Unemployment rate falls as US adds 253K jobs | Psychologist: How to find, foil source of office drama | Bersin: 6 tips for a better total rewards program
Hiring fair at So-Fi stadium (Christina House/Getty Images)
The US added 253,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate ticked downward to 3.4%, according to Labor Department data released Friday. The better-than-expected job data indicates sustained strength in a US labor market that continues to defy the many other economic indicators pointing toward a slowing economy. Average hourly earnings were up 0.5% in April, with wages rising 4.4% year over year. Full Story: Reuters (5/5),The Washington Post (5/5)
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Recruiting & Retention
Psychologist: How to find, foil source of office drama Drama addicts manufacture chaos, spreading tension and anxiety through previously calm workplaces, clinical psychologist Scott Lyons says. Such employees tend to gossip, have messy workspaces and blow things out of proportion, but leaders can quell their influence with such techniques as breaks, help in heated moments and "work gratitude journals," Lyons notes. Full Story: Kiplinger (5/4)
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Eating ultraprocessed foods may affect brain health Consuming a lot of highly processed, packaged foods may be linked to a greater likelihood of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression as well as cognitive decline. University of São Paulo Medical School researcher Natalia Gomes Goncalves said one recent study suggested that cognitive decline accelerated by 28% in individuals who got more than 20% of their calories from ultraprocessed foods, but it's also possible that eating healthful foods may counteract some negative effects of consuming highly processed foods. Full Story: The New York Times (5/4)
Benefits & Compensation
Legal plan may help employees avoid financial stress With staff mental health and burnout trends escalating in recent times, some employers are looking at adding benefits to help workers prevent added financial stress due to legal matters. A study noted that over a period of three years, 85% of individuals were affected by legal events such as credit card disputes, adoption issues, tax cases or bankruptcy, and experts say a legal plan -- also known as group legal insurance -- may help avert pressure. Full Story: BenefitsPRO (free registration) (5/5)
The inclusion part of diversity, equity and inclusion doesn't have clear metrics, which makes it more difficult to implement, write Andrea Kramer and Alton Harris, communication and gender bias experts. While being welcoming and respectful are obvious goals, inclusion is also about being fair with resources, support and mentoring availability; leadership opportunities and pathways; and evaluations and rewards. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (5/4)
Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off today. In honor of those who make a difference with their instruction, I will be sharing memories this week of educators and others who have influenced the trajectory of my career and life. First there was Mrs. Rothermel. I was spellbound the first time she read to us from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “On the Bank of Plum Creek.” I fell in love with Laura, Mary, Baby Carrie, Ma, Pa and Jack. I disliked Nellie Oleson. I was fascinated with the dugout, horehound candy (which Mrs. Rothermel brought in one day for us) and Ma’s vanity cakes. I begged my parents to buy the book series for me for Christmas. When they did, I devoured the set. I spent hours lost in Laura’s trials and adventures on the plains of Minnesota. Those books kicked off my love for reading, which I hold (and get paid to do) to this day. And then there was Mr. Perry. I hated math as a kid and I felt like numbers hated me back. Fractions were a particular thorn for me. So when it came time for me to take algebra I in high school, I was a mess. The equations and theories flew over my head at the speed of light. So it’s good that I had Mr. Perry as my ninth-grade algebra I teacher. He was direct and tough (he was also the basketball coach and athletic director), but not impatient or unkind. He seemed to have powers with students like me who were lost but couldn’t articulate what confused us. Thanks to Mr. Perry’s patience and teacher powers, I passed algebra I. Years later, when my daughter was in a dual-enrollment high school and had to take a math course at the local community college, I was thrilled to see Mr. Perry was teaching there. She took his class and I dropped in to see him after school one day. He looked wonderful. Older, but still handsome with sharp, friendly eyes. He peered at me over his glasses after I introduced myself and told him what year I graduated. He studied me for several seconds. “Namahoe. Sprinter,” he growled at me. I beamed. I had been a standout sprinter and long jumper in high school. I was stunned that he remembered. “Yes sir. That was me -- a long time ago,” I answered, nodding and laughing. We spent a few minutes catching up. He wanted to know who I knew in his class. When I pointed to the chair where my daughter sat, he smiled. “Ahh yes. Kawai. The high schooler,” he answered. Mr. Perry quickly became one of Kawai’s favorite teachers. “He’s adorable! And I don’t hate math in his class,” she told me. Like her mother, Kawai struggled with math. But in Mr. Perry’s class, she learned to make friends with it. So thank you, Mrs. Rothermel and Mr. Perry. A gangly, chatty, socially-awkward kid with an unusual name fell in love with reading and learned to respect math because of you two. Who were the teachers, coaches or professional peers who taught you valuable lessons? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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Sometimes I think creativity is magic; it's not a matter of finding an idea, but allowing the idea to find you.
Maya Lin, architect, sculptor, designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Civil Rights Memorial May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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