This week in 5 numbers: Companies aren’t being transparent about pay

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the share of workers who say diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at their company are only performative.

By Ginger Christ • July 17, 2025

AI-based salary research fuels inflated expectations, Payscale finds

Nearly half of employers noted an increase in turnover tied to salary conflicts in the past year, Payscale found. 

By Ginger Christ • July 17, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from HR Dive: Talent

HR Dive Talent’s top stories feature a number of evolving trends, including the shifting DEI landscape and emerging hiring challenges.

By HR Dive staff

In California, new car dealers look to apprenticeships to fill talent gaps

Across the industry, dealerships have reported shortages due to an aging workforce. The apprenticeship program is intended to attract the next generation of skilled workers.

By Carolyn Crist • July 17, 2025

4 in 10 new hires say they second-guess their decision during onboarding

More than half of employees said their onboarding overly focused on administrative tasks, often overshadowing job readiness.

By Carolyn Crist • July 17, 2025

Nearly half of workers have considered quitting over employer’s ethics, report finds

Favoritism, retaliation and performative diversity “undermine employees’ sense of safety and trust,” a Resume Now expert said.

By Carolyn Crist • July 16, 2025

Nearly 9% of younger workers use alcohol or drugs at work, study shows

Substance use occurs more often in blue-collar and service industry jobs, but comprehensive policies and supportive interventions can help, researchers said.

By Carolyn Crist • July 16, 2025

Starbucks shifts to 4-day RTO for corporate employees

Starbucks won’t require individual workers to relocate, but new positions or lateral moves within the company will come with an in-person requirement.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 15, 2025

AI may diminish demand for high-wage skills like data analysis, research finds

In contrast, skills requiring human interaction and coordination will grow in importance and likely command higher salaries, according to a Stanford study.

By Laurel Kalser • July 15, 2025

Political conflict at work offers HR an opportunity to take the lead, expert says

Researcher Michael Sosnowski shares best practices around politically charged conversations, noting that HR alone can’t be responsible for handling workplace conflicts.

By Caroline Colvin • July 15, 2025

Are misperceptions about higher education’s cost causing adults to skip college?

Around three-fourths of adults say college is unaffordable, though most “significantly” overestimated the cost of attendance, a recent survey found.

By Danielle McLean • July 14, 2025

Nearly 1 in 3 employers plan to expand voluntary benefits by 2027

Quality-of-life products, such as pet insurance and employee perks programs, have increased in recent years and can improve employee satisfaction, Gallagher says.

By Carolyn Crist • July 14, 2025

Employers report unchanged salary budgets, with increases flat at 3.5%

“Organizations are being more deliberate about how they allocate pay, where they focus investment and what outcomes they expect to drive,” a WTW director said.

By Carolyn Crist • July 14, 2025

As companies embrace contingent workforces, misclassification risks emerge

Contingent workforces are expanding — but misclassification could cost you big.

By William Smith • July 14, 2025

From burnout to balance: Building resilience in high-risk roles

Chronic work stress can negatively impact individual employees and the organizations they serve. Here’s how you can help prevent burnout and build resilience in your workforce.

July 14, 2025

Getting personal, rising above and avoiding lawsuits: 8 stories from SHRM25

Former U.S. President Joe Biden was among the speakers at the massive convention for HR professionals, held in San Diego.

By Emilie Shumway • July 11, 2025

Glassdoor and Indeed announce layoffs, reportedly due to AI

The news follows a leadership shuffle at Indeed last month in which the company’s CEO acknowledged a focus on leveraging artificial intelligence moving forward.

By Ryan Golden • Updated July 14, 2025

TikTokers promote the construction trades to young workers

Online influencers are reaching members of Gen Z via the popular social media site.

By Keith Loria • July 11, 2025

Widening AI training gap ushers in ‘birth of a new digital divide,’ BambooHR says

Although most employees say they want to improve their AI-related skills, only about a third have received formal training from their employer, according to a new report.

By Carolyn Crist • July 11, 2025

The supervisor crisis — and why companies should be worried

Without a pipeline of future supervisors, companies may experience a leadership vacuum in coming years, a new report found.

By Carolyn Crist • July 11, 2025

Congressional Dems blast EEOC acting chair for alleged coercion leading to $1B in pro bono law services

The lawmakers accused Andrea Lucas of leveraging the agency’s power on behalf of President Donald Trump.

By Caroline Colvin • July 10, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Nearly a quarter of companies offer GLP-1 drug coverage for weight management

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the percentage of managers who use AI to help determine terminations. 

By Ginger Christ • July 10, 2025

Flexible work is ‘non-negotiable’ for gender equality, UN Women report says

“For the first time, gender equality ranks alongside healthcare and climate change as a top global concern,” according to the report.

By Carolyn Crist • July 10, 2025

Cash is king — until a certain level, SHRM reports

Workers say they’ve had to sacrifice their time and health to advance, but organizational support can play a role in mitigating those trade-offs, the survey finds.

By Carolyn Crist • July 10, 2025

Job cuts driven by AI may be underreported, report finds

Only 75 job cuts by U.S.-based employers in the first half of the year were explicitly attributed to AI, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The outplacement firm suspects the number is higher.

By Alexei Alexis • July 9, 2025

AI-using managers rely on the tool to decide who gets promoted or fired, survey shows

Yet only a third of the leaders using AI said they’ve received formal training on how to do so ethically when managing people.

By Carolyn Crist • July 9, 2025