Welcome to Paper Cut, where we cut through the week’s noise to bring you the sharpest insights in employer branding, talent acquisition, and HR.
This week, layoffs are piling up, market jitters are growing, and AI is taking over everything from HR to investment banking... 2025 is off to a bumpy start.
DEI faces fresh challenges (with some unexpected wins), and while the economy stumbles, companies like Ferrari are rewarding employees. Plus, AI is reshaping the employee experience in ways that might actually make work… better.
This Week’s Paper Cut's
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📉 Layoffs, Job Openings & Economic Shifts
🚨 Mass Layoffs Hit Hard Across Industries
Salesforce is cutting 1,000 jobs, Estee Lauder plans to eliminate up to 7,000 roles, and Workday is shedding nearly 2,000 employees. But the biggest shock comes from Lear, which is cutting a staggering 12,000 jobs globally. Whether driven by economic pressures, AI adoption, or both, the message is clear: companies are restructuring fast, and no sector seems immune.
📌 Read more:
- 🔗 Salesforce Layoffs – People Matters
- 🔗 Estee Lauder Cuts 7,000 Jobs – LiveMint
- 🔗 Workday Cuts Nearly 2,000 Employees – TechCrunch
- 🔗 STMicroelectronics Job Cuts – Tech in Asia
- 🔗 Lear to Cut 12,000 Jobs Globally – Automotive News
📉 US Job Openings Plunge—What’s Going On?
Job openings in the US fell sharply in December, signaling a cooling labor market. While layoffs remain historically low for now, the decline in openings suggests companies are hitting the brakes on growth. Is this a temporary correction, or the start of a deeper shift?
📌 Read more:
- 🔗 Reuters
🌍 Is Trump’s Trade War Adding to the Pressure?
The economy was already shaky, but Trump’s escalating trade war isn’t helping. With global supply chains strained and businesses facing increased costs, companies are rethinking hiring and expansion plans.
📌 Read more:
- 🔗 US News
🤖 AI: Friend, Foe, or Both?
🏦 Goldman Sachs Starts Replacing Bankers with AI
Goldman Sachs has begun using AI to replace bankers, claiming it’ll handle routine tasks and free up humans for more strategic roles. But with layoffs already on the rise, it raises a bigger question: what’s left for the humans?
📌 Read more:
💼 AI Is Reshaping the Employee Experience
AI isn’t just replacing jobs—it’s redefining them. SAP and Oracle unveiled new AI tools designed to improve employee engagement, from predictive analytics to personalized career development. Is this the future of HR, or just another layer of tech jargon?
📌 Read more:
🚀 The Future of Jobs 2025: What You Need to Know
We’ve just published our deep dive into the Future of Jobs 2025, exploring how AI, automation, and shifting work models are reshaping talent attraction. Spoiler: it’s not all bad news. Discover where the opportunities are hiding.
Mike Parsons
📢 DEI: Under Pressure, but Still Standing
🔥 Target Faces National Boycott Over DEI Initiatives
Target is under fire again, with calls for a national boycott urging the retailer to drop its DEI programs. As public pressure mounts, the company faces a familiar corporate dilemma: stand firm or fold under controversy?
Steve Karnowski,The Associated Press
🗂️ Google Ditches DEI Hiring Goals
Google is shifting its approach to DEI, officially dropping its hiring goals tied to diversity initiatives. The move has sparked debates about accountability and whether companies are recalibrating for impact—or quietly retreating under pressure.
Dominic-Madori Davis
🎤 Chappell Roan’s Grammy Speech Goes Viral—For All the Right Reasons
In an unexpected moment of workplace relevance, singer Chappell Roan used her Grammy spotlight to champion DEI and trans rights, reminding us that workplace culture isn’t confined to the office. Sometimes, pop culture does the heavy lifting.
Caroline Colvin
🌟 Good News (Because We Need It)
🏎️ Ferrari Surprises Employees with Huge Bonuses
Ending on a high note: Ferrari is rewarding employees with bonuses of up to €13,500 after a stellar performance year. In a sea of layoffs and cutbacks, it’s a reminder that not every company is tightening its belt.
Samuel Coop
💼 Need a Job in Employer Branding?
Feeling the weight of all this doom and gloom? We’ve got you. Check out the latest roles in employer branding, recruitment marketing, and talent acquisition here:
🔗 EB Jobs Board
Closing Thoughts
Yes, the headlines are heavy. But even in the chaos, there are bright spots, companies doubling down on employee engagement, leaders standing up for what matters, and new opportunities emerging in unexpected places.
The future of work isn’t just about surviving shifts; it’s about navigating them with clarity and purpose.
Thanks for reading. See you next week.
Video Version
🎥 Prefer to watch? Check out the video edition of Paper Cut for sharp takes on this week’s biggest trends in employer branding and HR.
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