🤖 AI Isn’t The Hiring Fix Many Hoped For

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Happy Sunday! 🥳 

From a small Kansas town reinventing itself as a remote work haven to Gen Z redefining productivity (with a side of Netflix), this edition explores how work is evolving in unexpected — and sometimes unhinged — ways.

Before we dive in, a quick HR hack for you ⬇️ 

⬇️ Upcoming in this issue

• 🧩 New Data | The Tech Hiring Puzzle Is More Broken Than You Think

• 🏡 Case Study | How a Tiny Kansas Town Is Competing for Remote Talent with Big-City Benefits

• 📺 Gen Z Is Streaming at Work — And HR Might Be Missing the Bigger Picture

• 🦉 Inside the Culture Code: How Duolingo Balances Chaos and Structure

📰 Latest in HR News

• 🏥 Medical center agrees to conduct a pay equity study amid discrimination allegations.

• 🔐 Amazon revives worker screening measures to boost security

• 💰️ Law firm offers £1 million reward for employees using Copilot

• ☕️ Are workplace coffee machines bad for your health?

🧩 New Data | The Tech Hiring Puzzle Is More Broken Than You Think

Even though AI is changing how tech work gets done, with nearly half of some developers’ code now AI-generated, 74% say getting hired is still frustratingly hard. Companies are desperate for tech talent, but the pipeline is leaking from both ends.

Developers are tired of ghost jobs, skill mis-assessments, and a lack of growth once they’re in the door.

Key Insights

• 🤖 AI isn’t the hiring fix many hoped for — While 97% of developers use AI, recruiters say it hasn't meaningfully improved hire quality or retention.

• 🎯 66% of developers want skill-based evaluations — Theoretical tests don’t reflect real-world coding ability, leading top talent to walk away early.

• 📉 Early-career devs are being overlooked — Employers seek plug-and-play experience over potential, putting the future pipeline at serious risk.

• 🚪 40% of devs plan to leave jobs within a year — Without learning opportunities, 61% say they’ll exit even faster. Growth matters as much as pay.

Read the full 612-word article here

🏡 Case Study | How a Tiny Kansas Town Is Competing for Remote Talent with Big-City Benefits

Challenge: For small towns like Neodesha, Kansas (population: ~2,300), the shift in new demands by employees posed an unusual opportunity: attract remote workers not by competing on scale, but on quality of life.

Strategy: Neodesha partnered with MakeMyMove, a relocation marketplace, to market itself to digital nomads and remote professionals. Local government and business leaders came together to create a comprehensive package of financial incentives and lifestyle benefits, including:

• Waived state income taxes through 2026

• Property tax rebates

• Free memberships to local attractions

• 50% employer-covered child care

• Up to $15,000 in student loan repayment assistance

Results: Within months, interest surged:

• 70,000+ page visits on Neodesha’s MakeMyMove profile

• 400+ saves or likes

• 34 serious applicants out of 78 submissions

Key Learnings:

• 💡 Incentives weren’t enough — belonging was the real hook — Benefits were paired with hometown culture and shared investment in the community.

• 🧩 Public-private collaboration drove innovation — Government, hospitals, manufacturers, and investors worked together to build a cohesive relocation strategy.

• 🏗️ It wasn’t just about people — it was about place — Housing, historic renovations, and a retail core were prioritized to make life livable and attractive.

• 🎓 Talent development started with students — Long-term workforce strategy included learning and development for local high school grads.

Read the full 873-word article here

📺 Gen Z Is Streaming at Work — And HR Might Be Missing the Bigger Picture

It turns out Gen Z employees are streaming shows or movies while working from home, and more than half are actually putting off work to finish what they’re watching.

This isn’t just about binging during meetings bur rather about “fauxductivity,” the illusion of looking busy while struggling to stay engaged.

And while employers are quick to blame Gen Z, the article suggests the issue lies more with a lack of clarity, connection, and flexibility in how work is managed. Instead of policing screen time, HR needs to rethink things.

Key Takeaways

• 📺 84% of Gen Z stream during work hours — Over half delay work to finish shows; streaming isn’t just background noise, it’s replacing productivity.

• 🎭 Fauxductivity is a rising workplace trend — Pretending to be busy is becoming a defense mechanism, not just a Gen Z issue, but a cultural one.

• 🏢 Streaming happens in-office too — Nearly 2 in 5 Gen Zers admit to watching content from their physical workplace, not just remotely.

• 🧠 The fix isn’t control—it’s clarity — HR must shift from surveillance to setting clearer goals, flexible structures, and aligned expectations.

read the full 1,287-word article here

🦉 Inside the Culture Code: How Duolingo Balances Chaos and Structure

This language-learning platform, known for its playful tone and viral green owl, has built a business on balancing “wholesome but unhinged” energy with intentional growth and evolving HR practices.

Even as it matures — pulling in $748M in revenue in 2024 — the company remains laser-focused on preserving its culture while embracing structure where needed.

Key Insights

• 🌱 Culture evolves, but essence stays — Duolingo’s tone wasn’t clear on day one, but clarity came with growth and consistent cultural reflection.

• 🎢 Not everyone thrives at every stage — Some employees fit chaos; others fit structure. Both are valuable, just at different times.

• 🏢 Process doesn’t have to kill creativity — HR strategy matured alongside the team — just enough structure, without suffocating the spark.

• 🧍 Clear communication prevents attrition — When returning to the office, staff stayed put thanks to early and honest expectation-setting.

read the full 937-word article here