Hello HR Pros,

Workforce dynamics are shifting faster than ever—and HR is right at the center of it all.

This week, we explore how leaders can close the gaps between policy and progress, learning and performance, and culture and credibility. From Deloitte’s wake-up call on women’s retention, to McKinsey’s vision for learning-driven work, to HBR’s red flags that quietly repel talent—each story challenges us to lead with precision and purpose.

Because the future of HR isn’t about reacting to change—it’s about designing it.

📰 Upcoming in This Issue

• 📊 Women @ Work Report: 5 Levers HR Must Pull Now

• 🚩 4 Organizational Red Flags That Turn Off Job Candidates

• 🧠 The Future of the CLO Role: Leading in a World of Merged Work and Learning

• 💼 Remote (US) HR Jobs of the Week

✨ Helpful Resources

• 🎁 Best HR tools & offers curated for The HR Takeaways readers

• 🌍 The ultimate EOR comparison & review for smarter hiring in 2025

📣 Trending HR News

• Most CEOs planning to increase headcount: KPMG report (HRD America)

• US workers say reputation and values matter more than ever in today’s labor market (HR Dive)

• Some Ford employees say they’ve been warned they could be fired for not going back to the office (Yahoo)

📊 Women @ Work Report: 5 Levers HR Must Pull Now

Deloitte’s latest Women @ Work 2025 report reveals a sharp disconnect between corporate inclusion goals and women’s lived experiences. While women make up half the global workforce, only 35% hold management roles, and just 5% plan to stay with their current employer beyond five years.

Return-to-office mandates and caregiving costs are hitting hardest—nearly 1 in 4 women have reduced hours or income, and 34% report non-inclusive behavior at work. The result: a retention and equity crisis that HR can no longer treat as a side initiative.

For organizations ready to act, the path forward is clear.

The fix: five levers—progression, flexibility, safety, women’s-health support, and workload balance.

Key Takeaways:

• 🎯 Retain through progression: Only 5% plan to stay long term—tie manager goals to promotions, internal mobility, and sustainable workloads. (Pages 21, 33)

• 🧸 Fund the care economy: Just 17% have affordable childcare; caregiving drives $16.5B in lost output—expand paid carer’s leave and backup care. (Page 19)

• 🏢 Make RTO equitable: After RTO, 24% reduced hours and 17% saw well-being decline—offer hybrid flexibility and commute support. (Pages 26–27)

• 🛡️ Rebuild safety & trust: 33% fear for personal safety, and only 11% trust action will be taken—publish reporting outcomes and train leaders. (Pages 29–31)

👉 Read the full 37-page report here

🚩 4 Organizational Red Flags That Turn Off Job Candidates

You may think it’s a talent shortage—but often, it’s a trust shortage.

According to Harvard Business Review survey of 350 senior executives, the biggest reasons top candidates walk away are surprisingly fixable: unclear roles, poor recruitment practices, disengaged employees, and shaky reputations. Misalignment during interviews or inconsistent messaging can quietly tank even the best employer brand.

For HR, this means it’s time to audit the hiring experience itself. Clarity, courtesy, and coherence aren’t soft skills—they’re conversion drivers.

Key Takeaways:

• 💬 Clarity builds confidence: Candidates disengage when expectations shift—align messaging across recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers.

• ⚙️ Fix broken processes: Disorganization, bias, or “ghosting” candidates erodes trust; set timelines, train interviewers, and solicit candidate feedback.

• 🤝 Culture shows up early: A disengaged interviewer signals a disengaged culture; model enthusiasm and civility from first contact onward.

• 🧭 Address reputation head-on: Acknowledge high turnover or past issues transparently, and show what’s being done to rebuild trust and credibility.

👉 Read the full 2,014-word article by Harvard Business Review here

🧠 The Future of the CLO Role: Leading in a World of Merged Work and Learning

The Chief Learning Officer (CLO) role is evolving—from course creator to architect of learning-infused work.

McKinsey’s latest report argues that the next generation of learning leaders won’t separate training from operations; they’ll make work itself developmental. That means AI-driven tools that coach in real time, metrics that measure skill progression inside workflows, and leaders who treat feedback as fuel for growth.

For HR, this marks a major cultural reset: the future of learning isn’t about more programs—it’s about turning everyday work into the classroom.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔄 Merge work and learning: CLOs are shifting from building training libraries to designing jobs that teach—embedding skill development into daily tasks.

• 📊 Get serious about data: Replace learning hours with real-time skill analytics, tracking how employees build capabilities within live projects.

• 🤝 Lead beyond HR: Partner with tech, strategy, and AI leaders to connect workforce planning, automation, and upskilling into one talent engine.

• 🧩 Redesign metrics: Move from completions to capability dashboards that reveal how employees apply new skills to business outcomes in real time.

👉 Read the full 2,800-word article here

Q&A: Can Small Companies Really Run Payroll Without Stress?

Q: Is payroll software going to be too expensive for smaller companies?
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A: Patriot automates tax calculations and filings, so you’re covered.

👉 Get 30 days free payroll processing with Patriot (+ plus 50% off for 3 months)

💼 Remote (US) HR Jobs of the Week

• Head of HR at vCluster | Salary: $160-210k

• Senior People Business Partner at Human Interest | Salary: $120-140k

• People and Culture Manager at Olo | Salary: $99-135k

The bottomline

This week’s takeaway? HR leadership now lives in the details—how we measure growth, communicate trust, and shape work itself.

Retention, learning, and hiring aren’t separate challenges; they’re chapters of the same story about building workplaces people want to grow in.

As you plan the week ahead, audit your own systems for clarity, fairness, and opportunity—and remember, the small fixes often create the biggest talent wins.