A four-day workweek pilot project involving 61 companies with 2,900 workers that took place from June to December of 2022 offered promising results. Fifty-six companies have extended the arrangement -- including 18 that have permanently moved to a four-day workweek -- and most employees had lower levels of burnout by the end of the experiment. Full Story: ZDNet (2/21)
Recruiting & Retention
AI helps choose which workers get laid off Firms have for years used software that analyzes millions of data points to identify job candidates, promotion prospects and retention priorities, but companies are turning to such software to assist with job cuts. "They suddenly are just being used differently," says Joseph Fuller, a Harvard University professor who co-heads the Managing the Future of Work initiative. Full Story: The Washington Post (2/20)
New survey: What employees want in 2023 We talked to 1,000 full-time employees to examine the state of their financial wellness -- and how their employers can offer help. Wanna build a stronger financial wellness plan in 2023 and beyond? This is the report for you.
Study: Weak communication could thwart perk programs Just a third of US workers use employers' wellness perks and about half sign up for retirement plans, possibly due to ineffective communication, researchers have found. Incentives will inspire more participation if they're tested before a wide introduction, promoted effectively and reviewed, Harvard Business School professor Leslie John says. Full Story: Harvard Business School Working Knowledge (2/21)
School districts nationwide are working to build more career exploration into high school. Such programs help engage students in learning, and in the New Albany, Miss., school district, Superintendent Lance Evans says a successful internship program helps expose students to careers they may otherwise not have considered and get a sense of the pathway before investing time and money in a college education or other training. Full Story: Education Week (2/21)
Employees are more engaged and innovative when they feel psychologically safe to express themselves in meetings and they know that failure will be treated as a learning experience and not punished, write Karolin Helbig and Minette Norman. Leaders can ensure this safety by listening deeply and creating ground rules and opportunities to speak up and collaborate in meetings, they write. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (2/21)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
POLL QUESTION: "The Bridge on the River Kwai" won Best Motion Picture at the Golden Globes on this day in 1958. How many Academy Awards did it win a month later? The final tally is here.
POLL QUESTION: What say you?Four-day work weeks are among the strategies that some companies are testing to improve employee satisfaction and workplace morale. Others include hybrid working, flexible scheduling and remote work. Are you experimenting or deploying any of these in your organization?
