Notifying employees of layoffs via email has become more common among companies such as Google and Amazon, and while some say the method enables all workers to be informed at the same time, many employees who have been on the receiving end find it a brutal way to close out their relationship with a company. Former Google engineer Jeremy Joslin, who had worked with the company for 20 years, said receiving the news via a templated email felt "like a slap in the face."

As artificial intelligence grows in importance, so do corporate responsibilities to practice "ethical AI," writes Mike Dunn, chief technology officer of Prosegur Security. In this article, Dunn outlines how to formulate effective and responsible AI policies, "a great first step to ensure your business is protected in case of misuse."

Companies can improve retention by measuring morale to improve both the employee experience and employer branding, writes Teleperformance's Ben Kirby. Monitor morale during onboarding, design systems to gain regular, real-time insights from employees, and continually review employee feedback and ratings on social media and sites such as Glassdoor, Kirby advises.

If a recession arrives this year, look for a majority of employers to eschew cuts in salaries and employee benefits, with small businesses more likely to hang in, according to a survey from Principal Financial Group. CEO Candice Sherman of the Northeast Business Group on Health notes that benefits remain important because "[e]mployers are still very concerned about retaining and also recruiting top-level talent."

Ageist hiring practices hurt younger workers as well as older ones, and a survey of 800 hiring managers found that 38% engaged in looking at resumes with age bias. Employers should cover age as part of bias training, create an age-inclusive work culture that addresses behaviors that foster exclusion and disengagement, and not lump all workers older than age 40 into a single category.