The EBN Dispatch

AI will keep dominating the headlines. The practical 2026 story for HR and employer brand leaders is time: schedule control, workflow design, and whether skills and pathways are being built in reality, not just in messaging.

This week’s Paper Cut looks at the AI jobs narrative versus labour data, the shift from “where” to “when” flexibility, and what narrowing entry routes mean for talent strategy.

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

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

⸻

📌 Sources & Links

AI Jobs: Between Panic and PR

https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/us-could-lose-104-million-jobs-to-ai-and-automation/562136

https://fortune.com/2026/01/07/ai-layoffs-convenient-corporate-fiction-true-false-oxford-economics-productivity/

https://www.businessinsider.com/wef-sees-4-ai-futures-for-jobs-by-2030-only-one-limits-disruption-2026-1

https://www.businessinsider.com/mckinsey-workforce-ai-agents-consulting-industry-bob-sternfels-2026-1

https://fortune.com/article/godfather-ai-geoffrey-hinton-massive-unemployment-soaring-profits-capitalism-hyperscalers/

Flexibility 2.0: Control the Clock

https://fortune.com/2026/01/04/bosses-new-battle-remote-work-from-where-to-when-flexible-hybrid/

https://fortune.com/2026/01/13/what-is-microshifting-work-life-balance-hybrid-remote/

https://www.peoplematters.in/news/hr-effectiveness/amazon-tightens-return-to-office-enforcement-with-new-monitoring-system-report-47956

https://www.businessinsider.com/120k-remote-job-vs-240k-in-office-debate-reader-survey-2025-12

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/work-from-home-office-remote-benefits-b2894944.html

Pipelines Are Bending, Not Breaking

https://fortune.com/2026/01/06/college-to-office-path-dead-ceo-randstad-recruiter-gen-z-millennial-grads-trade-jobs/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/01/14/workers-age-new-jobs-baby-boomers/

https://www.hcamag.com/nz/news/general/hr-steps-out-of-the-back-office-how-people-leaders-became-core-decision-makers/561456

https://qz.com/adp-employment-report-white-collar-job-losses

https://www.upworthy.com/gen-z-career-minimalism-ex1

Layoffs, Briefly

https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/citigroup-expected-to-cut-about-1-000-jobs-this-week-as-restructuring-continues

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-15/wall-street-eliminated-10-600-jobs-last-year-most-since-2016

https://tvpworld.com/91010323/important-stellantis-car-factory-in-poland-announces-mass-layoffs

https://me.peoplemattersglobal.com/news/workforce-planning/ubisoft-confirms-layoffs-at-abu-dhabi-studio-amid-global-restructuring-48049

https://www.businessinsider.com/recent-company-layoffs-laying-off-workers-2026

https://www.newsweek.com/list-companies-layoffs-employees-january-11293493

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#FutureOfWork #EmployerBrand #HR #HybridWork #Skills #AI #TalentStrategy #Recruiting #PeopleOps

This week’s Paper Cut slices through AI agent hype, labour market whiplash, hybrid headaches, and the growing trust tax at work. No fluff, just the context HR and employer brand leaders need to act with confidence.

This episode cuts through the spin to give HR, TA, and employer brand leaders the signal they actually need. We connect AI agents, uneven labour data, hybrid policy shifts, and rising privacy concerns into one clear story about trust, skills, and staying power.

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

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

Sources & Links:

Agents, Anxiety, and the AI Reality Check

https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-releases-ai-agents-it-says-can-work-for-days-at-a-time-79c82902

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/aws-ceo-matt-garman-ai-agents-cannot-be-replacements-for-employees-they-are-ways-to-/articleshow/125732718.cms

https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/godfather-of-ai-geoffrey-hinton-massive-unemployment-warning-thanks-to-big-tech-replacing-workers-with-ai-senator-bernie-sanders-bill-gates-elon-musk-predictions-probably-right/

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2025/12/people-outsourcing-their-thinking-ai/685093/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-says-humans-cant-rely-on-brains-alone-to-succeed-at-workplace-they-need/articleshow/125709288.cms

Labor Market Mirage: Sunny Data, Stormy Feels

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-weekly-jobless-claims-drop-lowest-level-more-than-three-years-2025-12-04/

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/03/us-private-payroll-jobs-decline-november

https://www.aol.com/finance/companies-announced-more-71-000-124809294.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/12/02/private-sector-employers-warn-job-cuts-and-hiring-freeze/

https://fortune.com/2025/12/03/university-gen-z-graduates-pay-premium-lower-than-millennials-job-market-struggles-united-kingdom/

https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/gen-z-4-million-new-manufacturing-jobs-america-boomer-retire-one-trade-job-young-people-dont-want/

Hybrid, Happiness, and the House Rules

https://theconversation.com/whats-working-from-home-doing-to-your-mental-health-we-tracked-16-000-australians-to-find-out-270356

https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/wellbeing/has-the-freedom-of-hybrid-work-made-us-happier

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/01/meta-instagram-rto-return-to-office.html

https://www.thestreet.com/employment/leaked-memo-reveals-metas-harsh-work-policy-change

https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/lifestyle/remote-work-hybrid-jobs-house-of-lords-b2876613.html

https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/employee-engagement/hr-manager-offers-tips-on-remote-first-success/558285

Culture, Privacy, and the Trust Tax

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/12/03/google-starts-sharing-all-your-text-messages-with-your-employer/

https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/office-attire-changes-history-e6e9147b

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/580803/gen-z-workers-least-happy-40-percent-dread-going-to-work

https://theconversation.com/ai-promises-efficiency-but-its-also-amplifying-labour-inequality-258772

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/ai-artificial-intelligence-asia-risk-widen-inequality-automation-5527671

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-adaptive-mind/202511/the-culture-gap-no-one-talks-about

https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/nvidia-ceo-admits-he-works-7-days-a-week-including-holidays-in-a-constant-state-of-anxiety-out-of-fear-of-going-bankrupt/

#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #AIandWork #HybridWork #TalentStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #PrivacyAtWork #LaborMarket

The overcapacity era is here. We cut through hype versus headcount and map the moves that keep your employer brand credible when AI agents rise, entry routes shrink, and culture confidence slides.

This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin and gives HR and employer brand leaders the context and checklists they actually need. No fluff, just facts and practical moves.

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

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

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SOURCES & LINKS

Overcapacity is a strategy, not a surprise

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/allianz-to-cut-up-to-1800-jobs-due-to-ai-advances-says-source

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/hp-cut-thousands-jobs-due-ai-adoption-5490266

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-24/apple-aapl-cuts-jobs-across-its-sales-organization-in-rare-layoff

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-government-shed-317000-workers-this-year-trumps-hr-chief-says-2025-11-24/

https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/26/workday_cross_selling/

Agents are useful, inside

https://hbr.org/2025/11/ai-agents-arent-ready-for-consumer-facing-work-but-they-can-excel-at-internal-processes

https://www.zdnet.com/article/3-ways-ai-agents-will-make-your-job-unrecognizable-in-the-next-few-years/

https://fortune.com/2025/11/25/why-ai-wont-take-your-job-partnership-agents-robots-mckinsey/

https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/26/workday_cross_selling/

The culture recession is here

https://www.unleash.ai/employee-experience-and-engagement/how-the-push-for-efficiency-sparked-a-corporate-culture-recession/

https://hbr.org/2025/11/leaders-assume-employees-are-excited-about-ai-theyre-wrong

https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/23/bossware_monitor_remote_employees/

https://fortune.com/2025/11/25/half-of-workers-are-revenge-quitting-walking-out-on-their-jobs-without-notice-or-resignation-letter-majority-are-loyal-staff-whove-been-there-over-2-years-monster-report/

https://www.fastcompany.com/91433435/great-leaders-boost-motivation-quiet-quitting

https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-employees-open-letter-artificial-intelligence-layoffs/

Policy whiplash: rules, dress codes, and rankings

https://euroweeklynews.com/2025/11/24/spains-new-remote-work-rules-what-changes-and-what-it-means-for-you/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-introduces-new-corporate-dress-code-what-workers-must-wear-now/articleshow/125609007.cms

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/economy/singapore-leads-world-in-talent-competitiveness-dethroning-switzerland-for-the-first-time-4986753.html

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/dei-changes-benefits-workplace-04f0adb8

https://www.businessinsider.com/shrm-johnny-taylor-dei-workplace-lawsuits-layoffs-2025-11

https://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/news/unemployment-uk-graduates

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/25/ai-could-replace-3m-low-skilled-jobs-by-2035-research-finds

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#HR #EmployerBrand #FutureOfWork #PeopleStrategy

This week’s Paper Cut looks past the headlines on layoffs, AI checklist hiring, hybrid confusion, and culture awards to ask what they really signal about trust.

This edition of Paper Cut from Employer Branding News cuts through the spin to give HR, talent, and employer brand leaders the context they actually need. Clear patterns, practical implications, no fluff.

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

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

⸻

📌 Sources & Links:

Layoffs In A Trust Recession

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/18/big-tech-layoffs-ai/

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/new-layoff-tactics-bring-new-blunders-beefbf56

https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/ey-oceania-cuts-90-from-consulting-arm-20251118-p5ng7z

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/19/world-health-organisation-to-cut-jobs-due-to-us-withdrawing-funding

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-canceling-octobers-employment-report-after-shutdown-prevented-data-collection-2025-11-19/

https://hbr.org/2025/11/how-leaders-can-build-stakeholder-trust-in-uncertain-times

https://employerbranding.news/2025-layoffs-employer-brand-outlook/

https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/science/2025/11/19/csiro-restructure-minister

The AI Arms Race vs Hiring’s Doom Loop

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-19/mbas-seeking-jobs-in-consulting-must-be-ai-proficient

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/2025/11/18/ai-use-creating-a-recruitment-doom-loop-according-to-major-consulting-firm/

https://www.thehill.com/opinion/technology/5609124-ai-agents-fail-real-work/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hessiejones/2025/11/18/harvard-got-it-wrong-ai-is-not-killing-entry-level-jobs/

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/anglicare-report-reveals-australias-entrylevel-job-crisis-as-39-jobseekers-compete-for-every-vacancy/news-story/72feb4c5d75c08c817c0784753477b0e

Remote Reality: Rights, Rituals, and Surveillance

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/government-urged-to-strengthen-remote-work-rights-as-just-one-employee-complaint-upheld-by-wrc/a545915243.html

https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/1118/1544498-remote-work-consultation/

https://www.financialexpress.com/trending/nothing-like-what-they-advertised-remote-employees-rejects-office-push-collaboration-day-ends-in-disaster/4044577/

https://theindependent.sg/is-it-ok-if-you-work-from-home-but-come-to-office-for-meetings-employer-offers-solution-after-her-staff-says-im-resigning-i-need-to-take-care-of-my-child/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2025/11/18/employees-companies-available-hr/87271509007/

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/remote-work-pandemic-coworkers-productive-b2865519.html

https://www.moneycontrol.com/technology/cognizant-begins-using-tool-to-track-employee-activity-employees-marked-idle-after-5-mins-of-inactivity-article-13682012.html

The Optics Economy: Lists, Standards, and Pay Power

https://www.livemint.com/companies/25-companies-including-adobe-nvidia-and-accenture-earn-spot-in-fortune-worlds-best-workplace-2025-list-11763051957502.html

https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-top-100-employers-2026

https://www.livemint.com/industry/india-hr-standards-upgrade-services-sector-global-mobility-11763284608331.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2025/11/16/5-trends-that-will-shape-workplace-culture-in-2026/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2025/11/12/glassdoor-reveals-the-biggest-workplace-trends-for-2026/

https://www.thehill.com/lobbying/5605658-job-market-salary-negotiations/

https://www.theeverygirl.com/gen-z-career-minimalism-trend/

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#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #Layoffs #RemoteWork #AI #TalentStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #Compensation #Recruiting

Office rules stiffen, AI agents start delivering, and the labor story splits. Here is how to keep credibility when everyone else is playing optics.

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:

RTO With Consequences

https://www.fastcompany.com/91439545/what-companies-are-getting-wrong-about-rto

https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/more-law-firms-boost-office-mandates-remote-work-fades-2025-11-07/

https://fortune.com/2025/11/11/paramount-skydance-return-to-office-ultimatum-cost-185-million-dollars/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2025/11/dutch-employers-are-getting-tougher-about-working-from-home/

https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/no-work-from-home-600-employees-quit-at-us-based-firm-opt-for-ceo-s-buyout-offer-11762927498492.html

The Layoff Signal Is Noisy

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2025/11/13/ais-impact-on-employment-is-negligible-study-asserts/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/layoffs-spreading-across-industries-careers-233117569.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/verizon-cut-about-15000-jobs-wsj-reports-2025-11-13/

https://fortune.com/2025/11/10/economy-bad-low-hire-fire-labor-market-recession-levels-ubs/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/11/11/job-losses-mounted-in-october-as-employers-struggled-and-wall-street-projects-grim-job-market/

https://www.cityam.com/uk-businesses-accelerate-layoffs-amid-ai-surge-and-legislative-uncertainty/

https://www.iamexpat.de/career/employment-news/one-third-companies-germany-cut-jobs-2026

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://www.marketplace.org/episode/2025/11/11/more-labor-market-blues

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/09/small-business-owners-hiring-uncertainty/

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/11/mark-cuban-job-hunting-advice-i-give-my-kids-in-age-of-ai.html

Agents, Tracking, Fair Measurement

https://www.wired.com/story/all-my-employees-are-ai-agents-so-are-my-executives/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/companies-begin-to-see-a-return-on-ai-agents-671d830d

https://theconversation.com/ai-makes-measuring-work-performance-a-lot-trickier-how-do-companies-adapt-269477

https://thewalrus.ca/workplace-surveillance/

https://www.financialpost.com/fp-work/howard-levitt-employers-virtual-interviews

Culture That Operates

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-butler/startups-can-beat-industry-giants-by-leveraging-their-company-culture-heres-how/91261421

https://www.hrdive.com/news/companies-focusing-on-credentials-over-skills-may-be-left-behind-hiring/805350/

https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/10/how-hr-took-over-the-world

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/ibm-change-management-phil-gilbert-leadership-failure/91242714

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/talent-management/job-hugging-and-the-psycho-economics-of-modern-work-why-purpose-is-quietly-leaving-the-building/125230856

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/hrtech/talent-acquisition-and-management/45-of-ericssons-roles-now-filled-internally-as-hr-turns-data-driven/125237846

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/578373/employers-forking-out-more-for-employees-in-talent-short-market

https://fortune.com/2025/11/11/gen-z-share-salaries-compensation-at-work-wage-gap-transparency-wealth/

https://www.fastcompany.com/91438481/conde-nast-fires-four-for-confronting-hr-the-internet-reacts

https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/kpmg-cuts-pay-offers-for-some-staff-in-fresh-blow-to-big-four-0fs3z26pt

https://theconversation.com/why-women-land-top-jobs-in-struggling-organisations-they-may-just-be-better-in-a-crisis-268592

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#FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #RemoteWork #AIAgents #PeopleAnalytics #TalentStrategy #Layoffs2025

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