Opinion
While AI tools enhance efficiency, they may also generate a large amount of low-quality 'work slop' (workslop), making it difficult for organizations to realize actual value from AI investments. Gartner research shows that only 10% of CFOs report achieving financial returns from AI. This article suggests that CHROs can reverse this trend by identifying AI-suitable tasks and providing targeted training, as well as restructuring performance metrics to reward value rather than speed.
More than one-third of U.S. employees work remotely at least one day per week, and employers need to establish rules defining when remote employees' billable workdays start and end. This article explores the relevant legal framework and analyzes differing rulings among circuit courts within the federal court system on activities such as starting up and shutting down computers, offering compliance recommendations for employers.
Cultural strategies for frontline employees are often based on incorrect assumptions. Based on the experience of Fidium's CHRO Lynnelle Long, this article proposes key elements for leading a dispersed frontline workforce: empowering managers, focusing on recognition, ensuring feedback is acted upon, and strengthening communication in non-office settings to build consistency and employee belonging.
Global conflicts and instability are deeply affecting the workplace, posing challenges from employee mental health to operational continuity. Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI, points out that companies should abandon one-off crisis response models and instead build an 'always-on' resilience system, protecting employees and maintaining business stability amid turmoil through cross-departmental collaboration, transparent communication, manager training, and employee assistance programs.
As AI tools become more prevalent in workplace decision-making, many employers mistakenly believe that responsibility lies with the software vendor. However, legal practice shows that employers must be accountable for the outcomes of AI-assisted decisions. This article analyzes federal and state regulatory trends and recommends that employers mitigate risks through audits, documentation, and contract review.
Leadership development is often treated as a cuttable expense, but Gallup research shows that managers explain about 70% of the variance in team engagement. Author Jerame Johnson, drawing on 20 years of HR experience in the U.S. military and the entertainment and gaming industry, proposes a five-pillar leadership framework (clear communication, trust, accountability, performance management, and organizational awareness), which led to a 29-percentage-point decrease in employee turnover after three years of implementation. SHRM estimates the cost of replacing an employee is six to nine months of annual salary. The article argues that leadership investment is a strategic move to strengthen culture, improve performance, and reduce costly turnover.