This week’s Paper Cut slices through four‑day week wins, stealth layoffs, and Gen Z’s new survival tricks. No fluff, just the facts senior HR leaders need.
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Shorter Weeks, Sharper Output
Study: 4 day work week benefits employers (https://www.abccolumbia.com/2025/07/03/study-4-day-work-week-benefits-employers/)
17 companies switch to 4-day work week in UK (https://www.azernews.az/region/244144.html)
Layoffs in Disguise
Microsoft to cut about 4% of jobs amid hefty AI bets (https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-lay-off-many-9000-employees-seattle-times-reports-2025-07-02/)
Are buyouts replacing layoffs? How big tech is quietly cutting jobs (https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/artificial-intelligence/are-buyouts-the-new-layoffs-why-big-tech-is-quietly-paying-workers-to-leave-10080174/)
Amazon Orders 350,000 Employees To Relocate Or Resign Without Severance (https://styleonmain.net/amazon-orders-350000-employees-to-relocate-or-resign-without-severance/)
AI Angst, Manual Muscle
Gen Z is ditching college for ‘more secure’ trade jobs—but building inspectors, electricians and plumbers actually have the worst unemployment (https://fortune.com/2025/07/02/gen-z-ditching-college-secure-trade-jobs-blue-collar-electricians-and-plumbers-worst-unemployment-rate-than-office-jobs/)
Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla predicts AI will replace 80% of jobs by 2030—and take much of the Fortune 500 with it (https://fortune.com/2025/07/01/silicon-valley-investor-vinod-khosla-ai-job-prediction-interview/)
IBM Lays Off 8,000 Employees for AI Automation, Only to Rehire Just as Many Soon After Because Of… (https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/06/ibm-lays-off-8000-employees-for-ai-automation-only-to-rehire-just-as-many-soon-after-because-of/)
Etiquette Coaches and Hiring Loops
Nearly all hiring managers say the process takes longer than 2 years ago (https://www.hrdive.com/news/hiring-time-lengthening/751699/)
US firms hire etiquette coaches to rein in Gen Z employees (https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-firms-hire-etiquette-coaches-to-rein-in-gen-z-employees)
‘I feel completely drained’: young professionals swamped by ‘infinite workdays’ (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jun/22/young-professionals-infinite-workdays)
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#PaperCut #FourDayWeek #FutureOfWork #Layoffs #GenZ
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