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, perception and reality are parting ways. LinkedIn says Google is the best company to work for, on the same day Google lays off hundreds.
Google is allegedly paying people to sit still, while quietly cutting others. Gen Z is building new professional networks because the old ones feel out of touch.
And AI? Still coming for your job, still smiling while it does.
It’s a brand credibility crisis, a trust test for talent leaders, and a reminder that if you’re not managing your employer brand, someone else is.
This Week’s Paper Cut's
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🏆 “Best Company to Work For” - Who Decides?
Google ranks #1 on LinkedIn’s annual “Top Companies” list.
That same week, they cut hundreds of roles in Android and Pixel teams. Meanwhile, Microsoft (LinkedIn’s owner) is mulling more layoffs and under fire for firing staff who protested at an internal event.
The cherry on top? Reports claim Google is paying AI workers six-figure salaries… to do nothing.
Employer Branding Take: These “best workplace” rankings may drive clicks, but for savvy candidates, they’re starting to smell like spin. If your EVP isn’t aligned with the lived employee experience, you’re not just risking bad press—you’re handing competitors your talent on a silver platter.
📌 Google tops LinkedIn’s 2025 workplace list
📌 Microsoft fires protesting engineers
📌 Google pays AI staff to do nothing
🤖 AI’s Still Eating Jobs, And CEOs Aren’t Even Hiding It
Shopify’s CEO says you now have to prove AI can’t do your job before getting headcount approved.
That’s a chilling new benchmark in workforce planning. Meanwhile, experts are naming names - paralegals, customer support, and telemarketers are first in the firing line. In China, the shift is subtle but telling: companies are quietly asking staff to work less. AI is working overtime.
Employer Branding Take: Don’t wait until your people start asking “am I next?” to start communicating your AI policy. Clarity builds trust. Silence signals replaceability.
📌 Shopify: Prove AI can’t replace you
📌 China’s ‘work less’ era begins
🌱 Gen Z is Over LinkedIn
Meet the Gen Z-founded LinkedIn alternative, Series.
Built by Yale students, it’s AI-first, text-based, and claims to “remove performative professionalism.” In other words, it’s a response to career networking that feels less like a resume contest and more like a human conversation.
Employer Branding Take: If you’re relying solely on LinkedIn to shape your talent funnel, this should be your wake-up call. Gen Z wants authenticity and relevance, your channels and tone need to reflect that, or you risk becoming background noise.
📌 Gen Z builds LinkedIn alternative
🧠 “People-First” HR – Just Say It Louder?
A new SHRM-backed “people-first” framework drops.
The timing’s ironic, employee confidence remains low due to tariffs and economic uncertainty. Talking “people-first” while planning restructures and tech-led cost cuts? That’s a PR strategy, not a people strategy.
Employer Branding Take: Actions over acronyms. If your HR language doesn’t reflect your lived experience, you’re not building trust, you’re bleeding it.
📌 HR goes “people-first” again
📌 Employee confidence remains shaky
📉 UK Talent Tide Turns
Biggest jump in UK job seekers since 2020.
Reports show a surge in applicants flooding the market—a mix of layoffs, economic anxiety, and recalibrated expectations. Great for recruiters. Complex for employer brands trying to stand out in a crowded market.
Employer Branding Take: In a sea of sameness, your narrative is everything. Speak to job seekers’ concerns. Show them stability. Be specific.
📌 UK recruiters see hiring spike
📌 Job seekers flood the market
Closing Thoughts
From “top employers” who quietly slash teams to new networking platforms and AI-run job interviews, the workplace isn’t just evolving, it’s unrecognisable in places.
Here’s the employer branding playbook for the week ahead:
- If you’re winning awards but laying people off, expect scrutiny.
- Gen Z wants something real. If they can’t find it, they’ll build it.
- “People-first” has to mean something more than a tagline.
- In the age of AI, your human edge is your employer brand.
Until next week, remember: perception is reality. And reality is being updated… weekly.
Video Version
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