SMPHR Weekly Brew — Monday, June 29
Last week was HR's annual Super Bowl — SHRM26 — and the biggest takeaway wasn't subtle. AI is reshaping the profession in real ways: in conference keynotes, in courtrooms, and in the energy levels of the very people driving the change. Here's your Monday briefing, brewed fresh.
☕ This Week in HR
SHRM CEO: HR faces 'extinction' and has 'lost the plot' on the future of work (HR Dive)
With only 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs saying they value HR as a strategic function, SHRM's CEO used the profession's own flagship conference to issue a stark, unvarnished warning: HR must prove its ROI in an AI-driven world — or risk irrelevance. It's uncomfortable to hear. It's also exactly the kind of clarity the field needs right now.
Workday can't shake California AI discrimination claims (HR Dive)
A federal judge refused to dismiss AI-bias claims against Workday under California's FEHA, signaling that HR tech vendors — and the employers who use their tools — now face real legal exposure for algorithmic discrimination based on age, race, and disability. If your team uses AI screening tools, this ruling belongs on your radar.
The hidden cost of your AI rollout: burning out the high performers running it (Fortune)
With 88% of people leaders naming top-talent retention as their biggest challenge, this piece surfaces a critical blind spot: the employees most trusted to lead AI adoption are also the most at risk for burnout. Losing them undermines the very transformation they were hired to drive. Worth a close read before your next AI initiative kicks off.
5 insights SHRM26 speakers shared about AI (HR Dive)
From Simon Sinek to labor economists, SHRM26 speakers converged on a human-centered AI playbook: address employee anxiety head-on, start with high-impact use cases, and make sure HR models responsible AI adoption before scaling it org-wide. A tight read if you weren't in the room.
📚 New in the Learning Lab
Five fresh resources were added to the SMPHR Learning Lab this week:
- Stop Promoting the Wrong People into Manager Roles — Research shows 1 in 4 managers would prefer not to manage people. HBR makes the case for smarter promotion criteria. Article · HBR
- HR's 2026 Guide to Pay Equity — A practical framework for building proactive pay equity strategies as transparency laws and regulatory pressure keep climbing. Article · Payscale
- 5 Ways to Make Mentorship Programs Successful — Research-backed strategies for designing mentorship programs that actually boost retention and development. Article · Great Place To Work
- How to Get Better at the Things You Care About — Eduardo Briceño explains why alternating between learning and performance zones accelerates skill growth. One of those TED talks you'll want to share. Video · TED
- Build a More Inclusive Workplace — Five management practices that drive inclusion and performance without relying on formal programs. Timely and actionable. Article · HBR
📅 Coming Up
CHRO Roundtable Recap — How Does HR Stay at the Table?
Missed it live? The recap video from SMPHR's June 22 CHRO Roundtable is now available at smphr.webflow.io/chro-roundtable. Three CHROs, one room, no fluff — watch it this week.
Q4 events are taking shape — including the annual Employment Law Legal Update (October) and the Holiday Party (December). Check the full 2026 calendar and the events page for details as dates are confirmed.
See you at the table. — SMPHR