More companies in the US -- including Amazon, Dell and 3M -- are shifting back to requiring employees to work in the office full-time, reversing the flexible policies adopted during the pandemic. The office vacancy rate remains high, though there are signs of stabilization in the market, with companies investing in appealing office amenities to attract workers back. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (10/29)
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Recruiting & Retention
Turing uses its own AI to onboard employees en masse Generative AI company Turing has successfully integrated AI into its onboarding process, using a large language model named A.L.A.N. to onboard up to 300 employees in under six hours. This approach allows for the creation of e-learning modules and AI voiceovers, streamlining the experience while maintaining a human in the loop to ensure accuracy. Full Story: CNBC (10/24)
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Survey: Public sector workers concerned about retirement Eighty-one percent of public sector employees worry about outliving their retirement savings, and 73% fear they won't retire on time, according to MissionSquare Research Institute. The research "underscores the need for more financial education and planning resources," according to Zhikun Liu of the MissionSquare Research Institute. Full Story: 401(k) Specialist (10/28)
The HR Leader
Narcissism in job candidates assessed Researchers have developed a tool to assess narcissistic traits in job candidates. The tool, known as the Narcissism Interview Scale for Employment, aims to help organizations maintain healthy work cultures by identifying candidates with narcissistic grandiosity that can disrupt teams. While the tool offers a structured method for evaluating narcissism, its developers acknowledge limitations, noting it should be part of a broader strategy for building effective teams. Full Story: San Francisco State University (10/25)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Los Angeles Dodgers pitching phenomenon Fernando Valenzuela, was 63 when he recently passed away. "El Toro" started his rookie season in 1981 with a winning streak of how many complete games pitched?
Everyone was excited when we recruited Miranda* for the team. Agile, athletic and smart, she was the perfect addition to our midfield. She already knew most of the girls so integrating her into the fold was easy. She got a warm welcome the first day she turned up for practice. Then the season started. Within a couple weeks, the culture of the team started taking a bad turn. Miranda would get impatient with her teammates during practice. I heard whispered complaints among the girls about the way she talked to them on the field. “She’s so mean,” I overheard them say. It went on and on. By the fourth week of the season, Miranda had isolated herself from the girls and was openly critical of the team and coaches. That’s when I took it to her parents. It was an uncomfortable conversation. They said Miranda was unhappy with the team and wanted to leave. I was fine with that. The head coach was not. “She started the season, she needs to finish it,” he said. “Her attitude is poisonous,” I countered. “It’s not just affecting the culture. She won’t listen. She won’t follow the plays. We need to cut this little diva.” Two rough weeks later, he finally agreed. We gave Miranda her player card, wished her well, exchanged awkward hugs and she was gone. Have you ever recruited a Miranda-like narcissist and lived to regret it? Our HR Leader story today may have the answer. Researchers at San Francisco State University developed the Narcissism Interview Scale for Employment, a “set of behavioral and situational questions that can be incorporated into a job interview.” Candidate responses are rated and then evaluated by interviewers trained to look for markers of “a candidate’s propensity for narcissistic grandiosity.” I was fascinated by this. What do you think? Is this a tool you would use? Do you have a Miranda story to share? I'm all ears. Let me know! 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.” *Name changed to preserve privacy.
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