👯 Workers Would Trade 20% of Salary for Close Friends

Hey HR Pros!

Loneliness has long been a workplace crisis. An overwhelming majority now say they’d even trade salary for stronger connections at work.

Belonging and friendship are emerging as more powerful drivers of retention, wellbeing, and performance.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 👯 New Study | Most Workers Would Trade 20% of Pay for Close Friends

• 🧑‍💼 Company Insights | How IKEA Does Culture

• 😶 HR Needs To Know | Why Fewer Workers Want to Lead

• 👥 New Leadership Trend | The Co-CEO Comeback: Is Two Really Better Than One?

Tailored HR Software Recommendations for Your Org

 📰 Latest in HR News

• Job seekers brace for a ‘new job hunt reality’ amid labor market contradictions

• California lawmakers are leading on AI legislation and regulation

• Sandwich chain Jersey Mike's hires first-ever HR chief

• Government shutdown leaves federal workers ‘on edge’ as Trump eyes more job cuts

👯 New Study | Most Workers Would Trade 20% of Pay for Close Friends 🤖

Source: KPMG Friends at Work 2.0 Survey

Nearly half of employees now report feeling isolated, and some say they’d even give up a chunk of their salary for genuine friendships at work.

What’s more surprising is that almost every worker surveyed expressed openness to befriending an AI chatbot, suggesting employees may be seeking connection anywhere they can find it.

Yet experts caution that no algorithm can replace the psychological safety and trust built through human relationships.

Key Data Insights

• 💡 Workers crave connection: 45% report loneliness at work, nearly double last year, signaling a worsening mental health and retention crisis.

• 💸 Friendships outweigh pay: Most would sacrifice 20% of salary to work with close friends, redefining workplace currency beyond compensation.

• 🤖 Tech’s double edge: 99% open to AI “companions,” yet experts warn chatbots can’t replace trust, safety, and authentic human bonds.

• 🏢 Leadership’s mandate: Experts recommend a three-pronged human approach—autonomy, efficiency, and support—to foster healthier, connected workplace cultures.

🧑‍💼 Company Insights | How IKEA Does Culture

In a world where technology and uncertainty seem to accelerate faster than most companies can adapt, culture has become the ultimate stabilizer. It’s what enables large organizations to move with both speed and empathy—without losing their core identity.

At IKEA, culture is a business strategy that informs leadership decisions, employee experience, and even the way AI is introduced into the workplace.

Key Insights

• 🌍 Culture as strategy: IKEA anchors 160,000 employees worldwide in eight values, creating stability and resilience in an unpredictable environment.

• 📊 Proof in numbers: 78% of staff agree IKEA lives its values, 84% feel authentic at work, with a 77% engagement index.

• 🤖 Human-first AI: 4,000 employees trained in AI, 650 leaders upskilled, and tools like “Hej Copilot” introduced for everyday workplace tasks.

• 🙌 Lessons for HR: Approach AI with humility—invite employee questions, foster curiosity, and prioritize culture as the guiding compass.

read the full 839-word article here

😶 HR Needs To Know | Why Fewer Workers Want to Lead

Career ladders aren’t what they used to be. More employees are opting out of management tracks, choosing fulfillment, autonomy, and mental health over the stress of leadership.

This shift, sometimes called conscious unbossing, reflects a growing reluctance—especially among younger workers—to step into supervisory roles that feel isolating, under-supported, and low on reward.

Key Insights

• 🚫 Declining appetite for management: Over 50% of managers surveyed left or plan to leave leadership roles due to stress and lack of fulfillment.

• 📊 Generational nuance: Gen Z questions legacy structures, but seasoned professionals are also rejecting outdated systems and rigid hierarchies.

• ⚖️ Redefining growth: HR must expand career development beyond promotions—through lateral moves, SME tracks, and recognition for innovation.

• 🌟 The silver lining: Conscious unbossing isn’t killing leadership—it’s cultivating leaders who choose the role with greater empathy and energy.

read the full 1,067-word article here

👥 New Leadership Trend | The Co-CEO Comeback: Is Two Really Better Than One?  

More companies are experimenting with the co-CEO model, placing two leaders at the helm to balance complexity, risk, and innovation.

But the model isn’t a universal fix—it raises questions around accountability, vision alignment, and succession planning.

Key Insights

• 📈 Higher returns reported: Harvard data shows companies with co-CEOs achieved 9.5% shareholder returns, compared to 6.9% for solo-led firms.

• 👥 Spotify’s shift: Longtime executives Soderstrom and Norstrom step in as co-CEOs, signaling investor-backed confidence in joint leadership.

• ⚖️ Pros and cons: Division of responsibility boosts focus, but accountability gaps and clashing visions can cause leadership breakdowns.

• 🪜 Succession spotlight: Dual CEO setups highlight the need for robust leadership pipelines and succession planning to avoid risky power vacuums.

read the full 1,062-word article here