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. PAPER CUT - Brains, Bots, and the HR Plot Twist

    12/07/2025

    PAPER CUT - Brains, Bots, and the HR Plot Twist

    This week’s Paper Cut slices through AI agent hype, labour market whiplash, hybrid headaches, and the growing trust tax at work. No fluff, just the context HR and employer brand leaders need to act with confidence. This episode cuts through the spin to give HR, TA, and employer brand leaders the signal they actually need. We connect AI agents, uneven labour data, hybrid policy shifts, and rising privacy concerns into one clear story about trust, skills, and staying power. Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 Sources & Links: Agents, Anxiety, and the AI Reality Check https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-releases-ai-agents-it-says-can-work-for-days-at-a-time-79c82902 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/aws-ceo-matt-garman-ai-agents-cannot-be-replacements-for-employees-they-are-ways-to-/articleshow/125732718.cms https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/godfather-of-ai-geoffrey-hinton-massive-unemployment-warning-thanks-to-big-tech-replacing-workers-with-ai-senator-bernie-sanders-bill-gates-elon-musk-predictions-probably-right/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2025/12/people-outsourcing-their-thinking-ai/685093/ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-says-humans-cant-rely-on-brains-alone-to-succeed-at-workplace-they-need/articleshow/125709288.cms Labor Market Mirage: Sunny Data, Stormy Feels https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-weekly-jobless-claims-drop-lowest-level-more-than-three-years-2025-12-04/ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/03/us-private-payroll-jobs-decline-november https://www.aol.com/finance/companies-announced-more-71-000-124809294.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/12/02/private-sector-employers-warn-job-cuts-and-hiring-freeze/ https://fortune.com/2025/12/03/university-gen-z-graduates-pay-premium-lower-than-millennials-job-market-struggles-united-kingdom/ https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/gen-z-4-million-new-manufacturing-jobs-america-boomer-retire-one-trade-job-young-people-dont-want/ Hybrid, Happiness, and the House Rules https://theconversation.com/whats-working-from-home-doing-to-your-mental-health-we-tracked-16-000-australians-to-find-out-270356 https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/wellbeing/has-the-freedom-of-hybrid-work-made-us-happier https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/01/meta-instagram-rto-return-to-office.html https://www.thestreet.com/employment/leaked-memo-reveals-metas-harsh-work-policy-change https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/lifestyle/remote-work-hybrid-jobs-house-of-lords-b2876613.html https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/employee-engagement/hr-manager-offers-tips-on-remote-first-success/558285 Culture, Privacy, and the Trust Tax https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/12/03/google-starts-sharing-all-your-text-messages-with-your-employer/ https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/office-attire-changes-history-e6e9147b https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/580803/gen-z-workers-least-happy-40-percent-dread-going-to-work https://theconversation.com/ai-promises-efficiency-but-its-also-amplifying-labour-inequality-258772 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/ai-artificial-intelligence-asia-risk-widen-inequality-automation-5527671 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-adaptive-mind/202511/the-culture-gap-no-one-talks-about https://fortune.com/2025/12/04/nvidia-ceo-admits-he-works-7-days-a-week-including-holidays-in-a-constant-state-of-anxiety-out-of-fear-of-going-bankrupt/ #FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #AIandWork #HybridWork #TalentStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #PrivacyAtWork #LaborMarket

    6 min
  2. PAPER CUT - The Overcapacity Era: AI, Layoffs and the Culture Recession

    11/29/2025

    PAPER CUT - The Overcapacity Era: AI, Layoffs and the Culture Recession

    The overcapacity era is here. We cut through hype versus headcount and map the moves that keep your employer brand credible when AI agents rise, entry routes shrink, and culture confidence slides. This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin and gives HR and employer brand leaders the context and checklists they actually need. No fluff, just facts and practical moves. Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ SOURCES & LINKS Overcapacity is a strategy, not a surprise https://www.straitstimes.com/business/allianz-to-cut-up-to-1800-jobs-due-to-ai-advances-says-source https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/hp-cut-thousands-jobs-due-ai-adoption-5490266 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-24/apple-aapl-cuts-jobs-across-its-sales-organization-in-rare-layoff https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-government-shed-317000-workers-this-year-trumps-hr-chief-says-2025-11-24/ https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/26/workday_cross_selling/ Agents are useful, inside https://hbr.org/2025/11/ai-agents-arent-ready-for-consumer-facing-work-but-they-can-excel-at-internal-processes https://www.zdnet.com/article/3-ways-ai-agents-will-make-your-job-unrecognizable-in-the-next-few-years/ https://fortune.com/2025/11/25/why-ai-wont-take-your-job-partnership-agents-robots-mckinsey/ https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/26/workday_cross_selling/ The culture recession is here https://www.unleash.ai/employee-experience-and-engagement/how-the-push-for-efficiency-sparked-a-corporate-culture-recession/ https://hbr.org/2025/11/leaders-assume-employees-are-excited-about-ai-theyre-wrong https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/23/bossware_monitor_remote_employees/ https://fortune.com/2025/11/25/half-of-workers-are-revenge-quitting-walking-out-on-their-jobs-without-notice-or-resignation-letter-majority-are-loyal-staff-whove-been-there-over-2-years-monster-report/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91433435/great-leaders-boost-motivation-quiet-quitting https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-employees-open-letter-artificial-intelligence-layoffs/ Policy whiplash: rules, dress codes, and rankings https://euroweeklynews.com/2025/11/24/spains-new-remote-work-rules-what-changes-and-what-it-means-for-you/ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-introduces-new-corporate-dress-code-what-workers-must-wear-now/articleshow/125609007.cms https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/economy/singapore-leads-world-in-talent-competitiveness-dethroning-switzerland-for-the-first-time-4986753.html https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/dei-changes-benefits-workplace-04f0adb8 https://www.businessinsider.com/shrm-johnny-taylor-dei-workplace-lawsuits-layoffs-2025-11 https://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/news/unemployment-uk-graduates https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/25/ai-could-replace-3m-low-skilled-jobs-by-2035-research-finds ⸻ #HR #EmployerBrand #FutureOfWork #PeopleStrategy

    6 min
  3. [23 NOV] PAPER CUT - Pink Slips, Quiet Scripts, and RTO Flip-Flops

    11/22/2025

    [23 NOV] PAPER CUT - Pink Slips, Quiet Scripts, and RTO Flip-Flops

    This week’s Paper Cut looks past the headlines on layoffs, AI checklist hiring, hybrid confusion, and culture awards to ask what they really signal about trust. This edition of Paper Cut from Employer Branding News cuts through the spin to give HR, talent, and employer brand leaders the context they actually need. Clear patterns, practical implications, no fluff. 📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: Layoffs In A Trust Recession https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/18/big-tech-layoffs-ai/ https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/new-layoff-tactics-bring-new-blunders-beefbf56 https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/ey-oceania-cuts-90-from-consulting-arm-20251118-p5ng7z https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/19/world-health-organisation-to-cut-jobs-due-to-us-withdrawing-funding https://www.reuters.com/world/us-canceling-octobers-employment-report-after-shutdown-prevented-data-collection-2025-11-19/ https://hbr.org/2025/11/how-leaders-can-build-stakeholder-trust-in-uncertain-times https://employerbranding.news/2025-layoffs-employer-brand-outlook/ https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/science/2025/11/19/csiro-restructure-minister The AI Arms Race vs Hiring’s Doom Loop https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-19/mbas-seeking-jobs-in-consulting-must-be-ai-proficient https://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/2025/11/18/ai-use-creating-a-recruitment-doom-loop-according-to-major-consulting-firm/ https://www.thehill.com/opinion/technology/5609124-ai-agents-fail-real-work/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/hessiejones/2025/11/18/harvard-got-it-wrong-ai-is-not-killing-entry-level-jobs/ https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/anglicare-report-reveals-australias-entrylevel-job-crisis-as-39-jobseekers-compete-for-every-vacancy/news-story/72feb4c5d75c08c817c0784753477b0e Remote Reality: Rights, Rituals, and Surveillance https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/government-urged-to-strengthen-remote-work-rights-as-just-one-employee-complaint-upheld-by-wrc/a545915243.html https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/1118/1544498-remote-work-consultation/ https://www.financialexpress.com/trending/nothing-like-what-they-advertised-remote-employees-rejects-office-push-collaboration-day-ends-in-disaster/4044577/ https://theindependent.sg/is-it-ok-if-you-work-from-home-but-come-to-office-for-meetings-employer-offers-solution-after-her-staff-says-im-resigning-i-need-to-take-care-of-my-child/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2025/11/18/employees-companies-available-hr/87271509007/ https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/remote-work-pandemic-coworkers-productive-b2865519.html https://www.moneycontrol.com/technology/cognizant-begins-using-tool-to-track-employee-activity-employees-marked-idle-after-5-mins-of-inactivity-article-13682012.html The Optics Economy: Lists, Standards, and Pay Power https://www.livemint.com/companies/25-companies-including-adobe-nvidia-and-accenture-earn-spot-in-fortune-worlds-best-workplace-2025-list-11763051957502.html https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-top-100-employers-2026 https://www.livemint.com/industry/india-hr-standards-upgrade-services-sector-global-mobility-11763284608331.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2025/11/16/5-trends-that-will-shape-workplace-culture-in-2026/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2025/11/12/glassdoor-reveals-the-biggest-workplace-trends-for-2026/ https://www.thehill.com/lobbying/5605658-job-market-salary-negotiations/ https://www.theeverygirl.com/gen-z-career-minimalism-trend/ ⸻ #FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #Layoffs #RemoteWork #AI #TalentStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #Compensation #Recruiting

    5 min
  4. [16 NOV] PAPER CUT - Commutes, Cuts & Credibility

    11/16/2025

    [16 NOV] PAPER CUT - Commutes, Cuts & Credibility

    Just the links lists without link title please - it makes it too long: Full YouTube Video Description Office rules stiffen, AI agents start delivering, and the labor story splits. Here is how to keep credibility when everyone else is playing optics. This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts. 📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: RTO With Consequences https://www.fastcompany.com/91439545/what-companies-are-getting-wrong-about-rto https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/more-law-firms-boost-office-mandates-remote-work-fades-2025-11-07/ https://fortune.com/2025/11/11/paramount-skydance-return-to-office-ultimatum-cost-185-million-dollars/ https://www.dutchnews.nl/2025/11/dutch-employers-are-getting-tougher-about-working-from-home/ https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/no-work-from-home-600-employees-quit-at-us-based-firm-opt-for-ceo-s-buyout-offer-11762927498492.html The Layoff Signal Is Noisy https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2025/11/13/ais-impact-on-employment-is-negligible-study-asserts/ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/layoffs-spreading-across-industries-careers-233117569.html https://www.reuters.com/business/verizon-cut-about-15000-jobs-wsj-reports-2025-11-13/ https://fortune.com/2025/11/10/economy-bad-low-hire-fire-labor-market-recession-levels-ubs/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/11/11/job-losses-mounted-in-october-as-employers-struggled-and-wall-street-projects-grim-job-market/ https://www.cityam.com/uk-businesses-accelerate-layoffs-amid-ai-surge-and-legislative-uncertainty/ https://www.iamexpat.de/career/employment-news/one-third-companies-germany-cut-jobs-2026 https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/no-more-hiding-the-impact-of-ai-the-us-government-is-looking-to-force-companies-to-report-how-many-folks-have-been-fired-because-of-artificial-intelligence/ https://www.techspot.com/news/110139-new-data-shows-companies-rehiring-former-employees-ai.html https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2025/11/11/more-labor-market-blues https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/09/small-business-owners-hiring-uncertainty/ https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/11/mark-cuban-job-hunting-advice-i-give-my-kids-in-age-of-ai.html Agents, Tracking, Fair Measurement https://www.wired.com/story/all-my-employees-are-ai-agents-so-are-my-executives/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/companies-begin-to-see-a-return-on-ai-agents-671d830d https://theconversation.com/ai-makes-measuring-work-performance-a-lot-trickier-how-do-companies-adapt-269477 https://thewalrus.ca/workplace-surveillance/ https://www.financialpost.com/fp-work/howard-levitt-employers-virtual-interviews Culture That Operates https://www.inc.com/benjamin-butler/startups-can-beat-industry-giants-by-leveraging-their-company-culture-heres-how/91261421 https://www.hrdive.com/news/companies-focusing-on-credentials-over-skills-may-be-left-behind-hiring/805350/ https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/10/how-hr-took-over-the-world https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/ibm-change-management-phil-gilbert-leadership-failure/91242714 https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/talent-management/job-hugging-and-the-psycho-economics-of-modern-work-why-purpose-is-quietly-leaving-the-building/125230856 https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/hrtech/talent-acquisition-and-management/45-of-ericssons-roles-now-filled-internally-as-hr-turns-data-driven/125237846 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/578373/employers-forking-out-more-for-employees-in-talent-short-market https://fortune.com/2025/11/11/gen-z-share-salaries-compensation-at-work-wage-gap-transparency-wealth/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91438481/conde-nast-fires-four-for-confronting-hr-the-internet-reacts https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/kpmg-cuts-pay-offers-for-some-staff-in-fresh-blow-to-big-four-0fs3z26pt https://theconversation.com/why-women-land-top-jobs-in-struggling-organisations-they-may-just-be-better-in-a-crisis-268592 ⸻ #FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRTrends #RemoteWork #AIAgents #PeopleAnalytics #TalentStrategy #Layoffs2025

    5 min
  5. [09 NOV] - PAPER CUT - Count the Cuts, Ditch Ultimatums, Fix the Middle

    11/08/2025

    [09 NOV] - PAPER CUT - Count the Cuts, Ditch Ultimatums, Fix the Middle

    This week we cut through the noise: AI layoffs get counted, CEOs flirt with ultimatums, hybrid needs better managers, and HR turns into a growth engine. 📰 Subscribe: https://ebn.to/sub25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: Layoffs Go Transparent: Start Counting AI https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/layoffs-us-october-surge-two-decade-high-challenger-data-shows-2025-11-06/ https://www.challengergray.com/blog/october-challenger-report-153074-job-cuts-on-cost-cutting-ai/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jobless-boom-ai-economy-labor-market-corporate-profits-layoffs/ https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/no-more-hiding-the-impact-of-ai-the-us-government-is-looking-to-force-companies-to-report-how-many-folks-have-been-fired-because-of-artificial-intelligence/ https://www.techspot.com/news/110139-new-data-shows-companies-rehiring-former-employees-ai.html https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/11/federal-employees-are-reporting-major-workplace-disruptions-at-nearly-triple-the-national-average/ https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331099/us-software-firm-sas-exits-china-after-25-years-lays-about-400-staff Culture Ultimatums: Agree Or Quit https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-dei-ai-remote-work-culture-agree-quit-2025-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-vp-jamie-siminoff-hiring-promoting-ai-usage-2025-10 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/three-things-amazon-vp-told-remaining-employees-to-focus-on-in-internal-memo-after-14000-layoffs/articleshow/125011344.cms https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-31/kpmg-staff-to-be-rated-on-ai-usage-in-yearly-performance-reviews https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/30/tech/amazon-layoffs-andy-jassy-ai-culture Degrees Or Deliverables? The Skills Reset https://fortune.com/2025/11/05/palantir-colleges-no-longer-reliable-training-ground-gen-z-hire-22-high-school-students-fellowship/ https://fortune.com/2025/11/06/gen-z-success-work-hard-skills-demand-ai/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/opinion/gen-z-work.html https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/how-socioeconomic-status-shapes-workplace-success Hybrid Isn’t The Villain. Management Is. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/hybrid-work-is-not-the-problem-poor-leadership-is/ https://www.marketplace.org/story/2025/10/31/microshifting-the-workplace-trend-that-means-flexibility-but-longer-days https://theconversation.com/home-vs-office-working-why-it-doesnt-have-to-be-a-battle-267084 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-31/kpmg-staff-to-be-rated-on-ai-usage-in-yearly-performance-reviews https://fortune.com/2025/11/05/kpmg-new-office-building-hybrid-model-manhattan-tim-walsh/ https://www.kare11.com/article/life/workplace-dynamic-has-shifted-giving-employers-the-upper-hand-heres-why/89-a48f2f7c-0e13-468b-b323-4d4b8cd9a5a4 HR, Meet Revenue: Be The Engine https://hbr.org/2025/10/your-transformation-cant-succeed-without-a-talent-strategy https://hrexecutive.com/hr-is-in-the-drivers-seat-for-transformation-3-opportunities-to-take-charge/ https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/trends/employee-experience/employee-experience-the-hidden-growth-engine-every-leader-must-activate/125109640 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/leadership/article-the-missing-engine-hrs-role-in-accelerating-business-growth/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91434452/agile-employer-brands-win-in-a-world-of-constant-change https://www.inc.com/benjamin-butler/meet-the-2025-power-partners-in-hr-people-operations/91244465 ⸻ #FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRStrategy #GenZWork #HybridWork #Layoffs #AIatWork #TalentStrategy #EX #PeopleLeadership

    7 min
  6. [02 NOV] PAPER CUT - The Freeze, The Bot, The Backlash

    11/01/2025

    [02 NOV] PAPER CUT - The Freeze, The Bot, The Backlash

    Starter jobs are turning into agent workflows while boards rediscover layoffs and RTO. We cut through noise and show what to fix now: rebuild the first rung, make hybrid a system, and narrate change like adults. This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts. 📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: The Freeze Cracks: From Hoarding to Cuts Amazon, UPS layoffs show a labor market recalibration (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-ups-layoffs-labor-market-jobs-economy/ ) Amazon To Lay Off 15 Percent Of HR Employees After Jassy Said AI Will ‘Reduce Our Total Corporate Workforce:’ Report (https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/amazon-to-lay-off-15-percent-of-hr-employees-after-jassy-said-ai-will-reduce-our-total-corporate-workforce-report ) Laid-off Amazon workers turn to TikTok and LinkedIn (https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-amazon-workers-turn-to-tiktok-and-linkedin-2025-10 ) Applied Materials to lay off Bay Area workers after export rule (https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/applied-materials-bay-area-layoff-trump-admin-rule-21127552.php ) Amazon to announce sweeping corporate job cuts starting Tuesday (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/27/amazon-to-announce-sweeping-corporate-job-cuts-starting-tuesday.html ) Amazon Plans New Layoffs (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/technology/amazon-layoffs.html ) AI Eats the First Rung Vercel trained an AI agent on its best salesperson. Then it cut the 10-person team down to 1. (https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-agent-entry-level-sales-jobs-vercel-2025-10 ) Ex-McKinsey consultants are training AI models to replace them (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-30/ex-mckinsey-consultants-are-training-ai-models-to-replace-them ) Goldman Sachs to employees in memo: Expect more rounds of job cuts (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/goldman-sachs-to-employees-in-memo-expect-more-rounds-of-ai-led-job-cuts-its-become-increasingly-clear-that/articleshow/124583565.cms ) Chipmakers are slapping ‘golden handcuffs’ on workers to meet AI demand (https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-amd-broadcom-chipmakers-employee-retention-ai-boom-2025-10 ) AI won’t take our jobs. Silicon Valley’s automation theater has to end. (https://fortune.com/2025/10/27/ai-wont-take-our-jobs-silicon-valley-automation-theater-has-to-end/ ) JPMorgan and Goldman are hiring for AI (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/15/jpmorgan-chase-goldman-sachs-ai-hiring.html ) RTO, Hybrid, and the Attendance Arms Race Jamie Dimon renews push to get workers back to offices (https://qz.com/jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-renews-return-to-office-push ) Toptal CEO: Companies are getting hybrid wrong. Here’s the 80/20 model. (https://www.businessinsider.com/toptal-ceo-companies-getting-hybrid-wrong-80-20-model-2025-10 ) Why I worry about government meddling in WFH (https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/why-i-worry-about-government-meddling-in-wfh-20251030-p5n6fb ) America’s New Normal for White-Collar Jobs (https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/americas-new-normal-for-white-collar-jobs-85440ca5 ) Morale, Burnout, and the Narrower Funnel Employee Discontent Is on the Rise. Here’s What to Do About It. (https://hbr.org/2025/10/employee-discontent-is-on-the-rise-heres-what-to-do-about-it ) We’ve Talked About Burnout for Decades. Here’s How to Finally Solve It. (https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/weve-talked-about-burnout-for-decades-heres-how-to-finally-solve-it/91257438 ) At least 4 in 5 tech talents could face limited opportunities as job market cools (https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/least-4-5-tech-talents-could-face-limited-opportunities-job-market-cools ) Amazon makes cold move that raises nationwide workplace fears (https://www.thestreet.com/employment/amazon-makes-cold-move-that-raises-nationwide-workplace-fears ) General Motors lays off hundreds of engineers on Microsoft Teams (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/general-motors-lays-off-hundreds-of-engineers-on-microsoft-teams-says-its-not-your-performance-its/articleshow/124824468.cms ) Meet America’s Best Employers for Engineers 2026 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelpeachman/2025/10/28/meet-americas-best-employers-for-engineers-2026/ ) ⸻ #FutureOfWork #EmployerBranding #HRStrategy #AIatWork #HybridWork #Layoffs #EVP

    6 min
  7. [26 OCT] PAPER CUT - The Productivity Mirage Meets The Pink-Slip Economy

    10/26/2025

    [26 OCT] PAPER CUT - The Productivity Mirage Meets The Pink-Slip Economy

    This week’s lead story: AI agents scale while layoffs surge. We unpack the cultural signal in the cuts, why middle managers decide AI success, and how to rebuild early-career rungs and remote strategy. This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts. 📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: The Cuts Are Strategic. The Signal Is Cultural. Target eliminating 1,800 positions, laying off 1,000 workers https://www.startribune.com/target-la... Exclusive: ConocoPhillips to lay off Canada employees in November, company memo shows https://www.reuters.com/business/worl... Charter to Lay Off 1,200 Workers https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charte... Meta layoffs tied to AI priorities https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/meta-... Rivian layoffs reported https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/rivia... Graphic of the day: Layoffs accelerate in 2025 https://www.forbesindia.com/article/u... US federal layoffs threaten the backbone of community support https://thenewstack.io/how-block-got-... Middle Managers Feel the Least Psychological Safety at Work https://hbr.org/2025/10/middle-manage... Amazon To Lay Off 15 Percent Of HR Employees After Jassy Said AI Will ‘Reduce Our Total Corporate Workforce:’ Report https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/a... AI might be creating a ‘permanent underclass’ but it’s the makers of the tech bubble who are replaceable https://www.theguardian.com/commentis... Deloitte's Global AI Leader Nitin Mittal warns job loss to AI is ‘inevitable’, but engineers should….. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t... The Broken Rungs — Early Careers Are A Meat Grinder A City exec says Gen Z is nearing breaking point as AI turns graduate hiring into a 'meat grinder' https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-br... KPMG: Half of banks experiencing uptick in Gen Z staff quitting https://www.cityam.com/kpmg-half-of-b... At least 4 in 5 tech talents could face limited opportunities as job market cools https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/comp... UK tech grad jobs slump, placements cut https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/1... Gen Z is stuck at the bottom rung. Citi Foundation pledges $25 million https://fortune.com/2025/10/21/gen-z-... ‘They want us to work but there is no work’: meet the NEETs https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/job... Remote Reality Check — Demand Is Lopsided Remote companies like Dropbox and Atlassian say they're getting flooded with applications, as other firms RTO https://www.businessinsider.com/remot... Woman wins right to work from home every day in landmark case https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo... Employers want hybrid. Workers want flexibility. https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjourna... The quiet migration behind remote work https://www.thehill.com/opinion/techn... ⸻ #WorkDesign #EmployerBrand #AIatWork #FutureOfWork #GenZ #RemoteWork #Layoffs

    6 min
  8. [19 OCT] PAPER CUT - Fear, Not AI, Is Fueling The Cuts

    10/19/2025

    [19 OCT] PAPER CUT - Fear, Not AI, Is Fueling The Cuts

    Leaders keep invoking AI to justify cuts. The truth this week is sharper. Fear, not code, is driving many decisions. Here is how to turn skills into policy and stop torching trust on location. This week’s Paper Cut slices through the spin to give HR and employer brand leaders the insight they actually need. No fluff, just facts. 📰 Subscribe to the free Paper Cut newsletter: https://ebn.to/sub25 🔗 Follow EBN on LinkedIn: https://ebn.to/lin25 ⸻ 📌 Sources & Links: AI Didn’t Fire Them. Fear Did Goldman Sachs eyes layoffs and hiring slowdown amid AI push, memo shows — https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/goldman-sachs-eyes-job-cuts-hiring-slowdown-amid-ai-push-memo-shows-2025-10-14/ Companies are blaming AI for layoffs — but the real reason is fear — https://www.businessinsider.com/firms-blaming-ai-for-layoffs-driven-by-fear-work-guru-2025-10 AI is supposed to kill jobs. Instead, AI companies are hiring in droves — https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-supposed-kill-jobs-instead-hiring-office-boom-2025-10 Amazon layoffs: Company to cut thousands of jobs as AI reshapes its global workforce — https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/amazon-layoffs-company-to-cut-thousands-of-jobs-as-ai-reshapes-its-global-workforce-82629.htm Skills Are Strategy. Training Is Policy Citi rolls out AI prompt training requirement to most staff — https://www.hrdive.com/news/citi-ai-prompt-training-requirement/802862/ Singapore launches data-driven index to boost workforce mobility and competitiveness — https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/singapore-launches-data-driven-index-to-boost-workforce-mobility-and-competitiveness A Research-Backed Training Method That Improves Hiring Outcomes — https://hbr.org/2025/10/a-research-backed-training-method-that-improves-hiring-outcomes Return To Office Meets Reality Major disconnect between managers and employees on engagement — https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/employee-engagement/major-disconnect-between-managers-and-employees-on-engagement/553016 Most employers say they hire overqualified candidates despite retention concerns — https://www.hrdive.com/news/employers-hire-overqualified-candidates-worry-about-retention/802700/ To create psychological safety, do not bring your whole self to work — https://www.fastcompany.com/91413530/to-create-psychological-safety-dont-bring-your-whole-self-to-work-psychological-safety-at-work ⸻ #EmployerBrand #HR #FutureOfWork #AIatWork #TalentStrategy

    5 min

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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.