to have become more of a novelty in Europe as well. Just 9% of respondents said they can work remotely, while 26% said they can work hybrid and 65% are fully onsite. Most (57%) workers said that they would choose hybrid work, although just 11% of employers cited it as the preference.

Northern European countries including Finland and Sweden were found to be more likely to offer location flexibility. Additionally, their hybrid workers are less likely to want to leave their current companies, are more innovative, and have better psychological safety than those in countries that don’t provide flexibility.

“We live in a time where the employee, both as an individual and as part of a team, is more empowered than ever to influence productivity and results,” the report said. “It has never been more important to understand the effects of workforce culture and leadership on performance and productivity.”

Employee satisfaction across Europe largely boils down to location and flexibility, study reveals

Workers who have access to hybrid work are less likely to want to leave their companies, and more likely to be innovative.

The US tariff strategy is like an indecisive situationship right now. The Trump administration can’t decide if it’s in, out, or in limbo on tariffs and has left at least one country reassuring private businesses.

 Canada could be among the most damaged by tariffs but the government appears to be getting ahead of it, the BBC 

 most of the tariffs on Mar. 6, up to one million Canadian jobs could be impacted if they go into effect next month.

“We will absolutely be putting in place measures to help businesses,” Steven MacKinnon, Canadian Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, said, according to 

. “[We] already possess the tools and the flexibility required to respond vigorously in support of our workers. The government has 

 that it can use in addition to responding very decisively to these tariffs, that it can use to help businesses if it's required.”

While the government is reassuring workers and employers, some businesses are weighing their options to protect their bottom line, the Financial Post 

“It is not difficult to imagine scenarios in which more than a few Canadian companies choose to move their head offices to the US,” Jock Finlayson, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, a Vancouver-based think tank, said, pointing to the “thickening” border between the two countries as one reason for potential moves. He’s concerned that Trump will continue putting pressure on foreign governments, and businesses will respond by moving more business to the US to avoid the negative effects of those policies.

US businesses are worried about tariffs as well, CFO Brew 

, and they could negatively impact employment. Staffing firms that assist companies which rely heavily on using imported goods, may see a decline in business or more contingent hiring, 

Employers are left to decide how to respond to an uncertain economy and the future of tariffs, as job cuts rise.

“Private companies announced plans to shed thousands of jobs last month, particularly in retail and technology. With the impact of the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] actions, as well as canceled government contracts, fear of trade wars, and bankruptcies, job cuts soared in February,” said Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, 

Coupled with everything else, worker confidence has declined recently, so employers may be in for a tough road.

World of HR: Canada will support businesses if tariffs take effect, employment minister promises

Employers in Canada and the US are on edge as they grapple with uncertainty. 

 asks a simple question: Is love truly blind?

But imagine if it asked: Would you marry some rando just to keep your job?

 That’s essentially what Shuntian Chemical Group, a company based in eastern China, asked its employees recently. The company recently garnered attention for telling its single workers ages 28–58 that they had until Sept. 30 to start a family, NBC News 

. Employees were also told their relationship status would be evaluated by the company.

“If you cannot get married and establish a family by the third quarter, the company will terminate your labor contract. Please take note,” the memo said.

It also admonished single workers for contributing to the country’s falling birth rate, which declined 20% in 2024. “Letting yourself be single is not benevolent. Failing your colleagues’ expectations is unjust,” it 

The directive apparently violated China’s labor laws, which prohibit employers from asking potential employees about their family plans. Fittingly, Shuntian Chemical Group withdrew the directive on Valentine’s Day, just one day after local officials visited the company.

While we can’t imagine other employers doing something 

 off the wall, companies and countries in East Asia are providing more incentives—from on-site daycare to four-day workweeks—to encourage people to have children amid falling birth rates, HR Brew previously 

Some local Chinese governments offer subsidies to would-be parents, while employers in Japan and South Korea are expanding parental leave options. One company in South Korea began 

 employees the equivalent of $75,000 for each child they have while they’re with the company; it’s retroactive to 2021.

Who knows? Maybe a new reality show based on this premise will come to our screens this fall.