Tesla’s former DEI lead has some advice about fear in the workplace Summary Kristen Kavanaugh, who led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Tesla from 2019 to 2022, tells HR Dive she learned to prioritise compassion and courage when defending DEI in difficult corporate climates. In a new book, “Courage Over Fear: Harness the Power of […]
Earned wage access should be free Summary Jason Lee, a fintech founder and chief of enterprise at Chime, argues that earned wage access (EWA) — services that let workers draw on pay they’ve already earned — should be offered free to employees. He traces the category’s rise, explains why many employers remain cautious (cost and […]
Appeals court rules that Georgia county can exclude gender-affirming surgeries from insurance coverage Summary A federal appeals court sitting en banc has ruled that Houston County, Georgia, did not violate Title VII by excluding gender-affirming surgeries from its health insurance plan for employees. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a May 2024 panel […]
CHROs should take a more active role in digital security, Gartner advises Summary Gartner urges chief human resources officers to move from a passive to an active role in digital security as HR adopts more AI and automation. The analyst firm outlines four actions CHROs should lead: make security a strategic part of HR automation, […]
2026 raises expected to hold steady, compensation leaders report Summary The Conference Board’s report (Sept. 3) finds pay raise budgets for 2026 are set to mirror 2025, with companies planning an average salary-budget increase of 3.4% next year. Actual pay increases in 2025 averaged 3.4% — below last year’s 4% forecast but above pre-2020 norms […]
AI talent crunch threatens UK firms’ scale-up ambitions, warns new research Summary New research from Kore.ai, based on responses from 104 UK senior business and technology leaders, finds that a shortage of specialised AI talent is a major barrier to scaling AI projects. While enterprises are optimistic and nearly half expect AI budgets to rise, […]
Quarter of UK Financial Services Candidates Failed Background Checks in last 12 Months – HR News Summary New data from background-checking platform Zinc shows the Financial Services sector had a 23% candidate failure rate in background checks over the past 12 months — well above the 16% average for other industries. Only heavily regulated sectors […]
Hybrid working risks alienating younger staff unless managers take action Summary A survey of 1,000 UK employees by IRIS Software Group flags that hybrid working can leave younger staff feeling disconnected and undersupported. Around half of under-35s say hybrid makes them feel less connected to their organisation (52% of 18–24s; 49% of 25–34s) compared with […]
Nearly Half of HR Leaders Consider Leaving Field due to Emotional Toll, 83% Optimistic About AI – HR News Summary Lattice’s 2026 State of People Strategy Report, based on a survey of 1,002 HR leaders and managers, finds HR teams under pressure but increasingly open to AI. Performance management and employee engagement top priorities as […]
MARCH Appoints Jo Pick as First Chief People Officer – HR News Summary Engineering specialist MARCH has appointed Jo Pick as its first Chief People Officer. Jo joins from Wincanton with more than two decades of senior people-leadership experience across organisations including Wincanton, Greencore, Johnson & Johnson and Royal Mail. She is also a Fellow […]
