The 10 Must-Read Articles for Talent Professionals This Week

If there’s a theme to this week’s list of must-read articles for talent professionals, it’s that the return-to-office (RTO) debate is far from over.

At the top of our list below, you’ll find an article from NPR spotlighting remote workers who refused to go back to the office when their employers asked them to do so. They petitioned, joined forces with unions and other employees, and won the right to continue to work from home — although in some cases, it may only be a temporary reprieve. “It’s hard to even fathom going into the office 100%,” one HR worker told NPR. “I don’t think I could do it ever again.”

Further down our list, you’ll also see an article from HR Brew that suggests a recession could tip the balance of power back toward employers — who could then mandate a RTO that employees will not be able to refuse. “CEOs don’t like [remote work],” said Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president of SHRM. “Period.” He expects that remote workers are “about to run into a wall, because the companies are going to draw the line.”

And toward the bottom of our list, you’ll also find a more philosophical approach to the RTO debate in a New York Times article. “At its heart,” the Times writes, “the battle over remote work is a test of corporate America’s definition of an ideal worker. For decades or even longer, that has been a person who prioritizes their job above all else and has no outside commitments.”

Finally, no matter where your laptop is located, we hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Here are the must-read articles from this week:

1. The Idea of Working in the Office, All Day, Every Day? No Thanks, Say Workers (NPR)

2. New Research on Attracting Mid-Career Candidates (ERE)

3. Juneteenth Beyond a Day Off: How to Celebrate Year-Round (HR Dive) 

4. Is Your Hiring Process Costing You Talent? (Harvard Business Review)

5. Be Careful with the Layoffs (Josh Bersin)

6. A Potential Recession Hangs Overhead: Are RTO Mandates to Follow? (HR Brew)

7. The Workers Getting 100% Pay for 80% of the Hours (BBC)

8. The Office Monsters Are Trying to Claw Their Way Back to 2019 (The New York Times)

9. Microsoft Will No Longer Ban Staff from Seeking Roles at Competitors and Plans to Disclose Salaries on Job Ads (Business Insider)

10. 9 TED Talks That Every Recruiter Should Watch (LinkedIn Talent Blog)

This week’s must-listen podcast:

Why New Grads Want Balance in Their First Jobs (As We Work)

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