HR Brew // Morning Brew // Update

January 07, 2025

Welcome to Tuesday! We’re just two days into the first full week of the new year, yet it feels like we’re already five days deep. So cut your employees some slack if they yawn, groan, or even roll their eyes at your obligatory performance-review reminders this week.

In today’s edition:

Steady, steady

Backing out

See ya!

—Theresa Agovino, Kristen Parisi, Paige McGlauflin

TOTAL REWARDS

Employee bonuses

A present bow made from 100 US dollar bills

Francis Scialabba

Last year, the bonus pool at 58% of companies was expected to match the 2023 incentives rate, according to a survey by Gartner. The 2024 study (surveying 64 total rewards leaders) found that 11% of organizations planned to increase their short-term incentive budgets, while 6% expected to decrease. Nearly a quarter (22%) hadn’t made a decision.

Bonuses in the financial services industry were expected to soar anywhere from 5% to 35%, the best performance since 2021, a report by Johnson Associates found.

“The economy was much better, and then markets were up dramatically,” said Alan Johnson, the company’s founder, explaining why bonuses were expected to surge. “I think people were expecting that, with some degree of probability, that it would be a lot worse. That didn't happen, which was a nice surprise.”

Augustus Vickery, a director in Gartner’s HR practice, said that one reason the bonus pool at most companies was largely the same is that employees liken lower bonuses to pay cuts.

Keep reading here.—TA

Presented By Sana

Start the L&D year right

Now that we’re living in 2025, we can finally say with absolute certainty that we’re living in the future. Don’t believe us? Hear this.

Sana is an end-to-end learning platform with AI at its core. We’ll put it this way: Take the best of an LMS, an LXP, an authoring tool, and a virtual classroom, then combine it all into one and—bam. You’ve got Sana.

But Sana doesn’t stop there (remember, this is 2025, aka the future). Sana also delivers smart AI features to help your L&D teams create more leverage by:

automatically converting existing training PDFs into interactive courses
translating courses into 50+ languages at the touch of a button
giving everyone a personal AI coach for practicing new skills and scenarios
and a whole lot more

Don’t let your L&D team (and your learners) live in the past. Give them the future they deserve with Sana.

DE&I

Auto companies in reverse

Sopa Images/Getty Images

In late December, Nissan joined the list of companies to walk back some of their DE&I initiatives. But it appears the changes it’s making are minimal.

The latest. On Dec. 18, Jeremie Papin, chairman at Nissan, informed employees that the company would be changing some of its DE&I initiatives, Bloomberg reported. His letter was shared on X by anti-DE&I advocator Robby Starbuck, who claimed responsibility for the changes, including Nissan no longer submitting to workplace indexes “heavily focused on political activism.” Additionally, employee training will focus on priorities including leadership and professional development, and Nissan’s business strategy groups will remain intact.

Beyond that, it’s unclear what, if anything, will change. Nissan’s website still notes that its “Corporate Diversity Initiative aims to improve business results,” and touts the Nissan Foundation, its cultural diversity program. Chandra Vasser, the company’s chief DE&I officer, also appears to still be with the company, in the same position she’s held since 2021.

Companies shift gears. Nissan is the latest automaker to change some of its DE&I efforts, joining Toyota and Ford, which made moves in the fall.

Keep reading here.—KP

HR STRATEGY

Bye, bye, bye

Illustrated group of six people conversing with each other.

Alisa Zahoruiko/Getty Images

Corporate culture has earned its fair share of ridicule recently. But it’s not just workers who are sick of certain workplace norms: HR pros—despite being considered the poster child for cringy workplace culture—actually want change, too.

People pros shared with HR Brew the aspects of workplace culture that they’d like to wave goodbye to in the new year, and what changes they’d like to see instead. Much of what they had to say aligns with workers’ own frustrations, like empty gestures of empathy from companies, or the glorification of hustle culture.

What’s out: Fake empathy from employers. “It’s time to move beyond superficial empathy that lacks real support. Leaders should not only acknowledge stress but also take concrete actions, like conducting regular surveys on burnout and workload. By understanding employee challenges better, we can offer meaningful flexibility and create a culture where team members feel genuinely supported. Authenticity in support builds trust and resilience, fostering a more engaged workforce.”—Céline Hervé, people partner, Grammarly

What’s in: Emphasizing quality. “Leaders and people teams should empower managers to have tough discussions about trade-offs and prioritization. Encouraging employees to say no to less important tasks promotes working smart, not hard. In the age of AI, success should be defined by quality and fast results, not by constant activity. When we create a space for meaningful work and for productive rest, we drive innovation and better decision-making.”—Céline Hervé, people partner, Grammarly

Keep reading here.—PM

Together With Express Employment Professionals

Top tips for tackling turnover. Turnover is inevitable, but *too much* shift in staff can be bad for business. Express Employment Professionals can help you find solutions to your retention probs + calculate the true cost of turnover at your org. Ready to flex those retention muscles? Get help solving your turnover challenges.

WORK PERKS

A desktop computer plugged into a green couch.

Francis Scialabba

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: At least 1.6 million unemployed Americans had been looking for a job for more than six months in November, up 50% since the end of 2022. (the Wall Street Journal)

Quote: “Showing employees at every level that they are a valuable resource will set you apart from the competition and pay off in lower turnover rates.”—Sandy Ball, CPO at Aspida, on hiring employees based on potential instead of fit (WorkLife)

Read: Those hoping to partake in winter sports at Park City Mountain in Utah—the largest ski resort in the US—had their plans marred by a ski patroller strike that led to fewer open trails and longer lines. (the New York Times)

Merch master: From custom water bottles to journals to notebooks, MOO offers branded merchandise that’ll catch employees’ eyes. Check out their high-quality branded gifts. New customers: Use code MHZR92 for 20% off.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

JOBS

Looking for a job where your values and skills are understood? CollabWORK links you with roles curated within trusted communities, from niche Slack workspaces to industry newsletters like HR Brew. Discover new roles without the job-board fatigue—join CollabWORK today, or click here to browse jobs chosen for HR Brew readers.

Human Resources Manager at Nisivoccia CPAs (in person)
Human Resources Administrator at Eclaro (hybrid)
Sr. Director Field People & Culture at Golden West Packaging Group (in person)

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