Volkswagen (VW) employs more than 4,000 employees at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, said SVP of HR Burkhard Ulrich, who admits it can be complicated implementing workforce changes.

Likening VW to a “big tanker,” Ulrich said that “with so many people, it takes time to change stuff.” He spoke alongside Shireena Avery, VW’s advanced specialist of diversity and employment engagement, during a panel at the Best Place for Working Parents national summit in Nashville on May 9.

Nevertheless, the German automaker has tweaked a number of policies recently with the goal of making shift work at the Chattanooga plant more flexible, and better supporting workers with families. Ulrich said these policies have been guided by three principles: “flexibility, ease of access, and planability.”

Additional time-off for emergency situations. A few months ago, VW increased the number of days off employees can take for emergency situations from three to five, according to Ulrich. Previously, these days off had to come out of employees’ PTO, but now they can also choose to take excused unpaid days as well. “This significantly increased the flexibility for our team members, especially in emergency situations,” Ulrich said.

Keep reading here.—CV

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If you’re looking to attract Gen Z workers, there are apparently a few perks that’ll do the trick, including hybrid work, wellness benefits, and career development. And rising in importance seems to be a four-day workweek.

Eight in 10 Gen Z workers think the workweek should be shorter, according to a report from freelance talent platform A.Team.

Gen Z wants more flexibility from employers, said Eric Solomon, former chief marketing officer at Bonobos, during a recent virtual roundtable hosted by A.Team. “We’re starting to see just this general trend towards wanting to be much more flexible and fluid in the way that people live, and this starts with young people,” Solomon said. “[Gen Z] wants to have flexibility in how [they] approach work.”

Here’s what HR should consider, according to experts at the A.Team event.

Keep reading here.—MC

Some days, employees show up to work feeling more like a Squidward than a Spongebob. Now, one company in China is encouraging unhappy employees to take the day off.

Where in the world? Pang Dong Lai, a Chinese supermarket chain with more than 7,000 employees, is offering up to 10 days of “unhappy leave” a year, Firstpost reported. It also gives employees weekends off, 30 to 40 days of paid leave annually, and five days off for Lunar New Year, according to Business Standard.

Workers in the world’s most populous country are struggling with their mental health, with 40% at risk of developing mental health issues. This may be thanks, in part, to the rising unemployment rate and cost of living. Those aged between 18 and 25 have the highest levels of anxiety and depression compared to other generations in the workplace, according to a report from the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.

Satellite view. Workers in the US were the unhappiest they’ve been since 2020 in June 2023, according to a 2023 report from BambooHR. While the efficacy of workplace wellness programs has been debated, companies continue to offer a range of well-being benefits, including mental health days, well-being reimbursements, and in-office mediation.

Keep reading here.—KP

AIs on the prize. What does AI’s growing presence mean for HR leaders? Can they leverage it to elevate talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organizational growth? Tune in for a virtual chat between HR Brew + Paylocity, where they’ll discuss the dos, don’ts, and questions surrounding this tech. RSVP.