(PR in) HR Pulse | HR news round-up: October
Understanding The importance of timing in the media
Journalism is a fast-paced world - and when it comes to gaining media exposure, timing is everything.
With forward planning, a continually changing news agenda, and competition to consider, our latest article looks at the importance of timing, and why deadlines play such an important part of a successful PR campaign.
Most European workers wouldn’t take a pay-cut for remote work
Remote work in Europe has surged since 2019, with about 34% of employees now working remotely at least one day per week and 10.6% working fully remote. Although most people appreciate flexibility, a new European Central Bank report shows that 70% of remote and hybrid workers wouldn’t accept a pay cut to keep their current arrangements, and those that said they would be willing to sacrifice some salary would accept only a small decrease—an average of 2.6%, while just 8% would settle for a 6–10% reduction.
The article in HR Brew looks at personal priorities which strongly influence workers’ stance on remote work. Young workers, parents, and workers with long commutes are most likely to value remote work enough to consider a lower paycheque, reflecting the importance of balancing home life and job obligations. However, remote work sometimes hampers socialisation and recognition among colleagues, making some hesitant to lower their salary in exchange for flexibility.
Comparatively, US workers appear more willing to accept pay cuts for remote options, with recent surveys from Youngtown State University and FlexJobs reporting that up to 69% would be willing to take a pay cut, with up to an 11% decrease. Nonetheless, a report from CNBC has reported that US employees might rethink remote work if offered European-style perks like universal healthcare and generous holiday.
Read the full article in HR Brew
Report suggests 40% of companies will replace workers with AI by 2026 – but, Yale finds AI isn’t taking anyone’s jobs, yet…
In line with most coverage of AI, HR Drive has reported on a growing number of companies that plan to replace jobs with artificial intelligence, with a recent Resume.org report showing 37% expect to do so by the end of 2026. Nearly 3 in 10 employers have already made AI-driven reductions, with Kara Dennison, head of career advising at Resume.org commenting “the next 18 to 24 months will see the job market transformed as automation displaces routine roles while creating opportunities in AI oversight and collaboration”.
A survey of 1,000 US business leaders revealed that half have slowed hiring, with 39% making redundancies in 2025 so far, with 58% foreseeing more cuts in 2026. Economic uncertainty, trade policies, and AI are cited as leading reasons, and with a push towards efficient, tech-ready workforces, organisations could start seeing high-salary and entry-level employees, and those without AI skills at the greatest risk of redundancy.
Whilst it seems obvious for workforces to upskill in AI and emerging tech, Dennison also noted that soft skills such as critical thinking and emotional intelligence are still needed to set top talent apart.
Saying all this, ITPro has published an article to the contrary. A Yale study found that AI isn’t replacing anyone’s jobs, yet.
Yale’s researchers looked at the pace of change and the rate of employment changes since the launch of ChatGPT 33 months ago, and compared it to past periods of technological change, such as the introduction of the desktop computer and the internet. The difference? Underwhelmingly less than one percentage point.
The researchers did identify three areas that are more exposed to generative AI than others: information (including newspapers and movies) saw a change of 14% - compared to a normal baseline of 4%, financial services by 8.5%, information, and professional and business services by 6.5%.
Before jumping to its conclusion on AI, the researchers noted these changes, particularly in information, started before the release of ChatGPT, and the shift seems to be a feature of the industry itself, rather than as a result of evolving tech.
At the moment, they’re seeing stability rather than major disruption, but it is early days, and there’s no way of really knowing the impact AI will have long-term.
Read the full article on ITPro
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