Psychological Safety, Staff Complaints Template, Contingent Workforce Surge - Jun 13, 2025

Hi, HR Champs—it’s Friday the 13th 👀 If you’re the superstitious type, today’s edition feels... fitting. We’re talking psychological safety as it’s National Safety Month—because feeling safe at work shouldn’t be left to luck…

On today’s agenda:

😊 Psychological safety = retention

🚩 Your employee complaints template

🦾 AI kills busywork, not jobs — report

⚠️ Injuries down, expenses up

🧩 Contingent crew = strategy gold

THE HR SPOTLIGHT

Psychological Safety = Retention: How Top Companies Are Winning the Talent Game

June is National Safety Month — and while we’ve all got our eye on hard hats and hazard signs, it’s time to zoom out: 🧠 psychological safety matters just as much as physical safety. The smartest companies know that when employees feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves, they stick around longer.

The situation: Sure, you’ve got protocols for slips and trips — but what about silence and fear?

➡️ 47﹪ of employees say they don’t feel safe to voice concerns at work in fear of repercussions (Visier).

➡️ A lack of psychological safety can tank innovation, engagement — and yes, retention.

What HR can do:

✅ Take a page from Google: their Project Aristotle found that teams with high psychological safety outperformed others.

✅ Follow Microsoft’s lead — they train managers to create open, inclusive spaces where it’s safe to challenge ideas without fear of punishment.

✅ Start small, think model vulnerability, try encourage feedback and celebrate effort — not just outcomes.

👀 Mental health is safety, too — see 20 Quick Tips to help you lead the way »

AI Isn’t Just Reshaping How We Work — It’s Changing Who Gets Hired and Why

Did you know 1 in 4 workers already earn more because of their AI skills? That 55% say AI fluency has led to new roles or promotions? And only 19% of companies have updated compensation policies, despite the clear talent shift?

Is your team AI-ready? Get The AI Productivity Shift to learn more.

⚠️ Injuries Down, Expenses Up - HR Dive

• What’s unfolding: Workplace injury rates are falling — but the costs per claim keep climbing, says a recent Travelers report.

• Why it matters: Safety doesn’t stop at PPE. HR can help by doubling down on prevention and adding mental health support to safety strategies.

• What’s unfolding: A recent study finds 72﹪ of organizations in Europe and the USA are using AI to automate HR and recruitment processes.

• Why it matters: AI can speed hiring — but HR must balance automation with a human touch to ensure fairness, compliance, and candidate experience.

• What’s unfolding: June’s labor market report shows surprising resilience. Despite economic uncertainties, hiring remains steady and unemployment is low.

• Why it matters: Retention just got more critical — with talent scarce, HR must focus on engagement, career development, and flexibility to hold onto their stars.

COMPLIANCE CORNER

• What’s unfolding: The final EEO-1 Component 1 data filing deadline is June 24, 2025.

• HR implications: Noncompliance risks penalties. Scrutinize data accuracy and submit before the deadline.

• What’s unfolding: UK ramps up immigration enforcement; U.S. employers with UK workers are under new scrutiny.

• HR implications: Review right-to-work checks; tighten compliance before inspections catch you off guard.

• What’s unfolding: Southwest fined $800K for mishandling a religious bias claim tied to abortion views.

• HR implications: HR must train managers on handling religious accommodations—compliance saves budget and reputation.

WEEKLY GOODY

Your Employee Complaints Template

Making sure your employees feel heard is imperative in keeping your team happy and engaged. Our Employee Complaints Template can help with that, allowing you to quickly and accurately take note of any issues so you may address them as soon as possible.

BREAKROOM

📬 Missed Wednesday’s issue on ‘PTO Culture’? Read it »