HR leaders provide an in-depth look at their return-to-office wins and missteps

Fortune has been cooking up something special (and no, we’re not talking Thanksgiving leftovers). Next Monday, we’ll be publishing our inaugural Fortune @ Work playbook, a must-read guide for executives. The playbook will feature a drumbeat of case studies, data, and fresh insights from leading Fortune 500 executives on how they’re tackling the thorniest people issues and designing the future of work and their talent agenda to drive innovation. If you’ve kept an eye on CHRO Daily in the past week, then you’ve likely noticed a teaser below my sign-off. Well…drumroll, please…we’re finally ready to share a few more details about what’s to come! 

This playbook will zoom in on return-to-office strategies: What’s working? What isn’t? And how companies are measuring RTO success and bottom-line impact? Over the past few months, Fortune has conducted countless conversations with some of the most preeminent leaders across sectors, who’ve provided an under-the-hood look at their return-to-office policies, key takeaways, and what comes next in planning. 

So where do you fit in? We want to learn what talent and workplace topics and pain points you want our team to investigate. That’s anything from the future of DEI or navigating recruitment and retention during an economic downturn. I’m eager to hear your thoughts. Email your pitches and most pressing HR-related questions to amber.burton@fortune.com.

Amber Burton
amber.burton@fortune.com
@amberbburton

Reporter's Notebook

The most compelling data, quotes, and insights from the field.

Is Elon Musk ushering in the end of the “nice boss” era? Despite public criticism from HR leaders, some chief executives back Musk’s hardcore attitude toward work and want a return to the format. The last two years have seen the pendulum swing in favor of employees, who've demanded better work-life balance, flexibility, and increased transparency from leaders. Now, executives feel they need to reassert their power over the businesses. 

Michael Friedman, CEO of the investment firm First Level Capital, encapsulates what his peers are thinking in an interview with the Wall Street Journal: “I think every successful CEO, including myself, is tired of all the whining.”

Around the Table

- Google has avoided layoffs this year, but employees worry recent belt-tightening could mean cuts are imminent. CNBC

- Yet another side effect of the regulatory crackdown on the crypto industry, sparked by the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX: The sector is halting hiring plans. Insider

- The number of jobless claims last week rose by 17,000 to a total of 240,000, the highest in three months. Reuters

Watercooler

Everything you need to know from Fortune.

Good jobs. The U.S. needs more good jobs that keep people above the poverty line if it expects to stabilize the economy, writes Jobs for the Future CEO Maria Flynn. —Maria Flynn

Bye, bye benefits. In more Musk news, the new Twitter owner is doing away with employee benefits like work-from-home stipends, daycare, and—the Silicon Valley staple—free lunch. —Kylie Robison

Winter COVID. Employers mandating a full return to the office can breathe a sigh of relief. The U.S. won’t see a drastic spike in COVID cases this winter, according to chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci. —Sophie Mellor

DEI advice. Nine Fortune 500 CEOs share the four keys to developing effective DEI policies. —Robert Reiss