HR personnel are largely tasked with delivering layoff news. But what happens when talent management roles are on the chopping block?    

On March 19, Amazon starts its 60-day transitional period for 2,300 Seattle and Bellevue, Washington, workers laid off in January. Among the hundreds of employees set to exit in March are Amazon HR professionals, The Seattle Times reported; previously, staff on the “people experience and technology” team were laid off in November and offered severance packages. Likewise, TikTok talent acquisition staff also got booted in January 2023, after ByteDance generally reduced headcount in Russia and China throughout Q4 2022. HR Dive reached out to Amazon and TikTok for comment and did not hear back by the time of publication.

These are just two case studies in the greater landscape of corporate layoffs, and the implications of these cuts for HR as an industry are difficult to parse out.

“The labor market right now is bananas. It's really anybody's guess what's going to happen,” Cat Ward, vice president of employer mobilization at Jobs for the Future, told HR Dive. The “ethical offboarding” expert nodded to the challenges of making definitive statements about the state of the economy at this time. Still, Ward’s answer to the HR layoff question is straightforward: Talent acquisition and management is a “cost center,” she said. 

On the tails of many companies announcing hiring freezes last year, Ward’s clients have told her 2023 will be a “slow year” for talent acquisition.

“When you're thinking about cutting costs, you're going to turn your eyes to parts of the business that are not lifting up your profitability and bringing in revenue,” Ward said. This line of thinking can make HR vulnerable.

Regarding Amazon’s upcoming Washington-state layoffs, the e-commerce company’s HR lead told The Seattle Times that Amazon’s hiring freezes — which HR Dive previously reported on — and its “voluntary release” offers were insufficient cost-cutting efforts. 

Hiring freezes at a company aren’t automatically a death knell for human resources professionals. Ward also passed on a message from some of her clients that “the slowdown in hiring is going to allow the HR function to invest more time and energy” into existing talent. If the beginning of the pandemic was a hot time for acquisitions, Q1 2023 may usher in an era of current employee engagement and upskilling.

FILE - The light reflects off the glass facade of a building on the Amazon campus outside the company headquarter on March 20, 2020, in Seattle. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced in a memo to staff Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, that corporate employees will be required to return to the office at least three days a week starting in May.

• Amazon employees will need to be back in offices at least three days per week starting in May.

• Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced the change to corporate employees on Friday.

• Jassy cited improved chances to communicate, innovate, and learn from each other in offices.

Amazon's corporate employees will be required to spend at least three days per week working in offices starting in May, CEO Andy Jassy told employees in a memo shared Friday.

Jassy said the decision was made by himself and Amazon's "s-team" of senior executives this week, and will allow employees to collaborate and communicate more openly with each other by working in person more often.

"I know that for some employees, adjusting again to a new way of working will take some time," Jassy wrote in the Friday note. "But I'm very optimistic about the positive impact this will have in how we serve and invent on behalf of customers, as well as on the growth and success of our employees."

The new policy marks a significant departure from Jassy's prior comments, as he said during a panel in September 2022 that the e-commerce giant had no plan to require employees to return to offices. At the time, Jassy said most employees were on a hybrid schedule that was decided on by individual managers.

"We don't have a plan to require people to come back," he said at the event, per CNBC. "We don't right now. We're going to proceed adaptively as we learn."

He continued: "I do think there are some things that are harder to do remotely. I think it's a little harder to invent remotely."

In October 2021, Jassy axed a similar plan to the one announced Friday that would have required employees to return to offices amid the pandemic, and instead allowed individual teams to decide when their workers needed to be in offices.

Last October, Insider reported that leaked emails showed Amazon's intent to require up to 200 employees at a Phoenix logistics hub return to the office, even if it meant relocating to the area, or risk possibly losing their jobs.

Story continues

Earlier this week, Insider's Eugene Kim reported that Amazon's stated quest to become "Earth's best employer" — an effort which began just before Jassy took over at the helm — has reportedly had little impact inside the company. Current and former employees told Insider that the initiative lacks clear definition, and little has changed about the company's toxic culture.

Several other large US corporations including Google and Disney have announced policies in recent months to require employees spend at least some time in offices, with varying degrees of success. Over 2,000 Disney employees have reportedly signed a petition urging CEO Bob Iger to reconsider mandating employees to spend at least four days per week in the office.

Read the original article on Business Insider

It is extremely disheartening and disappointing to receive the news that Amazon is discontinuing its philanthropic division, AmazonSmile.

Thousands of organizations, nonprofits, schools and churches worldwide benefit from Amazon shoppers who choose to have a very small percentage of their purchases support the charity of their choice. It was a win-win for humanity.

At the Ezekiel Taylor Scholarship Foundation, we provide college scholarships and mentorship to African American males who’ve been impacted by gun violence. Many of these young men are desperate for opportunities for survival and education. They rely on us for college funding, mentorship and life skills programming. Our goal is to impact their lives for the advancement of our community. As partners with AmazonSmile, we are successful in creating change.

Members of our community spend billions of dollars with Amazon. Our dollars are why Amazon is successful. And in turn, it’s good business practice to support the communities that patronize a business, especially communities of color, along with disadvantaged, marginalized and indigenous communities.

It’s an insult to witness Jeff Bezos become one of the richest men in the world and then have his company release a statement that reads ”our ability to have an impact was often spread too thin.” How did they arrive at that conclusion? Did Amazon survey the nonprofits that benefit from the program? Let’s not forget the tax advantages of this program for Amazon.

Truthfully, we’re actually the ones “spread thin” on the ground. as change agents for a better society. We’re giving our hard-earned money, time, blood, sweat and tears to make a difference in the lives of young people. Many of the volunteers, like me, work long hours with no salary. It’s a labor of love.

While Bezos gets richer by the minute, our foundation is just trying to make college education affordable and equitable for young Black males. Those quarterly AmazonSmile checks aren’t enough money to put fuel in Bezos’ private jets or to pay for his space rocket adventures, but it makes the world of difference in the lives of people we serve.

As an AmazonSmile partner for the past seven years, we ask that Amazon reconsider this move. Let’s all be better global citizens. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated ”Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Tenisha Taylor, CEO, Ezekiel Taylor Scholarship Foundation 

Police have a right to push candidates for oversight councils

Police and their union should in no way have to halt their efforts to make police district councils more widely representative. The councils are being put together for multiple purposes, including shaping police policy on certain issues.

Critics of the union’s actions at least hint the union’s actions are an effort to undermine a primary purpose of the councils: To address alleged police misconduct. Conversely, the union argues they want some candidates who will not have an anti-police agenda. They want to ensure evenhandedness in oversight of alleged misconduct.

At least one candidate who criticizes the union claims its efforts demonstrate the police do not view the councils as a way to Improve “safety.” Where is the evidence for this claim? Longtime civil rights activist Frank Chapman tells the Sun-Times he believes the councils should consist of people in communities of color, not the police. Where is it written that certain citizens should be excluded ? Why should police misconduct be addressed only by people from specific communities? Has a presumption been created that anyone who is not a community activist, or any person who will be neutral on issues concerning police oversight, will be prejudiced in favor of the police?

There is nothing unfair or unusual about concerned, organized groups making attempts to put a candidate of their choosing on such councils. There should be oversight councils for police misconduct. But not all members of the councils need be people from pre-selected communities who have gone to great lengths to get greater control over police departments.

Councils must be fair, unbiased and represented by any interested Chicagoan willing to provide such government service.

Terry Takash, Western Springs

U.S. debt and Ukraine

In light of the news regarding our debt ceiling, it seems like a parallel should be drawn to the billions in aid being sent to Ukraine. Vladimir Putin doesn’t need to invade or bomb our country to harm us. All he needs to do is continue his barbaric acts against Ukraine, thereby causing the United States to drain its financial resources and leaving us vulnerable and lacking the financial means to take care of our own country.

We don’t need to overtax our businesses and citizens. We need to stop sending money. It makes no sense to say it is humane to send money but not stop the horrific war.

The message really being sent is that money is all that matters, and saving human lives and making a stand for humanity are not worth the effort.

Cecile Bolton, Westchester

• The hiring landscape for tech looks dramatically different than it did last year, recruiters say.
• Amid layoffs and uncertainty, companies are taking longer to fill roles and offering lower salaries.
• Call it the Great Reboot. "We're going to see a lot of shifts" this year, one recruiter said.

In late 2020, Keri B., a recruiter, was working with a professional-services company that was desperate to hire.

It was so eager, in fact, that the candidate she placed managed to negotiate a starting salary that she said was $20,000 more than their new boss was making. "That was the first time that I was like, 'Wow, this is crazy,'" Keri, whose last name and place of employment are known to Insider, said. "I'm seeing people who are new grads just out of school getting really, really high salaries."

But in the middle of last year, Keri noticed a stark shift. Companies became more "unforgiving" on salaries and less willing to offer leeway on perks like remote work. 

Keri and other recruiters say that candidate offers are now much lower and look more like those from 2019 — before the pandemic kicked off the Great Resignation, before Big Tech went on a hiring spree, and before anyone had heard of "quiet quitting."  

Call it the Great Reboot. 

"Yes, there is an economic downturn, but I do think there's a lot to be said about companies making strategic decisions to put power back in their hands and put their foot down," Keri said. 

Not only are companies lowering salaries for new hires, the recent layoffs and fear that there might be more to come are also tamping down the power of remaining employees. "Doing all these layoffs and seeing all these layoffs in the news every single day certainly puts a lot of worry in the people that are working," she said.

The hiring landscape in tech looks dramatically different than it did last year, recruiters say

"Six months ago, if you were a developer, you could ask for anything," Nikita Gupta, a Big Tech recruiter in Seattle and the founder of a job-search company called Careerflow.ai, told Insider. "Companies were closing their eyes and doing whatever they could to get the person hired."

No longer. "Now the companies that are hiring are taking weeks and months to fill roles and they want to make sure they hire the cheapest person," she said. "It's 'take it or leave it.'"

Heather Colvin, who recruits for technical jobs at small- and medium-sized companies around the US, said that the recent tech layoffs might, in part, be a recognition by many larger tech companies that they not only over-hired but that their payrolls were too costly relative to the market. 

"Some of these companies were hoarding talent," she told Insider. "And I think some have recognized that they were paying above-market value for people."

Colvin predicted that there would be "a reset in terms of compensation" not only in pay but also in the incentives that companies offer — "the benefits, sign-on bonuses and equity, and remote work," she told Insider. 

Speculation on the 'real reason' tech companies are shedding workers

Some on TikTok and Reddit have posited that the "real reason" tech companies are cutting jobs is to tamp down fat salaries bloated by the Great Resignation.

It might sound like something of a conspiracy theory, but it might not be as outlandish as it seems. Tech companies scrambled to meet demand and went on a hiring binge during the pandemic. Reports show that Amazon and Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, both doubled their head count during that time; Microsoft and Google boosted their employee base by more than half. 

The competition for talent, in turn, drove up salaries. At a time when wages were climbing at the fastest pace in decades across the board, tech companies were especially generous to new hires — and even existing employees. Last February, for example, Insider reported that Amazon increased its base-pay cap from $160,000 to $350,000.

The massive layoffs, which reportedly included highly paid managers at Google, could be a way for companies to reset their pay ceilings when they rehire. A year and a half ago, compensation was a "completely different ball game," a former recruiter at Google told Insider.

One telling data point: According to an internal memo obtained by Insider's Eugene Kim, Amazon is only hiring students or new graduates for its entry-level software-developer jobs. Neither the memo nor Amazon's spokesperson clarified why the company believes campus hires are better than experienced candidates, but it's possible Amazon is targeting a younger and cheaper group of workers, as "experienced engineers tend to command a higher salary," Kim reported.

"High-skill" occupations have seen year-over-year wage growth remain at 6% for November and December 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's wage tracker; "low-skill" professions, meanwhile, saw 6.8% wage growth, which swelled in both November and December. Similarly, jobs with wages in the third and fourth quartiles — meaning the top 50% of wages —  have seen their pay growth dramatically outpaced by the bottom half.

Layoffs are meant to cut costs — and they also reduce workers' bargaining power

Proving that tech companies are trying to reset their salary bands would be practically impossible. It's not exactly something companies would readily admit to and the data would be hard to come by. Insider asked Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft for comment. Microsoft did not have anything to share; Meta and Google did not respond.

A spokesperson from Amazon said: "This speculation is entirely false. Role eliminations did not significantly change our overall compensation costs, and, unlike other companies, we are not reducing any employee's pay. We remain committed to our compensation philosophy as a means to attract, retain, and motivate employees."

Aaron Sojourner, a senior researcher at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, said that "certainly, layoffs reduce workers' bargaining power."

With more layoffs, there might be the creation of what's called monopsony power, a term that refers to the power that employers hold over dictating wages and labor-market conditions. Monopsony increases, Sojourner told Insider, when there are fewer substitute jobs for workers to move into — which is what happens when there are layoffs or companies hiring less.

"The days of expanding and offering richer and richer compensation to try to attract more and more talent to the sector — that's on pause right now," Sojourner said.

The compelling economic logic for layoffs is always the desire to cut costs, said Wayne Cascio, an industrial-organizational psychologist at the University of Colorado who has for decades studied downsizing in corporate America. After all, workers are often the biggest expense for companies, accounting for as much as 70% of total business costs, according to Paycor, an HR software company. 

"Building on that rationale, if companies overpaid for workers, that means their labor costs went up, so they're a more tempting target," he told Insider.

Will tech companies then try to hire back their workers at lower salaries? Cascio isn't so sure: "That assumes there are people out to rehire — and that those people will overlook how you treated workers in a downturn."

Des Moines Register 2/9/2023 F. Amanda Tugade, Des Moines Register

© Alan Diaz/Special to the Register A mob of job-seekers checks out companies at a job fair in Miami Lakes, Fla., in 2013.

A nonprofit focused on fighting for changes to probation and parole laws and backed by high-profile celebrities and philanthropists including hip-hop mogul Jay-Z is making its mark in Iowa.

REFORM Alliance, which Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill and former 76ers owner Michael Rubin founded in 2019, has teamed up with the Greater Des Moines Partnership to host its first job fair in the Hawkeye State to help formerly incarcerated people find employment and other resources.

The free event will be held from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St., in Des Moines. Attendees must register online and are required to show an ID to enter the venue.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.

The event will feature recruiters from various businesses and companies, with hundreds of open positions across all job levels, according to a news release. UPS, Amazon, Hy-Vee and Farm Bureau Financial Services are among the many employers expected to attend. Employers still looking to participate in the job fair who have full-time positions open in Iowa and are willing to hire candidates with criminal records must fill out a Google form.

While the job fair is open to all attendees, resources aimed at helping formerly incarcerated people will be available. Representatives from community organizations and workforce development programs will be on-site to answer questions on the expungement process and help with resume building and interview prep. They also will help with makeup, hair and professional attire.

“Employment is one of the key factors in reducing recidivism and preventing future crime. That’s why extending resources and equitable opportunities for quality jobs is fundamental to building safe communities and a thriving economy,” Kam Middlebrooks, Iowa state director for REFORM Alliance, said in a statement. “Many of these community members can and want to work, but haven’t been exposed to the right opportunities.

"We’ve assembled an incredible group of employers looking to fill open positions and the resources this population needs to overcome any obstacles to employment. It’s a recipe for success for job seekers and employers alike.” 

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Free job fair for candidates with criminal records held in Des Moines: How to sign up

Some of our favorite things start off as a recommendation from a friend. Whether they swear by a cleaning must-have or something to make dinner prep a little less exhausting, we rely on those in the know to supply us the scoop on what really works. Now, imagine you had access to the opinions of tens of thousands of friends from all different walks of life — if that many people rally behind something, there's no way it's a dud. No need to join any new social media groups; instead, trust the opinions of countless Amazon reviewers. They know how to differentiate something gimmicky from something great; they're a discerning bunch, and you can use their knowledge to your advantage. Scroll down for our favorite Amazon gadgets with cult-favorite status.

You'll never be without your charging cable or bottle opener again with this keychain. Perfect for traveling — you're always going to need to charge your phone and you never know when the bottles aren't twist-off!

"This is a handy gadget for anyone who has a phone, so everyone!" shared a one of 2,000 rave reviewers. "It clips to my wallet key holder or the inside of my handbag, along with a small battery pack. I don't fear being left without power or a way to get it. These are great to keep in your glove box or a gift for a friend that never seems to have a cord and 'borrows' yours."

If there's someone in your life who likes to spend time in the garage tinkering, this is a deal you shouldn't pass up — it's nearly 60% off! This creeper lets you get on the ground and underneath whatever you're fixing and keep you comfortable. More than 15,000 shoppers supply it a perfect five-star rating.

"I'm a bigger guy and squatting out crawling under my jeep can be a challenge at times," shared a rave reviewer. "This creeper allows me to comfortably lay down and roll under my jeep or simply sit down when I am working at a higher level. More sturdy and reliable than other creepers I have tried."

If you're a late-night reader or just can't seem to put down the crossword at bedtime, this studying light might just change your routine. It's horseshoe-shaped and hangs around your neck like a necklace with two little lights on the end. It's also rechargeable, adjustable and has over 68,000 five-star fans.

"I honestly only bought this on a whim but now I'm not sure how I can continue life without it," reported a rave reviewer. "Amazing for reading, crochet, power outages, camping....10/10."

Opening jars never seems to get any easier, especially if you have arthritis. For those people, the EZ Off Jar Opener is a game-changer.

"My husband bought this for me and I love it!" raved one of 18,000 five-star fans. "I'm not a kitchen gadget person but I think everyone should have one of these if you're getting tired of trying to open jars and bottles. It's an excellent gift for anyone, especially an older person. The older I get, the more frustrated I get with opening jars and bottles. We gave one to our 84-year-old friend and she loves it!"

Got neck and shoulder pain? This weighted heating pad is made just for your neck and shoulders and has a fastener to keep it in place for a soothing experience. Proof is in the reviews — nearly 3,000 shoppers rave about how it eases their aches.

"It makes my headaches go away almost immediately," reported a rave reviewer. "I had reconstructive shoulder surgery and nothing ever worked except for this. I love it. 10/10"

If you do a lot of cooking, your entire body will thank you for taking advantage of this deal. This anti-fatigue kitchen mat will supply your feet so much cushion that your whole body will be at ease after taking the last casseroles and pies out of the oven.

"I am so happy I bought this," wrote one of 3,000+ five-star fans. "I spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. My feet get sore easily after working in retail for 15 years wearing awful shoes. Any comfort I can get at home doing something I love is well worth the investment. Super cushiony. I ordered a different brand and they did not come close to this one!"

The 32-page Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook is perfect for the student, the professional or anyone who takes lots of notes. The No. 1 bestseller is also a dream solution for those who want to reduce paper waste and clutter. Simply send handwritten notes to the cloud and then wipe the pages clean for reuse. It has nearly 50,000 five-star ratings! The Rocketbook is currently available in two sizes and 17 colors and comes with a Pilot Frixion pen and a microfiber cloth.

"The Rocketbook was a great find," shared a rave reviewer. "It allows me to keep track of notes rather than notebooks (I've used and lost many). The cool thing that I have found with it is the ease that it is with set up and storage of notes. I like the fact that it is quick and easy with simple shortcuts. I recommend it for those struggling to track and find notebooks."

Professional organizers will tell you that the key to a happy pantry is to swap out all those ugly cardboard boxes and polypropylene for clear containers so that you know exactly what you have. This seven-piece set, complete with reusable labels, does just that — plus their easy-lock lids ensure maximum freshness. Over 18,000 five-star reviewers rank them as perfection.

This happy reviewer gets it: "Great organizers to bring some calm to your chaos and not just for food! My pantry finally looks organized. The containers are heavy-duty and seal very well...I recommend these multi-purpose containers to anyone who wants to bring some calm to their chaos, whether it’s food, craft supplies or anything you need to securely store."

This Coffee Mug Warmer is an easygoing little guy, with only an on/off switch and an indicator light telling you when your drink is hot — it takes less than two minutes to do its thing! I really appreciate its simplicity in this chaotic day and age. It has a nice long cord, easily wipes clean and is tiny enough to fit in a carry-on. Yes, I plan to bring it with me on vacation this summer. And yes that might sound a bit nuts but hey, call me crazy. I'm hooked.

"It is so convenient!" reported one of over 3,000 five-star fans. "You just put your tea cup on it, it will automatically warm your drink at once, you do not have to push any button, when you take your tea cup away from it for drink, it also automatically stop to work, you do nothing, and you always have warm drinks. Great one! Much better than other warmer. I bought 4 of them already. hahaha"

How's this for a problem-solver? A basket that you can hang next to the door to hold your mail, keys and whatever else you need to corral. 12,000 five-star reviewers have already gotten their goods sorted.

"Perfect for the space I had in mind," shared a rave reviewer. "Needed something in our closet for my husband to hang his hats & belt on and keep his wallet and other stuff he keeps in his pockets all in one place. Worked out perfectly!"

EZ Off

EZ Off Jar Opener for Weak Hands

$22

The EZ Off Jar Opener affixes to the underside of your kitchen cabinet with adhesives and a few small screws. It has a V-shape with metal teeth on one side. The teeth grip the jar and pry it open when you twist.

$22 at Amazon

Opening jars never seems to get any easier, especially if you have arthritis. For those people, the EZ Off Jar Opener is a game-changer.

"My husband bought this for me and I love it!" raved one of 18,000 five-star fans. "I'm not a kitchen gadget person but I think everyone should have one of these if you're getting tired of trying to open jars and bottles. It's an excellent gift for anyone, especially an older person. The older I get, the more frustrated I get with opening jars and bottles. We gave one to our 84-year-old friend and she loves it!"

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

Looking for more great Amazon home and auto deals? Check these out:

Vacuums

Kitchen

Auto

Bedding and home

Storage and Organization

Originally published February 11, 2023, 7:27 PM