How CCP Used AI to Personalize Career Paths

Happy Sunday! 🌞 

Hope everyone enjoyed the Fourth of July weekend and is feeling recharged as we dive into the new week!

Here’s what we have in store for you today:

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🔎 Case Study | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ AI-Driven Retention Revolution

• 🤖 Latest on AI | People Before Platforms: The Missing Key to Real AI Adoption

• 📊 New Data | Workplace Loneliness Fueling US Employee Turnover

• 🏢 HR Tips from HR Pros | How Cisco’s Hybrid Strategy Wins High Performers

Need A New HRIS / ATS System? Help Is On The Way!

 📰 Latest in HR News

• The Microsoft Layoffs Persist—2025 Continues to Witness Massive Job Cuts

• Biden tells HR professionals that real leadership is all about getting personal

• Undocumented workers say Cheesecake Factory recruited them, furnished fake work papers

• Video platform Vimeo names new chief people officer

🔎 Case Study | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

read the full 2,114-word article here

Challenge

A surprising problem at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCP): employees weren’t leaving because there were no opportunities, they were leaving because they couldn’t see them. Even though roles for growth existed, a lack of visibility led people to feel stuck, disengaged, and ultimately walk out the door.

Solution

CCP realized that simply offering opportunities wasn’t enough — they needed to shine a light on them. They turned to AI to transform static, outdated career paths into dynamic, personalized roadmaps employees could actually navigate.

Strategy & Implementation

• Integrated Career Hub into daily HR workflows so career planning was part of every performance review, recruitment conversation, and learning discussion.

• Focused on accessibility for frontline workers, setting up digital rooms at supply sites and designing mobile-friendly interfaces to reach employees without laptops.

• Built trust through transparency and support, clearly explaining what AI was automating, answering questions via dedicated services, and ensuring no topics were off-limits.

• Aligned leaders across countries and functions with annual plans, KPI tracking, and healthy competition, so everyone knew goals and felt ownership of success.

Results

• Adoption rates skyrocketed to 71% in the US and 80% in Europe, proving employees saw real value in the Career Hub.

• 60% of 24,000 employees revisited Career Hub within 30 days, showing engagement wasn’t just a first-time curiosity but a sustained habit.

• Powerful employee stories emerged, like Jasmine’s rise from line operator to People & Culture ambassador, inspiring peers to explore their own growth paths.

• Ongoing investment of 2,000+ hours post-launch demonstrated that real transformation demands continuous effort, not a one-off project mindset.

Conclusion

This transformation proved that visibility, not opportunity, was the real key to retention. By committing time, resources, and a clear strategy, CCP turned career development from a hidden maze into an open, empowering journey — and in the process, built a workforce ready to grow and stay.

🤖 Latest on AI | People Before Platforms: The Missing Key to Real AI Adoption

New global research reveals that while enthusiasm for AI is high, true transformation only happens when organizations go beyond rolling out tools — they must invest in a clear people strategy that aligns leadership, redesigns workflows, and equips employees with real training to confidently navigate AI’s impact on their jobs.

Key Insights

• 📈 High AI Usage, Low Readiness
  72% of employees use AI weekly, yet only 36% feel trained enough to use it effectively in their roles.

• 🛠️ Tools Without Support Undermine Success
  37% of employees say they lack proper AI tools, and just 25% feel supported by leadership in AI adoption.

• 🎓 Quality Training Drives Real Transformation
  Five hours of in-person training, workshops, and coaching are key to upskilling workers for confident AI use.

• ⚖️ Aligning Strategy Eases Job Fears
  Top AI adopters also show highest job insecurity; clear people strategies can reduce anxiety and boost engagement.

read the full 537-word article here

😄 Comic Relief (HR Edition)

📊 New Data | Workplace Loneliness Fuelling US Employee Turnover

A new national survey shows that a staggering one in four US workers doesn’t have a single friend at work, and nearly two-thirds have felt lonely on the job.

This lack of connection is a productivity killer and a public health risk, with loneliness costing employers hundreds of billions in lost output, turnover, and healthcare costs.

The findings make one thing clear: fostering real human bonds at work is an urgent business imperative.

Key Data Points

• 🫥 One in four US employees have no friends at work, revealing a widespread lack of social connection in American workplaces.

• 💔 Nearly two-thirds (64%) of workers admit to feeling lonely on the job, underscoring loneliness as a pervasive issue.

• 📉 Workplace loneliness costs employers $300 billion annually, combining lost productivity, turnover, and increased healthcare expenses.

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 60% of Gen Z workers want closer bonds with colleagues, signaling a growing generational demand for workplace friendships.

• ⚖️ Over a third (35%) have faced gossip or favoritism due to work friendships, but 62% still say friendships boost morale and motivation.

read the full 799-word article here

🏢 HR Tips from HR Pros | How Cisco’s Hybrid Strategy Wins High Performers

Cisco’s recent global study underscores the answer: a rigid, one-size-fits-all hybrid policy is a recipe for disengagement.

The most effective strategies prioritize intentional design of in-office experiences, consistent and transformative technology, and authentic listening to employee needs — all of which build trust and empower people to work where and how they thrive.

Key Insights

• 📊 High Performers Demand Choice in Work Location
  63% of top contributors would trade pay for flexibility, proving autonomy drives retention and performance.

• 🔄 Communication Gaps Undermine Trust
  Only 21% of employees felt consulted on hybrid policies, highlighting a critical need for genuine dialogue.

• 🖥️ Inconsistent Tech Hinders Hybrid Success
  Half of employees lack uniform tools across locations, despite 90% viewing collaboration tech as essential.

• 🧘 Flexible Policies Drive Wellbeing & Belonging
  Fully flexible arrangements best support mental, physical, and social health, fueling engagement and inclusion.

read the full 1,024-word article here