The BARF
Korn Ferry Buys AMS, Reuters Cuts Engineers, and Work Gets Weird
Would you hold a workplace grudge for 17 years? A candidate was ready to send a cease and desist after losing out on a job, raising a bigger question about grudges, second chances, and when it’s finally time to move the hell on. In this episode, we look at Korn Ferry’s $1.1 billion acquisition of AMS, whether workplace culture has gotten worse since COVID, and Thomson Reuters replacing 500 engineering roles while hiring 250 senior AI-native engineers. Is this a real talent strategy, or a layoff wrapped in AI language? What we cover: ➡️ Holding a workplace grudge for 17 years probably hurts you more than the other person. ➡️ Korn Ferry’s acquisition of AMS connects executive search with high-volume hiring and RPO. ➡️ AMS gives Korn Ferry access to more predictable, recurring revenue. ➡️ The $1.1 billion price tag may be more surprising than the acquisition itself. ➡️ Workplace culture may not be worse than it was before COVID. Employees may be reacting to the return of structure. ➡️ Remote work can increase freedom, but it can also make conflict easier to avoid and harder to resolve. ➡️ Thomson Reuters plans to remove 500 engineering roles while adding 250 senior AI-native engineers. ➡️ The Thomson Reuters move could be a workforce reduction disguised as an AI talent strategy. ➡️ Companies may be underestimating how quickly experienced employees can develop new AI skills. ➡️ Barbara Marks from McAfee wins $100 on the Canditech wheel. Timestamps: 00:00 – Malt Liquor, Misspent Youth, and Nick Returns 01:40 – Holding a Workplace Grudge for 17 Years 03:57 – Korn Ferry Acquires AMS for $1.1 Billion 05:29 – What the Acquisition Means for Recruitment Agencies 06:26 – Was AMS Sold Too Cheaply? 07:23 – Has Workplace Culture Gotten Worse Since COVID? 09:25 – When Workplace Structure Feels Like Control 10:03 – Remote Work, Collaboration, and Employee Freedom 11:10 – Conflict Behind a Keyboard 12:50 – Workplace Politics and Career Growth 14:41 – Fighting With AI Instead of Coworkers 16:38 – Thomson Reuters Cuts 500 Engineering Roles 17:02 – Why Not Retrain the Existing Engineers? 18:30 – Is This an AI Strategy or a Disguised Layoff? 20:07 – Can Engineers Close the AI Skills Gap? 21:23 – The Canditech Wheel 22:24 – Barbara Marks Wins $100 23:08 – Weddings, the World Cup, and England’s Chances This episode is sponsored by the team at Canditech, the skill assessment platform for the AI-age Guest : Nick Leslie, Director of Customer Success, Canditech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickleslieprofile/ Hosts: William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network: Website: https://wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wrkdefined X: https://x.com/wrkdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
