It's PTO season: Watch out for that summer slump ☀️ - May 21, 2025

Hello, HR Heroes! ☀️ Summer’s here (well, unofficially), and so is the PTO parade… While your team dreams of beaches, keep engagement from melting with smart, sunny strategies to beat the summer slump and keep your culture sunny-side up.

On today’s agenda:

☀️ Keeping engagement high during PTO season

🎉 Fun & easy employee appreciation kit

📈 Reskill to thrive: What HR now demands

🧠 Buzz-worthy team meeting ideas

👇 Read on…

THE HR SPOTLIGHT

The Summer Slump: Keeping Engagement High During PTO Season ☀️

Ah, summer — the season of out-of-office replies, half-empty Zoom calls, and dreams of beach days. With employees mentally halfway to Margaritaville, engagement often takes a nosedive, with 41﹪ of workers reporting decreased productivity. Factor in scattered PTO schedules and distracted teams, and it’s easy to see why the “summer slump” is real…

HR’s SPF50 for the summer slump: This doesn’t have to be a seasonal nuisance — it can be a good time for culture. HR can keep things on track with a few proactive moves:

• Encourage teams to coordinate PTO early and communicate clearly.

• Inject some summer energy with light, fun engagement activities (yes, ice cream socials still work🍦).

• Embrace flexible work arrangements when possible to help employees blend work and life without burnout.

• Keep recognition visible — shoutouts, badges, or simple thank-yous go a long way. 🙌

• Use pulse checks to spot disengagement before it becomes a heatwave.

Let summer be a vibe (when it officially arrives), not a productivity vacuum!

👉 Take your engagement game out of snooze mode with these fun & proven employee engagement activities »

💸 Critical Payroll Software Insights - HR Morning

• What’s unfolding: Payroll isn’t just about paying on time — it’s becoming a strategic HR tool. Newer software can integrate benefits, analytics, and compliance features to make tasks smoother for HR pros.

• Why it matters: Outdated payroll systems drain time and patience. By upgrading, HR can free up bandwidth, reduce errors, and stay compliant. Start by evaluating platforms that feature automation and real-time dashboards.

• What’s unfolding: A fresh report finds that training is slipping down the priority list — even as skills gaps grow wider. Budget and time constraints are major culprits.

• Why it matters: Ignoring upskilling today means scrambling tomorrow. HR should advocate for microlearning, mentorships, and on-the-job training that fits leaner budgets and shorter attention spans.

• What’s unfolding: To mark International HR Day 2025, top leaders shared how they’re navigating AI in the workplace — from ethical hiring to skills forecasting.

  Why it matters: AI disruption isn’t coming — it’s here. HR must lead the charge on reskilling, transparency, and inclusive AI strategy. Start small: AI training for HR teams is a smart first step.

• What’s unfolding: Mental health queries rose by 10﹪ following Awareness Week, showing employees are paying attention — at least temporarily.

• Why it matters: Awareness campaigns spark interest, but lasting impact comes from ongoing support. HR should normalize mental health days, expand EAP visibility, and ensure managers are trained to spot signs of burnout.

Celebrate Your Team With This Kit — Boost Engagement & Retention

As we cruise into summer, it’s the ideal time to hit pause and recognize your team’s hard work so far this year. Our Employee Appreciation Kit adds fun, personality, and sunshine to your mid-year recognition efforts.

Why your team will love it:

✅ Unique & Fun – Highlight quirks, talents, and contributions with awards like “Coffee Connoisseur” or “Office DJ.”

✅ Fully Customizable – Easily personalize each award with names and special messages.

✅ Boosts Morale – Recognition with a touch of humor makes appreciation feel more meaningful.

✅ Instantly Downloadable & Print-Ready – No hassle, just heartfelt moments of celebration.

This community promo ends May 23 — midnight EST.

TREND WATCH

Jobs Down, Bots Up: AI Roles Buck Global Hiring Slump

Digesting the data: April 2025 saw a significant dip in global white-collar job vacancies, decreasing by 11.6﹪ compared to March. The United States experienced a sharper decline of 16.2﹪, attributed to new trade tariffs, while the UK faced a 12﹪ drop following changes in national insurance and employment rights.

Despite the overall downturn, the demand for AI and data professionals remained robust. Machine learning vacancies surged by 27﹪, with a notable shift towards roles in data infrastructure and engineering. Industries such as Technology, Media & Telecoms and Financial Services led this demand, accounting for 43.5﹪ and 37﹪ of AI and data roles, respectively.

Outlook for HR: For HR professionals, this data underscores the importance of agility in talent acquisition strategies. While general hiring may slow, specialized roles in AI and data continue to grow. HR should focus on identifying and nurturing talent in these areas, ensuring that their organizations remain competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

💡 Delve deeper into these insights by reading the Robert Walters Global Jobs Index »

COMPLIANCE CORNER

• What’s unfolding: Mexico's government announced a plan to gradually reduce the standard workweek from 48 to 40 hours by January 2030, as part of broader labor reforms aimed at improving work-life balance. 

• HR implications: Companies operating in Mexico should prepare for this transition by evaluating workforce scheduling, productivity metrics, and labor cost implications to ensure a smooth adaptation to the reduced workweek.

• What’s unfolding: A Texas federal judge vacated portions of the EEOC's 2024 harassment guidance that extended protections to transgender employees, ruling that the agency overstepped its authority. 

• HR implications: Employers should review and possibly revise their anti-harassment policies to ensure compliance with current federal guidelines, while also considering state and local laws that may include broader protections for gender identity.

• What’s unfolding: The UK’s updated immigration white paper outlines sweeping proposals affecting employer sponsorship, visa thresholds, and workforce planning. It’s a big shift with long-term talent strategy implications.

• HR implications: Understanding immigration changes is crucial for compliance and workforce planning. HR should audit current sponsorship practices and partner with legal for forward-looking hiring strategies.

HR WISDOM

From Yawns to Yay! Team Meeting Ideas to Boost Buzz

Tired of the same old team meetings? If your gatherings are starting to feel like a recurring calendar invite with no spark, it's time to shake things up. Discover innovative ways to transform your meetings from mundane to motivating.

Insights you’ll gain:

• Celebrating successes: How to start meetings to boost morale and motivation.

• Mindfulness moments: How to enhance focus and reduce stress.

• Idea walls: Tools to create a visual space for brainstorming and capturing ideas.

• Creative icebreakers: Unique questions that encourage sharing and connection.

⚡ Explore Fun Ideas for Engaging Team Meetings to make every meet-up count »

BREAKROOM

📬 Missed Monday’s issue on ‘Inbox Culture’? Read it.