Dec 10, 2025

1. Subject: [Special Edition] 7 Steps to Master Difficult Conversations

   Summary: This email discusses strategies for mastering difficult conversations at work. It offers 7 practical steps to handle uncomfortable and unpredictable moments effectively. It also promotes a Crucial Conversations® Miniseries led by Emily Gregory, focusing on maintaining composure during heated discussions.

2. Subject: HR Trend Report: Five Dynamics Impacting Healthcare Affordability

   Summary: This report reveals five key trends shaping healthcare affordability for businesses and employees, such as rising prices driving costs and specialty drug impact on pharmacy spending. It highlights the insufficiency of traditional cost-saving strategies and the need to rethink health plan models.

3. Subject: LAST CHANCE | New Criminal Background Checks Regulations

   Summary: The email alerts HR professionals about significant updates in criminal background check laws effective in 2026, including Clean Slate reforms and new federal mandates restricting employer access and inquiry timing. It invites recipients to a 90-minute session detailing compliance strategies, risk management, and defensible hiring processes.

4. Subject: Inside the $11.5M Verdict Against SHRM — and What It Means for HRs

   Summary: It breaks down the recent $11.5 million verdict against SHRM addressing racial bias and retaliation, providing key takeaways for HR handling complaints. Additional content includes practical webinars on 2026 HR compliance, tips for increasing employee Health Savings Account (HSA) engagement, and guidance on switching background screening vendors.

5. Subject: Dec. 9 – Jury hits SHRM with $11.5M verdict | Agency independence under threats

   Summary: Covering major HR news, this email details the $11.5 million verdict against SHRM, upcoming Supreme Court decisions threatening federal agency independence, CEOs’ focus on AI adoption for 2026, and recent ADA-related workplace lawsuits. It also offers sponsored content related to commuter benefits and AI’s role in leadership.

6. Subject: Beat the Odds in 2026

   Summary: This message shares insights from the “2026: Beat the Odds” cover story in Briefings magazine, addressing how leaders and employees can thrive amid uncertainties including AI, labor markets, and the economy. Featured topics include career advancement during tough markets, balancing AI benefits with IQ, workplace dietary changes, job retention challenges, and executive turnover.

7. Subject: Dec. 9 – CHRO turnover is up | AT&T drops DEI to gain acquisition greenlights

   Summary: Discusses rising Chief HR Officer turnover linked to transformation efforts, AT&T’s removal of DEI programs to secure a $1 billion acquisition, generational tensions causing younger workers distress, and a focus on AI-driven workforce reductions in 2026. It also promotes a white paper on AI skills essential for all candidates and highlights employer focus on internal talent development.

8. Subject: Best practices for employee development in today’s workplaces

   Summary: This email highlights employee development as a critical retention and branding tool amid talent shortages and digital disruptions. It features insights such as Gen Z’s lack of career mentorship, workers often self-funding training, and how frequent AI users report better access to learning resources.

9. Subject: Dec. 9 – How heavy workloads can set L&D back | The top skills for 2026

   Summary: Focuses on how heavy workloads hinder employee learning and development (L&D) efforts despite workers’ seriousness on training. It identifies top hard and soft skills for 2026, outlines potential Workforce Pell grant regulations, and discusses the growing wage divide possibly exacerbated by AI. Also covers a skills gap in language competency impacting US businesses.

10. Subject: What constitutes job abandonment?

    Summary: Examines how HR should respond when employees abandon their roles, featuring recent Fair Work Commission cases distinguishing between temporary no-shows and true abandonment. It offers legal advice on fair assessment and avoiding premature dismissals, alongside discussions on authenticity at work and managing employees running out of annual leave.

11. Subject: [Your Tech Guide] LMS Platforms with AI Features

    Summary: Provides an overview of AI-enabled Learning Management Systems (LMS) aimed at enhancing employee upskilling and organizational competitiveness. The guide includes six top-rated LMS platforms, details on features, pricing, benefits, and vendor questions to consider. It is positioned as a resource for selecting the ideal LMS solution tailored to team and budget needs.

Stay Well!