News Spotlight

Mothers with degrees thrive; others struggle. College-educated women, especially mothers, have gained an advantage in the workforce by securing flexible jobs with paid leave, while those without degrees are often left in low-paying service roles with unpredictable schedules (Axios).

Firms merge HR, IT due to AI. Companies are merging their Human Resources and Information Technology departments under a single leader, driven largely by the increasing integration of AI into both people management and technological infrastructure (BBC).

Cities lure remote workers with incentives. Cities are now using cash offers, concert tickets, and other perks to attract remote workers as a mainstream tactic developed during the pandemic (Wall Street Journal).

Stat of the Week

A new study finds that 52% of workers say they’re worried about the future impact of AI use in the workplace, and 32% think it will lead to fewer job opportunities for them in the long run.

HR leaders must proactively address the significant anxieties surrounding AI, as a new study reveals that over half of all workers are worried about its workplace impact and nearly one-third fear it will lead to fewer job opportunities. Rather than allowing fear and misinformation to grow, HR should lead with a strategy of radical transparency and education. This involves openly communicating the company's AI adoption plans, clearly defining how AI will augment, not merely replace, human roles, and providing comprehensive training to upskill and reskill employees for a future where they work alongside technology. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and demonstrating a clear, long-term commitment to their employees' professional growth in an AI-integrated world, HR can transform a source of widespread anxiety into a catalyst for innovation and talent development.

Deep Dive Article

Why Worker Safety Must Be HR’s Top Priority

On the evening of July 28, 2025, violence shattered the illusion of safety at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan—a tower that houses Blackstone, the NFL, and other firms. A 27-year-old gunman, identified by police as Shane Devon Tamura, killed four people—including an off-duty NYPD officer working security—and then died by suicide. Among the victims was Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, a mother of two. The attack has been described as New York City’s deadliest mass shooting in decades and has forced companies everywhere to confront an uncomfortable question: are we truly doing enough to keep people safe at work?

In the wake of the Park Avenue tragedy, security memos and emergency reviews proliferated across corporate America. Yet the facts suggest many employers remain underprepared for the risks of workplace violence. In 2022 alone, the U.S. recorded 524 workplace homicides, an 8.9% increase from 2021, and 83% of those deaths were caused by firearms. Those fatalities sit atop a wider base of non-fatal incidents and near-misses that erode trust, fuel attrition, and raise costs. Safety is not a compliance box; it is a core pillar of employee experience and brand reputation.

At the same time, the return-to-office push has complicated the equation. Some companies are accelerating investments in access control, visitor management, and training. Others are experimenting with aggressive monitoring tech that may protect assets but alienate people. HR leaders must thread the needle: design workplaces that are safer and more humane, blending physical security, behavioral readiness, and privacy-aware policies.

The Risk Is Real—and Rising

Workplace violence spans verbal abuse to homicide, and it can happen in any industry. Federal sources define it as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening behavior at work. The FBI and DHS both stress that active-shooter events unfold quickly—often concluding within minutes—so preparedness and rapid response plans are essential. Companies that still treat violence as a remote possibility are ignoring the data and the duty of care they owe to employees and visitors alike.

Despite high-profile incidents and clear guidance, preparedness gaps persist. A recent survey reported that nearly 40% of companies have no workplace violence plan—with 14% having no plan and no intention to create one—despite rising threats and tragedies like the Midtown Manhattan shooting. That gap is not only risky; it’s reputational malpractice in an era when employees scrutinize whether leadership walks the safety talk.

Safety Pays: The ROI Is Clear

Beyond moral and legal imperatives, safety delivers measurable returns. OSHA’s business-case analysis shows firms benefit from higher productivity, lower costs, and better retention when they implement robust safety and health programs. One landmark study of Cal/OSHA inspections found a 9.4% drop in injury claims and a 26% average savings on workers’ compensation costs over four years—about $355,000 in avoided claims and lost-work costs per firm. In tight labor markets, those savings compound with lower turnover and a stronger employer brand.

The Park Avenue attack also illustrates an uncomfortable truth: the cost of inaction can be catastrophic. Even when insurance covers certain losses, organizations face cascading operational disruptions, trauma-related absenteeism, legal exposure, and a long tail of cultural damage. Safety investments—visitor management, access control upgrades, drills, and post-incident care—look small compared with the financial and human costs of a preventable tragedy.

From Policy to Practice: Building a Modern Safety Program

A credible safety program blends people, process, and technology. Start with a risk assessment, then codify clear roles and rehearse them. Federal resources offer no-cost templates and training aids for prevention, response, and recovery. From there, layer in physical and digital controls tailored to your footprint, headcount, and risk profile.

Concrete priorities for the next 90 days:

• Visitor management and access control. Replace pen-and-paper sign-ins with integrated systems that verify identity, issue temporary credentials, and log movements. Many organizations still rely on manual processes that create blind spots; moving to a unified, digital approach closes gaps and speeds response.
• Drills and role clarity. Active-shooter and evacuation drills should be scenario-based, brief, and frequent enough to build muscle memory. Ensure security, reception, facilities, IT, and HR know who does what in the first 10 minutes. Use DHS/FBI materials to standardize training and language.
• Layered security tech. Pair controlled entry points with cameras, panic buttons, and duress alarms. Integrate access logs with emergency notification systems to inform first responders and account for people. Don’t forget the basics: good lighting, line-of-sight at reception, and clear signage.
• Post-incident care. Trauma-informed support (EAP counselors, paid time to seek care, flexible scheduling) reduces long-term harm and signals that people come first. Align benefits and leave policies with this reality.

Safety Without Surveillance: Protecting People and Trust

As more companies return to the office, the market has flooded with monitoring tools—badge analytics, computer vision, and occupancy trackers. Some are valuable for life safety; others are primarily productivity surveillance that can corrode culture. The point isn’t to shun technology but to adopt it with privacy by design: specify the safety objective, minimize data collection, communicate transparently, and include employees in policy-setting. Evidence shows that overreaching surveillance damages morale and mismeasures creative, relational work—exactly the work you want employees doing on site.

Balance guideposts for HR:

• Collect the least data needed for safety outcomes; avoid monitoring that lacks a direct security purpose.
• Publish a plain-language policy covering what’s collected, why, who sees it, and for how long.
• Establish an ethics review (HR, Legal, Security, and employee reps) before deploying new tools.
• Provide opt-outs or mitigations where feasible and ensure data deletion timelines are enforced.

Training for the Moments That Matter

Prepared people save lives. The most effective programs go beyond one-time check-the-box modules to ongoing micro-drills, leadership walkthroughs, and cross-department tabletop exercises. Train for de-escalation and threat recognition, not just worst-case scenarios. Teach managers to spot behavior changes, respond to domestic-violence spillover, and escalate concerns without stigma. Use federal frameworks to create a common vocabulary and cadence across locations.

Critically, make training inclusive. BLS data show women account for a disproportionate share of non-fatal workplace-violence cases; healthcare and customer-facing roles endure unique risks. Tailor content for role and environment, and ensure contractors, temps, and vendors are covered—not just full-timers.

The Future of Safe, Human-Centered Offices

The safest offices pair smart design with human judgment. Expect wider adoption of secured lobbies, pre-authorized visitor flows, and real-time mass-notification systems—paired with strong privacy protections and trauma-informed policies. Employers that get this right won’t just avoid tragedy; they’ll earn trust, improve retention, and strengthen their brands. Safety isn’t a side project of facilities—it’s a strategic HR imperative tied to culture, engagement, and business continuity.

Where We Go From Here

The Blackstone/NFL tragedy underscored a harsh truth: complacency is not a strategy. The data are clear, the playbooks exist, and the ROI is strong. It’s time for HR and security leaders to partner tightly, treat safety as the cornerstone of employee experience, and invest in the people, processes, and technologies that keep teams whole. When workers feel safe, they show up—physically and psychologically. When they don’t, nothing else you’re building will stand.

Thanks for reading — be sure to join the conversation on LinkedIn and let me know your thoughts on this topic!

Quote of the Week

“Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.”
​Nikki Giovanni