The EBN Dispatch

Employer Branding News (EBN)

Employer Branding News (EBN) comes to your ears with the same dry wit and disruptive insights you’ve come to expect from our articles and videos. We tackle the world of work, employer branding, recruitment, culture and everything in between, with a raised eyebrow and a data-backed argument. If you’re a company leader, HR rebel, or just someone who thinks ”culture fit” is a lazy excuse, you’re in the right feed. Each episode unpacks real-world employer brand moves, cuts through corporate speak, and challenges tired talent narratives. Less fluff, more facts. Occasionally funny. Always unfiltered.

  1. 3D AGO

    Welcome to Managed Work | PAPER CUT

    Work is getting more managed: skills gates, cautious hiring, monitoring, and tighter rules. This week: HR rebuilding foundations as engagement drops, workers using ChatGPT for wage guidance, the return of tougher RTO and monitoring, and the latest moves in layoffs, freezes, and restructuring. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ Sources & Links HR foundations and engagement • https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/ai-analytics-and-uncertainty-how-hr-is-rebuilding-its-foundations/569852 • https://www.hrdive.com/news/worker-engagement-lowest-level-in-a-decade/815821/ • https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/22/companies-ai-work-job-skills.html • https://www.inc.com/andrea-olson/how-ai-automation-is-quietly-deskilling-white-collar-workers/91316067 • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-hr-head-makes-it-clear-to-employees-that-its-time-to-change-says-get-rid-of-old-/articleshow/129814434.cms • https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2026/03/18/5-signs-your-leadership-is-fueling-the-great-pile-on/ Wages, leverage, and AI as a worker tool • https://www.hrdive.com/news/workers-send-messages-to-chatgpt-about-wages-openai/815689/ • https://openai.com/index/equipping-workers-with-insights-about-compensation/ • https://www.businessinsider.com/employees-taking-pay-cuts-huge-numbers-2026-3 • https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/25/iran-war-low-hire-low-fire-job-market.html • https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-weekly-jobless-claims-increase-slightly-2026-03-26/ • https://finance.yahoo.com/news/75-resumes-never-reach-human-123000358.html Monitoring, RTO, and time design • https://fortune.com/2026/03/24/jpmorgan-monitoring-keystrokes-video-calls-meetings-junior-investment-bankers-its-for-employee-wellbeing/ • https://www.businessinsider.com/paramount-skydance-return-to-office-rto-mandate-remote-employees-relocate-2026-3 • https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/19/business/employees-microshifting-work-life-balance/ • https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_MRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fproperty%2Fcommercial%2Fproperty-boss-warns-staff-working-from-home-could-be-replaced-by-ai%2Fnews-story%2F512e53a796dab1810f3acc0c7dec54f4&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-2-NOSCORE Talent wars and AI layoffs narratives • https://www.techtimes.com/articles/315475/20260326/apple-offers-massive-bonuses-iphone-design-team-stop-talent-poaching-openai-rivals.htm • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/accenture-ceo-julie-sweet-to-companys-employees-if-you-want-a-promotion-you-need-to-learn-this-skill/articleshow/129560758.cms • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/perplexity-ceo-aravind-srinivas-wants-everyone-to-believe-that-ai-layoffs-are-not-so-so-bad-because-they-will-allow-people-to-/articleshow/129791486.cms • https://rte.ie/brainstorm/2026/0326/1565150-ai-investments-jobs-tech-sector-financialisation-economy/ • https://fortune.com/2026/03/22/gen-z-roleplay-chatgpt-difficult-conversations-work/ The Cut List • https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-freezes-hiring-major-cloud-sales-groups-information-reports-2026-03-26/ • https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/meta-layoffs-hundreds-employees-five-divisions-vr-ai-who-rcna265127 • https://www.businessinsider.com/metas-reality-labs-shifts-to-ai-native-pods-efficiency-2026-3 • https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/many-employees-ibm-2026-layoffs-234003251.html • https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/epic-ceo-tim-sweeney-says-employers-will-see-a-stream-of-resumes-of-once-in-a-lifetime-quality-after-the-company-laid-off-more-than-1-000-people/ • https://defensescoop.com/2026/03/26/army-rebalancing-civilian-workforce-reassignments-separations/ • https://www.wsj.com/cfo-journal/block-cfo-says-deep-job-cuts-from-ai-are-an-inevitability-for-companies-672a7dc3 ⸻ #EmployerBranding #HR #AI #Hiring #RTO #Engagement #WorkplaceCulture #Layoffs

    6 min
  2. MAR 22

    Meta’s AI Layoff Moment | PAPER CUT

    Meta’s reported 20% layoff plan has turned “AI efficiency” into a headline. This week: AI workplace friction, Gen Z’s growth gap, open model risk and token costs, and how layoffs are increasingly narrated as automation. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ Sources & Links AI workplace friction • https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/16/ai-workplace-friction.html • https://www.metlife.com/about-us/newsroom/2026/march/metlife-study-finds-ai-acceleration-is-creating-new-concerns-in-todays-workplace/ • https://www.hrdive.com/news/employees-dont-see-ai-as-a-co-worker/814585/ • https://www.businessinsider.com/vibe-coding-ai-tools-underperforming-ramp-tech-2026-3 • https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/13/business/ai-brain-fry-nightcap • https://employerbranding.news/but-ai-will-make-us-all-more-productive-wont-it/ Gen Z, retention, and growth gaps • https://m.economictimes.com/jobs/hr-policies-trends/gen-z-career-priorities-highlight-gaps-in-hiring-and-growth-opportunities-report/articleshow/129653577.cms • https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/global-talent-shortages-are-getting-worse-as-employee-engagement-drops-study-shows/91317225 • https://adage.com/events-awards/gen-z-alpha-marketing/aa-what-agency-leaders-must-know-employee-retention/ • https://employerbranding.news/employer-branding-brief-templates/ Open models and AI costs • https://www.wsj.com/cio-journal/companies-say-the-risks-of-open-artificial-intelligence-models-are-worth-it-0d3ee664 • https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-tokens-productivity-d35c6bd8 Layoffs and restructuring • https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/meta-planning-sweeping-layoffs-ai-costs-mount-2026-03-14/ • https://www.theverge.com/business/895026/meta-laying-off-20-percent • https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/13/meta-layoffs-ai • https://www.9news.com.au/national/redundancies-coming-for-about-one-in-five-organisations/7ce1e25d-2458-4131-9cca-2cb2ee81d58e • https://theconversation.com/tech-companies-are-blaming-massive-layoffs-on-ai-whats-really-going-on-278314 • https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/16/ai-job-layoffs-push-for-shorter-working-hours • https://www.businessinsider.com/block-rehires-some-employees-after-layoffs-2026-3 Extra links from this week’s pack • https://www.economist.com/business/2026/03/12/in-praise-of-grunt-work • https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/18/ai-data-center-buildout-jobs-salary-skilled-traders-worker-shortage.html • https://www.businessinsider.com/higher-gas-prices-affect-commute-rto-debate-2026-3 • https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-global-consumer-marketing-head-is-out-2026-3 • https://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/accenture-ceo-julie-sweet-to-companys-employees-if-you-want-a-promotion-you-need-to-learn-this-skill/articleshow/129560758.cms • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/nvidias-jensen-huang-becomes-one-of-the-first-ceos-to-offer-engineers-as-part-of-recruitment-strategy/articleshow/129652364.cms • https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/4-ways-ceos-break-employee-trust-and-how-to-rebuild-it/502871 • https://theconversation.com/job-performance-reviews-are-outdated-and-often-pointless-why-do-we-still-use-them-277366 • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2rmjnlm94o • https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-best-places-to-work-in-america-in-2026-ranked/ ⸻ #EmployerBranding #HR #AI #Layoffs #TalentStrategy #Recruiting #PeopleOps

    5 min
  3. MAR 14

    The New Hiring Risk No One Budgeted For | PAPER CUT

    Hiring is getting noisier and riskier. AI has flooded recruitment with “resume slop”, pushed candidates to hide experience, and opened the door to deepfake candidates and remote work fraud. Plus: why AI rollouts still need humans, process, and proof. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ Sources & Links Hiring noise and pay • https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-managers-arent-reading-resumes-slop-2026-3 • https://www.ndtv.com/feature/why-are-job-seekers-hiding-years-of-experience-on-their-cvs-a-growing-workplace-trend-11172812 • https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/09/switching-jobs-used-to-mean-big-raises-but-the-pay-bump-is-smaller-now.html AI rollout reality • https://openai.com/index/frontier-alliance-partners/ • https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/new-at-mckinsey-blog/mckinsey-and-openai-scale-ai-driven-transformations-with-new-frontier-alliance • https://www.capgemini.com/news/press-releases/capgemini-joins-forces-with-openai-to-accelerate-new-era-of-ai-powered-enterprise-transformation-with-frontier-alliance/ • https://hbr.org/2026/03/how-deep-industry-research-agents-can-change-your-organization Work intensity and AI trust • https://www.activtrak.com/resources/state-of-the-workplace/ • https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/activtrak-productivity-lab-analyzes-443m-140000864.html • https://www.hrdive.com/news/employees-dont-see-ai-as-a-co-worker/814585/ • https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2026/mar/10/ai-impact-professors-students-learning • https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-brain-fry Deepfake candidates and remote hiring fraud • https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/06/north-korean-agents-using-ai-to-trick-western-firms-into-hiring-them-microsoft-says • https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/06/30/jasper-sleet-north-korean-remote-it-workers-evolving-tactics-to-infiltrate-organizations/ • https://cyberscoop.com/microsoft-north-korea-ai-operations/ • https://employerbranding.news/ai-fakers-deepfake-candidates-the-hiring-crisis-no-one-saw-coming/ The Cut List • https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/12/atlassian-layoffs-software-technology-ai-push-mike-cannon-brookes-asx • https://www.techspot.com/news/111661-oracle-prepares-new-round-layoffs-while-doubling-down.html ⸻ #FutureOfWork #HR #Recruiting #EmployerBrand #AI #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #CyberSecurity

    7 min
  4. MAR 7

    AI Is Making People Work Longer | PAPER CUT

    AI was meant to save time. For many teams, it’s stretching the day instead. This week: why AI can lengthen work hours, why L&D is being pushed to prove impact, how remote work is moving into law, and what the latest job cuts say about where the pressure is landing. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ Sources & Links AI and longer work hours • https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-developers-using-ai-are-working-longer-hours/ • https://metr.org/blog/2025-07-10-early-2025-ai-experienced-os-dev-study/ • https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.09089 Skills decay and proving impact • https://www.hcamag.com/asia/specialisation/learning-development/ai-skills-decay-and-proof-of-impact-the-new-2026-mandate-for-ld/567592 • https://theconversation.com/ai-can-slowly-shift-an-organisations-core-principles-how-to-spot-value-drift-early-276511 Culture and work expectations • https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/smart-leaders-are-ditching-hustle-culture-for-this-new/500782 • https://www.fastcompany.com/91501039/discomfort-is-a-pivot-moment Remote work rights • https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0305/1561735-remote-working-code/ • https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/what_you_should_know/codes_practice/code-of-practice-for-employers-and-employees-right-to-request-flexible-working-and-right-to-request-remote-working/ • https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/australian-state-to-enshrine-work-from-home-rights-in-law The Cut List • https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/oracle-plans-thousands-job-cuts-180243222.html • https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/202603059323/oracle-plans-thousands-of-job-cuts-bloomberg-reports-citing-sources • https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/morgan-stanley-lay-off-3-172256024.html • https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/banking-finance/morgan-stanley-lays-2500-employees-across-divisions-source-says • https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-cuts-more-jobs-time-212928733.html • https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/telcos-media-tech/amazon-cuts-more-jobs-time-robotics-unit ⸻ #FutureOfWork #HR #EmployerBrand #AI #Productivity #RemoteWork #LearningAndDevelopment #Layoffs

    6 min
  5. FEB 28

    Your Promotion Now Requires AI | PAPER CUT

    AI adoption is shifting from optional to enforced. This week: promotions tied to AI use, graduate hiring flooded by AI-enabled applications and AI screening, Teams-style location visibility, and why employer brand now depends on trustworthy systems, not messaging. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ AI use and progression • https://decrypt.co/358616/accenture-tracking-employees-use-ai-promotions • https://www.mercer.com/about/newsroom/mercer-s-global-talent-trends-2026-report/ Graduate hiring and AI gatekeeping • https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2026/02/26/ai-is-turning-the-graduate-recruitment-market-upside-down/ • https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/uk-graduate-jobs-drop-below-10000-first-time-report • https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/what-the-job-market-freeze-means-for-workforce-in-2026 • https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/economy/others/20260219/young-professionals-squeezed-as-ai-reshapes-white-collar-job-market Workplace visibility • https://www.pcworld.com/article/3003806/microsoft-teams-will-soon-snitch-on-your-location-to-your-organization.html Culture, wellbeing, inclusion • https://builtin.com/articles/social-media-employer-branding • https://www.fastcompany.com/91495319/the-future-of-team-culture-building-is-emotional • https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/leadership-and-workplace-relationships-matter/202602/quiet-quitting-isnt-just-for-employees • https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-effects-workers-psychological • https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2025/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2025 The Cut List • https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/c3-ai-layoffs-21939617.php • https://www.hcamag.com/us/news/general/ebay-cuts-800-jobs-extending-techs-long-restructuring-cycle/566752 ⸻ #EmployerBranding #HR #AI #GraduateJobs #Hiring #HybridWork #PeopleOps #WorkplaceCulture

    6 min
  6. FEB 15

    Your Employer Brand Can’t Be a Slogan Anymore | PAPER CUT

    Employer branding is becoming operational. The winners are building systems that hold up under scrutiny: shared ownership across HR and marketing, real accountability when leaders misbehave, hiring that doesn’t manufacture friction, and AI adoption that improves work instead of expanding it.   📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: Employer branding and HR demand https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/employer-branding-is-the-new-marketing-imperative/ https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/hr-job-demand-lags-20-behind-pre-pandemic-levels/565106   Leadership misconduct and HR accountability https://www.hrdive.com/news/when-leaders-misbehave-hr-responsibility/812009/   Hiring friction and talent shortages https://www.hrdive.com/news/hr-leaders-facing-self-inflicted-skills-talent-crises/811691/ https://telanganatoday.com/linkedin-study-reveals-talent-shortages-ai-hiring-trends-in-india   AI job swap and workplace impact https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/11/big-ai-job-swap-white-collar-workers-ditching-their-careers https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/what-happens-workplaces-embrace-ai https://www.hcamag.com/asia/specialisation/employment-law/south-korea-pushes-ai-job-protection-bill/564801   The Cut List https://www.thestreet.com/employment/major-tech-firm-quietly-lays-off-hundreds-in-ai-related-shakeup https://www.businessinsider.com/google-offers-exit-packages-to-some-business-unit-employees-2026-2 ⸻ #EmployerBranding #HR #TalentAcquisition #Recruiting #Leadership #Culture #AI #FutureOfWork #PeopleOps

    5 min

About

Employer Branding News (EBN) comes to your ears with the same dry wit and disruptive insights you’ve come to expect from our articles and videos. We tackle the world of work, employer branding, recruitment, culture and everything in between, with a raised eyebrow and a data-backed argument. If you’re a company leader, HR rebel, or just someone who thinks ”culture fit” is a lazy excuse, you’re in the right feed. Each episode unpacks real-world employer brand moves, cuts through corporate speak, and challenges tired talent narratives. Less fluff, more facts. Occasionally funny. Always unfiltered.