😄 HR teams are creating "Laugh Lounges"

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Hey there! 👋 

Happy Sunday! There's so much happening daily in HR—staying in the loop can feel like a full-time job in itself! That's why each edition of this newsletter is crafted to keep you effortlessly updated with the most intriguing stories and cutting-edge ideas in the HR scene.

Today, we're diving into some fascinating developments: how a fast-food giant is creatively spicing up hiring with AI; why laughter might just be your workplace’s secret weapon; and one bold HR leader’s radical take on why your HR strategy should never be replicable elsewhere.

Let's jump in! 🚀

Upcoming in this issue 📰

• 🎓 Internships: The Hidden Key to Careers?

• 🧑‍💼 CHRO Insights: Is Employee Trust Truly Important?

• 😄 Can Humor Save Your Workday?

• 🌯 Chipotle's Secret Ingredient for Hiring? Meet 'Ava Cado,' the AI Recruiter

🎓 Internships: The Hidden Key to Careers?

Read the full 682-word article here

I just came across this insightful article that struck a chord with me—remembering those frantic undergrad days, hunting down internships like they were golden tickets! Even today, latest research states. the majority of interns say that their experience shaped their career goals.

While that may be true, there’s a catch—access isn't equal. Are we, as HR professionals, doing enough? Is your company doing enough? It’s worth pondering upon.

Key Takeaways:

• 🌟 Internships shape futures: 96% of interns report that internships significantly impact their understanding and preferences for future career directions.

• 💰 Fair pay changes minds: 80% of fairly compensated interns would accept full-time offers; only 63% would without fair pay.

• 🎓 Equity gap persists: First-gen students and those from less-selective schools face higher financial barriers, often missing internships completely.

• 🤝 Culture counts immensely: 90% say team culture and interactions during internships strongly influence desire to stay on full-time.

🧑‍💼 CHRO Insights: Is Employee Trust Truly Important?

Recently Josh Bersin spoke to Arne-Christian Van Der Tang, HR Leader at TomTom about his unorthodox journey in HR. He urges HR pros to ditch generic solutions and instead fall in love with real business challenges and add more emphasis on employee trust.

His passionate take left me reflecting: is our HR truly unique or just another copy-paste model?

Key Insights:

• 🌟 Integral to Business (1:45): HR must integrate deeply with core business functions like engineering or sales, not remain sidelined in support.

• 🔄 Trust Unlocks Potential (5:30): Trusting employees profoundly boosts development, unlocking capabilities that can transform organizational success.

• 🌏 Cultural Understanding (9:15): CHROs must engage globally, grasping diverse cultural contexts to navigate unique international challenges and opportunities effectively.

• 🎯 Love the Problem (14:50): Rather than generic fixes, HR should deeply explore and solve actual business problems, increasing credibility and impact.

😄 Can Humor Save Your Workday?

Read the full 636-word article here

Think about it: We’ll each spend around 90,000 hours at work—so why not make them count? Turns out, injecting a bit of "smart humor" into our daily work day isn't just good fun—it's serious business backed by science! 🧬 

In today’s high-pressure workplaces, we may as well try everything, huh? Maybe laughter really is the best medicine—even at the office!

Key Takeaways:

• 🤝 Humor builds bonds: Smart humor, inclusive and self-effacing, reduces stress, unifies teams, and fosters stronger workplace relationships.

• 📈 Humor as strategy: CEO Jason Massey [founder and CEO of Ndustrial] measures daily success through laughter, using humor to communicate hard truths and boost creativity.

• 🎲 Levity spaces work wonders: HR is creating "Laugh Lounges," meme channels, and funny onboarding guides to encourage humor-driven cultures.

• 💡 Coping through comedy: Humorous games like "Corporate Survival Bingo" help teams cope, making tough times at work less soul-draining.

🌯 Chipotle's Secret Ingredient for Hiring? Meet 'Ava Cado,' the AI Recruiter

Read the full 299-word article here

I just heard about ‘Ava Cado’, and it left me hungry—for more info!

Chipotle is gearing up to recruit a whopping 20,000 employees ahead of the frantic "Burrito Season" with an AI-powered hiring assistant named ‘Ava Cado.’ This virtual team member chats with applicants, collects basic info, schedules interviews, and sends job offers selected by managers.

With this approach, Chipotle is making a compelling case for tech-driven hiring strategies today.

A Quick Summary:

• 🤖 AI speeds hiring: 'Ava Cado' cuts applicant processing time from 12 to 4 days, nearly doubling overall application flow.

• 📈 Skyrocketing completion rates: Application completion rates jumped to over 85% from around 50%, thanks to smoother AI interactions.

• 🌟 Promotions from within: 85% of Chipotle's management roles are filled internally, showcasing real career growth opportunities starting at entry-level.

• 🧘 Mindfulness matters: Employees get free Calm App access, highlighting Chipotle’s commitment to employee well-being beyond just the job.