😬 How Social Media Alters Employees’ Workday Mindsets

Hey HR Pros!

With 77% of employees scrolling through social media during the workday, what they're seeing is shaping their performance.

New research shows that content consumed online can spark motivation, fuel anxiety, or quietly derail focus. As boundaries between the digital and professional worlds blur, HR leaders need to understand how a simple scroll can impact everything from goal progress to team dynamics.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🎭 Company Insights | How Disney’s “Belonging Week” Rebrands DEI for a New Era

• 👀 Leaders Who Change Too Fast May Lose Credibility, Study Finds

• 🤖 Don’t Let Your AI Become a “Yes Man”

• 😬 From Fit Pics to Rage Bait: How Social Media Alters Employees’ Workday Mindsets

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• Atmos Energy faces lawsuit as veteran manager claims age bias

• Amazon plans sweeping HR job cuts as AI investment grows

🎭 Company Insights | How Disney’s “Belonging Week” Rebrands DEI for a New Era

This week, thousands of Disney employees will log into livestreams not branded as DEI events, but as something softer: Global Belonging Week.

It’s a fascinating look at how companies are shifting their language, but not necessarily their values to adapt to political pressures. While "diversity" and "equity" are vanishing from official agendas, the desire to foster inclusion remains.

Key Insights

• 🔍 DEI language has plummeted: Research shows 72% drop in DEI terms and 98% drop in DEI references across U.S. companies in 2025.

• 📨 Disney’s employee emails avoid DEI terms: Internal comms for Belonging Week omit “diversity” and “equity,” focusing instead on “empowerment” and “culture.”

• 🛑 Regulatory pressure is real: The FCC opened investigations into Disney, NBCUniversal, and others for noncompliant DEI activities earlier this year.

• 🏳️‍🌈 Shareholders still support inclusion: 99% of Disney shareholders voted to stay in the HRC Corporate Equality Index despite growing political scrutiny.

read the full 648-word article here

👀 Leaders Who Change Too Fast May Lose Credibility, Study Finds

In leadership, perception can be just as critical as action.

I found myself reflecting on how employee feedback, when acted on too quickly, can sometimes backfire — not because the feedback was wrong or the action unwarranted, but because employees may question the sincerity behind the change.

When leaders pivot instantly, employees may perceive it as performative rather than thoughtful.

The key, it turns out, may be in the pace of change — especially when the change is difficult or complex.

Key Insights

• 🕒 Rapid change can feel fake: Leaders who respond too quickly to feedback are often seen as less authentic, even if the change is welcomed.

• 📉 “Authenticity penalty” is stronger for hard changes: Employees are more skeptical when quick action is taken on complex or high-effort decisions.

• 🔁 Gradual change builds credibility: Slow, visible evolution of leadership behavior feels more genuine and boosts trust over time.

• 📢 Feedback without follow-through breaks trust: McLean & Co. reports ignoring input damages engagement — listening must be matched by thoughtful, visible action.

read the full 503-word article here

🤖 Don’t Let Your AI Become a “Yes Man”

AI is becoming more embedded in HR decisions—from recruitment filters to sentiment analysis to performance reviews.

If we’re not careful, AI tools can mask bias, overemphasize positivity, and turn into digital echo chambers that reinforce the status quo.

Key Insights

• 🔍 “AI Yes Man” systems reinforce bias: AI tools often reflect historical patterns, masking blind spots rather than challenging flawed assumptions in hiring and management.

• 📊 Red flags in vendor tools: Dashboards that only show positive sentiment or “cultural alignment” without nuance are signs of oversimplified AI.

• 🧩 Genuine insights are messy: If an AI system delivers nothing but tidy, feel-good results, it’s likely reinforcing—not analyzing—existing narratives.

• ⚖️ Governance must go beyond HR: Ethical AI oversight requires input from legal, ethics, and employee reps—not just HR leaders checking their own work.

read the full 1,028-word article here

😬 From Fit Pics to Rage Bait: How Social Media Alters Employees’ Workday Mindsets

Research source

Social media doesn't clock out when employees clock in.

New research reveals that what employees consume online impacts everything from self-assurance to social withdrawal, with ripple effects on workplace focus, collaboration, and productivity.

Key Insights

• 📸 Positive content fuels productivity: Posts featuring fitness, family, or accomplishments boost self-assurance and support progress on work goals.

• ⚠️ “Rage bait” drives withdrawal: Political or contentious content raises anxiety, which often leads to workplace disengagement and social retreat.

• 🏆 Competitiveness matters: Accomplishment posts spark motivation in competitive employees—but can trigger anxiety in others.

• ⏱️ Timed social media breaks help: Designated times for checking social apps can reduce emotional volatility and improve overall focus.

read the full 712-word article here