‍💻 62% feel burnt out online, and browsers may be to blame

Hey HR Pros!

Is your browser burning out your team?

Between constant notifications, endless tabs, and digital overload, even the most engaged employees are running on fumes. Today we’re diving into what’s really driving digital burnout, and why the design of your daily tools might be part of the problem.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 📉 76% of Companies Fail to Communicate Rewards Strategy

• ‍💻 62% Feel Burnt Out Online, And Browsers May Be to Blame

• 🎙️ Featured Podcast | Virtual Team Events - What Works (And Doesn't Suck)

• 🧘 EY Launches New Tool to Track True Employee Well-Being

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• FedEx wage suit puts HR security and timeclock policies under fire

📉 76% of Companies Fail to Communicate Rewards Strategy

Report: Korn Ferry

If you’ve spent months fine-tuning your organization’s total rewards program, and your employees don’t understand the “what, why, and how” behind it, all that strategy might be falling flat.

That’s the takeaway from a massive new global survey of nearly 8,000 employers across 140+ countries.

It reveals an uncomfortable truth: most organizations are stuck communicating at surface level—if they communicate rewards strategy at all.

Key Insights for HR Leaders 💼

• 📢 Just 24% of companies clearly explain their reward strategy
  That leaves 76% sharing only vague philosophies or nothing at all, risking trust and employee disengagement.

• 📊 65% say pay transparency will drive change by 2027
  But most organizations remain focused on compliance—not using transparency as a strategic advantage.

• 🧠 Skills- and performance-based pay is gaining traction
  These models are expected to grow significantly in the next 3–5 years, demanding new frameworks and internal alignment.

• 🤖 AI could enhance equity—but HR isn’t ready yet
  While promising, most organizations lack the readiness to deploy AI effectively in rewards and compensation strategy.

read the full 466-word article here

‍💻62% Feel Burnt Out Online, And Browsers May Be to Blame

From browser design to the endless cycle of notifications and social tabs, the modern online workspace is fracturing attention spans and energy levels. And while younger generations report feeling it most often, it’s not skipping older workers either.

As HR leaders, we’re being asked to manage the symptoms—but what if the problem lies in the tools themselves? A new study offers fresh data on what’s draining employees and how design might be part of the cure.

Read the full report: The 2026 State of Browsing Report by Shift

Key Insights on Digital Burnout

• 📱 62% of users report digital burnout symptoms
  That includes both occasional and regular burnout, with just 31% saying they rarely or never unplug intentionally.

• 🔔 Top burnout culprits? Notifications and social overload
  24% blame endless pings, and 23% say social media clutter is draining their focus and energy.

• 👩‍💻 Tech workers are especially affected
  37% of people in tech roles experience regular digital burnout—the highest of any profession in the study.

• 🧠 AI tools remain underused despite the hype
  35% rank AI apps lowest for time spent online, hinting at early-stage adoption and missed potential for relief.

read the full 441-word article here

Featured Podcast | Virtual Team Events - What Works (And Doesn't Suck)

🧘 EY Launches New Tool to Track True Employee Well-Being

Burnout is no longer a hidden undercurrent; it's a $355 billion annual crisis with physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

One company is leading that charge. EY’s Vitality Index was built to go beyond traditional engagement surveys and help leaders understand the full picture of employee well-being—before burnout turns into turnover.

Key Insights on EY’s Vitality Index

• 🧪 Goes beyond engagement to measure lived experience
  The Index captures multiple dimensions of well-being to reveal real-time health across your workforce—not just satisfaction snapshots.

• 📍 Pinpoints burnout by role, team, and demographic
  Its precision helps HR leaders target interventions instead of deploying blanket solutions that miss the root of the problem.

• 📈 Links well-being directly to ROI and productivity
  By connecting health data to business outcomes, the tool strengthens the case for sustained investment in employee well-being.

• 🧠 Detects “quiet cracking” before it spreads
  It identifies signs of hidden burnout, especially in employees who may seem engaged but are struggling beneath the surface.

read the full 602-word article here

You are invited to: Creating Truly Inclusive Hiring Processes and Workplaces in 2026