US job openings unexpectedly rose by 374,000 to 7.769 million at the end of May, surpassing economists' expectations of 7.30 million, with 1.07 jobs available for every unemployed person compared to 1.03 in April, according to the Labor Department's JOLT report. Despite this increase, overall hiring fell by 112,000, and economists pointed to ongoing trade policy uncertainty and volatile business conditions as reasons for a slowdown in labor market momentum. Economists suggest that, given these mixed signals, the Federal Reserve may hold off on cutting interest rates until September.

Use microlearning programs and short workshops to determine if a disengaged employee wants to leave and is misaligned with company values, according to learning management system Litmos. "If an employee's actions routinely contradict your organization's mission, no training course is going to fix that," says Litmos Chief Learning Officer Jill Stefaniak, who adds employees who want to switch to another employer but can't because of the economy can cause damage to the rest of the company workforce.

Employers are increasingly adopting total rewards strategies that integrate salary, benefits, growth opportunities, and well-being initiatives. Driven by employee demands for purpose and flexibility, as well as regulatory requirements regarding equity and pay transparency, these creative compensation approaches aim to increase engagement and retention while managing costs.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has announced a workforce development initiative to increase access to jobs that do not require a four-year degree. The initiative will focus on community college programs with the goal of helping residents obtain certificates and credentials that appeal to businesses.

HR professionals will face "another monster year," says President and CEO of SHRM Johnny C. Taylor Jr. Among the challenges are restoring civility in the workplace, upskilling for all ages, and helping people adapt to AI so they don't lose their livelihoods.