Future Proof: May Insights on HR and Workplace News

Welcome to Future Proof—your monthly guide to what’s happening in the world of HR!

If you’ve been wondering how to stay up to date with HR trends, we’ve got you covered. These days, the world of business is changing, fast—it can feel impossible to stay looped in. That’s why we’re here to help you stay at the forefront of what’s new and next in HR, global hiring, business, and so much more.

Read our top news picks for this month to learn more.

Topics This Month

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Hiring Trends
• Compensation and Benefits
• Good News

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Will artificial intelligence (AI) technology take my job? Replace human labor? Destroy the world—Skynet-style? While some global organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), seem enthusiastic about the promise of such technology for fields like healthcare, the debate over how AI should be used has become a hot topic as businesses like JPMorgan Chase, IBM, and Amazon announce their plans to leverage AI for various purposes.

This debate has intensified recently as the potential risks associated with the technology become more known.

Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, AI pioneer and one of Google’s top computer scientists, recently resigned after 10 years with the company, issuing a grave warning about the implications of the misuse of AI. “It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,” he said.

AI programs are made by human beings. Unfortunately, that means the biases of their creators tend to get incorporated into their design, negatively impacting their effectiveness.

In 2019, Georgia Tech research found that AI-driven software for self-driving cars was worse at detecting humans with darker skin than those with lighter skin. Furthermore, a study by the U.S. Department of Commerce revealed that facial recognition AI programs misidentify people of color more often than white people, which has already caused at least one wrongful arrest. In 2020, a study by the University of Melbourne showed that hiring algorithms amplify the gender biases of human recruiters.

Regardless of the warnings from tech experts like Hinton and the scientific community—as well as workers scared of losing their jobs—classes teaching AI-related skills remain popular among tech enthusiasts, though many developers are skeptical about how useful they are.

Top AI Stories May 2023:

• ‘The Godfather of A.I.’ Leaves Google and Warns of Danger Ahead—The New York Times
• Microsoft’s chief economist is convinced that A.I. will be ‘used by bad actors’—but says that cars can be dangerous, too—Fortune
• Regulating AI: Groups Call for Solutions to Avoid Discrimination, Other Challenges—SHRM
• Some Workers Are Ready to Embrace AI, But Others Fear It—SHRM
• AI training courses are popular, but devs aren’t sure they need them—TechRadar
• AI Needs an Ethical Compass. This Tool Can Help.—IDEO

Hiring Trends

As the world continues to navigate economic uncertainty, Big Tech has been laying off thousands of employees—including 70,000 in the past year alone. Widespread fear about the possibility of an imminent global recession hasn’t helped.

Ironically, even the business networking and social media giant LinkedIn was not immune to this. The company announced this month that it would lay off over 700 of its employees as demand wavers, according to LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, despite seeing 8% year-over-year profits for most of the most recent quarter.

According to an analysis of U.S. labor data by CompTia, an industry and tech certification organization, employers listed more than 300,000 tech job postings in April—8% of which were for AI-related positions.

In other hiring news, the Pew Research Center reported that 56% of employed adults in the U.S. think that pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in the workplace is a good idea—and over 60% said their companies already have policies in place that seek to ensure fairness in hiring, pay, or promotions.

Top Hiring Trends Stories May 2023:

• Big Tech layoffs have claimed 70,000 jobs in the last year and it could put an end to inflated salaries—along with innovation—Fortune
• LinkedIn cuts over 700 jobs, phases out China app as demand wavers—Reuters
• LinkedIn layoffs a response to slower revenue growth—TechTarget
• I was laid off from LinkedIn and it stunned me. Here’s how I got through the next 48 hours.—Business Insider
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace—Pew Research Center
• Recruiting Generation Z: Find Ways to Stay Visible—SHRM

Compensation and Benefits

The future of work is here—but some companies are still catching up, according to a report released by Morgan Stanley at Work earlier this month. “Companies are going to have to get even more creative and efficient in leveraging holistic benefits offerings to attract, retain, and motivate their employees,” Head of Morgan Stanley at Work Brian McDonald said.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk created controversy this month when he announced a drastic decrease in the company’s parental leave policy: Instead of the 20-week paid leave employees were granted in the past, they can now expect as little as 14 days.

There’s some good news, too: Compensation increases this year have been the largest since the 2008 financial crisis. (Spoilers—there’s even more good news in this post if you scroll further down.)

Top Compensation and Benefits Stories May 2023:

• Morgan Stanley at Work’s Third Annual State of the Workplace Study Shows More Work to Do to Bridge Gap Between
• Employee Expectations and Employer Benefit Offerings—Business Wire
• Elon Musk Sparks Controversy with Drastic Reduction of Twitter’s Parental Leave Policy—The HR Digest
• 2023 Compensation Increases Largest Since 2008 Financial Crisis—SHRM
• How HR can help workers access mental healthcare amid a therapy shortage—HR Brew

Good News

It’s easy to get bogged down in bad news. Here’s our pick of some lighter stories to brighten your work week.

For starters, the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency (PHE) officially ended in the U.S. this month. Although this also meant the end of several benefits for U.S. federal employees, federal contractors, and healthcare workers enabled by the PHE, it’s a hopeful sign that the pandemic is slowing down. New cases, hospitalizations, and deaths for the disease have been falling steadily in 2023. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data tracker for more info.

According to a report by The Conference Board, job satisfaction is at an almost 40-year high. Woo hoo!

And finally, although we were a little down on AI this month, we wanted to include a positive story showing the potential benefits of the technology—when used properly. A crowdfunded project for an AI-driven app called SafeWaters.AI hopes to be able to forecast possible shark attacks around the U.S. with 89% accuracy.

Top Good News Stories May 2023:

• The Pandemic Public Health Emergency Ends This Week. Here’s What To Know—SHRM
• Job Satisfaction 2023—The Conference Board
• Shark Attack App Uses AI to Forecast and Detect Risk for Swimmers at 89% Accuracy—Good News Network

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