News

HR tech and future-of-work news

Funding, acquisitions, product launches and research in HR, employee experience and work software, summarized with a link to the original reporting.

Remote employee on a video call at a laptop in a home office

2026-10-28Gallup: US Employee Engagement Falls to 29% in Q3 2026, Lowest Since 2011

Gallup's Q3 2026 data shows US employee engagement at 29%, down two points, with the sharpest drops among hybrid and remote staff at organizations adopting AI.

New warehouse worker receiving first-day orientation from a supervisor

2026-10-21Firstwork Raises $15 Million Series A for Frontline Onboarding Automation

Firstwork raised a $15 million Series A led by Earlybird to automate frontline worker onboarding and compliance, with plans to expand in the US and Europe.

IT administrator reviewing user access permissions on multiple computer screens

2026-10-13Workday to Acquire C1.ai, an Identity Platform for People and AI Agents

Workday signed a definitive agreement to acquire C1.ai, which manages system access for employees and AI agents. The deal is expected to close by January 2027.

Employee photographing a paper receipt with a smartphone at an office desk

2026-10-06Personio Acquires Berlin Expense Management Startup Circula

Munich HR platform Personio has acquired Circula, a Berlin spend management startup with over 3,000 business customers, to combine HR, payroll and expenses.

HR manager reviewing a new hire onboarding checklist on a laptop

2026-09-28Iceland's 50skills Raises $6 Million for AI Agents in HR Workflows

Icelandic HR software firm 50skills raised $6 million, led by Frumtak Ventures and Swiss Post Ventures, to grow its applicant tracking and HR workflow platform.