Some companies, including Deloitte and KPMG, are considering a "hub-and-spoke" model for their work locations -- a small central office in a downtown area supported by a network of smaller working offices or co-working spaces located near where employees live. Organizations are exploring the idea as a way to combine the benefits of work-from-home structures and the cost savings of reduced office space in downtown areas. Full Story: Fast Company online (9/1)
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NBA players' recent three-day play stoppage amid the playoffs to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake highlights the taut balance between the power they have accrued and the degree to which that power comes from their time on the court, Noam Scheiber writes. Expert Amira Rose Davis, referring to league executives, says, "It shows the potential of athletic labor power and that's why they'll try to limit it by trying to co-opt it, contain it and declaw it." Full Story: The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/29)
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Calif. labor bill exempts certain freelancers Legislators in California have approved exemptions from a recent law that was meant to target ride-share companies, such as Uber and Lyft, and could redefine the gig economy by workers' status to employee instead of contractor. Monday's bill would exempt freelance writers and photographers, fine artists and advisers, among others. Full Story: The Fresno Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (9/1)
Skilled tradespeople are aging out of the workforce, and their young replacements are in short supply due to the "ludicrous idea that the only path toward financial success includes a four-year college degree," writes Rusk Industries' Ken Rusk, a blue-collar entrepreneur. That idea must be put to rest, and Rusk adds, that "a blue-collar or skilled manufacturing career provides the opportunity to work hard, make a good living, and if you want, maybe even the opportunity to be your own boss." Full Story: IndustryWeek (8/28)
The HR Leader
Do nice people really finish last at work? Despite stereotypes about the cutthroat nature of business, a study suggests that people who are deceptive and manipulative might not go further in the workplace than their more agreeable counterparts. Full Story: CNN (9/1)
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