Why you need to address employee shortcomings head on A workplace that avoids honest and clear communication, such as addressing employee shortcomings and failures directly, can lead to a toxic environment, says Guru co-founder Rick Nucci. You can avoid doing this by celebrating failures and embracing radical candor, Nucci says. Full Story: CNBC (7/26)
How companies can evolve to embrace the future of work SAP's Holistic Future of Work Agenda aims to strategically shape the future of work post-pandemic, emphasizing the importance of moving away from crisis management toward a focus on workforce transformation, new people practices and next-generation HR models. SAP Chief Future of Work Officer Christian Schmeichel details the agenda, writing companies must continue to help employees upskill, in addition to embracing an evolution that includes the use of more data. Full Story: SAP (7/25)
Making the Connection
To yell or not to yell? Yelling in the office often is a sign of toxic behavior and aggression, but some employees prefer it to its passive-aggressive cousin, and some leaders find it an occasionally useful motivational tool, says Cait Brumme, CEO of business accelerator MassChallenge. A few successful leaders have sometimes displayed volatile behavior in the office, but yelling should never cross into abusive territory. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (7/26)
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Women in middle management benefit competitiveness Companies are likely to find an advantage in promoting women into middle management positions, a recent study shows, "not only in terms of their profitability but also in terms of their high-performance work system," says Tony Kong, an organizational leadership associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, co-author of the study. Middle managers play an outsize role in a company's success as the conduit between workers and executives, Kong notes. Full Story: University of Colorado Boulder (7/18)
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Some executives say HR retreats are more effective than conferences because the retreats give people opportunities to network with each other, socialize in small groups and talk about day-to-day challenges in a stress-free environment. "I love this idea that the focus is less on what is the latest and greatest, and a lot more on let's make sure you have a community, a network and a resource of people to reach out to for ideas or a shoulder to lean on when times get tough," says Melanie Naranjo, vice president of people at Ethena. Full Story: WorkLife (7/26)
Employers want higher federal minimum wage, report finds A Payscale report found about three-quarters of US employers support an increase in the federal minimum wage, which was last raised to $7.25 per hour in 2009. Businesses that have increased their wages above the minimum have found a reduction in turnover and better employee engagement, according to the report, which points out supporters of a higher minimum wage say an increase would stimulate the economy and close racial and gender pay gaps. Full Story: HR Dive (7/25)
Forty-eight percent of Americans think shorts can occasionally be acceptable for men at work, while 41% say they are never appropriate, which rises to 57% among baby boomers, according to The Wall Street Journal and Ipsos. A separate survey from Deloitte found 45% of workers don't want to wear suits, and around a third would rather get paid 10% less than have to dress up for the office. Full Story: Fortune (tiered subscription model) (7/24)
If you had to guess where Earth's most intense sunlight is found, where would you guess? The Australian Outback? Some desert in Africa? Maybe Death Valley? The correct answer is the Atacama Desert in South America. Researchers used five years of solar radiation measurements from an observatory in the desert to verify satellite data pointing toward the location, determining that each square meter of the desert is hit with an average of 308 watts of solar power. Full Story: Science News (7/26)
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SmartBreak: Question of the Day
In its uncut state, how many carats is the Lulo Rose pink diamond? Check your answer here.
