Employers expect to continue reshaping the workplace | Report: Accommodating workers with disabilities has low cost | Second chance programs create reliable talent pool
Driven in part by work-from-home trends, talent scarcity and advances in technology, employers are reshaping the workplace. US companies expect roughly 55% of employees to work remotely or hybrid in the next three years, and 74% of firms anticipate some tasks will be automated in that timeframe, according to WTW's Dynamics of Work Survey. Full Story: Willis Towers Watson (5/9)
Live Webinar: Building a Sense of Belonging Did you know that employees with a strong sense of belonging are 3x more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to their job? Join Achievers' free webinar to learn how you can create and measure belonging starting from an employee's first day through to their exit interview. Register now.
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Recruiting & Retention
Report: Accommodating workers with disabilities has low cost The US Department of Labor found the median expenditure for accommodating workers with disabilities is only $300, according to data collected between 2019 and 2022. The survey found that more than half of employers made accommodations to retain employees they valued and 68.4% of employers said the accommodations were either very effective or extremely effective. Full Story: CleanLink (5/10)
Training Shouldn't Be "One Size Fits All" Everyone learns differently. Why leave it to chance that the professional development selected for you will meet your needs? Ensure your training fits your learning style, interests, schedule, and location. Explore SHRM Seminar topics, dates and virtual/online offerings.
Employers can help staff use benefits more effectively People typically spend only a short time enrolling in benefits when they join a new workplace, so they may be unaware of important offerings that can benefit their physical, mental and financial health. Employers and benefit advisors can help them better understand and use available services by asking vendors for educational content, tailoring benefit communications to events and seasons in a timely way, reminding staff how benefits apply when they have qualifying status changes, incorporating engaging materials into the orientation process, and offering a variety of benefit communication channels. Full Story: BenefitsPRO (free registration) (5/10)
Technology
Report: Continuous learning vital in future workplace Skills development and continuous learning will be critical over the next five years as employers adopt new technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, according to a World Economic Forum report. In addition to learning how to use the new technologies, employees need to understand creative and analytical thinking, agility and resilience. Full Story: HR Exchange Network (5/9)
The HR Leader
How to disagree while preserving work relationships Disagreements with colleagues or managers do not have to lead to bad feelings or strained relationships if you follow certain strategies to disagree productively. These strategies include approaching conflict with a willingness to learn from the other person and being clear about your intentions. Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (5/10)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
The British Library houses one of the oldest printed books in existence. What language was it written in? Check your answer here.
Today's teacher tribute was written by SmartBrief Education editor Trigie Ealey. Our education system -- and for sure our workplaces -- need more folks like Dr. Cox. We need people who can connect so well with others that they can take someone who despised reading and turn them into someone who does it for a living. Enjoy! I used to hate reading. Especially in school when I was told which books to read and sent to the “girls” section of the library to find books. This made me hate reading because none of the books interested me. Fairy tales and make-believe so contrived and absurd that it was laughable. I’ve never been a fan of authority so pushing back was natural for me. When I was in sixth grade, I got another dreaded reading assignment: go home, read the newspaper and bring in an interesting story. The newspaper? You cannot be serious? My teacher, Dr. Boyd R. Cox, explained to the class that the newspaper is written so that students our age -- 12-ish -- could understand it and learn about the world. I loved Dr. Cox. And Kermit, his green pickup truck. And his full head of thick, cloud-white hair. He was brilliant. But this assignment? What was he thinking? So I tried to trust him. I read the newspaper. I don’t remember how many days we were supposed to read it. Maybe a weekend. Verdict -- My. Mind. Was. Blown. This was during the 1981-82 school year -- think Carter --Reagan, the Cold War, US hostages in Iran and too many other manmade and natural disasters around the world to count. I read about things that I never could have imagined. Apartheid? Really? This is happening now? In 1982? In South Africa? It was a complete outrage. Truth was stranger than any fiction. At some point later, I nervously stood in front of the class to explain the article I had chosen, about a group of sick children going on a trip to a Disney park. When I looked up from the newsprint shaking in my hands, I could see that my peers looked as shocked as I was that these children had a disease that was going to kill them at a young age. I did not hate reading. I hated what I was being assigned -- fiction, which turned me off from reading. My teacher showed me that there are many things available to read. I eventually decided to become a journalist, my career of nearly 30 years. I still love nonfiction -- biographies, books that explore historic events, studies and research, anything how-to and self-help, travel guides, cookbooks. Oh, the many cookbooks. And everything for my job here at SmartBrief. I read and process news all day long. And I owe this passion that I have for news and reading to my wonderful teacher, Dr. Cox, who changed my life. We’re friends on Facebook. Seriously! We are! — Trigie Ealey, editor, SmartBrief Education What teachers made a difference in your world? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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