📧 What HR Can Learn From 4M Recruiting Emails

Inside: How to Design Workplace Rituals That Actually Boost Engagement

Author

The HR Takeaways
July 29, 2025

Hello, HR Pros!

What do email sequencing, age stereotypes, onboarding rituals, and AI recruiting have in common? They’re all being redefined—by data, not tradition.

This week’s edition digs into what’s no longer working (generational hiring myths), what’s quietly reshaping engagement (ritual design), and what the best teams are already optimizing (AI in recruiting and email strategy).

Forget trends. These are the shifts you can’t afford to ignore ✹

📰 Upcoming in This Issue

  • 📧 The Data-Driven Fix for Your Recruiting Emails

  • đŸ€– What AI Can—and Can’t—Do for Recruiters in 2025

  • 🔼 The Science Behind Rituals That Actually Work

  • đŸȘ„ How to Design Workplace Rituals That Actually Boost Engagement

📣 Trending HR News

  • US wage growth outpaces inflation, especially in certain sectors (Yahoo)

  • HR job postings requiring AI skills surge 66% (HRD America)

  • TCS is slashing 12,000 IT jobs in India’s biggest IT layoff (MSN)

  • AI skills now add $18,000 to your salary, new study says (Quartz)

⚙ Late Paychecks = Unhappy Employees. Let’s Fix It With OnPay Payroll

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  • đŸ“± Employee self-service done right: mobile-ready, intuitive—staff can manage pay stubs, PTO, and documents themselves

If you're still sending recruiting emails at 9am on Tuesdays, you're leaving replies on the table.

This analysis of over 4 million Gem emails reveals what actually moves the needle: weekend sends, short personalized messages, strategic follow-ups—and getting the hiring manager to hit send.

Recruiters who apply these tactics don’t just get more opens. They get actual conversations.

Key Takeaways:

  • ⏰ Timing = Everything: 8am, 10am, and 4pm dominate open rates, but weekend emails (≄66%) outperform almost everything else .

  • ✍ Short Wins: Emails with 101–150 words get optimal responses—under 100 looks spammy, over 150 loses attention .

  • 📹 Personalization Pays Off: Custom emails get 47% more replies than templates—just adding name + company boosts opens by 5% .

  • 👔 Manager Follow-Up = 50% Boost: Involving the hiring manager in just one follow-up can double reply rates—but almost nobody does it .

I pulled these insights straight from Steve Bartel’s “We analyzed 4 million recruiting emails sent through Gem”—you’ll never hit 'send' the same way again.

đŸŒ± Think a 401(k) is Too Complicated? Human Interest is Reinventing it.

Many small businesses still avoid offering 401(k), believing they're too costly or complicated. Human Interest has quietly made retirement planning accessible, affordable, and straightforward—even for small HR teams.

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  • 💾 Transparent, budget-friendly pricing

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  • ✹ Employee-friendly enrollment and management

If complexity kept you away from offering retirement benefits, it might be time to reconsider.

Recruiting in 2025 isn’t about competing with AI—it’s about co-leading with it.

This article breaks down how entry-level recruiter tasks are being sliced, automated, and augmented by an ever-expanding tech stack—from sourcing to interview scheduling.

But it’s also a call to arms: human skills like strategic thinking, storytelling, and stakeholder management aren’t just “safe”—they’re the skills that make you indispensable.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🧠 AI Owns the “What,” Humans Own the “Why”: From scheduling to screening, AI handles the admin—but critical thinking still drives the best hiring outcomes.

  • 📊 Automation ≠ Elimination: Tools like Workable, Paradox, and Beamery run the backend—recruiters now guide strategy, not just logistics.

  • 📈 Entry-Level = Tech-Savvy Strategists: Today’s junior recruiters must master AI workflows, compliance, and candidate relationships simultaneously.

  • 🧭 Compliance Is a Skillset: GDPR and AI Act regulations require human oversight—legally and ethically—especially for “high-risk” AI systems.

I read all 2,059 words of “AI for Recruiters in 2025: What Gets Automated, What Stays Human” by Andreea Lungulescu—this one’s a masterclass in tech-enabled talent strategy.

Rituals aren’t just “nice to have”—they shape how employees feel weeks after the event.

This new research breaks down why some holiday parties and onboarding events boost engagement
while others quietly kill morale.

Turns out, it’s not about food or venues—it’s about recognition, authenticity, and inclusion. Miss those, and the ROI vanishes.

Key Takeaways:

  • đŸ«‚ Connection Requires Intention: Positive social interaction—especially across teams and locations—was the strongest predictor of post-event engagement.

  • 💾 Too Fancy Backfires: Overspending on flashy events can feel tone-deaf, especially during layoffs. Thoughtful perks beat extravagance every time.

  • đŸ„± Forced Fun Hurts: Rituals that pressure people to act upbeat or sacrifice personal time backfire—authenticity and flexibility matter more.

  • 🙏 Recognition = Retention: Simple gratitude (e.g., public praise, thank-you walls) boosts morale—lack of it undoes all the other benefits.

I read all 2,362 words of “New Research on How to Get Workplace Rituals Right” from Harvard Business Review—it’s the best ritual playbook I’ve seen yet.

Holiday parties, offsites, onboarding events—they’re everywhere.

But if your rituals aren’t designed with purpose, you’re not just wasting money—you could be disengaging your team.

This new research shows what separates impactful events from forgettable (or frustrating) ones. Use it as a checklist before your next all-hands or retreat.

Key Takeaways:

  • đŸ§© Design for Connection: Prioritize cross-team mingling and personal conversations—these moments drive long-term engagement, not just party buzz.

  • 📉 Cut the Showboating: Flashy venues don’t impress. Employees value thoughtful perks over excess—especially during cost-conscious times.

  • 🛑 Don’t Force Attendance: Optional > mandatory. Give people freedom to engage on their terms, without pressure to “perform” enthusiasm.

  • 👏 Make Recognition Visible: Public thank-yous and personal shout-outs drive post-event motivation—miss this, and the event’s impact fades fast.

I went through all 2,362 words of “New Research on How to Get Workplace Rituals Right” from Harvard Business Review—it's an event strategy guide in disguise.

The bottomline

HR isn’t just reacting anymore—it’s reengineering.

This week’s reads don’t just explain what’s broken—they show how leading teams are fixing it. Fewer assumptions. More evidence. Smarter tech. Deeper human touch. That’s the blueprint.

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