Amid stagnant sales, Nike CEO John Donahoe admits the company has lost the innovative edge that once defined its brand and product line. The company -- which laid off 1,600 employees earlier this year -- is now reversing some of the moves Donahoe implemented when he took the helm, such as dropping sales partners and selling directly to consumers. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (4/21)
Recruiting & Retention
Retailers can benefit from HR techniques Brick-and-mortar retail stores can use these HR techniques to find better retail employees, writes Natalie Fresen, founder of consultancy Visibly Rocks. To better manage their workforce, retailers need to address the pitfalls of retail work including the desire for flexible work hours, the impact of high turnover, a culture that supports workers, and skills training and career advancement, Fresen says. Full Story: The Retail Bulletin (4/18)
Viewpoint: Not all bad experiences are trauma The word "trauma" has entered the lexicon to describe everyday negative events, which licensed clinical social worker Nancy Colier calls disturbing as real trauma is "a devastating, painful, and life-changing experience." Colier writes that "[s]eeing and claiming 'trauma' everywhere we look won't bring us relief. Relief, paradoxically, arrives when we give up our fight with reality and relax with life on life's terms." Full Story: Psychology Today (4/20)
Benefits & Compensation
How prices have risen in response to Calif. wage law Some brands have already implemented price increases to deal with the California law that recently raised the minimum wage for many quickservice employees, and some job cuts have also occurred. This article gives a closer look at price increases in the state. Full Story: KTLA-TV (Los Angeles) (4/17)
The HR Leader
Survey: HR expects AI will make recruitment faster A global Indeed survey found 68% of HR decision-makers expect AI to make the recruitment process faster, although 49% believe recruitment will still get more difficult over the next five years. The survey also found HR leaders will face the challenge of teaching employees new skills and helping them move into new roles. Full Story: Human Resources Director (4/17)
Innovation isn’t just a nice idea. It’s not the candy sparkles on a birthday cake, or the shimmery glitter on a gift box. It’s not for show. Innovation is the oxygen of what a company produces. It’s that intangible force that breathes life into a product, an idea, a strategy. It doesn’t create products -- it creates legacies. That used to be Nike. But, as we see in our top story today, when the pandemic hit, the company eschewed its innovative roots and leaned more into “older products that were reliable sellers,” writes Inti Pacheco. “We were serving consumers what they know and love,” said John Hoke, chief innovation officer at Nike. “The job is to of course do that but also to show them something new, take them someplace new.” This is innovation -- ideas and products that get people excited. Innovation breathes fresh air into outdated strategies and makes them new again. It doesn’t just focus on what’s cool, but also what’s functional. And this is why it wins. How are you bringing innovation into your every day? How do you use it to manage your workforce? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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