Walmart Inc. Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Donna Morris (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Walmart's Manager Academy, a leadership training program the retailer established nearly two years ago, brings together groups of 50 Walmart and Sam's Club store managers from across the US most weeks to learn compassionate leadership skills. "The intent of the academy is to walk away knowing what are our values, what are our expectations of leaders, how do we operate effectively with the view of putting our people first?" says Chief People Officer Donna Morris. Full Story: The New York Times (3/12)
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Recruiting & Retention
Survey: 48% of employers plan to hire ManpowerGroup’s latest employment outlook survey finds that 48% of employers plan to hire in the second quarter, with health care, IT, real estate and manufacturing hiring the most. However, recruiters may find fewer people looking, so they should emphasize flexible work options and professional development. Full Story: HR Brew (3/12)
Transforming healthcare for millions The Included Health difference? Dedicated experts who ensure LGBTQ+ and Black members feel seen, heard, and understood. Learn more about our leading advocacy and provider-matching service here.
President Biden's 2025 budget proposal includes a national paid family and medical leave program that would give eligible employees up to 12 weeks off to recover from a medical problem, care for a new child or an ill loved one, or find safety from domestic violence. The president also proposes restoring the Child Tax Credit, requiring employers to provide seven sick days each year to all employees and establishing an "affordable" child care program. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (3/12)
Technology
How employers can adopt AI without causing disruption Generative AI will improve productivity and strengthen employers if they embrace the technology, monitor industry trends and plan ahead by helping employees adapt and learn new skills, according to a Randstad Singapore report. "Embracing these exciting opportunities holds the key to finding a balance between human expertise and technology," the Randstad report states. Full Story: Human Resources Director (3/13)
The HR Leader
Lawson HR exec emphasizes business objectives Lawson Products' Vice President of HR, Sue Eaglebarger, says she not only focuses on talent management and recruitment but emphasizes to all employees the importance of increasing revenues and strengthening the business. "I always talk to my team about how, as HR has evolved, we should think of ourselves as businesspeople first and HR professionals second," Eaglebarger says. Full Story: StrategicCHRO360 (3/12)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Only a few animal species have been named after Pokemon characters, like a bee named Chilicola charizard, after Charmander and Charizard. What recent species did researchers name after Pheromosa?
Kiaha and I were talking about his job recently. He’s been promoted twice and enjoys his role as a NOC engineer. When I brought up that he would be a great candidate for a management role, he was quick to dismiss the notion. “No way,” he said, wagging his head back and forth. “I don’t want the headache.” I understood. Kiaha had long stiff-armed leadership roles. He doesn’t like the spotlight. His skills and brains, though, have often put him there. I pointed that out as I outlined some benefits of management positions. “Yes, with leadership comes responsibility and challenge. You’ve learned that in marriage and fatherhood,” I said, smiling and raising an eyebrow. He shrugged and nodded. “But management also includes higher pay, more autonomy, and more voice in system processes and operations,” I continued. “You can fix things that you think are broken. And, leading people means caring about them. I’ve heard you talk about your co-workers. You care about what happens to them. Management lets you do right by them.” He shrugged and nodded again. “Good points, Mom,” he said. “I’ll keep an open mind.” Leadership roles, the once coveted prize of the ambitious, are now increasingly eschewed by workers, as we see in our Leadership & Development story today. These folks aren’t lazy or lacking initiative. Some don’t want to be a manager for reasons like Kiaha’s -- an unwillingness to deal with the issues that go with managing people and their personalities -- while others are concerned about how the role could affect their work-life balance. Somehow we have to get past this. Mark Perna offers suggestions, including specialized professional development and helping leader candidates see how they can make a difference in the organization. I like these ideas, but what do you think? How are you developing your leader pipeline? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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