✨ Mini Survey Magic, AI Eats Up Data Roles, SMART Goal Planner - Jul 9, 2025

Hi, HR Pros! 🍦 It’s National Ice Cream Month, but before you scoop rewards, take the temperature of your team! July is an ideal time for a mid-year Employee Pulse Survey—because vibes aren’t on PTO…

On today’s agenda:

✨ Mini survey magic

🎯 SMART goal planner

👻 Ghosted by HR…

📉 AI eats up data roles

THE HR SPOTLIGHT

✨ Micro Surveys, Major Magic: Turning Quick Check-ins Into Real Engagement Wins

We’re halfway through the year now, and while the sun’s out and PTO calendars are packed, it’s the right moment to quietly check the team’s pulse. Employee Pulse Surveys are still one of HR’s best low-lift, high-insight tools—especially when full reviews feel a bit... too much.

The situation: Not feeling the feedback flow…

By July, engagement can dip. People forget goals, energy fizzles, and formal reviews? Yeah, no one’s really begging for those. According to Gallup, organizations with highly engaged employees see lower turnover and absenteeism, with higher productivity and profitability—but we’ll never get there unless we listen first.

Here’s the catch: without an easy way to share feedback, your people might start checking out before Q3 even begins.

What HR can do: Set up a mid-year mini survey…

✅ Keep it short (5–10 questions max)
✅ Make it anonymous 
✅ Add a sweet incentive—coffee gift cards? surprise treats?
✅ Share “You said, we did” updates in a follow-up
✅ Use insights to guide Q3 engagement tweaks (e.g., hybrid flexibility, burnout signals)

Remember: Transparency builds trust. Highlight past changes based on feedback—your credibility (and survey completion rate) will thank you. Let the surveys roll!

More people development strategies and examples »

🎯 Set Goals That Actually Get Done With This SMART Planner

Need to beef up performance and engagement? HRAddict’s SMART Goals Employee Development Planner makes it easy to turn vague intentions into real, measurable wins — no micromanaging needed.

✅ Built for Results: Help your team set goals that stick — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

✅ Modern & Actionable: Updated for the demands of the modern workplace.

✅ Career Growth On Track: Create accountability and keep development aligned with business objectives.

✅ Plug-and-Play Simplicity: Suitable for teams of any size, from fledgling businesses to global powerhouses.

Eliminate guesswork. Empower growth. Drive progress.

🕖 This week only – Promo ends July 18 at midnight.

🧍‍♀️ WFH Gender Gap Persists - Fortune

• What’s unfolding: More women continue to favor WFH for flexibility, while men are increasingly returning to the office, where promotions and face time often drive faster career advancement.

• Why it matters: If hybrid policies aren’t thoughtfully crafted, they risk deepening gender disparities in leadership pipelines. HR should review performance metrics, promotion data, and WFH usage trends to ensure bias isn’t creeping in.

• What’s unfolding: A shrinking U.S. labor force—driven by retirements, low birth rates, and reduced immigration—is being flagged as a top economic risk as it throttles productivity and expansion in multiple industries.

• Why it matters: HR leaders must quickly make a move. Upskilling current talent, leveraging automation, and widening recruiting pipelines are no longer optional. Consider tapping into underutilized groups (e.g., older workers, those with disabilities).

• What’s unfolding: Laid-off professionals are facing fierce job market competition—and reporting widespread ghosting by recruiters. Meanwhile, HR is also struggling with overwhelmed pipelines and no-shows. It’s a lose-lose on both sides of the interview table.

• Why it matters: Poor communication damages employer brands and candidate trust. HR must streamline outreach, auto-responders, and post-interview follow-ups. Even a “thanks but no thanks” beats silence.

COMPLIANCE CORNER

• What’s unfolding: A U.S. worker claimed HR tried to fire him just before pension vesting, sparking viral backlash and raising questions about shady exit timing. The employee gathered evidence—and turned the tables.

• HR implications: This is a reputational minefield. HR must ensure termination decisions are well-documented, legally sound, and ethically timed—or risk legal exposure and social media blowback.

• What’s unfolding: Global employers are scrambling to comply with fast-moving pay transparency laws, with only 19％ stating their preparedness, per AON’s survey.

• HR implications: HR needs to audit pay structures. Delaying transparency planning puts you at risk of penalties, employee mistrust, and major DEI setbacks.

• What’s unfolding: California just introduced landmark rules requiring employers to assess workplace AI tools for bias and discrimination before using them. This could become the new national benchmark.

• HR implications: If your org uses AI, particularly in recruitment, start prepping audits. California’s law takes effect October this year, but proactive compliance sets you ahead of the curve—and out of legal hot water.

BREAKROOM

📬 Missed Monday’s issue ‘Burnout Prevention’? Read it »