Getting personal, rising above and avoiding lawsuits: 8 stories from SHRM25

Former U.S. President Joe Biden was among the speakers at the massive convention for HR professionals, held in San Diego.

By Emilie Shumway • July 11, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Nearly a quarter of companies offer GLP-1 drug coverage for weight management

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the percentage of managers who use AI to help determine terminations. 

By Ginger Christ • July 10, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top trends in total rewards

Trends in total rewards strategies continue to shift in response to the market, employee demands and even advances in technology.

By HR Dive staff

Caregiving benefits will take center stage as the ‘sandwich generation’ expands, expert says

“Employers do really need to be thinking about how to retain that part of their workforce” and investments that can aid in doing so, said Sparrow CEO Deborah Hanus.

By Ginger Christ • July 10, 2025

Cash is king — until a certain level, SHRM reports

Workers say they’ve had to sacrifice their time and health to advance, but organizational support can play a role in mitigating those trade-offs, the survey finds.

By Carolyn Crist • July 10, 2025

Healthcare, retirement and leave benefits top employer priorities for 2025, SHRM says

Notably, nearly one-quarter of employers now provide coverage for the expensive GLP-1 diabetes and weight loss drug, SHRM’s annual benefits survey found.

By Laurel Kalser • July 8, 2025

Offering student loan payment assistance a ‘no brainer,’ benefits manager says

Employers have several options at their disposal, even if only for the 1% to 2% of workers who are most in need, a SHRM 2025 panel moderator told attendees.

By Ginger Christ • July 2, 2025

Is a 6-figure paycheck needed for financial security? More than a quarter of adults say yes.

Inflation is leaving workers strapped for cash, but base pay increases are only one part of the talent attraction equation, a survey found.

By Carolyn Crist • July 2, 2025

What is polyworking? Half of workers do it, survey shows

Workers said they need extra money for living expenses and debt, as well as a financial safety net and flexibility.

By Carolyn Christ • July 2, 2025

6 ways employers can lower healthcare costs in 2025

"Employers have absorbed the majority of cost increases over the past four years, and they likely cannot continue to do so," one expert said.

By Michael Brady • July 1, 2025

[Podcast] The Stretch: Workforce health and benefits – expanded

This podcast series seeks to highlight innovative thinking when it comes to health and benefits.

By HR Dive's studioID • Updated Nov. 25, 2024

Employers without paid caregiving leave risk losing talent, Prudential says

“Caregiving isn’t a niche issue — it’s a workplace reality,” a Prudential president said. “Employers who don’t respond risk losing talent.”

By Carolyn Crist • June 27, 2025

Debt collectors are coming for student loan holders. Affected employees may need HR’s help.

Employers are increasingly looking for ways to support employees facing wage garnishments and other issues due to unpaid debt, a WTW analyst told HR Dive.

By Ryan Golden • June 26, 2025

Majority of workers say they’ll reach retirement without enough savings

Across generations, workers expressed concerns about paying off debt, saving for a major life event, building emergency savings and saving for retirement, a report found.

By Carolyn Crist • June 23, 2025

Misperceptions around fair pay can increase top talent turnover, report finds

“While more employees are covered by pay transparency laws than ever before, compliance alone is not enough,” said Payscale’s chief compensation strategist.

By Carolyn Crist • June 23, 2025

SCOTUS upholds dismissal of retired firefighter’s ADA bias claim

Retirees who neither hold nor desire a given job at the time that they suffer discrimination don’t qualify for the law’s protections, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote.

By Ryan Golden • June 20, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Nearly 2 in 3 workers plan to seek a second job

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the share of employees who say their boss understands what they bring to the table.

By Ginger Christ • June 18, 2025

Facing economic anxiety, 64% of workers say they plan to get a second job or start a side hustle

“It’s not surprising to see Americans looking for ways to create some breathing room in their budgets,” said the CEO of the American Staffing Association.

By Carolyn Crist • June 18, 2025

Job satisfaction reaches record high — but not for younger workers, survey finds

Only those under 25 reported a decline in satisfaction, suggesting a need for more personalized early-career engagement strategies, a researcher from The Conference Board said.

By Carolyn Crist • June 17, 2025

Most US employers plan to shift their benefit strategy in coming years, survey shows

Companies are making changes as a strategic tool to reduce costs and drive engagement, retention and purpose, WTW said.

By Carolyn Crist • June 16, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: A third of workplace injuries happen to first-year employees

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how many weeks a major bank is letting employees work remotely.

By Ginger Christ • June 12, 2025

CFOs rethink defined benefit plans amid changing needs

With fluctuating interest rates and ongoing inflationary pressures, many CFOs are redefining the role of these pension plans, Mercer says.

By Carolyn Crist • June 12, 2025

Workplace injuries are declining, but costs are climbing, Travelers report finds

Increasing retirement ages, ongoing turnover and longer injury recovery times have contributed to the cost increases, an executive for the firm said.

By Laurel Kalser • June 12, 2025

Ex-Costco worker who took leave to care for wife with cancer may proceed with disability bias claim

The case involved a tangled web between the requirements of the FMLA and state laws, as well as the company’s own leave policies.

By Ryan Golden • June 11, 2025

Garten Trucking’s union wage comment was improper, US appeals court says

An internal message to workers was rough but acceptable — except for a final line about raises, the three-judge panel found.

By David Taube • June 11, 2025

Blood donation now among the reasons Oregon workers can use sick leave

The state also allows workers to donate paid sick leave to other employees.

By Caroline Colvin • June 11, 2025