Rising temperatures can affect worker productivity | Is the Great Resignation still happening? | The skill that research says employers want: Adaptability
Hot weather's effects on employees' safety, comfort and mental function can negatively impact their productivity. Experts say it's important for employers to increase staff awareness in this area and provide breaks, shelter and hydration to prevent negative health effects and medical emergencies, especially for individuals who work outdoors. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (6/21)
Is the Great Resignation still happening? According to PwC's 2024 Hopes and Fears survey, the proportion of workers planning to change jobs has increased to 28%, higher than during the Great Resignation of 2022. PwC experts emphasize the need for businesses to invest in employee skills and technology to retain talent because "job satisfaction is no longer enough." Full Story: Reuters (6/24)
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Finnish company's strategy for closing wage gap Framery, a leading Finnish manufacturer, has achieved a near-equal gender pay gap of just 1% through strategic initiatives. The company conducts salary reviews twice a year to maintain pay equity, publishes its pay ratios in annual reports, and ensures equal promotion rates for men and women. Full Story: CNBC (6/25)
Path to Workforce
Program readies Mass. students with disabilities for work Students with disabilities graduated from the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School workforce training program in Fitchburg, Mass., which taught them work and interpersonal skills to prepare them for employment in fields like graphic communications and horticulture. The school is looking to expand this program to support more students with disabilities, says development coordinator Katy Whitaker. Full Story: CBS News (6/20)
Workplace changes, namely the rise of remote and hybrid working and declining employee well-being and engagement, require managers to be more people-oriented, communicative and flexible, says S. Chris Edmonds with The Purposeful Culture Group. Edmonds highlights two practices -- clarity and validation -- that leaders can model to boost well-being and engagement. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (6/25)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Iga Swiatek beat Ons Jabeur to capture the US Open tennis tournament in 2022. She's unique in that she was the first woman ever from which country to do so?
I was in Denver from Sunday to Tuesday evening for a conference. It was sweltering. Fortunately, the press room had plenty of cold drinks and I had my neck fan with me. This fan was a lifesaver. It kept me cool and comfortable so I could focus during meetings and conversations. Obviously, I don’t function well in heat and apparently, I’m not alone, according to our top story today. Of course, it’s worse for folks who work outside, such as construction and agriculture. But even those of us who sit at desks can be affected too, according to experts. As our bodies work to cool themselves, they use the energy that would otherwise be applied to cognitive function, says author and neuroscientist Clayton Page Aldern. "What do we happen to see disappear in those instances? Well it's the finely honed executive control functions and higher-level attention networks -- the stuff that happens in the most newly evolved areas in the brain. The stuff that defines humans as humans is some of the first stuff to go in the heat,” Aldern says in the article. I get it. So, to ensure that I’m able to work, work out, do house chores and anything else, I hydrate throughout the day and keep my neck fan close at hand. What do you do to beat the heat? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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