🧠 77% rated their well-being 7 or higher, but Gen Z trails at a 7.3 average

Hey HR Pros!

The gap between how employees seem to be doing and how resilient they actually feel is widening, and Gen Z is at the center of it. As expectations around flexibility, support, and trust evolve, HR leaders are being called to listen more closely, respond more intentionally, and build systems that do more than just check the wellness box.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🧠 77% rated their well-being 7 or higher, but Gen Z trails at a 7.3 average

• 💰 Financial strain is the #1 resilience blocker for employees

• 📊 26% use AI weekly, yet only 38% of companies have officially integrated it

• 🎙️ Featured HR Podcast: Future of HR with DJ Casto, CHRO, Synchrony

🦸 Your sidekick for when HR software gets complicated

Most HR leaders don’t usually set out to “evaluate HR software.” It usually starts with a small problem. A tool that’s no longer keeping up. A process that feels heavier than it should. A sense that something isn’t working. 🤔 

Then come the tabs. The demos. The feature lists. And suddenly, you’re deep in research with no clear answer in sight. 🥹 

Enter: your sidekick. 🦸 SSR’s HR Software Advisors are there to help you think things through, narrow your options, and move forward without carrying the whole process on your own. Someone to help you focus on what actually fits your team, and let go of the rest.

You’re still in the driver’s seat. You just have a little extra help. 🙂 

 📰 Latest in HR News

• Starbucks beats Missouri AG’s lawsuit targeting DEI programs

• Pinterest CEO rebukes, fires ‘obstructionist’ employees who created tool to track layoffs

• US job openings dropped to the lowest level since 2020 in December

• American Airlines pilots union demand “Decisive Action” from management

🧠 77% rated their well-being 7 or higher, but Gen Z trails at a 7.3 average

It’s clear the remote work revolution rewired how we live, lead, and stay sane.

From digital exhaustion to flexible freedom, this nationwide survey of 1,140 hybrid and remote workers offers a clear view into how employees are really faring six years into the remote era.

Key Insights for HR Pros

• 📉 Gen Z burnout risk is real: 38% of Gen Z reported burnout last year — over 10 percentage points higher than Gen X.

• 🧠 Mental well-being isn’t one-size-fits-all: 77% rated their well-being 7 or higher, but Gen Z trails at a 7.3 average — the lowest generational score.

• 📈 Job satisfaction is solid — for now: 78% of remote workers report high job satisfaction, but 61% would consider quitting if forced back to the office full-time.

• 🪑 Comfort > perks: Only 22% say their setup is ideal. The rest want better chairs, fewer distractions, and stronger Wi-Fi — not ping pong tables.

read the full 1,971-word article here

💰 Financial strain is the #1 resilience blocker for employees

Most HR leaders track employee well-being metrics — but resilience? That’s the deeper layer many are missing. Even with an average well-being score of 7.5 out of 10, just 35% of employees say they feel consistently resilient.

The difference matters: while wellness programs may keep the day-to-day running, they’re not always enough to help employees recover from disruption or endure sustained stress.

Key Insights for HR Leaders

• 💰 Financial strain is the #1 resilience blocker: 48% of employees cite financial pressures as their biggest challenge, outpacing burnout and health concerns.

• 🧩 Expectation gap is real: 75% of employers feel responsible for supporting resilience — but only 43% of employees expect them to deliver.

• 📣 Communication is part of the cure: One-third of employers admit they lack clear messaging around available support and post-stress resources.

• 🕰️ Time matters more than perks: Employees say paid leave, flexibility, and recovery time matter more for resilience than one-off wellness perks.

read the full 1,018-word article here

Future-Proof Your Workforce: Building a Gen Z-Ready Workplace

HR LOLs

📊 26% use AI weekly, yet only 38% of companies have officially integrated it

AI usage may be making headlines, but the data tells a more nuanced story inside the workplace. The gap between AI’s presence in public conversation and its structured integration inside workplaces is where the real risk, and opportunity, lies.

Key Stats HR Leaders Should Know

• 📈 Daily adoption inches up: Just 12% of U.S. workers use AI daily, a modest rise from 10% last quarter, showing cautious but steady growth.

• 📊 Adoption by industry varies widely: Tech (77%) and finance (64%) lead; healthcare (41%) and retail (33%) lag behind significantly.

• 🧪 Unauthorized AI is still spreading: 26% use AI weekly, yet only 38% of companies have officially integrated it — indicating a growing “shadow AI” risk.

• 🔐 Risk of data leaks looms large: 1 in 5 workers use AI tools despite unclear employer policy — potentially exposing sensitive company data.

read the full 911-word article here

🎙️ Featured HR Podcast: Future of HR with DJ Casto, CHRO, Synchrony