(PR in) HR Pulse | HR news round-up: April
Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash
Majority of firms regret AI job cuts
Most UK employers aren’t seeing a return following AI cuts, according to research from Careerminds UK.
With cost reduction being the primary focus for finance leaders, the survey of 600 HR specialists found that only 26.6% of organisations reported a positive financial outcome, whilst 30.9% were worse off following cuts in jobs.
With 32.9% of respondents reporting the loss of critical skills and institutional knowledge, more than 35% have rehired more than half of the eliminated roles within six months.
In the article in HR and Benefits, Careerminds UK resident careers expert Amanda Augustine says AI is a powerful tool that shouldn’t replace human judgement. No algorithm can replicate skills, knowledge, relationships and trust.
Read the full article in HR and Benefits
AI – the fastest growing skill for HR professionals
AI literacy is the fastest rising skill added to HR professionals’ LinkedIn profiles in the past year than any other skill – according to Erin Scruggs, vice president and head of global talent acquisition at LinkedIn.
This comes as organisations adjust strategies to implement AI across the board, increasing the demand for tech expertise and prioritising hiring HR professionals with the skill set to manage AI tools.
Kerry White, director at HR recruitment specialists RedGreen Partners, comments in a People Management article that “HR professionals with strong AI capability are in particular demand, often commanding higher salaries too”.
However, AI isn’t the only skill-set organisations are looking for: human skills, including leadership and communication, are also on the rise.
Janine Chamberlin, head of LinkedIn UK spoke at LinkedIn’s Talent Connect event recently, said “organisations investing in both AI literacy skills and human skills will be the workforces that are not only future proof, but are ready to thrive in this new economy”.
Read the full article in People Management
ADP’s 2026 People at Work Report – 3 actions for HR leaders
A recent article from Personnel Today highlights a growing disconnect between the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in UK workplaces and the lack of formal training to support it.
The HR giant ADP surveyed 39,000 workers across 36 regions for their People at Work Report. Unleash has done a deep dive into the report and brought together three actions HR leaders should take from the data.
1 – Prevent worker anxiety through transparency and investment.
ADP’s Chief Talent Officer Jay Caldwell tells Unleash that “the workforce is anxious with the rise of AI”.
An anxious workforce can be a huge cause for concern for organisations as people that feel secure in their roles are more engaged, productive, motivated, and less likely to look for a new job.
To reduce workplace anxiety, organisations need to actively encourage management to be transparent with workers about how their jobs may be re-shaped and how they will be supported. Also, invest in people’s careers - those who have the skills to advance their careers are 5x more likely to feel secure.
2 – Approach AI with value over volume to reap the rewards.
The report highlighted that whilst heavy AI users had higher engagement, less stress, and positive feelings about their teams, they also felt less productive, with daily users reported to be 4x more likely than non-users to say they were less productive than they could be.
HR teams need to reframe what productivity looks like for workers who are missing out on those small task completion moments.
3 – One-size fits all approach doesn’t work.
There are five generations in the workforce which leads to a report focus on generational differences.
Older workers are more likely to doubt their skills, with just 19% of over 55s saying they had the skills they need, compared to 29% of 18-26 year-olds, and 30% of 27-39 year-olds.
However, older workers reported feeling less stressed than their younger counterparts, and more likely to be thriving than overloaded.
HR needs to consider each generation’s strengths and embrace multi-generational mentorship.
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