28% of Candidates Use AI to Generate Fake Work Samples

Hey HR Pros!

In this edition, we’re exploring how technology and shifting work habits are rewriting the rules of the modern workplace.

On one side, AI is transforming the hiring landscape—empowering candidates to game the system with polished resumes, fabricated work samples, and even bots that apply on their behalf. On the other, the classic nine-to-five workday is rapidly fading, replaced by an “always-on” culture where late-night emails and weekend pings are the new normal.

Both stories highlight a common challenge: how do HR leaders maintain trust, authenticity, and balance in an era where digital tools and evolving expectations dominate?

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🥗 What’s Your Take? | Is Cutting Staffroom Snacks the Right Move? 

• 🤖 AI Usage | 28% of Candidates Use AI to Generate Fake Work Samples

• 📚 HR Lessons | The Future of Benefits: Meeting Gen Z’s Expectations

• ⏰ The Future of Work | The Death of the Nine-to-Five

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 📰 Latest in HR News

• Mercer: Half of large employers plan to shift health plan costs onto employees

• ‘Transparency is vital – but so is choice’: How will banning NDAs impact the HR and workforce?

• 'Code of silence' | Paramount faces lawsuit over sexual harassment failures

• GHD appoints Danielle Huffman to lead people strategy across Americas

🥗 What’s Your Take? | Is Cutting Staffroom Snacks the Right Move?

read the full article

When was the last time you thought about how the food in your workplace impacts employee wellbeing?

Sainsbury’s recent decision to remove free crisps and biscuits from staffrooms in favor of healthier options has sparked debate among HR leaders. The move aligns with UK government guidelines on junk food, but experts suggest that real wellbeing support goes far beyond snack choices.

Key Considerations

• Symbolic actions vs. real change 🥨 – Does removing snacks meaningfully impact wellbeing, or is it a surface-level solution?

• Different roles, different needs 👟 – How can HR build health initiatives that resonate with warehouse staff, drivers, and office workers alike?

• The motivation factor 💡 – Are employees more likely to embrace wellness if HR focuses on intrinsic motivation rather than perks?

• Low-cost wellness wins 🏃 – Should HR invest in grassroots efforts like walking meetings or local health events instead of high-cost programs?

🤖 AI Usage | 28% of Candidates Use AI to Generate Fake Work Samples

What used to be a straightforward process of resumes and interviews is now complicated by bots, automated applications, and AI-generated portfolios.
Candidates, feeling the odds stacked against them, are increasingly using these tools to stand out—even if it means stretching the truth.

Greenhouse’s latest workforce and hiring report shows just how prevalent this trend has become.

read the full 531-word article here

😄 Comic Relief (HR Edition)

📚 HR Lessons | The Future of Benefits: Meeting Gen Z’s Expectations

Kristina Welke, VP of strategy, solutions, and marketing at New York Life Group Benefit Solutions, shares a blueprint for modern HR strategy.

Her team is combining AI-driven tools to bridge the gap between complex offerings and employee understanding.

HR Lessons from Kristina Welke

• Personalize benefits with tech 📲 – AI-driven platforms like Pasito help employees navigate options based on life stage, priorities, and learning preferences.

• Focus on education year-round 🗓️ – Treat benefits communication as an ongoing conversation, not a 20-minute annual task.

• Expand wellness beyond basics 🌿 – Financial wellness tools, student loan assistance, and mental health coaching are now must-have benefits.

• Invest in strategic communication 💡 – Targeted alerts, digital tools, and self-service portals ensure employees understand and value the benefits provided.

read the full 1,167-word article here

⏰ The Future of Work | The Death of the Nine-to-Five

I see how employees are now managing workloads across unconventional hours, answering messages late at night or on weekends, and often feeling pressure to stay visible—even when off the clock.

Microsoft’s research highlights this trend, with employees routinely responding to after-hours messages and emails.

Key Takeaways:

• 50 messages outside hours 📩 – The average employee gets 50 work messages beyond regular business hours.

• 29% check emails late 🌙 – Nearly a third of workers read emails after 10 p.m., extending workdays into the night.

• 20% work weekends 📆 – A fifth of employees read emails on Saturdays and Sundays.

• Screen time tools help 🖥️ – HR can track late-night activity and prompt managers to check in on employees’ workload and well-being.

read the full 754-word article here