Banyan Software supports employees with emergency fund | Why employers should embrace employees' use of AI | How to cure interruptions so you can get more done
Seventy-three percent of workers would stay with their current organization if it offered more benefits, according to a survey by MetLife. Comparably, an employee insight platform, ranked companies like Adobe, Uber, and TopGolf as top providers of perks and benefits. Adobe's unlimited PTO, Uber's Employee Stock Program, and TopGolf's training strategies were highlighted as reasons for employee satisfaction. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (10/7)
MFS Retirement Survey Address evolving retirement challenges by understanding synergies and differences between plan sponsor actions and participant expectations. SEE SURVEY RESULTS
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Recruiting & Retention
Banyan Software supports employees with emergency fund Banyan Software has introduced an employee resource fund to support its global workforce during unexpected financial hardships, such as medical emergencies and natural disasters. The fund, currently in a pilot stage, allows employees to access financial assistance without a cap on the amount and requests are handled confidentially by a designated committee. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (10/7)
Restaurant chain offers employees home-buying help Raising Cane's has expanded its home-buying assistance program, which pays up to $10,000 toward eligible employees' closing costs. The chain plans to offer the perk to more of its staffers. Full Story: Restaurant Business (10/7)
Path to Workforce
CAPS program offers students real-world learning Students in the CAPS program at Canyons Technical Education Center in Utah collaborate with local businesses to solve real-world problems and gain hands-on experience and entrepreneurial skills. The program, which pairs students with professional mentors, helps them build critical business, problem-solving and communication skills. Full Story: The City Journals (Riverton, Utah) (10/7)
The HR Leader
How small actions can have a big impact on leadership Leadership is deeply rooted in relationships, which are shaped by countless daily micro-interactions -- such as tone of voice, timing or body language -- that can significantly influence the quality and effectiveness of those relationships, writes executive coach Sarah Langslow. "The work for you to do is, as far as possible, to eliminate or transform those micro-interactions which are at best frustrating to others and, at worst, cause harm, even when unintended," Langslow advises. Full Story: Chief Executive (10/2)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Vigdis Finnbogadottir was the first female to be elected president of a country, Iceland, in 1980. Which country listed here has never had an elected female leader?
I attended my friend Julie’s 55th birthday party on Saturday. It was like a high school reunion. The room was packed with folks I hadn’t seen in more than 30 years. Julie asked me to say a few words, so I did. Afterward, a sweet gal caught up with me as I was serving myself a glass of iced tea. “I loved your speech, Kanoe,” she said, smiling and extending her hand. She introduced herself as Elaine and said she had been on the track team with Julie and me. “I wasn’t with you sprinters,” she said. “I ran long distance.” We exchanged small talk for a few minutes and she disclosed she used to be in PR but recently moved to substitute teaching. “That’s great!” I said. “Schools have dealing with massive sub shortages. But that’s an interesting transition. What made you go from PR to education?” Life, she said. She disclosed that the communications field had become very saturated and that making a living had become extremely difficult. “I loved the field in my early days--it was perfect when I was raising my son--but after having my own shop, then working in-house for some big tech companies and then getting laid off twice in a few years, I was done. I needed out of the industry.” I get it. I’ve never been laid off, but I know the thought of it makes me nervous. It’s not just the thought of being unemployed. It’s the thought of being unemployed in my mid-50s and having to start over. Sean Tetpon, profiled in our Recruiting & Retention story today, knows this struggle firsthand. A former communications manager (similar to Elaine), Tetpon has submitted more than 1,000 job applications and is still unemployed. He believes ageism might be playing a role in his job search challenge, but also knows that the field is crowded. He admits that it’s been hard to recover from the layoffs. Tetpon and Elaine’s stories got me thinking. How do you bounce back when Life throws you a wicked curve ball? Do you stay in your field? If so, what do you do when your job search comes up empty? When you don’t seem to fit anymore? Or, how do you know when it’s time to leave your field, like Elaine did? If you do that, what direction do you take? And what safeguards do you need in place so the rest of your world doesn’t spiral out of control? Talk to me, folks. Have you faced this situation? How did you see your way through it? Let me know! I'd love to hear about your experiences. Do you love this brief? Share it with others. Want different stories? Something about it bug you? Tell me. In the words of Frasier Crane, “I’m listening.”
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