Unvaccinated Americans increase medical, business costs | Opinion: Improve gender equity with flexible work | Tips for talking with your manager about a sabbatical
A quarter of US adults remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus as the economic costs of the decision are becoming clear. Besides preventable deaths and the billions of dollars in US hospital costs, vaccine hesitancy could lead to layoffs, higher insurance premiums as well as out-of-pocket medical costs and short-staffed workplaces. Full Story: Reuters (3/25)
Tired of biased news stories? Try 1440. The 1440 Daily Digest is a different way to read the news. No editorializing, no clickbait, just fact-based summaries of the biggest stories happening around the world—-delivered straight to your inbox in a 5-minute morning briefing. Subscribe for free today.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Recruiting & Retention
Opinion: Improve gender equity with flexible work A Have Her Back study found that 79% of female corporate employees want a flexible working schedule, while 41% of those surveyed say their employer believes in the office, full time is best. Caroline Dettman, co-founder of Have Her Back, argues that the "notion that one must work in the office to succeed is not only outdated -- it's inequitable," and suggests that out of office messaging is replaced with the unbiased alternative, "Away today." Full Story: Campaign US (tiered subscription model) (3/25)
Internal Communication Strategy Employees who feel fully informed and more engaged may be 21% more productive. Companies with effective communication strategies see 47% higher total returns to shareholders. Could better writing improve your company culture? Download the guide for more details.
Harnessing "glimmers" can improve mental health Small moments that bring joy and calm the nervous system -- known as "glimmers," a term coined by licensed clinical social worker Deb Dana -- can be found in nature, a smile and music. And once we start recognizing glimmers, we see more and find delight in them, which guides the nervous system toward "patterns of connection that are inherently waiting in there to be deepened and brought alive," Dana says. Full Story: USA Today (3/23)
Benefits & Compensation
Working parents take a strong stance on benefits The power balance between staff members and employers has seen a shift in favor of the former as a result of pandemic-era concerns and trends, writes Gina Nebesar. Working parents are insisting on better benefits related to child care, work-life wellness, family friendly culture, diversity and other issues, and they are willing to leave employers that don't offer them, Nebesar points out. Full Story: Benefits and Pensions Monitor (Canada) (3/24)
Being a mother isn’t a hobby. It’s my first priority. It’s the reason I work a 9-5 job and why -- for several years -- I had a second job. But it wasn’t enough to just pay the bills and put food on the table. I wanted to be present for Kiaha and Kawai. Take pizza and sodas to classrooms on birthdays. Coach soccer teams after school. Cook spaghetti for their friends on Friday nights. Take them to the library and camps during the summer. It wasn’t about not having money for child care -- although that cost certainly would have been crushing, even with me making a better-than-average salary. I wasn’t pinching pennies. I wanted to be present and involved. I knew that children whose parents are engaged in their lives are typically well-adjusted, happy and academically successful. So I’m not surprised to see more working parents pushing their employers for family friendly benefits. Right on! Better leave policies, flexible schedules and a culture that supports family are all good things. They make for a happier, more loyal workforce. I love my job, but it’s not the reason I work. I work because I want to provide a home and secure future for the two people I hatched more than 28 years ago. They’re worth it. 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.
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
