Jobs added in October
165,000
vs. about 65,000 expected
Hiring is up, people are staying put, and offices fill up midweek.
The month in six numbers
Data-driven insights for founders and small People teams.
Unemployment rate
4.1%
vs. 4.2% expected
Workers who quit in September
3.4M
2.1% quits rate, up from 1.9% in August
September 2026, preliminary
Companies requiring full-time office
34%
66% of companies don't require it
Q3 2025, up 2 points from a year earlier
Office use on the busiest day
87.3%
Tue, Oct. 27 · % of pre-pandemic
Organizations using AI in HR
39%
1,908 HR professionals surveyed
Sources: Fox Business · Hunt Scanlon · BLS JOLTS · Flex Index · Kastle · SHRM
View these numbers as a table
| Measure | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs added in October | 165,000 (about 65,000 expected) | October 2026 | Fox Business · Hunt Scanlon |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% (4.2% expected) | October 2026 | Fox Business · Hunt Scanlon |
| Workers who quit in September | 3.4 million quits; rate 2.1% (1.9% in August) | September 2026, preliminary | BLS JOLTS |
| Companies requiring full-time office | 34% | Q3 2025 | Flex Index |
| Office use on the busiest day | New York 87.3%, San Francisco 59.9% | Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | Kastle |
| Organizations using AI in HR | 39% any HR use; 27% recruiting | 2026 | SHRM |
⬇ Download the one-page summary with 7 small action steps (PDF)
👋 Hi, I'm Denise. This is a monthly newsletter for founders who wear the HR hat and for small People teams. I explain what's changing in hiring, retention, work policy and employment law, what it means for a startup, and what to do about it, with sources so you can check my work. I've worked in HR for a number of years, served as a Subject Matter Expert for HRCI, and been the first People hire at two early-stage startups. Recently I've been teaching myself Python, JavaScript, and vibe coding programs and apps to automate and enhance People and Talent functions at early-stage startups.
1. The number to know: 165,000
The U.S. added 165,000 jobs in October, well above the roughly 65,000 economists expected, and unemployment edged down to 4.1%. (Fox Business, Hunt Scanlon.) These figures are preliminary and can be revised.
💡 What it means for you: if you're hiring, good candidates likely have other offers. Decide quickly, and put the salary range and next steps in writing.
2. Trend: "job hugging" may be loosening
"Job hugging" means staying in a job out of caution rather than enthusiasm. The latest government data shows how few people are leaving: in September, 3.4 million workers quit (a rate of 2.1%) and hires were 3.4%, according to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The quits rate was up from 1.9% in August, though BLS calls that change small, and the number of quits is up 375,000 from a year earlier. The figures are preliminary.
💡 What it means for you: someone who isn't quitting isn't necessarily engaged. If hiring keeps strengthening, people who have been staying out of caution may start looking. Have a 15-minute "stay conversation" with your most important people this month: what keeps them here, what would make them leave, and what they want to grow into. Then fix what you can, whether that's pay, scope or a title.
3. Trend: the return to office is real, but uneven
The Flex Index's Q3 2025 report found 34% of U.S. companies required full-time office attendance, up 2 points from the year before, driven mainly by government agencies. Actual attendance lags the rules: Kastle's occupancy barometer shows offices fill up midweek, and on Tuesday, October 27, New York hit 87.3% and San Francisco 59.9% of pre-pandemic levels, each its highest peak of 2026. Cities differ a lot.
💡 What it means for you: if you set an office policy, give a reason people can repeat, pick anchor days (most offices are busiest Tuesday through Thursday) and put it in writing. Handle exceptions consistently, and talk to an employment lawyer if a request for remote work might involve a disability or other accommodation.
4. Law watch: what starts January 1, 2027
Law firm Littler's roundup of new employment laws (published November 9) includes these headline items:
- California SB 947 restricts employers from using or relying solely on automated decision systems in employment decisions. Applies if you use software to screen, rank or score people.
- California SB 951 requires 60 days' notice before technological displacement affecting 50 or more workers within 30 days. Matters mainly as you grow.
- California AB 1883 bars workplace surveillance tools that use AI to collect neural data or recognize emotional state.
- Illinois SB 807 requires employers with 75+ employees to report layoffs of 50+ full-time employees at one site.
✅ Do this month: list every tool you use to screen, rank or monitor people, ask each vendor how it makes decisions, and note which states your employees live in. This is a starting point, not legal advice. Talk to an employment lawyer before changing policy.
5. AI in hiring: less common than the headlines say
SHRM's 2026 State of AI in HR report, based on 1,908 HR professionals, found about 39% of organizations use AI in HR, with recruiting the most common use at about 27%. Other surveys report much higher numbers, mostly because they define "use" differently.
💡 What it means for you: you don't need an AI hiring tool to keep up. If you use one, you're still responsible for its decisions, so be able to explain how it works.
Written by Denise
HR professional, HRCI Subject Matter Expert, and two-time first People hire at early-stage startups. Questions or a topic you'd like covered? Get in touch.
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