March jobs report shows unemployment rate of 4.4% | Workers afraid to return to factories amid pandemic | Rituals can help manage extreme emotions and stress
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a loss of 701,000 jobs in March, driving the unemployment rate to 4.4%. Barclay's US chief economist, Michael Gapen, predicts April will show more losses and that the unemployment rate could be more than 10%. Full Story: NBC News (4/3)
Recruiting & Retention
Workers afraid to return to factories amid pandemic Companies trying to reopen factories that have closed because of the coronavirus pandemic are encountering resistance from workers who fear infection while at the workplace. Some workers are demanding masks, safety gear and extra cleaning. Full Story: BNN Bloomberg (Canada) (4/3)
Research: Women's pay may suffer during pandemic Women face a greater financial loss during the pandemic because they're more likely to stay out of work to care for children and sick family members, a PayScale report says. "Employers should recognize that employment gaps to care for family members may be unavoidable," says Sudarshan Sampath, PayScale research director. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (4/2)
The HR Leader
How to make virtual presentations more effective Online presentations and virtual meetings need to improve with the increase in remote work, which means a faster pace, narrating over the slides to add context and help guide viewers, and being ready to handle technical problems. "Use larger fonts and plenty of white space, and don't put things near the edges of your slides," says consultant Ken Molay. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (3/30)
Kathryn Rowe, the Baltimore Orioles' first mental skills coordinator, was hired to improve players' mental game on the field, but during the pandemic she's holding virtual drop-in and group meetings to help them deal with stress. "My focus has been getting them on a routine because that helps during an awkward, confusing, scary time like this," she says. Full Story: The Baltimore Sun (tiered subscription model) (4/1)
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
Refer 10 new readers to receive one year of digital access to The New York Times. Experience groundbreaking reporting, commentary, documentaries and more.
