Economic activity in the US appears to be moderating, as evidenced by a slight decline in initial jobless claims to 238,000 and a rise in continuing claims to 1.828 million. Housing starts also fell by 5.5% in May, the lowest since June 2020, amid high mortgage rates. Full Story: Reuters (6/20)
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Recruiting & Retention
Younger workers turning to the trades Gen Z is beginning to respond in a meaningful way to rising wages in the construction industry and the promise of rewarding careers as an alternative to college. Katie Tabeling reviews the landscape of training and apprenticeships in the trades as the National Student Clearinghouse predicts that 779,000 people will enroll in vocational institutions this year, up 17% from 2023. Full Story: Delaware Business Times (6/19)
New law helps workers manage retirement, student debt With the Secure 2.0 Act, employers can now support employees in managing student loan debt and retirement savings by calculating retirement plan contributions on student loan repayments. Mary Moreland of Abbott recommends going slowly, educating employees on the benefits, and communicating one-on-one for better engagement. Full Story: HR Dive (6/20)
The HR Leader
Informal advisors can help CHROs tackle challenges Human resource chiefs are facing heightened demands, including managing new work environments and rising mental health concerns. Bill Conaty, former HR head at GE, suggests that informal advisors can be crucial in helping CHROs handle these pressures and reduce feelings of isolation. Full Story: Human Resource Executive (6/20)
Apponequet Regional High School senior Mason Macuch wrote personalized notes -- including one in Spanish! -- for all 180 students in his graduating class. His peers were surprised and touched by the memories and reflections that Macuch included in the notes. Full Story: The Washington Post (6/18)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Abraham Lincoln gave his "a house divided cannot stand" speech when accepting his party's nomination to run for US president. Where does the informal title of his speech originate from?
Hats off to Apponequet Regional High School graduate Mason Macuch who surprised his peers at their commencement ceremony with a good-bye note tailored to each person. So much of what he did here serves up good lessons for all of us -- as humans and professionals. Here are my takeaways. Cherish the sweet moments. Macuch finished his speech with these words: “Thank you for making these years what we will soon call the good old days.” Students were stunned by the memories that Macuch included in their notes. His message to Emily Bodwell, who he has known most of his life, paid homage to “boom-boom,” a game they played when they were five. Bodwell said she cried when she read the note. “My hope is that the notes will bring back happy memories to my classmates when they look at them years from now,” Macuch said. Takeaway: Life moves fast. Make time to stroll down memory lane with your friends and loved ones. Recalling the good times -- retelling the old stories, for the millionth time -- will fill your spirit with warmth and laughter. Showing you care matters. A lot. Students were not just surprised by the notes; they felt loved. One student didn’t speak English. Macuch wrote that student’s note in Spanish. Some students he didn’t know well. For these folks, he made mention of something he noticed about that person over the years. Or, he wrote a kind farewell message. All of these gestures made an enormous impact on his peers. “Every member of our class felt appreciated, honored and cared for,” said Bodwell. Takeaway: People want to be noticed. They want to feel loved. Kind, genuine gestures like what Macuch did can turn someone’s whole day around. It can help break bad moods and sour dispositions. Make time to be kind. Macuch invested 10 hours over several days writing the notes. Before we think, “Well, he can do that. He’s a kid,” don’t. He worked two jobs, kept up with classes and his responsibilities as class president, and participated in end-of-year activities. And he still made time! He wanted his peers to end their high-school years on a good note. Literally. Takeaway: We allocate time to different activities every day. The urgent tasks get most of our attention and energy -- and can wear us out. Let’s be intentional about investing time in deeds like Macuch’s. Doing this helps us recalibrate our spirits and refuels are depleted energy stores. How can I serve you better with this brief? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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