US job growth falls to 150K in Oct. as wage growth slows | Survey shows employee happiness scores declining | CFO leadership evolves as the role is transformed
The US unemployment rate rose to 3.9% in October from 3.8% in September, while job growth also slowed to 150,000 from 297,000 in the same period, below economists' expectations. The Federal Reserve will be looking to the numbers to determine its next rate hike move, with Fed chair Jerome Powell saying a cooling labor market could mean rate hikes are no longer necessary. Full Story: Bloomberg (11/3),The Wall Street Journal (11/3)
Recruiting & Retention
Survey shows employee happiness scores declining A recent survey by a human resources software company found that worker happiness in the US is at a three-year low. More than 1.6 billion employee responses to the question "Would you recommend your workplace to others?" were analyzed, and employers' average score for this year is 36, down 16% from June 2020 and showing its sharpest drop in three years. An analysis indicates which industries registered the highest and lowest scores. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (11/2)
Pay attention to early indicators of burnout Early signs of burnout can include feelings of irritability, stomach problems, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, low libido, trouble concentrating, and a lack of satisfaction with life. Counseling psychologist Dr. Rina Bajaj says these signals can be subtle and may be mistakenly attributed to other causes, so adults should pay close attention to their symptoms and seek help if needed. Full Story: woman&home (11/1)
Benefits & Compensation
Most private workers eligible for health insurance benefits The percentage of private sector employers offering health insurance benefits climbed from 45.3% to 51.1% between 2016 and 2020, while the percentage of private sector employees eligible for health coverage increased to 81% last year, according to a report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. An analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey showed about 97% of employers with 100 to 999 workers and 99% of firms with least 1,000 workers offer health insurance coverage. Full Story: Fierce Healthcare (11/2)
A survey of knowledge workers by Global HP found that only 27% of workers say they have a healthy relationship with their job, but if you feel like your relationship with your job is dysfunctional, it's important to take the initiative to change it, writes executive coach Alisa Cohn. Pinpointing the source of your unease, distracting yourself from the cycle of rumination, looking to coworkers for inspiration and taking on new challenges can all help you gain perspective, Cohn writes. Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (11/3)
As my kids navigate their way through the professional world, I will occasionally give them advice or hacks I’ve learned during my career. Always dress for the work day, even if you’re working at home. If you’re doing a lunch interview, avoid foods that will stick to your teeth or pollute your breath. Keep your car clean. If you wind up being the one driving folks to lunch or happy hour, you don’t want your colleagues sitting in a car that smells like fast food and sweaty gym clothes. I’ve also passed along my email writing rules: 1) Keep a digital digital scratch pad on your desktop -- mine is a Google doc -- and use it to write rough draft emails and 2) don’t add the recipients to your emails until you’re done writing them and they’re ready to go. Kawai was puzzled. “That sounds like a lot of work. Why do you do that?” she asked. I explained that if I have to write a lengthy or sensitive note, or respond to an important email, I do a rough draft first in a different document. “I don’t want to accidentally send it too early,” I said. “The scratch doc lets me rework the details and language until I’m happy with it.” Today’s Washington Post story about email etiquette is a good one. I especially liked the advice about keeping emails short and clear (PR folks, please heed this one) and considering whether a note needs to be an email, phone call or Slack message. These and the other suggestions were all smart and practical. What email advice or hacks do you have? What works for you? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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