Many state economies never rebounded from recession | Fired Vogue fashion director slams industry hypocrisy | Microsoft reportedly prepares for massive restructuring
Many state economies never rebounded from recession In many parts of the US, economies are still in worse shape than before the financial crisis and the recession that followed. The GDP of five states is lower than before the downturn, employment remains depressed in eight states and home prices haven't fully recovered in 15 states. Bloomberg (7/6)
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Lucinda Chambers, former fashion director at British Vogue, took the magazine and the fashion industry to task in a candid interview with Vestoj after her abrupt firing in May. Chambers discussed the industry's dependence on advertisers and her uneasiness with selling fashions she called "irrelevant for most people -- so ridiculously expensive." The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers) (7/4)
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THINK LIKE A BRANDPamela Green is an incomparable voice in the HR space who writes books and lectures on new industry practices. Recently she has transcended the traditional role of author with a video series that supplements her book "Think Like a Brand". Readers and viewers of Pamela's work soon find that her simple communication style is a perfect way to learn about how to grow your personal and professional brand. To her, it's not just curating your appearance, it's taking steps to make lasting impressions on others in order to further your career goals and personal ambitions.
How higher education transforms workforce development Higher education can change how employees view work and ideas they bring to the table, writes Sean Collins of Dealertrack. Collins credits higher education with improving the company's competitive position, as well as boosting employee creativity, engagement and confidence. Training magazine (6/30)
Benefits & Compensation
HR should seek counsel to manage health plans To manage complex health plans, HR should consult in-house physicians or hire a physician-administrator, writes Mike Payne, head of commercial and policy at Virta Health. "In some ways, the health and benefits portion of HR's responsibility is its own specialty, akin to hospital and health plan management, which are often carried out and always advised by physicians," he writes. Workforce online (6/30)
Technology
Using hackers to protect your company Hire hacker companies to look for weaknesses in your computer code, writes Matt Asay. "If software is truly eating the world, then every company is effectively a software company, in desperate need of ensuring its code is hacked by the white hats, not the black hats," he writes. TechRepublic (6/30)
The HR Leader
Give your workplace environment a makeover Energize your workplace by rethinking classic layouts and creating a comfortable atmosphere with pleasant colors, a friendly eating area and a place to rest, writes Ron Thomas, managing director of the Strategy Focused Group. "Workplaces that were designed years ago are not going to enable your workforce to be productive in the years to come," he writes. ERE Media (7/4)
Most people have to get to a point where they don't have a choice before they'll change something.
