Taboos about using drugs such as psylocybin and ketamine to enhance job performance may be easing up in the workplace, especially where the substances have been made legal for common use, but the practice is still cause for controversy. The FDA has issued warnings that off-label, unmonitored and mental health use of drugs such as ketamine may come with serious risks. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (4/21)
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A new study has revealed that musicians often bring exemplary skills to the workplace ... even when they're working jobs that aren't related to music. Experience collaborating with others, working independently, paying attention to detail and managing time wisely are among the many skills that transfer from music education to an employment setting. Full Story: The Conversation (4/14)
Last Chance to Earn Your SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®! Kickstart your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP journey before May 12 to take advantage of the extended application deadline! Seize this final opportunity to secure a testing window from May to July. Your future starts now. Don't wait to earn a globally valued and recognized HR credential.
How to tailor benefits technology to your needs Benefits technology doesn't come in a one-size-fits-all solution and needs to be customized for each business's needs, writes Frank Mengert, CEO of ebm. Benefits technology needs to handle more than payroll and be tailored for atypical benefits like pet insurance and tuition reimbursement while being easily accessible to employees. Full Story: Training magazine (4/22)
Employers that focus on only a few health and wellness options during open enrollment will save money, reduce confusion and see higher program participation, says Gravie Chief People Officer Amy Spartz, who suggests determining priorities by conducting employee surveys and listening sessions, reviewing claims data and working with a broker. "It takes time and resources to set up a new point solution provider and the overall cost of managing health insurance administration is extremely high, so working with a trusted broker and staying focused on key priorities will give your employees and company the best ROI," Spartz says. Full Story: StrategicCHRO360 (4/16)
Despite her Southern roots, Beyonce didn't get the warmest of reactions from some country music fans when she performed with the Chicks at an awards show in 2016 -- but her new "Cowboy Carter" album gave the naysayers something to talk about. Three businesswomen explain how, in the intervening years, Beyonce went through an exclusion evolution with three strategies: Exiting the conversation, working for change and creating your own lane. Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (4/22)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Of the banks listed here, which one did NOT adopt "chair" instead of "chairman" for their top corporate title?
What’s in your cup? A man named Joe Stan posted a video to social media* in which he describes a scenario where you, the listener, are holding a cup of coffee and someone bumps you, sending coffee everywhere. He asks why you spilled the coffee. “See, a lot of you will say the reason you spilled coffee was because someone bumped into you,” he explains. “That’s the wrong answer. The reason you spilled coffee is because that’s what was in the cup.” That metaphor made me sit straight up. It jolted me. It made me ask, “What spills out of me?” Every day, we get bumped. Big bumps, little bumps, bumps we hardly notice. But we’re in contact with people and circumstances every day. When we brush up against them, what comes out of our cups? That all depends on what we’re putting into them, doesn’t it? We are around others all the time. Do we allow what’s in their cups -- good or bad -- to trickle into ours? And books and media. Are we intentional about what we read and watch, knowing that what we consume has an impact on us? Case in point. I saw an email Sunday that annoyed me. I started to argue with the sender, in my head. I even made a snarky comment aloud. And that’s when I felt the nudge in my spirit. Something inside me quietly asked, “What’s spilling out of you right now? Is that sarcasm and anger?" Ouch. I needed that. I don’t want to continue bad habits or engage in biting communication. It's unproductive. But more than that, I want what comes out of me -- what spills onto others -- to be kind, honest, friendly, gentle, courageous and compassionate. I'm a work in progress. What about you? Do you know what’s in your cup? Do you know what spills out of you when Life bumps you? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also. *Note: This video is from TikTok, but I don't personally have a TikTok profile. I am frugal with social media and only use my accounts on Facebook and Instagram. If I'm covering a show, I might use X.
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