If the CEO Isn’t Using AI, Why Should Anyone Else?

Hey HR Pros!

AI is moving quickly from concept to daily reality, and the way senior leaders respond is essential. There is an obvious connection between CEO engagement and the confidence employees feel in applying AI on the job.

When leaders treat AI as a core part of how they work—rather than delegating it to technical teams—it signals that adaptability, not technical mastery, will define success.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 💻 New Data | How ‘Technostress’ Is Breaking Teams Before Tools

• 🤖 AI Adoption | If the CEO Isn’t Using AI, Why Should Anyone Else?

• 🤖 HR Pro Insights | Prompt Engineering Is Dead. Here’s What HR Should Do Instead

• 🎙️ Featured Podcast: How Much Severance? What you should pay in the US

HR Software Research, Simplified

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💻 New Data | How ‘Technostress’ Is Breaking Teams Before Tools

Source: Digital Etiquette: Unlocking the AI gates

We’ve all been there—drowning in notifications, juggling platforms, and wondering if that Slack message was meant to sound so harsh.

In today’s hyper-connected workplace, the very tools meant to streamline productivity are, ironically, driving employees toward the exit door.

A new report based on 4,000 knowledge workers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Germany reveals a growing epidemic of “technostress”—a direct result of overcomplicated systems, poor training, and unsupportive digital cultures.

Key Data Insights

• 📉 64% of employees say technology has made their work lives worse, causing stress, distraction, and feelings of exclusion.

• 🚪 5% of workers have quit their jobs due to tech stress—potentially 50 million people worldwide making an exit over digital overload.

• 🔔 43% blame notifications and juggling too many platforms as their top sources of digital overwhelm at work.

• 💬 28% worry they’ll be misunderstood in messages, while 21% feel stressed due to lack of training on new tools.

read the full 556-word article here

🤖 AI Adoption | If the CEO Isn’t Using AI, Why Should Anyone Else?

As expectations rise for employees to adopt and master AI tools, one truth is becoming clear: the success of that shift often depends on what’s happening at the very top.

When CEOs engage with AI not just as cheerleaders but as power users, the entire organization moves faster, smarter, and with more confidence.

Key Insights 🧠

• 🧰 MasterClass CEO uses 8 AI tools daily—including Claude, Gamma, and ChatGPT—to reclaim a full workday’s worth of productivity.

• 📈 CEO adoption signals cultural change—employees are more likely to explore AI confidently when leaders actively use and endorse the tools.

• 🧠 Employees feel unprepared, despite interest—many cite lack of training and support as barriers to engaging with AI at work.

• 🤝 Company retreats and hands-on training are helping bridge the AI confidence gap, encouraging collaboration in selecting and using the right tools.

read the full 699-word article here

HR LOLs

🤖 HR Pro Insights | Prompt Engineering Is Dead. Here’s What HR Should Do Instead

The speed at which AI trends rise and fall is dizzying—and few understand that better than David Borowski, senior partner at West Monroe.

He’s watched prompt engineering go from futuristic must-have to outdated relic in under two years. For Borowski, that shift is a warning to HR leaders who are still playing catch-up with yesterday’s skills.

Key Insights from David Borowski

• 🚫 “Prompt engineering is nowhere”—AI now understands natural language, making rigid prompt-writing skills mostly irrelevant.

• 📊 “It’s everyone’s problem now”—AI can’t stay in IT; HR must co-lead, reshaping how roles and responsibilities are defined.

• 🧩 “Build experienced humans who can be augmented”—Borowski warns against cutting junior roles just to boost AI efficiency.

• 🧭 “Don’t abdicate critical thinking”—Success depends on culture, structure, and adaptability—not flashy AI skills.

read the full 872-word article here

🎙️ Featured Podcast: How Much Severance? What you should pay in the US