The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: Gen Z job-hoppers stir the market, while AI’s emotional tone divides opinion. Amid shifting loyalties and digital habits, HR must balance speed, trust, and tech to keep top all talent engaged and onboard.
Half of workers say they got a job through a connection
Networking remains highly relevant in hiring, with 54% of workers saying they got hired for a job through a personal or professional connection, according to an Aug. 12 report from MyPerfectResume.
In fact, workers rated personal and professional connections as the top job search strategies. At the same time, most workers don’t tap into these connections, with only 1 in 10 saying they reached out to multiple contacts weekly while on the job hunt.
Cost of ‘bad hires’ impacting US industrial sector productivity and profitability, says new Talogy research
- One in five (21%) organisations have experienced an increase in safety incidents as a result of a poor hire
- 73% say they feel under pressure to hire quickly, resulting in rushed recruitment decisions
- Hirers increasingly demanding transferable skills such as attention to detail, problem-solving and communication, as well as technical skills
Attensi study reveals “Skill Masking” epidemic impacting employee confidence and performance
A major new study from Attensi, the global leader in game-based learning and skills development, has uncovered a growing workplace challenge: “skill masking” — where employees deliberately conceal their knowledge gaps to project competence. The research suggests that organisations may be underestimating the scale of hidden confidence issues within their teams, which often originate during onboarding and persist long after employees settle into their roles.
Surveying 2,000 employees across different sectors and demographics, the study found that 58% admitted to skill masking at some point in their current positions. Among them, 46% confessed to pretending to understand tasks they didn’t, while 40% reported avoiding asking for help, even when unsure of how to proceed.
AI at Work: A Global Entry-Level Perspective
A new global survey from Generation, the employment nonprofit that trains and places people into meaningful careers, reveals how entry-level workers are rapidly adopting AI tools — while also exposing some divides between those confidently using AI and those not yet there.
The report, AI at Work: A Global Entry-Level Perspective, was developed with support from MetLife Foundation. It draws on responses from more than 5,500 Generation global alumni who graduated in 2023 and 2024.
- Analysis finds that 65% of entry-level employees are using AI, and most are self-taught power users
- Most users are experiencing clear benefits, with nearly all AI users reporting that it’s enhancing their performance at work and increasing their job satisfaction
Job market movement is coming: Latest research suggests candidates are gaining confidence
According to Gi Group UK’s latest Candidate Survey, nearly half of candidates will be looking for a new role in the next six months. Gi Group, part of Gi Group Holding, the 10th largest global staffing firm in the world, has surveyed candidates across the UK and the findings are encouraging against a backdrop of a slow and complex labour market.
In a challenging set of circumstances including economic instability, rising operational costs and a general ‘stay put’ mindset from candidates which took hold in recent months, businesses have struggled to attract the next cohort of skilled employees. The HR and recruitment expert’s most recent candidate survey found that 63.85% of 18-25 year olds were planning on changing jobs in the next six months, indicating that the groundswell of the ‘move and improve’ attitude seen particularly amongst Gen Z is likely to lead to more movement within the labour market.
Managers risk loss of trust by over-relying on AI-written messages, study finds
Managers and supervisors can benefit from using AI-assisted writing tools for grammar and editing, but they risk losing employee trust if they rely too heavily on AI for messages that require human interaction or subjective input, according to a study published in the International Journal of Business Communication.
More than 8 in 10 of the 1,100 full-time U.S. professionals surveyed for the study view supervisors who use AI for low-assistance messages as sincere. But only 40% to 52% had the same view of supervisors who use high levels of AI-assisted writing, the results showed.
