This week we cut through the noise: AI layoffs get counted, CEOs flirt with ultimatums, hybrid needs better managers, and HR turns into a growth engine.

📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

Layoffs Go Transparent: Start Counting AI

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/layoffs-us-october-surge-two-decade-high-challenger-data-shows-2025-11-06/

https://www.challengergray.com/blog/october-challenger-report-153074-job-cuts-on-cost-cutting-ai/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jobless-boom-ai-economy-labor-market-corporate-profits-layoffs/

https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/no-more-hiding-the-impact-of-ai-the-us-government-is-looking-to-force-companies-to-report-how-many-folks-have-been-fired-because-of-artificial-intelligence/

https://www.techspot.com/news/110139-new-data-shows-companies-rehiring-former-employees-ai.html

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/11/federal-employees-are-reporting-major-workplace-disruptions-at-nearly-triple-the-national-average/

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331099/us-software-firm-sas-exits-china-after-25-years-lays-about-400-staff

Culture Ultimatums: Agree Or Quit

https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-dei-ai-remote-work-culture-agree-quit-2025-11

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-vp-jamie-siminoff-hiring-promoting-ai-usage-2025-10

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/three-things-amazon-vp-told-remaining-employees-to-focus-on-in-internal-memo-after-14000-layoffs/articleshow/125011344.cms

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-31/kpmg-staff-to-be-rated-on-ai-usage-in-yearly-performance-reviews

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/30/tech/amazon-layoffs-andy-jassy-ai-culture

Degrees Or Deliverables? The Skills Reset

https://fortune.com/2025/11/05/palantir-colleges-no-longer-reliable-training-ground-gen-z-hire-22-high-school-students-fellowship/

https://fortune.com/2025/11/06/gen-z-success-work-hard-skills-demand-ai/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/opinion/gen-z-work.html

https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/how-socioeconomic-status-shapes-workplace-success

Hybrid Isn’t The Villain. Management Is.

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/hybrid-work-is-not-the-problem-poor-leadership-is/

https://www.marketplace.org/story/2025/10/31/microshifting-the-workplace-trend-that-means-flexibility-but-longer-days

https://theconversation.com/home-vs-office-working-why-it-doesnt-have-to-be-a-battle-267084

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-31/kpmg-staff-to-be-rated-on-ai-usage-in-yearly-performance-reviews

https://fortune.com/2025/11/05/kpmg-new-office-building-hybrid-model-manhattan-tim-walsh/

https://www.kare11.com/article/life/workplace-dynamic-has-shifted-giving-employers-the-upper-hand-heres-why/89-a48f2f7c-0e13-468b-b323-4d4b8cd9a5a4

HR, Meet Revenue: Be The Engine

https://hbr.org/2025/10/your-transformation-cant-succeed-without-a-talent-strategy

https://hrexecutive.com/hr-is-in-the-drivers-seat-for-transformation-3-opportunities-to-take-charge/

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/trends/employee-experience/employee-experience-the-hidden-growth-engine-every-leader-must-activate/125109640

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/leadership/article-the-missing-engine-hrs-role-in-accelerating-business-growth/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91434452/agile-employer-brands-win-in-a-world-of-constant-change

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-butler/meet-the-2025-power-partners-in-hr-people-operations/91244465

⸻

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRStrategy #GenZWork #HybridWork #Layoffs #AIatWork #TalentStrategy #EX #PeopleLeadership

Starter jobs are turning into agent workflows while boards rediscover layoffs and RTO. We cut through noise and show what to fix now: rebuild the first rung, make hybrid a system, and narrate change like adults.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

The Freeze Cracks: From Hoarding to Cuts

Amazon, UPS layoffs show a labor market recalibration (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-ups-layoffs-labor-market-jobs-economy/

)

Amazon To Lay Off 15 Percent Of HR Employees After Jassy Said AI Will ‘Reduce Our Total Corporate Workforce:’ Report (https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/amazon-to-lay-off-15-percent-of-hr-employees-after-jassy-said-ai-will-reduce-our-total-corporate-workforce-report

)

Laid-off Amazon workers turn to TikTok and LinkedIn (https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-amazon-workers-turn-to-tiktok-and-linkedin-2025-10

)

Applied Materials to lay off Bay Area workers after export rule (https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/applied-materials-bay-area-layoff-trump-admin-rule-21127552.php

)

Amazon to announce sweeping corporate job cuts starting Tuesday (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/27/amazon-to-announce-sweeping-corporate-job-cuts-starting-tuesday.html

)

Amazon Plans New Layoffs (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/technology/amazon-layoffs.html

)

AI Eats the First Rung

Vercel trained an AI agent on its best salesperson. Then it cut the 10-person team down to 1. (https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-agent-entry-level-sales-jobs-vercel-2025-10

)

Ex-McKinsey consultants are training AI models to replace them (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-30/ex-mckinsey-consultants-are-training-ai-models-to-replace-them

)

Goldman Sachs to employees in memo: Expect more rounds of job cuts (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/goldman-sachs-to-employees-in-memo-expect-more-rounds-of-ai-led-job-cuts-its-become-increasingly-clear-that/articleshow/124583565.cms

)

Chipmakers are slapping ‘golden handcuffs’ on workers to meet AI demand (https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-amd-broadcom-chipmakers-employee-retention-ai-boom-2025-10

)

AI won’t take our jobs. Silicon Valley’s automation theater has to end. (https://fortune.com/2025/10/27/ai-wont-take-our-jobs-silicon-valley-automation-theater-has-to-end/

)

JPMorgan and Goldman are hiring for AI (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/15/jpmorgan-chase-goldman-sachs-ai-hiring.html

)

RTO, Hybrid, and the Attendance Arms Race

Jamie Dimon renews push to get workers back to offices (https://qz.com/jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-renews-return-to-office-push

)

Toptal CEO: Companies are getting hybrid wrong. Here’s the 80/20 model. (https://www.businessinsider.com/toptal-ceo-companies-getting-hybrid-wrong-80-20-model-2025-10

)

Why I worry about government meddling in WFH (https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/why-i-worry-about-government-meddling-in-wfh-20251030-p5n6fb

)

America’s New Normal for White-Collar Jobs (https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/americas-new-normal-for-white-collar-jobs-85440ca5

)

Morale, Burnout, and the Narrower Funnel

Employee Discontent Is on the Rise. Here’s What to Do About It. (https://hbr.org/2025/10/employee-discontent-is-on-the-rise-heres-what-to-do-about-it

)

We’ve Talked About Burnout for Decades. Here’s How to Finally Solve It. (https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/weve-talked-about-burnout-for-decades-heres-how-to-finally-solve-it/91257438

)

At least 4 in 5 tech talents could face limited opportunities as job market cools (https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/least-4-5-tech-talents-could-face-limited-opportunities-job-market-cools

)

Amazon makes cold move that raises nationwide workplace fears (https://www.thestreet.com/employment/amazon-makes-cold-move-that-raises-nationwide-workplace-fears

)

General Motors lays off hundreds of engineers on Microsoft Teams (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/general-motors-lays-off-hundreds-of-engineers-on-microsoft-teams-says-its-not-your-performance-its/articleshow/124824468.cms

)

Meet America’s Best Employers for Engineers 2026 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelpeachman/2025/10/28/meet-americas-best-employers-for-engineers-2026/

)

⸻

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRStrategy #AIatWork #HybridWork #Layoffs #EVP

This week’s lead story: AI agents scale while layoffs surge. We unpack the cultural signal in the cuts, why middle managers decide AI success, and how to rebuild early-career rungs and remote strategy.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

The Cuts Are Strategic. The Signal Is Cultural.

Target eliminating 1,800 positions, laying off 1,000 workers https://www.startribune.com/target-la...

Exclusive: ConocoPhillips to lay off Canada employees in November, company memo shows https://www.reuters.com/business/worl...

Charter to Lay Off 1,200 Workers https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charte...

Meta layoffs tied to AI priorities https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/meta-...

Rivian layoffs reported https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/rivia...

Graphic of the day: Layoffs accelerate in 2025 https://www.forbesindia.com/article/u...

US federal layoffs threaten the backbone of community support https://thenewstack.io/how-block-got-...

Middle Managers Feel the Least Psychological Safety at Work https://hbr.org/2025/10/middle-manage...

Amazon To Lay Off 15 Percent Of HR Employees After Jassy Said AI Will ‘Reduce Our Total Corporate Workforce:’ Report https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/a...

AI might be creating a ‘permanent underclass’ but it’s the makers of the tech bubble who are replaceable https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...

Deloitte's Global AI Leader Nitin Mittal warns job loss to AI is ‘inevitable’, but engineers should….. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t...

The Broken Rungs — Early Careers Are A Meat Grinder

A City exec says Gen Z is nearing breaking point as AI turns graduate hiring into a 'meat grinder' https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-br...

KPMG: Half of banks experiencing uptick in Gen Z staff quitting https://www.cityam.com/kpmg-half-of-b...

At least 4 in 5 tech talents could face limited opportunities as job market cools https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/comp...

UK tech grad jobs slump, placements cut https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/1...

Gen Z is stuck at the bottom rung. Citi Foundation pledges $25 million https://fortune.com/2025/10/21/gen-z-...

‘They want us to work but there is no work’: meet the NEETs https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/job...

Remote Reality Check — Demand Is Lopsided

Remote companies like Dropbox and Atlassian say they're getting flooded with applications, as other firms RTO https://www.businessinsider.com/remot...

Woman wins right to work from home every day in landmark case https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...

Employers want hybrid. Workers want flexibility. https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjourna...

The quiet migration behind remote work https://www.thehill.com/opinion/techn...

⸻

#WorkDesign #EmployerBrand #AIatWork #FutureOfWork #GenZ #RemoteWork #Layoffs

This week’s lead story: AI agents scale while layoffs surge. We unpack the cultural signal in the cuts, why middle managers decide AI success, and how to rebuild early-career rungs and remote strategy.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

The Cuts Are Strategic. The Signal Is Cultural.

Target eliminating 1,800 positions, laying off 1,000 workers https://www.startribune.com/target-layoffs-1000-employees-global-team-restructuring-fiddelke/601502247

Exclusive: ConocoPhillips to lay off Canada employees in November, company memo shows https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/conocophillips-layoff-canada-employees-november-company-memo-shows-2025-10-23/

Charter to Lay Off 1,200 Workers https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-to-lay-off-1-200-workers/

Meta layoffs tied to AI priorities https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/meta-layoffs-ai.html

Rivian layoffs reported https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/rivian-layoffs.html

Graphic of the day: Layoffs accelerate in 2025 https://www.forbesindia.com/article/upfront/news-by-numbers/graphic-of-the-day-layoffs-accelerate-in-2025/2988170/1

US federal layoffs threaten the backbone of community support https://www.benefitsandpensionsmonitor.com/news/industry-news/us-federal-layoffs-threaten-the-backbone-of-community-support/392654

AI’s Split Screen — Agents Deliver, Adoption Fumbles

How Block Got 12,000 Employees Using AI Agents in Two Months https://thenewstack.io/how-block-got-12000-employees-using-ai-agents-in-two-months/

Middle Managers Feel the Least Psychological Safety at Work https://hbr.org/2025/10/middle-managers-feel-the-least-psychological-safety-at-work

Amazon To Lay Off 15 Percent Of HR Employees After Jassy Said AI Will ‘Reduce Our Total Corporate Workforce:’ Report https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/amazon-to-lay-off-15-percent-of-hr-employees-after-jassy-said-ai-will-reduce-our-total-corporate-workforce-report

AI might be creating a ‘permanent underclass’ but it’s the makers of the tech bubble who are replaceable https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/16/ai-creating-underclass-makers-tech-bubble-replaceable

Deloitte's Global AI Leader Nitin Mittal warns job loss to AI is ‘inevitable’, but engineers should….. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/deloittes-global-ai-leader-nitin-mittal-warns-job-loss-to-ai-is-inevitable-but-engineers-should-/articleshow/124625308.cms

The Broken Rungs — Early Careers Are A Meat Grinder

A City exec says Gen Z is nearing breaking point as AI turns graduate hiring into a 'meat grinder' https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-broke-graduate-hiring-city-executive-warns-gen-z-revolt-2025-10

KPMG: Half of banks experiencing uptick in Gen Z staff quitting https://www.cityam.com/kpmg-half-of-banks-experiencing-uptick-in-gen-z-staff-quitting/

At least 4 in 5 tech talents could face limited opportunities as job market cools https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/least-4-5-tech-talents-could-face-limited-opportunities-job-market-cools

UK tech grad jobs slump, placements cut https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/16/uk_tech_grad_jobs/

Gen Z is stuck at the bottom rung. Citi Foundation pledges $25 million https://fortune.com/2025/10/21/gen-z-bottom-rung-career-ladder-citi-foundation-25-million/

‘They want us to work but there is no work’: meet the NEETs https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/jobs/career-advice/they-want-us-to-work-but-there-is-no-work-meet-the-neets/

Remote Reality Check — Demand Is Lopsided

Remote companies like Dropbox and Atlassian say they're getting flooded with applications, as other firms RTO https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-companies-say-getting-flooded-with-applications-2025-10

Woman wins right to work from home every day in landmark case https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/westpac-work-from-home-jobs-australia-b2849083.html

Employers want hybrid. Workers want flexibility. https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2025/10/20/hybrid-office-remote-work-employers-employees.html

The quiet migration behind remote work https://www.thehill.com/opinion/technology/5563985-remote-work-migration-mckinsey/

⸻

#WorkDesign #EmployerBrand #AIatWork #FutureOfWork #GenZ #RemoteWork #Layoffs

Leaders keep invoking AI to justify cuts. The truth this week is sharper. Fear, not code, is driving many decisions. Here is how to turn skills into policy and stop torching trust on location.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

AI Didn’t Fire Them. Fear Did

Goldman Sachs eyes layoffs and hiring slowdown amid AI push, memo shows — https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/goldman-sachs-eyes-job-cuts-hiring-slowdown-amid-ai-push-memo-shows-2025-10-14/

Companies are blaming AI for layoffs — but the real reason is fear — https://www.businessinsider.com/firms-blaming-ai-for-layoffs-driven-by-fear-work-guru-2025-10

AI is supposed to kill jobs. Instead, AI companies are hiring in droves — https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-supposed-kill-jobs-instead-hiring-office-boom-2025-10

Amazon layoffs: Company to cut thousands of jobs as AI reshapes its global workforce — https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/amazon-layoffs-company-to-cut-thousands-of-jobs-as-ai-reshapes-its-global-workforce-82629.htm

Skills Are Strategy. Training Is Policy

Citi rolls out AI prompt training requirement to most staff — https://www.hrdive.com/news/citi-ai-prompt-training-requirement/802862/

Singapore launches data-driven index to boost workforce mobility and competitiveness — https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/singapore-launches-data-driven-index-to-boost-workforce-mobility-and-competitiveness

A Research-Backed Training Method That Improves Hiring Outcomes — https://hbr.org/2025/10/a-research-backed-training-method-that-improves-hiring-outcomes

Return To Office Meets Reality

Major disconnect between managers and employees on engagement — https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/employee-engagement/major-disconnect-between-managers-and-employees-on-engagement/553016

Most employers say they hire overqualified candidates despite retention concerns — https://www.hrdive.com/news/employers-hire-overqualified-candidates-worry-about-retention/802700/

To create psychological safety, do not bring your whole self to work — https://www.fastcompany.com/91413530/to-create-psychological-safety-dont-bring-your-whole-self-to-work-psychological-safety-at-work

⸻

#EmployerBrand #HR #FutureOfWork #AIatWork #TalentStrategy

How do you rebuild trust when your systems scream control? This week we cut through RTO threats, AI scoreboards, and hiring mazes to show the path to real performance.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

Trust Theater vs Control Creep

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-workers-rto-warned-emails-fired-office-attendance-2025-10

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/ford-hr-head-admits-we-have-failed-in-amid-confusion-over-return-to-office-emails/articleshow/124386719.cms

https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/it-takes-screenshots-every-10-minutes-employee-shocked-by-new-office-software-101759737902421.html

https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/employees-checkmate-management-after-their-bathroom-breaks-were-secretly-tracked-rs-44-lakh-faced-by-company/articleshow/124385019.cms

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/08/google-adds-limits-to-work-from-anywhere-policy-that-began-in-covid.html

AI Skills Gap: Adoption or Audit

https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/hr-leaders-lack-faith-that-managers-are-ai-skilled/552446

https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-tracks-employees-ai-use-creates-game-to-boost-adoption-2025-10

https://hbr.org/2025/10/5-critical-skills-leaders-need-in-the-age-of-ai

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2025/10/08/3-ai-certifications-you-need-to-put-on-your-resume-in-2025/

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/08/how-ai-is-poised-to-disrupt-the-job-market.html

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/man-embraces-ai-at-work-replaced

Candidate Experience Whiplash

https://hbr.org/2025/10/4-organizational-red-flags-that-turn-off-job-candidates

https://fortune.com/2025/10/07/goldman-sachs-interview-process-hiring-sharran-srivastaa-39-interviews/

https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/remote-employees-remain-highly-productive-a-new-survey-says/91248497

https://fortune.com/2025/10/07/hiring-managers-gen-z-ready-for-work-careers-jobs-unemployment-ai-skills-based-us-college-degree-crisis/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelpeachman/2025/10/08/meet-the-worlds-best-employers-2025/

Change Narratives That Work

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/change-management-how-to-avoid-the-hero-trap/

https://hbr.org/2025/10/the-power-of-metaphors-when-introducing-change-initiatives

https://hbr.org/2025/10/when-authentic-leadership-backfires

⸻

#EmployerBrand #HRStrategy #FutureOfWork #AI #Hiring #Leadership

A cooler market with hot spots. Skills beat degrees. Managers decide growth. Pipelines move to attention markets. Here is what actually matters for HR this week.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

The Jobs Mirage

Stagflation’s impact on recruiting. Plus, news from EY, Dropbox and more: https://hrexecutive.com/stagflations-impact-on-recruiting-plus-news-from-ey-dropbox-and-more/

U.S. unemployment rate likely steady at 4.3% in September, Chicago Fed says: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-unemployment-rate-likely-steady-43-september-chicago-fed-says-2025-10-02/

US private sector sheds 32,000 jobs in September: https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/us-private-sector-sheds-32000-jobs-in-september/551697

Google Cloud layoffs hit employees as sales reach record highs: https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/google-cloud-layoffs-hit-employees-as-sales-reach-record-highs

China’s K visa backlash: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/01/china/china-k-visa-backlash-intl-hnk

Skills Beat Signals

LinkedIn’s CEO says these 4 qualities will matter more than fancy degrees: https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-ceo-will-college-degrees-matter-ai-future-of-work-2025-10

Hiring managers say they’ll offer more money to candidates with these skills: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/hiring-managers-say-theyll-offer-more-money-to-candidates-with-these-skills.html

Citi mandates AI prompt training for employees: https://fortune.com/2025/10/01/citi-ai-prompt-training-mandate-employees-reskilling-workforce-business/

Now OpenAI is coming for LinkedIn: https://www.fastcompany.com/91410238/openai-is-coming-for-linkedin-openai-linkedin-human-resources

Netflix posts GenAI product manager role with high salary range: https://fortune.com/2025/10/02/netflix-gen-ai-product-manager-240k-700k-salary-fully-remote/

The Manager Reset

The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/the-limits-to-hybrid-and-remote-work/

New Research on How the Best Managers Shape Employees’ Careers: https://hbr.org/2025/10/new-research-on-how-the-best-managers-shape-employees-careers

What does job hugging mean for the workplace?: https://www.hrdive.com/news/what-does-job-hugging-mean-for-the-workplace/761431/

‘Conscious unbossing’ is a new workplace trend: https://www.hrdive.com/news/conscious-unbossing-workplace-trend/760946/

Why it Might Pay to Be ‘Playful’ at Work: https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/why-it-might-pay-to-be-playful-at-work/91247092

Yes, Food Perks at Work Do Motivate Employees, This Study Says: https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/yes-food-perks-at-work-do-motivate-employees-this-study-says/91244821

The Pipeline Reboot

HR leaders test TikTok for recruitment marketing: https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2025/09/23/hr-recruitment-marketing-tiktok

Human Resources: finding the world’s hidden talent: https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2025/09/30/human-resources-finding-the-worlds-hidden-talent

Congratulations, Graduates. You’re Unemployed.: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/congratulations-graduates-youre-unemployed-ec2a783d

In a Sea of Tech Talent, Companies Can’t Find the Workers They Want: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/in-a-sea-of-tech-talent-companies-cant-find-the-workers-they-want-76b7983a

China’s K visa backlash complicates mobility: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/01/china/china-k-visa-backlash-intl-hnk

⸻

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRStrategy #SkillsBasedHiring

RTO creeps up, HR burns out, visas tighten, and AI workslop eats real work. This week’s Paper Cut breaks down the choices that shape your employer brand.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

Hybrid Creep And The Skill-Fade Panic

Workers say return-to-office “makes sense” (https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/24/workers_yes_rto_makes_sense/

)

Return to office: workers fail (https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/return-to-office-workers-fail-3d966807

)

Hybrid creep is real (https://www.businessinsider.com/hybrid-creep-employers-increasing-rto-days-office-2025-9

)

Eric Schmidt on WFH and learning (https://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-google-wfh-work-life-balance-learning-tech-ai-2025-9

)

HR On The Brink: Burnout, Band-Aids, And Culture Theater

Two thirds of HR want to quit (https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/two-thirds-looking-to-quit-their-hr-role-with-half-pointing-to-burnout/

)

Using events to strengthen culture (https://hrnews.co.uk/how-hr-leaders-are-using-events-to-strengthen-workplace-culture/

)

What drives career moves by sector (https://hrnews.co.uk/understanding-employee-priorities-new-data-shows-what-drives-career-moves-by-sector/

)

Confidence gap survey 2025 (https://connextglobal.com/connext_confidence_gap_survey_2025/

)

Visas, Cuts, And The Talent Squeeze

H-1B and Global Talent visas explained (https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/h-1b-visa-usa-global-talent-visa-uk-immigration-skilled-workers/

)

Nvidia and OpenAI chiefs defend H-1B fee (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/we-need-the-brightest-minds-nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-opneais-sam-altman-defend-100k-h1b-fee/articleshow/124066382.cms

)

Bosch to cut 13,000 jobs (https://www.wsj.com/business/bosch-plans-to-cut-13-000-jobs-by-end-of-2030-fbfc6046

)

PwC trims partners and staff in Middle East (https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/09/19/pwc-culls-jobs-of-60-partners-and-1500-staff-in-middle-east-after-saudi-clash/

)

Tech layoffs roll on (https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology-tech-layoffs-2025-google-intel-salesforce-oracle-lead-job-cuts-as-ai-reshapes-tech-industry-3986268/

)

Viral layoff email (https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/ceo-send-major-layoff-email-to-all-employees-reddit-viral-10266644/

)

Workslop And Quiet Promotions: The Trust Tax

AI workslop is destroying productivity (https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity

)

Microsoft CEO warns on AI misuse (https://futurism.com/microsoft-ceo-concerned-ai-destroy-company

)

Quiet promotions and burnout (https://fortune.com/2025/09/19/quiet-promotions-workplace-expert-employees-gen-z-burnout-employers-bosses-wages-compensation/

)

Gen Z in a competitive job market (https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/09/gen-z-are-competitive-job-market-randstad/

)

Burnt but hopeful (https://fortune.com/2025/09/19/suzy-welch-gen-z-millennials-burnout-hope/

)

⸻

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #TalentStrategy #RTO #HRLeadership #EVP #AIGovernance

AI isn’t the story. Your operating model is. This week we break down agentic HR, augmentation without layoffs, and why carrots beat control.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

Agentic HR, Not Theatrical AI

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adrianbridgwater/2025/09/17/workday-tracks-evolution-of-human-agentic-resources/

https://hbr.org/2025/09/should-your-company-merge-its-chro-and-cto-roles

https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/salesforce-soften-blow-ai-jobs-21053239.php

https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/ai-is-changing-the-game-why-recruiters-need-to-think-like-consultants

https://aimagazine.com/news/workday-ai-research-reveals-enterprise-talent-drain-crisis

Productivity Without Pink Slips

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/17/duolingo-ceo-how-ai-makes-my-employees-more-productive-without-layoffs.html

https://www.reuters.com/technology/online-marketplace-fiverr-lay-off-30-workforce-ai-push-2025-09-15/

https://www.engadget.com/ai/fiverr-is-laying-off-250-employees-to-become-an-ai-first-company-215730063.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2025/09/14/small-business-technology-roundup-microsoft-copilot-does-not-improve-productivity-and-openai-makes-chatgpt-project-free/

https://fortune.com/2025/09/15/zoom-ceo-eric-yuan-three-day-workweek-ai-automation-human-jobs-replaced-future-of-work/

Carrots Beat Command-and-Control

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/17/amazon-invests-1-billion-to-raise-worker-pay-lower-health-care-costs.html

https://www.hrdive.com/news/most-workers-would-trade-salary-to-work-with-close-friends-kpmg-finds/760363/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2025/09/16/how-to-overcome-overqualified-or-salary-range-biases-when-job-hunting/86120260007/

https://www.businessinsider.com/consulting-changes-workforce-impact-business-world

https://www.inc.com/phil-rosen/ai-outlook-labor-jobs-market-investing-career-engineers-artificial-intelligence-business/91240002

The Great Watchback

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/14/uk-firms-bossware-monitor-workers-activity

https://www.businessinsider.com/att-system-for-tracking-employees-rto-compliance-2025-9

https://www.wsj.com/tech/microsoft-cracks-down-on-work-speech-limits-remote-work-df9d469e

https://www.wired.com/story/hundreds-of-google-ai-workers-were-fired-amid-fight-over-working-conditions/

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/sep/14/australian-workers-commonwealth-bank-data-being-gathered-by-employers-ittle-privacy-protection

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/telcos-media-tech/Tech-in-Asia/ai-talent-war-pushes-us-firms-asias-outsourced-coders

https://www.peoplematters.in/news/organisational-culture/after-9000-layoffs-novo-nordisk-ends-remote-work-for-staff-43535

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/global/agoda-axes-50-singapore-staff-warns-them-not-report-govt-agencies-or-lose-their-severance-pay

⸻

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #TalentStrategy #AIatWork #HRLeadership #EVP #WorkplaceTrust

Layoffs roll on, RTO gets louder, and consulting is rebuilt by the very tools it once sold. Workers hedge, managers lose the room, and trust becomes the only durable advantage. This week’s Paper Cut turns headlines into practical moves for employer-brand leaders.

📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25

🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25

⸻

📌 Sources & Links

Layoffs With a Side of Spin

https://www.reuters.com/business/novo-nordisk-slashes-9000-jobs-slim-down-fierce-weight-loss-drug-battle-2025-09-10/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fifth-consecutive-month-microsoft-layoffs-102009142.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/microsoft-ceo-nadella-says-company-must-rebuild-trust-with-employees.html

https://citywire.com/asia/news/goldman-sachs-to-lay-off-3-of-staff-at-global-headquarters/a2473769

https://www.businessinsider.com/rto-mandates-driving-workers-quit-helping-employers-avoid-layoffs-2025-9

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/global-oil-gas-company-layoffs-2024-2025-2025-09-03/

Consulting Gets Rewritten by Its Own Pitch

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-ai-boom-is-leaving-consultants-behind-c9088fda

https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-is-changing-the-structure-of-consulting-firms

https://www.businessinsider.com/mckinsey-growing-entry-level-hires-ai-era-partner-says-2025-9

https://hbr.org/2025/09/what-it-takes-to-lead-through-digital-disruption

Workers Play Defense, Managers Lose the Room

https://fortune.com/2025/09/07/silicon-valley-gen-z-tech-industry-jobs-dissappearing-millennials-ai-automation-careers-older-workforce/

https://www.cfodive.com/news/ai-driven-job-displacement-may-already-be-here-report-says/759570/

https://www.newsweek.com/employers-employees-very-different-outlooks-us-economy-2127036

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianehamilton/2025/09/06/why-employees-prefer-ai-over-their-managers-the-impact-on-leadership/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracylawrence/2025/09/09/why-your-company-picnic-wont-fix-your-work-culture/

Place, Product, and Perception

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-send-employees-back-to-office-rto-remote-work-2025-9

https://www.businessinsider.com/cbre-announces-building-experience-lab-annie-dean-office-design-2025-9

https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/how-did-an-employee-get-clues-that-layoffs-in-his-company-are-coming-soon-he-could-sense-from-his-managers-behaviour-he-just-ghosted-us/articleshow/123734166.cms

https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/lifestyle/job-hugging-what-uk-jobs-employment-b2823073.html

https://qz.com/careers-most-vulnerable-in-a-recession

⸻

#EmployerBrand #AIatWork #RTO #Consulting #WorkCulture #TalentStrategy