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- 101,000 AI-driven layoffs later: The organizations navigating this are doing one thing differently
101,000 AI-driven layoffs later: The organizations navigating this are doing one thing differently
Engagement in freefall, change management now matters more than belonging, and why your recognition data holds answers you haven't looked for yet
Inside This Issue:
We're past the halfway point of 2026, and the engagement data is ugly. The conference calendar is packed. And everyone's trying to figure out what H2 actually looks like against a backdrop of RTO mandates that didn't fix connection, always-on culture that's burning people out, and an AI skills gap widening faster than most orgs can respond. Three pieces of research landed this week that tell the same story: the easy fixes are done, and they didn't work.
Which is exactly why Esther sat down with KeyAnna Schmiedl from Workhuman. Her take? The next generation of leaders is already signalling themselves through recognition data. Which is data most organisations have never used for succession planning before. It's the kind of conversation that cuts through the noise and points at something genuinely useful.
Here's what is worth your attention this week.
Featured Insights:
A roundup of the best HR and EX events coming up, with budget-friendly flags and deep dives on Ragan EX and Gartner HR Symposium.
The Future Leaders Hiding in Your Recognition Data: A Conversation with Workhuman’s KeyAnna Schmiedl
Esther interviews KeyAnna Schmiedl (Workhuman) on how their "Ascend" AI model surfaces leadership potential through recognition patterns — before anyone's even applied for a management role
In the News
The Extra Point
The real engagement crisis is about certainty. Gallup's data is stark: 80% of the global workforce is either disengaged or actively disengaged. But Perceptyx's parallel research shows organizations that handle change well: clear communication, visibility into decisions, agency in how transitions happen, are outperforming on engagement.
In a year when 100K+ jobs disappeared to AI and RTO mandates brought people back to offices they no longer trusted, the pattern is clear: engagement dies in ambiguity. It returns when leaders are transparent about what's happening and why. That's leadership showing up and being real about the situation.
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