IKEA, Honeywell, Bolt: This Week's Top Five HR Stories

Inter IKEA Cuts Jobs as Company Looks to Simplify Operations

Inter IKEA, franchisor of the IKEA brand across 63 counties, has announced that it will lay off 850 workers following a decrease in consumer demand.

These layoffs come as the company looks to streamline operations and shift towards smaller, city-centre locations to make the shopping experience more accessible and convenient for consumers. 

“We need to become faster, shorten the decision-making processes and simply concentrate our efforts on these priorities,” Inter IKEA COO Henrik Elm told Reuters in an interview.

The job cuts represent around 3% of Inter IKEA’s workforce. 

Honeywell Appoints New Chief Human Resources Officer

Honeywell has appointed Jennifer Reilly as its new Chief Human Resources Officer, as of July 1. 

Previously, she held the role of Vice President of Human Resources and Communication for Process Technology at the company. 

Discussing her appointment on LinkedIn, Jennifer says: “As I take on this role, I do so with humility and with excitement for what’s ahead. I’m proud of what we’ve built together – and energised by the opportunity to continue strengthening our culture, capability and leadership for the future.”

Jennifer replaces Karen Mattimore, who has been the company’s Chief Human Resources Officer for around six years.

The Happiness Index: Why Most Firms Get Employee Joy Wrong

The average person spends 90,000 hours at work – roughly one-third of their life. 

As careers claim such a massive share of our time, being happy in the workplace is one of the greatest investments individuals can make to their overall wellbeing.

But employees aren’t getting their emotional needs met at work, and it’s costing both businesses and the workforce alike. As a result, a clear disconnect has emerged between what organisations can deliver and what actually makes employees feel happy and engaged at work. 

Employee engagement has fallen by 20% in 2025, according to Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report, marking the lowest levels of employee engagement since 2020. But how have employees entered this slump?

Octopus Money: How Financial Stress Impacts Retention

Employees in their midlife can often believe they're at the peak of their career. However, new data shows it’s actually the peak of financial stress.

This is otherwise known as the "midlife squeeze," according to Octopus Money, where employees are caught between supporting adult children and caring for their ageing parents.

This financial pressure isn't just a personal issue anymore – it’s actively hurting workplace productivity and driving people to look for new jobs, regardless of how much they earn.

Speaking exclusively with HR Chief Magazine, Laura Noble, Head of Employer Success at Octopus Money, shares the true impact of financial anxiety at work. She also challenges myths about salary and looks at practical steps HR leaders can take to support their teams and retain top talent.

Bolt CEO: HR Was 'Creating Problems That Didn't Exist'

What happens when a company gets rid of its entire HR team? 

According to Ryan Breslow, CEO of fintech company Bolt, it can help make problems “disappear.”

Speaking at Fortune’s Workforce Innovation Summit, Ryan revealed that the company had made the decision to cut its HR department as part of efforts to return it to a more agile, startup-style operating model. 

“We had an HR team, and that HR team was creating problems that didn’t exist,” he said. “Those problems disappeared when I let them go.”

Instead of an HR team, Ryan says the company has brought in a smaller “people operations” team. 

This team, he wrote on LinkedIn, is: “More focused on efficiency, less focused on fluff.”