HR Brew // Morning Brew // Update

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Hit pause

Nick Iluzada

Things could be better, but they could also be worse. Even before the world seemingly turned upside down in March following the US-Israeli war with Iran, the labor market was already “stuck in neutral,” as Laura Ullrich, director of economic research in North America at Indeed’s Hiring Lab described it. Job demand continued to fall in February, while attrition largely remained the same, according to the newest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, published on Tuesday.

Diving into the data. Job openings fell to 6.9 million in February, from 7.2 million in January. Similarly, total hires fell by around half a million in that same period, to 4.8 million in February. The total hires rate for February decreased to 3.1%, which hasn’t been that low since April 2020. Total quits declined slightly to 3.1 million in February, from around 3.1 million in January, while layoffs and discharges were unchanged at 1.7 million.

Overall, experts say the decline in job demand combined with decreased attrition shows that employers are hitting pause on expanding their businesses, and as a result, scaling back on hiring. Much of that is driven by uncertainty.

Zoom out. Employers are in a very different labor market than four years ago, at the height of the Great Resignation, when top talent was difficult to recruit. A recent SHRM analysis of job postings recorded by labor market analytics firm Lightcast found that job demand fell 30% on average between 2022 and 2025.

For more on what HR needs to know about the JOLTS data, keep reading here.—PM

Presented by LHH

Would ya look at that view?

The C-suite’s got quite the vantage point. Think of it as the press box in a stadium. But they’ve gotta be careful not to get too distracted by the free hors d’oeuvres because the game—aka the executive landscape—is changing.

LHH’s 2026 global executive research, based on insights from 2k+ senior leaders, signals a meaningful shift. While the environment remains complex, the demands on leaders are intensifying, not diminishing.

Competitiveness now depends on whether executive teams can convert relative continuity into traction, translating strategy into execution, capability into performance, and ambition into results.

LHH’s free report covers it all, with a global view of how executive leadership is adapting to sustained volatility and shifting enterprise demands. It consolidates the data, patterns, and emerging priorities shaping the C-suite agenda in 2026.

Read all about it.

HR STRATEGY

Return to pre-pandemic levels

Getty Images

As more companies inch closer to a five-day, in-office workweek, some white-collar workers may feel like they’re back in the pre-pandemic workplace…

While we’re (thankfully) not there (yet), last month was the busiest February for office attendance since February 2019, according to a recent report from location analytics platform Placer.ai. Office visits in February were 31.9% below 2019 levels, an improvement from February 2025, when they were down 35.7%. The biggest February return-to-office push seemingly happened between 2022 and 2023 when attendance went from -65% to -44.6%.

“We continue to see gradual improvement in terms of return to office. This is obviously the best February that we’ve seen post-pandemic,” R.J. Hottovy, Placer.ai’s head of analytical research, told HR Brew. “That’s what we’re looking at for 2026. It’s this continued, gradual improvement as more people are in the office, and you see new industries like AI start to drive people back to the office.”

For more on what’s driving recent office-attendance trends, keep reading here.—MC

DEI

In charge

A close up portrait of a smiling black woman with short blonde hair

SHRM

Carolynn Johnson spent more than 20 years at inclusion strategy company Fair360 (formerly Diversity Inc.), climbing the ranks and overseeing editorial strategy and DEI research before eventually taking over as CEO in 2019. She took on the role just months before Covid-19 shut down the world, but still managed to grow revenue by 49% during her tenure.

After both of Johnson’s parents passed away in 2023, she said she needed to step away from DEI work for a while. Now, she’s ready to return to the work she’s spent decades moving forward, this time at SHRM, where, in early March, she was tapped to lead its CEO Action for Inclusion and Diversity (I&D), helping leaders build inclusive workplaces through research and insights.

Johnson recently sat down with HR Brew to discuss her new role at SHRM, and how I&D plays a role in modern workplaces.

WORK PERKS

A desktop computer plugged into a green couch.

Francis Scialabba

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: Only 22% of workers say they’re confident that their job is safe from AI displacement. (ADP)

Quote: “It’s good to see OPM taking a strong role here. However, the federal government has a long, long way to go in making federal employment attractive to younger workers again. [OPM Director Scott] Kupor’s announcement isn’t likely to counter the tsunami of bad news that has surrounded recruitment for federal positions over the last 14 months.”—Don Kettl, former University of Maryland school of public policy dean and professor emeritus, on the federal government launching an early-career hiring initiative following last year’s waves of DOGE-related exits (Federal News Network)

Read: While massive layoffs may have made headlines these last few months, many tech companies are picking up the phone and hiring back recently axed employees, only this time as temporary or contract workers. (Business Insider)

What a suite view: LHH’s free report covers a global view of how executive leadership is adapting to sustained volatility and shifting enterprise demands. It consolidates the data, patterns, and emerging priorities shaping 2026’s C-suite agenda.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

When employees feel stuck

Business woman trying to walk with red bands holding her back.

Getty Images

Burnout and fatigue are on the rise as workers feel stalled in their careers amid a slower job market. Here's why feeling “stuck” is dragging down morale, what HR teams can do to offer growth without promotions, and how transparency and skill-building can help employees push through the pause.

Check it out

SHARE THE BREW

Share the Brew, watch your referral count climb, and unlock brag-worthy swag.

Your friends get smarter. You get rewarded. Win-win.

Your referral count: 0

Click to Share

Or copy & paste your referral link to others:
hr-brew.com/r/?kid=9196cb13

Written by Paige McGlauflin, Mikaela Cohen, Kristen Parisi, and Adam DeRose

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.

Get smarter in just 5 minutes

Business News: Morning Brew
Tech & AI News: Tech Brew
Markets News: Brew Markets
Real Estate News: The Playbook
Money & Career: Bossy

Take The Brew to work

Interested in podcasts?

Check out People Person on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

ADVERTISE // CAREERS // SHOP // FAQ

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe .
View our privacy policy .

Copyright © 2026 Morning Brew Inc. All rights reserved.
22 W 19th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011

☕️ Hiring on hold