The Labor Department will collect additional input on an Obama-era regulation that would essentially double the income level below which workers are eligible for overtime pay, Secretary R. Alexander Acosta said. Raising the threshold by such an amount likely would strain employers, Acosta has said.

Many companies in the technology industry are emphasizing skills-based hiring instead of filtering out potential job candidates according to level of education or years of experience. TechHire, which assists with worker training programs and connects job seekers with companies, is one of the organizations working to erode "the cultural hegemony of the bachelor's degree," said Opportunity@Work President Byron Auguste.

The mattress manufacturing company Casper pays employees cash rewards for working out whenever and however they want, in an effort to promote healthy habits and reduce health costs. Workers use the IncentFit app to track their exercise and sleep, and can earn up to $130 a month for exercise and up to $60 for sleep.

Unilever is using online advertisements, algorithms to scan resumes and online games to screen candidates before it involves people from HR for in-person conversations. Such a process was used last year in hiring for positions in North America.

Aspiring chief HR officers need a strong understanding of the business, write Michelle Vitus and Patty Woolcock. Some professionals get experience in large companies while others "achieve leadership status by joining high-growth startups in junior or mid-level roles, often focused at first on recruiting, and then expanding their roles as needed by the company," they write.