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Mike Parsons

Mike is a dynamic employer branding expert with 20 years of experience, including a decade leading a top employer branding insights firm and another building media brands globally.

Two men face off in a tense office meeting, one pointing, the other contemplative. A snapshot of modern workplace friction.

From Friendly Faces to Firing Squads: The New Corporate Culture.

Welcome to the War ON Talent - where the smiles have faded, the perks have dried up, and today’s “top employers” are swapping empathy for ultimatums. Why are we living through mass layoffs, rigid mandates, and an increasingly hostile tone from the top?

Polished trophy on display in a corporate office, symbolic of the hollow recognition many companies pay for rather than earn.

Congrats on Buying Your Award. Now Try Earning Employee Trust

Employer awards look great on LinkedIn, but behind the gold foil lies a rigged game of pay-to-play PR. It’s time to stop mistaking shiny badges for real culture and start asking who these trophies are really for.

Image from Chat GPT-4o

Let's Face It: Corporate Values Are Total Bullshit

When the numbers wobble, so do the morals. Turns out “values-led leadership” often means whatever fits on a slide deck.

The DOGE shiba inu dog looking serious at it's desk planning the DOCE action plan

Forget DOGE – DOCE is coming! And There’s Nothing Anybody Can Do About It

In the hallowed halls of corporate power, whispers abound of a new strategy inspired by the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). And if the murmurs are to be believed, we are standing on the precipice of DOGE’s corporate cousin – DOCE, the Department of Corporate Efficiency.

The future of hiring: A human recruiter and a digital AI counterpart face off, redefining talent acquisition in 2025

The Future of Recruiting 2025: LinkedIn’s Take on What’s Next for Talent Acquisition

LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting 2025 report reveals the hiring trends shaping tomorrow’s workforce. AI-driven efficiency, skills-first hiring, and the ongoing war for top talent. Discover how to align your employer brand with these shifts before you get left behind.

A b+w photo of an out of date 1970's bank interior, looking as retro as most banks present day EVP's!

Banking’s talent crisis: why your EVP is failing (and how to fix it)

The financial industry is haemorrhaging talent, with outdated EVPs failing to attract the modern workforce. Learn why competitive salaries alone no longer cut it and how banks can rethink their talent strategies to stay ahead.

Yes, AI Is Taking Jobs, and It’s Only Going to Get Worse

Yes, AI Is Taking Jobs, and It’s Only Going to Get Worse

The AI revolution isn’t just knocking on the door, it’s kicked it wide open. With layoffs mounting and employers openly admitting AI is replacing workers, the narrative of "AI will enhance productivity, not take jobs" is crumbling fast.