Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

06/10/2026

The FIFA World Cup is coming to the U.S. this summer and so is a major workplace productivity challenge. ⚽ A new Challenger analysis released today finds that if every employed American soccer fan took just one day off to watch a marquee match, the productivity cost to U.S. employers could top $30.2 billion. Even one hour of distraction across the workforce could cost more than $4B.

“The World Cup is a once-in-a-generation moment for American fans, and matches falling squarely inside U.S. working hours will show up in absenteeism, in network traffic, and in the long lunch that becomes a long afternoon,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “Smart employers won't try to fight it. They'll build it into the schedule,” Challenger added Flexible schedules, watch parties, and team-building activities may help turn World Cup excitement into an engagement opportunity.

🔗 Read more about how soccer's biggest stage will collide head-on with the American workday:
https://hubs.li/Q04k_n8J0

WORLD CUP COMES TO AMERICA: ONE DAY OFF FOR EVERY WORKING SOCCER FAN COULD COST U.S. EMPLOYERS $30.2 BILLION; HOST CITIES FACE $8.2 BILLION HIT The FIFA World Cup returns to the United States for the first time in 32 years, with 11 American cities...

06/08/2026

Companies are increasingly citing AI as a reason for workforce reductions.

According to Challenger's latest Job Cuts Report, employers announced 97,006 job cuts in May—the highest May total since 2020. AI accounted for nearly 40% of announced layoffs, making it the leading reason companies gave for cutting jobs.

The trend is drawing national attention as employers continue evaluating how automation and AI will impact workforce needs.

Check out this CNBC article featuring Challenger data and analysis:

Many companies are "changing how they are allocating resources" in response to AI, according to Glassdoor chief economist Daniel Zhao.

06/05/2026

We're looking for insights from HR professionals, managers, directors, executives, and business leaders.
What workforce trends are you seeing? How is AI impacting your organization? What are your hiring plans? What challenges are top of mind?
Take our short survey and help shape Challenger's next workforce report.
⏱️ Approximately 7 minutes to complete
📊 Survey: https://hubs.li/Q04kmDNx0

06/05/2026

🚨 May Jobs Report: AI continues to reshape the workforce.
US employers announced 97,006 job cuts in May, the highest May total since 2020 and the third consecutive month of rising layoffs. For the third straight month, Artificial Intelligence was the leading reason cited for workforce reductions, accounting for 40% of all announced cuts.
Technology led all industries with 38,242 job cuts in May, its highest monthly total since March 2023.
🔗 Read the full May 2026 Challenger Job Cuts Report for the latest insights on layoffs, hiring plans, and workforce trends.
https://hubs.li/Q04khXrL0

Job cuts rose to 97,006 in May, the highest total for the month since 2020, as employers continued restructuring efforts amid rapid AI adoption. According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, AI led layoff reasons for the third consecutive month, while merger, acquisition, and bankruptcy-related cuts al...

06/01/2026

CEO turnover increased in March, with 170 CEO departures announced across U.S. companies.
Highlights from the latest Challenger CEO Turnover Report:
• March CEO exits rose 20% from February
• Retirements reached their highest monthly total in over a year
• Women represented 29.3% of incoming CEOs in March
• Founder departures continued to accelerate through Q1
Read the full report:

March CEO turnover rebounded after February's slowdown, with 170 CEO exits announced in March, up 20% month-over-month.

05/27/2026

We’re proud to see Challenger Senior Vice President of Executive Coaching Maureen Tarantello recognized by Digital Reference as one of the Best Executive Coaches in Dallas 2026.

Maureen brings decades of leadership experience helping organizations navigate change, transformation, succession planning, and talent development — including leading organizations of 15,000 employees and managing multi-billion-dollar professional services businesses.

Congratulations, Maureen, on this well-deserved recognition!

See the full list:
Best Executive Coaches in Dallas 2026: https://hubs.li/Q04h_J3v0

05/21/2026

We took the Department of Labor's "Make America AI-Ready" course in full. Here's what HR leaders should know.

✅ It works as a baseline. Seven days. Ten minutes a day. Delivered by text so workers without reliable internet aren't left behind.
✅ It teaches the right instincts. Prompting, verification, and keeping a human in the loop.

⚠️ It stops short of fluency. The course doesn't address sycophancy, can't be queried like a real AI, and assumes learners already have strong critical thinking skills.

AI is reshaping the labor market. In April 2026, 21,490 job cuts cited AI as the reason — more than 1 in 4, and the top reason for the second straight month.

If you're rolling this out to your workforce, treat it as Lesson 1. Pair it with role-specific training, hands-on practice, and the judgment-building work the federal course leaves out.

Our full review: https://hubs.li/Q04hlJ3n0

05/20/2026

2025 was the weakest summer for teen hiring on record. And Challenger predicts this summer will be even weaker.

Challenger predicts U.S. employers will add just 790,000 teen jobs in May, June, and July 2026, down from last summer's 801,000 and marking the lowest summer teen hiring total since the BLS began tracking the data in 1948.

The drivers:
🔹 Inflation and oil prices are squeezing the hirers. Businesses that traditionally hire teen workers like restaurants, retailers, amusement parks, and summer camps are watching margins tighten and waiting on demand before adding shifts.

🔹 Entertainment and Leisure hiring plans have collapsed 70%. Just 8,261 announced plans through April vs. 28,000 at this point last year. Theme parks, resorts, and event operators are signaling a lean summer.

🔹 The on-ramps are being automated. Order-taking, basic customer service, inventory checks, scheduling is increasingly handled by automation or AI.

🔹 This isn't the teen workforce of the 1980s. Teen labor force participation has fallen from 50%+ in the late '70s and '80s to 29.5% this April. AP coursework, year-round club sports, paid internships, content creation, and family caretaking are all competing with the summer shift.

For employers: Where labor is tight, teens are a real solution and a long pipeline investment.
For parents and teens: June is the busiest hiring month, but the slots fill before school lets out. Start now, tap your network, and look beyond retail.

🔗 Read the full report: https://hubs.li/Q04hlJrL0

Teen jobs are expected to fall to the lowest level ever after reaching the lowest level on record in 2025. Some of the same issues plaguing teen employment persist including rising inflation, high interest rates, and weary consumers.

05/19/2026

According to Harvard Business Review, poor CEO succession planning can cost public companies an estimated $1 trillion in market value each year. And organizations with well-developed plans tend to see stronger investor returns.

Companies that approach succession as a continuous process, aligning the board and HR, developing internal talent, and building executive readiness over time, are better positioned to protect strategy and shareholder confidence.

Read the full article for practical guidance on strengthening your CEO succession planning approach: https://www.challengergray.com/blog/ceo-succession-planning-how-to-prepare-for-leadership-transitions/

05/15/2026

Executive coaching can return 5.7x its investment.

That return reflects how leaders operate in their roles. Clearer judgment and stronger alignment to business priorities shape how teams execute and how decisions carry through an organization.

In complex environments, those dynamics become more visible. Leaders are often working through challenges that extend beyond tools or process changes, where clarity, confidence, and perspective influence outcomes in meaningful ways.

Coaching is most effective when it’s built with intention. Programs aligned to business goals and structured around outcomes create impact that can be measured and sustained.

Explore how executive coaching can support your performance and retention goals: https://www.challengergray.com/executive-coaching/