📊 KEY INDICATORS 📊
📊 KEY INDICATORS 📊
🍁 Canada
Unemployment Rate: 6.90% in April 2025 (increased from the previous month of 6.7%).
Interest Rate: The Bank of Canada maintained the interest rate at 2.75% in April.
Inflation Rate: 1.70% (down from 2.30% in March, driven by lower energy prices).
🍎 United States
Unemployment Rate: 4.20% in April 2025 (unchanged)
Inflation Rate: 2.30% (down from 2.40% in March)
Interest Rate: The Fed kept the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25%-4.5% during its March 2025 meeting
📰 GLOBAL WORKFORCE UPDATES 📰
📰 GLOBAL WORKFORCE UPDATES 📰
Canada | Return-to-Office and Remote Work Both Pose Employer Risks
Canadian legal experts warn that both return-to-office mandates and fully remote work arrangements carry significant legal risks for employers, from constructive dismissal claims to navigating complex jurisdictional issues across provincial or international borders.
Canadian legal experts warn that both return-to-office mandates and fully remote work arrangements carry significant legal risks for employers, from constructive dismissal claims to navigating complex jurisdictional issues across provincial or international borders.
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United States | US Agency Probes TCS Discrimination Claims Against American Employees
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is investigating discrimination claims against Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) from former American employees who allege they were terminated to make way for Indian visa workers.
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United States | Google Revises Compensation to Incentivize High Performance
Starting in 2026, Google will revise its performance review process to better reward high performance. More employees will qualify for higher ratings, resulting in larger bonuses and equity awards. This change aims to align compensation with individual contributions and foster a performance-driven culture.
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North America | Compensation Concerns Rise Amid Economic Uncertainty
A recent WTW survey reveals that over half of companies in the U.S. and Canada are facing employee anxiety regarding base pay increases due to tariffs and changing economic policies, with many expecting reduced pay raises for the remainder of the year.
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North America | Employers Use RTO Mandates as a Substitute for Layoffs
In recent years, many employers have implemented return-to-office (RTO) mandates, prompting speculation that these policies serve as a covert strategy to encourage voluntary resignations and reduce payroll without costly layoffs.
🔢 BY THE NUMBERS 🔢
The year-over-year increase in "burnout" mentions in reviews on Glassdoor in Q1 2025; mentions are the highest they've been since data collection began in 2016 and increased 50% from Q4 2019, according to the Glassdoor research.
The application time that nearly three-quarters (71%) of 1,500 U.S. adults surveyed expect the job application process to take, with 35% reporting they would abandon applications that exceed this timeframe, according to a report by hiring technology firm Employ, Inc.
83%
The percentage of European workers from a survey of over 1,000 employees across Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and the UK expressing concerns about the growing influence of US corporate culture, particularly fearing that high-profile American business leaders like Elon Musk could drive harmful shifts in their workplace norms, according to recent research by career services platform Zety.
📑 INDUSTRY BRIEFS 📑
May 14: Burberry to cut 1,700 jobs globally as part of a strategic shift.
May 13: Microsoft cut 6,000 employees globally, 3% of workforce, focusing on AI.
May 9: Panasonic announced 10,000 job cuts, about 4% of its global workforce, amid restructuring.
May 8: Match Group (Tinder, March.com) cutting 325 employees, representing 13% of its workforce.
May 7: Google laid off approximately 200 employees across various divisions.
May 7: CrowdStrike announced plans to cut about 500 roles, 5% of its workforce, to streamline operations and reduce costs.
May 7: OpenText cutting 1,600 employees as part of enterprise information management restructuring.
April 29: Electronic Arts is reportedly letting go of approximately 300-400 employees, to focus on its “long-term strategic priorities.
April 28: Expedia Group is cutting 495 positions, 3% of its workforce, affecting midlevel positions in the product and technology teams.
