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GroupTogether, founded in 2015 by Ali Linz and Julie Tylman, began as a platform for parents to organize group gifts for kids' parties and teacher presents. When COVID-19 disrupted those occasions, the founders made digital group cards free, which unexpectedly opened the door to remote workplace celebrations. As US businesses adopted the tool, GroupTogether followed customer behavior, expanded into the corporate market, and by May 2026 had been used by over 42,000 companies globally, with more than 5,000 in the US. The company formally entered the US in 2023 and established an Austin base in 2026, with workplaces now its fastest-growing segment.

Papaya Global and Slice have formed a strategic partnership to integrate Papaya's global payroll, Employer of Record (EOR), Contractor of Record (COR) and contractor services with Slice's global equity management platform. The integration connects workforce data with equity records, helping companies manage equity compliance across 67+ countries, from grant to tax calculation, withholding and payouts through Papaya wallets. For workers engaged via Papaya's EOR and COR services, equity management is included at no additional cost. The partnership aims to reduce manual reconciliation and compliance risks for companies employing global talent.

The Sogolytics Experience Index: Employee Edition Q3 2026, based on a survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. employees, reveals that doubt about survey anonymity significantly lowers feedback participation: 79% of those very confident in anonymity respond regularly versus 38% of those less confident. Concern about AI-related job loss dropped from 33% in Q2 to 25% in Q3, the largest decline among 13 AI concerns. Employees who say feedback leads to change are far more satisfied (90%) than those who say it almost never does (36%), a gap widening from 35 points in 2025 to 54 points. Salary is the top satisfaction driver (44%) but only 60% rate their employer's salary delivery well. Preference for fully in-office work fell from 41% to 34%, while hybrid preference rose from 17% to 22%.

SHRM Labs will close applications for the 2027 WorkplaceTech Accelerator on Nov. 1, 2026. The 14-week hybrid program, running March 23–July 30, 2027, selects one cohort annually. Selected companies receive a $200,000 SAFE note investment, a curated advisory council, virtual and in-person sessions, showcases at SHRM conferences including HR-X Live!, and alumni network access. Eligible startups must be growth-stage, for-profit HR technology companies with a product in market, seed to Series B stage, strong traction with paying customers, and commitment to the full program. Last year, nearly 400 startups applied for four spots. Founders from the 2026 cohort emphasize the network and credibility as key benefits. SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. stresses that workplace technology must solve problems and drive better outcomes.

HR Decision Guide, an online educational publisher, has expanded its resources for U.S. employers with a new employee payroll records guide and a rewritten benefits deduction guide. Together with its guide to temporary remote work in another state, the resources address three recurring handoffs between HR decisions and payroll processing. Each guide includes a copyable worksheet or log for documenting the instruction, the person responsible for a decision and the evidence needed to check what happened next. The articles and tools are publicly accessible without an account or email signup.

A report from Orgvue reveals that 40% of U.S. companies that increased revenue by hiring more workers outperformed the 23% that raised revenue by reducing headcount. Companies investing in human-fueled growth achieved 12.2% year-over-year revenue growth versus 6.8% for those doing more with less. Despite growing AI interest, less than 10% of corporate restructures were attributed to AI, with 73% linked to traditional operational changes. The tech sector added 105,000 jobs, the highest net workforce growth.

SHRM Labs is accepting applications for its 2027 WorkplaceTech Accelerator until Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. The program admits five or fewer startups per year, offers a $200,000 SAFE note, and runs March 23–July 30, 2027, with fixed in-person events. Applicants must have a software product with paying customers and growth evidence; the accelerator defines workplace technology broadly. Applications are scored on product maturity, market traction, business viability, team strength, and impact on the future of work.

AI-powered notetakers are increasingly used in HR meetings and interviews, but experts warn of legal risks including consent laws, workplace monitoring regulations, and data privacy concerns. HR professionals must thoroughly vet these tools, ensure transparency, and maintain human decision-making. SHRM CHRO Jim Link emphasizes the need for employers to understand data handling and control. Legal counsel advises adopting stringent standards and staying updated on evolving laws.

A PotomacHarbor study of 106 HR executives reveals that only 40% of organizations have a clear workforce vision for the next three to five years amid AI-driven uncertainty. The research shows AI agents' expected share of the workforce will rise from 2% to 10% in three years, while AI experimentation outpaces job redesign (76% embrace local AI experimentation vs. 33% actively redesign jobs). Uncertainty about AI impact is a top barrier to workforce planning (28%), only 28% report effective scenario modeling, and 51% still plan primarily by headcount. Organizations with stronger decision-ready workforce planning capabilities report over 4 percentage points higher earnings growth. PotomacHarbor introduces the 4S framework—See, Sense, Simulate, Shift—to help organizations make better workforce decisions as conditions change.

In his SHRM26 keynote, SHRM President and CEO Johnny Taylor said HR has ‘lost the plot’ and faces ‘extinction’ if it does not evolve. He cited a 2025 meeting where only 10% of 92 Fortune 500 CEOs valued HR and 30% saw little to no value, and pointed to layoffs at Bolt and Uber. Taylor urged HR to become the ‘Chief Work Officer,’ managing humans, AI and robots, forecasting trends, and demonstrating the ROI of each employee to protect the profession.

Tuition.io's Career Pathway Survey of 525 frontline workers in healthcare, retail, and food service found that 81% can see what it takes to move into a better-paying role at their company, and 67% are at least somewhat confident in a realistic shot at getting there. However, 96% cite barriers to committing to an education program. Key findings include: nearly 80% would be more likely to participate if tuition were paid upfront rather than reimbursed; 34% are most concerned about repaying employer-covered tuition; 30% worry about finding time outside work; and 48% trust coworkers who completed a program as the most credible source on its value. The report suggests upfront payment, clear timelines, role mapping, and peer testimonials can help employers boost participation.

At the Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo on Oct. 26, Rebecca Burton, senior principal analyst in Gartner's HR practice, outlined four trends L&D leaders should keep in mind heading into 2027. The trends include the need for a scalable reskilling process amid skills chaos and job chaos, preparing for the growing risk of critical knowledge loss, implementing AI coaching for managers carefully, and training to combat cognitive surrender. The session highlighted that demand for more L&D is increasingly coming from the top, with board directors ranking L&D-related tasks among top priorities for CHROs to get ahead of AI.