AI adoption rises amid employee job security concerns | Survey: 60% of employees weigh job change within year | It's Friday. Do you know where your workers are?
AI adoption in the workplace is rising, with companies like JPMorgan Chase and Salesforce providing training to ease integration, but employee fears about job security persist. While 96% of executives are eager to implement AI, many employees worry about potential job loss and the need for retraining, highlighting the need for balanced approaches to AI integration. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (1/16)
Recruiting & Retention
Survey: 60% of employees weigh job change within year An Aon survey found 60% of employees are thinking about leaving their jobs within a year, with work-life balance and well-being as top priorities. The Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study also highlights differing views on AI, with only a third motivated to learn new tech skills, and a significant demand for workplace flexibility. Full Story: Insurance Business America (1/15)
Workers struggle as wages lag behind inflation Results from Monster’s 2025 Work Watch Report show that 95% of workers say their wages lag behind the rising cost of living, with only 11% receiving raises to match inflation. Some are coping by seeking higher-paying jobs (44%) or taking second jobs (17%), while employers plan modest compensation increases despite financial pressures. Full Story: HR Dive (1/16)
The HR Leader
HR leaders can tackle skills mismatch with upskilling HR departments face a growing challenge of a skills mismatch between job seekers and company needs, with 73% of HR professionals noting that less than half of applications meet all criteria, according to a report from LinkedIn. Upskilling and reskilling initiatives, especially in AI and sustainability, are seen as key strategies to address this issue. Full Story: HR Dive (1/16)
Workplace Chatter
Teacher inspires students through sports, positivity Chris Reul, a health and physical education teacher at Grass Lake High School in Michigan, has significantly impacted students by starting a powerlifting program that has grown from five to 125 participants since 2018. Reul, also an assistant varsity football coach, draws inspiration from his own high school experiences and aims to be a positive role model, emphasizing the importance of human interaction and personal connections in education. Full Story: MLive (Michigan) (tiered subscription model) (1/12)
Editor's Note
SmartBrief will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20 In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, SmartBrief will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20.
About the Editor
Reflections
(Kanoe Namahoe)
Welcome to Friday Faves! Every Friday, I spotlight books, podcasts, email newsletters, documentaries or other content pieces that I enjoy. I also share suggestions that I get from you. Got a favorite for your peers? Send it to me. I may include it here for a future column. Happy Friday dear SmartBrief on Workforce readers, I can geek out on some podcasts, so this week, I went on the hunt for some HR podcasts for you. It was fun! A quick Google search brings up a list of the top 18 recommended podcasts for 2025, SHRM’s podcast channels and then suggestions from Reddit users (which I always take with a grain of salt). A few podcasts showed up on more than one list: Josh Bersin, #WorkChannel, Adam Grant and HR Besties. I took a quick listen to some, but did not review them all. I present these to you as options. Do you know any of these? What HR podcasts do you listen to? Are they helpful? Let me know! I'd love to hear. Do you enjoy this brief? Share it with others. Want different stories? Something about it bug you? Tell me. In the words of Frasier Crane, “I’m listening.”
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