What HR Can Learn From Taco Bell’s Zero-Debt Strategy

Hey HR Pros!

What happens when a frontline employer like Taco Bell starts outperforming traditional workplaces on talent retention? You pay attention.

By expanding its debt-free education program to franchise employees nationwide, Taco Bell is proving that real investment in employee growth pays off — in loyalty, performance, and pipeline strength.

In this edition, we break down what HR leaders can learn from Taco Bell’s bold, data-backed move.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🎓 Retention Through Education: What HR Can Learn From Taco Bell’s Zero-Debt Strategy

• 🧠 Gen Z Is Normalizing Wellness—Here’s How HR Can Turn That Into Culture

• 🔍 From Admin to Advisor: Inside Google’s AI Recruiting Playbook

• 🎙️ Featured HR Podcast | The HR Hub (with Dr. Rosina McAlpine)

🎃 Halloween’s Treat for HR Pros: Get a $100 DoorDash Gift Card!

In the spirit of Halloween, let’s talk about the real scares 👻—bad software choices that drain time, budgets, and sanity.

It might be time to call in an HR Software Advisor from SSR. Their free, vendor-neutral matching service helps HR professionals like you find the right HR software for your company’s needs and budget—fast.

🎁 Bonus Treat: Complete your venfor calls and receive a $100 DoorDash gift card as a thank-you for your time!*

This service is rated 4.9/5 and trusted by 15,000+ HR pros.

_{*T&C: The above offer is for HR leaders in the US, Canada, and other qualifying geographies who are in the market to purchase a new HRIS or ATS. Read the full terms here.}

 📰 Latest in HR News

• Amazon to cut 14K roles, pointing to AI

• Vercel Replaces Its 10-Person Sales Team with an AI Agent and Its Supervisor

• UPS lays off 48,000 as restructuring accelerates

• JPMorgan introduces AI for staff performance reviews

🎓 Retention Through Education: What HR Can Learn From Taco Bell’s Zero-Debt Strategy

Retention strategies that actually move the needle are rarely one-size-fits-all — but they can be scalable. Taco Bell’s latest move to expand its “Tacos & Tuition” education program across franchise locations is a standout case in point.

Rather than chasing the next trendy perk, the company zeroed in on a benefit that aligns both with employee aspirations and business needs: education without debt.

Strategic Insights for HR Leaders 🎯

• 🎓 Education as a core benefit: Going beyond tuition reimbursement, Taco Bell fully covers 3,000+ programs — reducing financial barriers and boosting access.

• 📍 Benefits beyond corporate HQ: Extending education to franchise employees shows the power of consistent, inclusive programs across varied org structures.

• 📉 Data-backed ROI: A 17% YoY retention boost and 27% drop in GM vacancies demonstrate that employee education directly impacts key HR metrics.

• 🔁 Employee-first, customer-second: Designing benefits from the inside out — “team member experience first” — drives long-term loyalty and brand alignment.

read the full 814-word article here

🧠 Gen Z Is Normalizing Wellness—Here’s How HR Can Turn That Into Culture

While burnout remains widespread, there's a noticeable shift in how employees, especially Gen Z, are prioritizing mental and physical health.

HR teams now have a real opportunity: to move beyond one-off programs and create wellness strategies that are embedded into how people work, connect, and grow.

Key Insights for HR Pros

• 🧠 Gen Z is leading wellness culture: 74% of Gen Z report meaningful wellbeing gains in the last 5 years, far outpacing Gen X and Boomers.

• 📉 Traditional wellness programs are missing the mark: Satisfaction with corporate wellness initiatives dropped from 41% to 29% in just one year.

• 🌱 Openness fuels adoption: Gen Z’s comfort with therapy and mental health can drive de-stigmatization and culture change across age groups.

• 🤝 Community matters more than perks: 83% of employees say they’re more likely to stick with wellness routines when team or peer support is involved.

read the full 686-word article here

Free Webinar: Simplifying Payroll & Benefits

🔍 From Admin to Advisor: Inside Google’s AI Recruiting Playbook

At Google, AI tools are helping recruiters spend less time on tasks like research, admin follow-ups, and outreach, and more time on work that actually adds value to candidates and the business.

Key Insights for HR Pros 🧠

• 🗂️ AI handles the “administrivia”: Tools like Gemini and NotebookLM are replacing manual research, feedback follow-ups, and candidate screening with automated support.

• 🎯 Smarter candidate targeting: Google’s AI-driven ATS helps recruiters identify applicants more likely to respond—reducing mass outreach and increasing efficiency.

• 📚 Upskilling through AI tools: Recruiters are using AI to self-educate on regions, roles, and candidate nuances—speeding up prep and improving experience quality.

• 👥 From recruiter to coach: AI frees up time, enabling recruiters to focus on retention, internal mobility, and acting as trusted advisors—not just talent hunters.

read the full 846-word article here

🎙️ Featured HR Podcast | The HR Hub (with Dr. Rosina McAlpine)