🕒 Another day, another retention strategy

Hey HR Pros!

Employee retention today is no longer about where people work—but rather, how work fits into their lives.

As stress climbs and traditional structures strain under pressure, flexibility is shifting from location to schedule, and managers are being challenged to connect in more meaningful ways. The data shows: if companies don’t adapt how work is designed, they risk losing their most valuable talent.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🤖 Are Your People Talking to AI More Than Each Other?

• 🕒 Another Day, Another Retention Strategy: Microshifts and Schedule Control

• 🧑‍💼 New Report by McLean & Company | Why People Leaders Need a Redesign

• 🫡 Recruiting in the Age of AI: Why the Human Touch Still Wins

Is your HR system showing these 4 red flags?

HR leaders have the same story: the systems they put in place 5 years ago – whether for payroll, recruiting, or core HR – haven’t kept up with today’s needs.

Here are 4 signs why these old HR systems no longer work:

1. HR tools don’t talk to each other – Payroll, ATS, and HRIS operate in silos.

2. Support disappears after implementation – Fixes shouldn’t take forever.

3. Manual work is creeping back in – The whole point of software was to fix this.

4. Scaling feels harder than it should – Legacy tools weren’t built for growth.

SSR’s free HR Software matching service connects you with 2-3 vetted HR vendors that fit your unique needs - so you can make a smart switch without weeks of research.

 📰 Latest in HR News

• SHRM discrimination trial kicks off following months of controversy for the organization

• New York accountant sues employer over epilepsy leave, firing

• The starbucks baristas strike continues into the peak holiday season

• Compliance considerations: California’s updated employment laws for 2026

🤖 Are Your People Talking to AI More Than Each Other?

As generative AI tools become embedded in daily workflows, conversations that used to happen between colleagues are now shifting to machines. New data reveals just how deeply this shift is reshaping communication, collaboration, and even emotional connection at work.

Key Insights for HR Leaders

• 🧊 One-third of employees talk less to coworkers
  32% of employees admit to reduced colleague communication since AI tools were introduced, signaling potential collaboration risks.

• 📜 Half of employees consult AI on legal and HR matters
  48% now turn to AI for legal or policy input, and 41% use it for HR-related queries—bypassing traditional internal channels.

• 🗣️ AI is the new small talk partner for many
  26% of workers (and 32% of leaders) would rather chat casually with AI than with a human teammate.

• 📉 AI-friendly cultures show ROI and engagement boosts
  Organizations that foster responsible AI use report 73% ROI success, 68% better collaboration, and 54% higher employee satisfaction.

read the full 432-word article here

🕒 Another Day, Another Retention Strategy: Microshifts and Schedule Control

For HR leaders, the loudest debate in the workplace—remote vs. in-office—isn’t where the real tension lies. The bigger issue? Burnout is rising, trust is slipping, and employees are rejecting traditional structures in favor of something more adaptable and human.

Flexible schedules, not just flexible locations, may be the unlock.

Key Insights for HR Strategy

• 🧠 Work stress jumped 39%, but burnout isn’t about hours—it’s about broken systems
  Inequitable workflows, overload, and lack of recovery time are pushing employees to the brink, not just long hours alone.

• 📅 65% of workers want ‘microshifts’—nonlinear workdays tailored to energy and personal needs
  Microshifting may outpace remote work as the next major demand, as workers prioritize when they work over where.

• 🕵️‍♂️ 81% of employees are being monitored—and they want it disclosed
  Surveillance is now a top stressor, with many demanding legal requirements for transparency around monitoring tools.

• 📈 Managers still aren’t having career conversations—and it’s costing retention
  Most managers can’t answer where their employees want to grow, signaling a disconnect between oversight and meaningful support.

read the full 1,159-word article here

HR LOLs

🧑‍💼 New Report by McLean & Company | Why People Leaders Need a Redesign

Report: Transforming the Role of People Leaders

People leadership has become a role defined by impossible expectations. They're the coach, strategist, culture driver, tech navigator, and emotional buffer—often all at once and all under pressure.

And while the workplace grows more complex, the role itself hasn’t been redesigned to keep up. Without realignment, HR leaders may find themselves not just losing good managers—but scaring off future ones altogether.

Key Insights on Leadership Overload

• 📊 People leaders are 1.7x more likely to report high stress than individual contributors
  The emotional toll, not just workload, is pushing leaders to unsustainable limits—especially during constant change and disruption.

• ⚠️ 74% of organizations struggle to develop effective people leaders
  Heavy workloads and lack of support are the top barriers, leading high-potential talent to avoid leadership entirely.

• 🧠 73% say leadership skills must transform entirely by 2030
  AI and distributed work demand empathy, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—not just strategic execution or technical know-how.

• 🤖 AI doesn’t reduce leadership demand—it raises the bar
  As automation scales, uniquely human skills like coaching, resilience-building, and relationship development become mission-critical.

read the full 864-word article here

🫡 Recruiting in the Age of AI: Why the Human Touch Still Wins

AI hasn’t replaced the gut-check of a real human conversation.

With AI now woven into both candidate applications and recruiter workflows, hiring teams are navigating a new normal: automation for speed, humans for authenticity.

And while tech takes on the busywork, HR pros are doubling down on deeper interviews, scenario-based assessments, and a clear line in the sand for where human judgment still leads.

Key Insights on AI’s Role in Modern Hiring

• 📄 76.6% of hiring teams now encounter AI-assisted applications regularly
  Jobseekers are using AI to polish résumés—prompting recruiters to rethink traditional formats and methods of evaluation.

• ⚙️ 52.1% of hiring teams have implemented AI tools—but not for final decisions
  AI supports early screening and process efficiency, but final decisions remain human-led in nearly 80% of hiring teams.

• 🔍 47.3% of recruiters now use deeper interview probing to test for authenticity
  In response to AI-aided candidates, interviews are shifting toward personalized questions, live formats, and real-time assessments.

• 🧠 Recruiters are moving away from résumés to hands-on, scenario-based tasks
  Structured questions, video responses, and practical assignments are helping hiring teams gauge real-world ability and potential.

read the full 622-word article here