This Week in Talent (10th February)

Hey hey hey – welcome to your Thursday morning!

Jody Smith

Jody Smith

Have you ever heard the term “collective restoration” before? I read an article this week that I found so interesting around how humans were statistically less depressed/stressed when we were in periods of collective time off. Think about the Xmas/new year period, or Easter. It’s so much easier to switch off and relax when you know that everyone else is doing the same thing (except retail and hospo workers… soz y’all). Logistically I don’t think this would work for every company, but is it something you’ve ever given thought to as a manager? I wanna know what companies do this!

It also got me thinking about working rhythms, and how important they are but also… they can at times be lonely? We’re pretty flexible where I work at LX – and I make the most of that because I LOVE my mornings. My mornings are Jody time – I walk the dog, I gym, and I make myself a delicious and nutritious breakfast that I enjoy with a coffee. THEN… I log on for work.

But I find on the days that I start a bit later and work a bit later, and everyone else does a normal 8am-4pm or 9am-5pm … I feel lonely? Is that just me? Like … what if I have an emergency after 5pm and I need urgent assistance from the team? I’m probably overthinking this, but… I do love an article that makes me (over)think haha.

Zen AF Jody update: I did a bad thing this week and skipped my beloved after-work yoga to work late. THIS IS NOT IDEAL, ZEN AF JODY! It really goes against my zen af values, and must be rectified immediately. Although it’s been big days for me this week (working on exciting things though, I prommy) – I have been multitasking whilst listening to this new podcast. A wild ride, is all I’m gonna say. Not quite recruitment, but very entertaining.

Something super cute to share with you all too… is we’ve been re-watching Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and our beautiful rescue greyhound has randomly started singing to the opening credits? Every episode – he starts singing, and it’s so cute I DIE! You can watch/listen here for a very cute time.

In the WFH era, more men are stepping into primary carer roles

Still a long way from equality, but a step in the right direction! Yeah the boys!

I’ve caught COVID while on annual leave. Can I switch to using my sick leave instead?

Have you been one of the unlucky peeps to catch the spicy cough whilst on annual leave? Check this out!

New data overwhelmingly links gender diversity to business success

In other news that will surprise absolutely no one – diversity is good for business, and non-diverse companies don’t survive.

Facebook’s hiring crisis: Engineers are turning down offers, internal docs show

Remember when Facebook was a funky tech start up that anyone would kill to work for?

Teen Who Demanded $50,000 From Elon Musk Is Now Targeting More Billionaire Jets

What lengths would you go to to snag an internship opportunity? I bet it wouldn’t be as good as this…

Why having women in the boardroom gives companies a boost

Again… in news that will surprise absolutely no one…

Article By

Get more articles direct to your inbox

Upcoming Events

AI Uplift Workshop: Play Ball with AI

June + July 2026

Annual Conference: ATC2026 UPLIFT

13 & 14 October 2026

Long Lunch Series for Talent Leaders

Ongoing

Restaurant Bar

You may also enjoy reading...

Before we wrap up 2025, it’s worth taking a quick look at the ideas that sparked conversations and big discussions, helping TA & HR Leaders solve thorny problems. Together they map the themes TA and HR kept circling back to. 
At ATC2025, the session “Canva Redesigned Tech Interviews for the AI Era” was a standout example of how hiring practices are catching up with the realities of modern work. I found this session both refreshing and thought-provoking. Canva’s approach challenges the old model of technical interviews by recognising that coding in 2025 isn’t a solo act, it’s a collaboration between humans and AI. Rather than testing memory or syntax, their process evaluates how candidates think, prompt, and problem-solve alongside intelligent tools. It felt like a glimpse into the future of hiring.
The Strategic Workforce Planning session at ATC2025, presented by Chris Hare and Alicia Roach, was one of those moments that made you stop and rethink how your organisation really plans for the future. It unpacked what happens when workforce planning evolves from a numbers exercise to a true business capability - one that connects people, purpose, and performance.