⏳ Your Employees Are Drowning in PTO They Can’t Use

Good Morning!

What happens when the next generation of workers says “no thanks” to the corner office?

In this edition, we unpack the rise of conscious unbossing—a movement where Gen Z employees are redefining leadership by trading titles for impact, and hierarchy for balance. For HR leaders, it’s not a crisis this is a shift that calls for new playbooks, flexible career paths, and a reimagining of what it truly means to lead.

⬇️ Upcoming In This Issue

• 🌀 Why Gen Z Is “Unbossing” Themselves And What That Means for Leadership

• 🚨 The Hidden Crisis Behind America’s “Low” Unemployment Rate

• 📊 Why HR Can’t Afford to Ignore Contingent Talent Data

• ⏳ Why Employees Are Drowning in PTO They Can’t Use

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🌀 Why Gen Z Is “Unbossing” Themselves And What That Means for Leadership

What’s being called “conscious unbossing” marks a generational shift away from climbing the org chart and toward a new model of influence without authority.

For HR leaders, this is a wake-up call to build leadership pipelines that respect different motivations.

And it’s challenging everything from succession planning to how we define innovation.

Key Insights

• 🧭 Over half of Gen Z opts out of traditional leadership 🚫
  Younger employees seek growth through skills and influence, not hierarchy or high-stress titles—and they’re clear about those boundaries.

• 🏗️ Expertise is becoming the new ladder 🧠
  In large organizations, specialized skillsets are overtaking job titles as the new benchmark for influence and progression.

• 🔁 Reverse mentorship and flexible tracks are key 🧬
  Companies are blending generations through personalized development, reverse mentoring, and dual career tracks that honor diverse leadership paths.

• 🚀 Gen Z drives innovation from within roles, not above them ⚙️
  The most impactful ideas now come from individual contributors embedded in their craft—especially as AI reshapes the future of work.

read the full 1,100-word article here

🚨 The Hidden Crisis Behind America’s “Low” Unemployment Rate

In 2025, the idea of employment needs a serious reality check, and that’s exactly what “functional unemployment” offers.

According to a new report, functional unemployment in the U.S. was 24.3% as of April. And it’s not improving. This figure exposes just how far off traditional statistics are when it comes to painting a true picture of Americans’ economic health.

Key Insights

• 📉 1 in 4 Americans are “functionally unemployed”
  24.3% of U.S. workers either earn less than $25K annually or can't secure full-time work despite wanting to.

• 📊 BLS stats miss major workforce pain points
  The 4.2% unemployment rate ignores underemployment and poverty-wage roles, skewing perceptions of economic stability and growth.

• 👥 Inequity runs deep in functional joblessness
  Black and Hispanic workers are disproportionately affected by functional unemployment, further deepening long-standing wage and opportunity gaps.

• 🛠️ Hiring freezes and layoffs inflate the real numbers
  Despite headlines of job stability, federal layoffs and slowed hiring cycles have silently driven up the true unemployment rate.

read the full 697-word article here

😄 Comic Relief (HR Edition)

📊 Why HR Can’t Afford to Ignore Contingent Talent Data

When nearly half your workforce isn’t full-time, managing talent requires more than headcounts and job titles. I’m talking about the contingent workforce: freelancers, gig workers, and contractors, who are reshaping how we plan, hire, and compete.

To truly lead in workforce strategy, HR must shift from traditional roles to total talent visibility. That starts with surfacing the “shadow workforce” hiding outside your HCM system and treating all contributors, regardless of employment type, as strategic assets.

Key Insights

• 🧮 40–50% of workforce costs come from external labor 🔍
  Organizations often overlook this spend entirely—integrating contingent data reveals savings and sharpens workforce planning decisions.

• 💸 SOW vs. contractor pricing differences exceed 10% 💰
  Reclassifying roles strategically (based on need, not habit) creates measurable cost savings without compromising quality.

• 🌍 70%+ of contingent talent prefers remote work 🧑‍💻
  Modern sourcing strategies must adapt to remote-first expectations and use digital marketplaces to access niche skills.

• 🤖 AI is accelerating workforce transformation 🚀
  Companies using AI in contingent talent planning improve compliance, reduce risk, and elevate hiring efficiency across the board.

read the full 785-word article here

⏳ Why Employees Are Drowning in PTO They Can’t Use

In a workplace increasingly defined by “time poverty,” employees are finding it harder to actually use their paid time off.

Internal pressure, cultural expectations, and nonstop digital tethering are making PTO less accessible, even when it’s technically available.

Key Insights

• 📅 47% of U.S. workers left PTO unused in 2024 🏖️
  Workload and internalized pressure topped the list of reasons employees didn’t take time off—despite needing it most.

• 🧠 63% can’t fully unplug during vacation 📵
  A Dayforce study showed only 37% truly disconnect from work while off, limiting PTO’s benefits for recovery and mental health.

• ⚖️ Flexibility, not just benefits, reduces burnout 🧘
  Employees say flexible hours, remote work, and physical activity support are key to managing stress—not just PTO or coaching.

• 🔬 Wellness strategies must be rooted in behavioral science 🧬
  Experts say real change comes when companies teach employees how to reclaim time, not just offer more resources.

read the full 488-word article here