🧠 Only 27% of managers trained in workplace mental health support

Hey HR Pros!

Mental health has become a core part of the workplace conversation, but capability has not kept pace.

Organizations are investing in benefits and resources, yet many managers still lack the training to support employees effectively in real moments that matter.

This gap is where employee experience is won or lost.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🌍 44.1% growth shows global hiring is staying regional, not borderless

• 🧠 Only 27% of managers trained in workplace mental health support

• 💡 $1m AI program shows how SharkNinja operationalizes employee-led innovation

• 📊 25% productivity gain and 15% retention lift linked to employee connection

Download the 2026 HRIS Pricing Guide by SSR

Software budgets are under pressure. CFOs are scrutinising renewals. Vendors are bundling features. AI is being repositioned as “included” or “add-on” depending on the sales call.

The updated HRIS Pricing Guide breaks down:

• Real-world pricing ranges by company size

• How to evaluate ROI,

• Negotiation tactics to get better prices

• How to avoid costly hidden fees

• Questions to ask before signing a multi-year contract

 📰 Latest in HR News

• A PIP is not always discriminatory under SCOTUS’ relaxed bias test, court says

• Goldman Sachs job cuts scheduled for April in a plan to target underperformers

• Gaming giant used ChatGPT to plan corporate takeover, court finds

• How multinational firms are supporting workers affected by the US-Israeli war with Iran

🌍 44.1% growth shows global hiring is staying regional, not borderless

Cross-border hiring is expanding, but it is far from globally distributed. Even in fast-growing markets, proximity and shared language continue to outweigh cost advantages, reshaping how talent strategies should be designed.

For HR teams, this signals a shift from “global anywhere” strategies toward building intentional regional talent ecosystems that balance access, compliance, and speed.

Key insights

• 🌐 UK to US hiring jumps 44.1 percent: One of the fastest-growing corridors, reinforcing dominance of English-speaking, regulation-aligned markets globally

• 🌏 Australia to Philippines rises 43 percent: Regional proximity and talent pipelines are outperforming traditional offshore cost-driven hiring strategies

• 📊 US or UK in every top 3 corridor: These two markets anchor global hiring flows across all major regions analyzed

• 📍 Geography beats cost in hiring decisions: Language alignment and proximity consistently outweigh salary arbitrage in cross-border workforce planning**

read the full article here

🧠 Only 27% of managers trained in workplace mental health support

Workplace mental health is gaining visibility, but capability is lagging behind expectations. Employee demand is rising fast, with strong interest in training across burnout management, crisis response, and mental health awareness.

At the same time, stigma and career risk concerns remain persistent, even as organizations invest more in benefits and resources.

Key insights

• 📊 Training gap is significant: Only 27 percent of managers and less than one third of employees receive workplace mental health training today

• 📚 Demand for training is overwhelming: 81 percent want burnout support, 80 percent crisis response training, and 79 percent education on mental health conditions

• 🤝 Training improves trust and support: 86 percent of employees with training feel supported by managers versus 70 percent without access

• ⚠️ Stigma still impacts behavior: 40 percent worry about being judged and 43 percent fear negative career impact when discussing mental health at work**

Read the full survey results

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In this session, we’ll unpack the signals that it’s time to evolve your HR operating model, how to assess whether staying with a PEO still makes financial and strategic sense, and what it really takes to build internal systems that scale.

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💡 $1m AI program shows how SharkNinja operationalizes employee-led innovation

SharkNinja is taking a structured, company-wide approach to embedding AI into everyday work. Through its “Jailbreak” program, the company invites employees across all functions, levels, and regions to build AI solutions tied directly to real business problems.

By removing strict constraints and empowering employees closest to problems to solve them, SharkNinja integrates AI adoption into its operating model rather than treating it as a separate initiative.

Key insights

• 💰 $1 million funds internal ai innovation: SharkNinja invests directly in employee-generated ideas to accelerate practical AI adoption across the business

• 🏆 $100k prize drives execution focus: High-value rewards ensure submissions are outcome-driven, not just experimental or theoretical

• 🌍 Participation spans entire workforce: Employees across functions and regions contribute, breaking the perception that AI belongs only to technical teams

• 🧪 Continuous review model builds pipeline: Ongoing evaluation of ideas creates sustained innovation rather than a one-off initiative

read the full article here

📊 25% productivity gain and 15% retention lift linked to employee connection

Workforce success is being redefined by how employees experience work, not just how they perform. Organizations are navigating a mix of economic pressure, rapid technological change, and evolving employee expectations, all at once.

In this environment, connection, skills, and benefits are emerging as interconnected levers that shape both employee wellbeing and business outcomes.

Key insights

• 📈 Connection drives performance outcomes: 25 percent higher productivity and 15 percent stronger retention among employees who feel connected at work

• 💸 Financial pressure is widespread: 83 percent of employees cite rising medical costs and economic uncertainty as top workplace concerns

• 🧠 Mental health remains a major factor: 71 percent of employees identify mental health as a key issue impacting their work experience

• 🤖 AI introduces new tension: 63 percent of employees report concerns about risks tied to emerging technology and AI in the workplace**

Read the full report