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North American Edition
29th January 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Trump fires NLRB leaders
President Donald Trump has dismissed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Democratic board member Gwynne Wilcox, leaving the board without a quorum. Abruzzo had been instrumental in expanding workers' rights. The National Labor Relations Act permits board members to be removed only for neglect of duty or malfeasance. The firings come shortly after a significant union victory at Whole Foods Market in Philadelphia, highlighting ongoing tensions between the NLRB and corporate interests, including lawsuits from companies like SpaceX and Amazon. Abruzzo emphasized the NLRB's achievements under former President Joe Biden, stating "There's no putting that genie back in the bottle." President Trump also abruptly fired two Democratic commissioners at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) late Monday. During his first term, Trump had appointed one of them, Jocelyn Samuels, to fill a Democratic seat. She was serving a second term ending July 2026. The other commissioner, Charlotte Burrows, was first appointed to the EEOC by former President Barack Obama. She served under Trump in his first term and continued under Biden. Although she stepped down as chair of the EEOC earlier this month, her third term on the commission wasn't set to expire until July 2028.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
State Department urged to observe ‘spirit’ of anti-DEI order
Guidance presented to the State Department says it should observe the “spirit” of the Trump administration’s elimination of diversity programs in its public messaging. This, the Wall Street Journal suggests, likely prohibits the agency from openly observing Black History Month in February. State Department officials have sought permission to release public statements about Black History Month as well as other “heritage months and commemorative events.” The response they received suggests that staff should highlight the “valuable contribution of individual Americans throughout U.S. history, while ensuring our public communications maintain the spirit of the directive eliminating DEAI programs." A State Department official said there would be no public-facing messages or events about Black History Month, adding: "That’s how we’re reading it."
Black founders urge support for Target
In response to Target's recent decision to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Black founders and influencers are urging consumers not to boycott the retailer. They argue that a boycott would harm Black-owned businesses more than Target itself. Target had previously committed over $2bn to Black-owned businesses by 2025 and aimed to feature more than 500 Black-owned brands in its stores. Advocates suggest that consumers should instead support Black-owned products available at Target, as a boycott could lead to reduced visibility and sales for these brands. Tamala Barksdale from 360 Agency described Target's move as "a break in trust" with its diverse customer base.
Anti-DEI stance could hinder leadership pipeline
Fortune’s Lily Mae Lazarus considers the long-term impact of the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance, saying that “abandoning decades-old inclusivity initiatives risks reshaping the future C-suite by limiting diversity in the current leadership talent pipeline.” She warns that if efforts are not made to ensure diversity in entry-level and mid-level positions, it “diminishes the pool of qualified leaders from underrepresented backgrounds.” This, she adds, may see firms unable to fully deliver “the varied perspectives and ideas needed to address challenges in an increasingly global market.”
POLITICAL
Trump fires Justice Department employees
The Trump Justice Department has dismissed over a dozen employees involved in criminal investigations concerning President Donald Trump. A Justice Department official, speaking anonymously, noted that the terminations are part of a broader effort to reshape the department following the resignation of special counsel Jack Smith earlier this month. Smith had charged Trump in two criminal cases: in Florida, for mishandling classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club and defying a subpoena commanding their return; and in Washington, for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The Department did not name the fired prosecutors. However, a person who worked with some members of Mr Smith's team said many of the dismissals appeared to target career lawyers and most likely violated civil service protections for non-political employees.
WORKFORCE
The 'Great Detachment' between workers and employers
WorkLife features a report on the so-called 'Great Detachment', a troubling workplace trend highlighting an increasing disconnect between workers and employers. It cites work management platform Slingshot’s Digital Work Trends Report, which found that only 20% of employees feel educated about the goals of the companies they work for. Slingshot founder Dean Guid remarked: “When employees don’t have insight into their company’s goals, they’re largely unaware of how their daily work fits into the bigger picture of the company, which can cause them to feel unmotivated, confused on priorities and unproductive.“ Charles Berry, director of team-building activities service Zing Events, added: “The ’Great Detachment’ isn’t just another workplace buzzword, it’s the result of a slow-burning cultural shift that started during the pandemic."
Trump offers buyouts to federal employees
The Trump administration has introduced a "deferred resignation program" aimed at incentivizing nearly all civilian federal workers to resign, with a deadline of February 6 for decisions. The initiative allows employees to remain on the payroll until September 30 without working, with buyouts capped at £25,000. The administration anticipates a "more streamlined and flexible workforce," although military and certain agencies may see staff increases. Everett Kelley, President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that the proposal "should not be viewed as voluntary," highlighting concerns over the administration's anti-worker policies and the potential for a toxic work environment. Meanwhile, the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents about 150,000 federal workers, warned its members that "the email is designed to entice or scare you into resigning" and said "we strongly urge you not to resign in response."
REMUNERATION
CFOs forecast smaller pay raises
According to a new survey from Gartner, fewer finance chiefs anticipate salary increases for employees in 2025, with only 61% planning to raise compensation, down from 71% in 2024 and 86% in 2023. The survey revealed a decline in those expecting raises of 10% or more, dropping from 16% in 2023 to 11% in 2025. Randeep Rathindran, vice president of research at Gartner, commented: "The slowdown in pay increases reflects falling rates of inflation and lower levels of voluntary employee attrition." Rathindran recommends that CFOs collaborate with HR to ensure competitive pay for key roles, as reduced wage increases could impact employee engagement and retention.
TECHNOLOGY
How DeepSeek dented American dominance
The Wall Street Journal’s Stu Woo and Raffaele Huang look at the impact of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek, detailing that it utilized a team of young engineers “hired by a boss with disdain for experience” as part of the “formula” it used to “shock the world.” Alongside this, they say it added some “clever programming shortcuts, and a loophole in American rules that allowed them to get advanced chips.” They note that chipmaker Nvidia came up with a product for China that complied with parameters put in place by U.S. officials, “but compensated for it by maintaining high performance in other ways.”
INTERNATIONAL
Biased AI binned my job applications, says ex-MP
The former UK cabinet minister David TC Davies has claimed that he has faced automatic rejection from jobs due to artificial intelligence (AI) software filtering out his CV because he lacks a degree. He urged employers to reconsider the role of AI in recruitment, highlighting that "at all stages there is a risk of unfair bias or discrimination against applicants," as noted in a government report. After losing his seat in the general election, Davies applied for several degree-level positions but was rejected instantly, believing that his unconventional CV was the reason.
Greenlanders reject U.S. ownership
An opinion poll has revealed that 85% of Greenlanders oppose the idea of their island becoming part of the United States, according to Danish daily Berlingske. Only 6% support the notion, while 9% remain undecided. This survey follows U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Greenland is vital for U.S. security. Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede emphasized that the island is "not for sale" and that its future should be determined by its people. Greenland, which has a population of 57,000 and gained self-governing autonomy in 2009, is strategically important due to its location for U.S. military operations. Denmark is also increasing its military presence in the Arctic, committing 14.6bn crowns ($2.04bn) for this purpose.
OTHER
How 'Severance' highlights real-world issues at work
Alex Snider writes in Psychology Today on the popularity of Apple TV show Severance and what this says about real-world workplaces. The article describes the premise of the show and how it reflects real-life experiences at work, highlighting "idolized CEOs and out-of-touch managers." Snider suggests the following lessons can be learned from the show: "Skip the Performative Team-Building", "Purpose Beyond Waffle Parties" and "Dehumanized People Dehumanize People," and argues that the human side of leadership is often overlooked due to pressure to reach targets and enforce policies.
 


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