Hello HR Pros,

Hope you had a smooth post-Labor Day reset—because this week’s edition is all about forward momentum.

From power shifts in workforce planning to rethinking how we train, retain, and recruit, these four reads spotlight what the most adaptive HR teams are doing right now to future-proof their talent strategies.

Let’s dive into the insights that’ll help you lead with clarity & stay one step ahead✨

📰 Upcoming in This Issue

• 🔒 The Number 1 HR Priority of Inc. 5000 Companies? It Isn’t Recruiting New Employees

• 🔄 The Power Has Shifted—Korn Ferry’s Workforce 2025 Survey

• 📉 This Is Why Most Workplace Training Programs Fail

• 🌱 Why Hiring for Potential Beats Experience

✨ Helpful Links

• 🎁 Top HR tools & offers curated for 60,425 The HR Takeaways readers

• 🌍 Must read: The ultimate Employer of Record (EOR) checklist for 2025

📣 Trending HR News

• US labor market softening as job openings hit 10-month low (Reuters)

• Microsoft Engineer dies at work at 35, family warns of overworking employees (People.com)

• Salesforce cuts 4,000 support jobs because of Agentic AI (CNBC)

• US HR pros: nearly half are considering career shifts next year (Yahoo)

🔒 The Number 1 HR Priority of Inc. 5000 Companies? It Isn’t Recruiting New Employees

Forget flashy job postings. The fastest-growing companies in the U.S. are shifting their focus from talent acquisition to talent retention—and it’s not even close.

According to Inc.’s CEO Survey, 59% of Inc. 5000 leaders say retaining top talent is a bigger HR priority than hiring new people.

Why? Institutional knowledge, burnout prevention, and personal fulfillment are proving harder to replace than any résumé.

And for CEOs like Emily LaRusch, retention means dreams lists, paid art classes, and literally locking down work email to enforce rest.

Sometimes, keeping your best people means protecting them from their own hustle.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔁 Retention > Recruiting: 59% of Inc. 5000 CEOs rank retention as a top HR priority—just 46% say the same about recruiting.

• 🎓 Upskilling Is Rising Fast: 45% of leaders say training is now one of their most urgent people strategies.

• 🔥 Burnout Top Risk: 49% of CEOs report burnout as their workforce’s biggest challenge—beating even hiring pain.

• 🌟 HR With Heart: Some companies fund personal goals (like vacations or classes) to tie work to fulfillment and boost morale.

Read the full 850-word article here from Inc.

🔄 The Power Has Shifted—Korn Ferry’s Workforce 2025 Survey

If your org chart looks like it’s been on a diet, you’re not alone.

According to Korn Ferry’s Workforce 2025 survey of over 15,000 professionals, companies are stripping away middle managers and betting big on hybrid, AI, and cost-saving pivots—but the return on those bets is murkier than they’d like to admit.

Employees are restless, managers are missing, AI optimism is split by geography, and hybrid work isn’t even close to matching preferences.

What’s clear? The tug-of-war between employee expectations and employer control is reshaping the rules of talent, trust, and retention.

Brace for a future of power shifts—and plan wisely.

Key Takeaways:

• 📉 Middle managers are vanishing — 41% of firms have cut management layers, but 37% of employees now feel directionless

• 💸 70% of employees say inflation is outpacing their salary — with 35% believing they’re paid less than their value

• 🤖 Emerging markets are leading AI adoption — 85% of Indian workers are optimistic about AI vs. just 49% in France

• 🌍 Hybrid dissonance is global — Only 19% want to be full-time in office, but 59% are currently working that way

Read the full 1,200-word article here

📉 This Is Why Most Workplace Training Programs Fail

$1,283 per employee.

That’s what the average org spends on training—and much of it might be going straight down the drain.

This intriguing and insightful article dives into why well-intentioned programs—from DEI to mindfulness to leadership training—often backfire or fade into oblivion.

The short answer? Most training lacks strategic clarity, system integration, or leadership alignment.

Until companies treat training like a business-critical investment—not a wellness perk—it’ll remain a frustrating exercise in check-the-box learning.

Key Takeaways:

• 🚨 Culture Eats Content: Training that’s not embedded into performance systems will get bulldozed by existing company culture.

• 📉 Leadership Hypocrisy Hurts: When leaders don’t model what’s taught, training credibility nosedives—and so does adoption.

• 🧪 Diagnose Before You Prescribe: Training won’t fix systemic problems—like burnout from understaffing or unclear strategies.

• 📊 Metrics Matter: If you don’t define success or measure it, you’ll never see ROI—let alone behavioral change.

Read the full 1,028-word article here from Fast Company

Losing People Over Benefits You Don’t Offer

Employees rarely leave because of one bad day—they leave when they feel their future isn’t being supported. For many, that means no retirement plan.

That’s why companies that want to attract and keep top talent are adding Human Interest, a modern 401(k) built for growing teams.

What sets Human Interest apart:

• Affordable + Transparent: Pricing built for small and mid-sized businesses—no hidden fees.

• Automated Admin: Sync with payroll, stay compliant, and file automatically.

• Employee-Centric: Simple onboarding and low-cost funds make saving easy.

💡 Watch-outs before rollout:

• Payroll Sync: Double-check compatibility before launching.

• Education Required: Employees may need help understanding contributions.

• Costs Depend on Plan: Match policies and add-ons affect price.

💡 Pro tips from teams already using Human Interest:

• Use auto-enrollment to maximize participation.

• Offer financial literacy sessions to boost confidence and usage.

• Monitor reporting to spot contribution trends and improve adoption.

Human Interest isn’t just a 401(k)—it’s how you show employees you’re invested in their long-term future.

👉 See how companies are reinventing 401(k) with Human Interest

🌱 Why Hiring for Potential Beats Experience

Twelve years in recruiting—and still rejected for not having the right kind of recruiting. This is the story that sparked Olivia Palak’s powerful case for hiring potential over experience.

In today’s rigid job market, transferable skills and soft competencies are being sidelined for narrow industry checkboxes.

Yet as AI reshapes roles and 50% of employees need reskilling by 2025, clinging to past experience could be what actually holds companies back.

Hiring for potential isn’t just fair—it’s future-proofing.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔄 Experience Isn’t Future-Ready: By 2025, 50% of employees will need reskilling—static skillsets are becoming liabilities, not assets.

• 🎯 EQ & Curiosity Outperform Titles: Emotional intelligence and learning agility are now stronger predictors of growth than job history.

• 💡 Unconventional Backgrounds Spark Innovation: Diverse experiences bring fresh thinking, fueling problem-solving in unpredictable markets.

• 🚀 High-Potential Talent Learns Fast: With the right onboarding, hungry learners often surpass experienced hires within months.

Read the full 2,800-word article here by Olivia Palak

The bottomline

In an HR landscape evolving faster than ever, one thing’s clear: old playbooks are getting rewritten.

Retaining your best people, hiring for growth—not just credentials—and aligning every investment with business-critical outcomes is no longer optional. It’s how the smartest companies are quietly winning the talent war.

Before you go, don’t forget to check top HR tools & offers curated for 60,425 The HR Takeaways readers and the ultimate EOR checklist for 2025.

See you in the next edition! 👋