🧩 The Case for Why HR and IT Can Be Stronger Together

Hey HR Pros!

In today’s job market, many companies are cycling through multiple rounds of layoffs within months, rehiring for the same roles they just cut. This troubling trend is disrupting morale, shaking retention, and putting HR leaders in the tough position of managing constant change.

If you’re navigating this rollercoaster, don’t miss our deep dive into what’s really driving the “layoff loop”—and how HR can respond with strategy, not just survival.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🔁 New Data | Back-to-Back Layoffs? Inside the Trend Disrupting HR in 2025

• 🧩 The Case for Why HR and IT Can Be Stronger Together

• 🧠 Insights On Gen Z | Retirement Benefits Are Mental Health Benefits

• 🎙️ Featured Podcast: Fractional, Flexible and Future-Ready

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🔁 New Data | Back-to-Back Layoffs? Inside the Trend Disrupting HR in 2025

In 2025, HR leaders across industries are navigating a challenging new norm: repeat layoffs that often occur just months apart.

This is a signal that cost-cutting is replacing long-term strategy, leaving HR professionals like you to manage the fallout. From morale and retention, to employer brand and knowledge loss, the downstream pile up fast.

And the hardest part? Many HR teams are being asked to maintain culture and engagement in a workplace that keeps shifting beneath their feet.

Key Insights for HR Leaders

• 📊 78% of HR leaders report multiple layoffs in the past year—often within just 1 to 2 months
  This signals a trend of reactive workforce decisions rather than sustainable long-term planning.

• 🔁 49% say their company rehires for up to 25% of laid-off roles within 12 months
  Short-term cuts are often followed by urgent rehires, suggesting misaligned forecasting or shifting priorities.

• 😓 49% observe morale declines; 41% report increased resignations post-layoff
  Serial layoffs trigger trust erosion and turnover, putting pressure on remaining teams—and HR to stabilize them.

• 🚫 Only 1 in 3 companies offer outplacement services during layoffs
  Despite proven benefits to brand and retention, most companies miss the chance to offer meaningful support to exiting employees.

 read the full 778-word article here

🧩 The Case for Why HR and IT Can Be Stronger Together

HR and IT have traditionally operated in silos—HR managing people, IT managing systems. But with AI rapidly reshaping workforces, organizations are struggling to coordinate tech and talent strategies.

Forward-thinking organizations are responding by merging HR and IT under unified leadership. Moderna, a standout example, created a Chief People and Digital Technology Officer role to lead this shift.

Strategy & Implementation

• Created a new C-level role combining HR and IT leadership to oversee workforce planning and technology integration.

• Shifted focus from headcount to task-based workforce design, identifying where tech (like AI) complements human skills.

• Avoided cross-training all employees; instead, kept specialized roles while increasing strategic alignment between departments.

• Built communication systems that allow real-time knowledge sharing between HR and IT on workforce needs and tech capabilities.

Expectations:

• 93% of IT leaders expect productivity to rise as HR-IT integration improves employee experience and operations.

• 94% believe digital transformation will accelerate, driven by tighter collaboration between people and systems functions.

• Increased retention and engagement reported as overlapping roles enable better service delivery across departments.

• Moderna’s new structure sets a benchmark, showing how early adoption can lead to more agile and tech-enabled workforce planning.

read the full 777-word article here

😄 Comic Relief (HR Edition)

🧠 Insights On Gen Z | Retirement Benefits Are Mental Health Benefits

read the full 793-word article here

Research now shows that when employers invest in retirement benefits, they’re also boosting the mental health of their youngest employees.

For HR leaders navigating retention, wellbeing, and engagement challenges, this overlap between long-term financial security and present-day mental wellness is more than a data point—it’s a strategic opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

• 📈 42% of Gen Z say increased employer retirement contributions would improve their mental health today
  It’s not just about the future—better benefits offer real-time emotional relief for financially stressed employees.

• 🎓 1 in 3 Gen Z workers say financial literacy programs would be “extremely helpful” to their wellbeing
  Education matters just as much as the paycheck when it comes to workforce peace of mind.

• 💰 The SECURE 2.0 Act is opening new doors
  Policies like penalty-free student loan payments with retirement matching are already being used by Verizon and Chipotle.

• 📊 90%+ of Gen Z workers see emergency savings and stronger retirement plans as mental health boosters
  And many say these benefits directly influence how valued they feel at work.

🎙️ Featured Podcast: Fractional, Flexible and Future-Ready

While you go about your day, plug in to today’s featured podcast below: