An important trend is unfurling when it comes to the geography of America’s workforce, with smaller metro areas outpacing major urban centers in creating the most supportive environments for women professionals. According to Checkr’s 2025 report on the best cities for women in the workforce, metros like Nashville, Spokane and Tucson are setting new standards for workplace equity and opportunity, while traditional economic powerhouses like San Francisco, New York and St. Louis ranked...

President Trump’s aggressive tariff policies are creating unprecedented anxiety among America’s frontline workforce, and HR leaders play an indispensable role in creating stability and support among their most vulnerable employees. A survey of 5,000 frontline workers by HCM platform UKG reveals that more than half (52%) fear tariffs will lead to layoffs, while three-quarters (74%) believe these policies will impact their future earnings. That anxiety isn’t distributed equally — 3 in 5 Gen Z...

We’ve all worked with people who don’t pull their weight. But it’s worse than you might have thought: According to fresh research, most employees — while physically showing up, as they must in an RTO-driven world — are checked out mentally. And it’s costing employers a sum that would make even Elon Musk blush. According to Axios HQ’s report “2025 State of Internal Comms,” employees say they’re spending just 66% of their day doing their actual job, with the remainder lost to endless...

The RTO movement has transcended policy to become a fashion obsession. From Prada’s “Now That We’re Here” campaign to Stella McCartney’s fresh take on the power suit, major fashion houses are leaning into workplace themes, reflecting a broader cultural shift back to structure and professionalism. But beneath this aesthetic evolution lies a complex negotiation of power, identity and work culture that HR leaders must navigate carefully, according to workplace experts. “The pandemic has left...