Southwest Airlines plans to lay off 1,750 corporate employees, marking the first mass layoff in its history, to cut costs and streamline operations. The airline has faced pressure from investors to control expenses amid rising labor costs and inflation. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (2/17),Investopedia (2/18),CNN (2/17)
Are your adoption benefits best-in-class? Take the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's 2025 Best Adoption Friendly Workplace survey. Be recognized for supporting all working parents. Participants receive a free benchmark report and can earn a special recognition badge. Apply by April 4.
Effective change management is crucial to prevent frustration and decreased performance in organizations, writes Paul Rothman, editor-in-chief of Security Business magazine. Middle managers play a key role in helping employees adjust to new procedures by providing clear communication and support. Full Story: SecurityInfoWatch (2/13)
Over 15 Keynotes! Gather colleagues from near and far, then get ready to be inspired by icons, learn from experts, and connect with thousands of leaders and peers from around the nation. Oprah, Caitlin Clark, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Padma Lakshmi & more! Take timely & actionable ideas back to your workplace, & THRIVE! REGISTER TODAY.
Leadership strategies transform safety culture Leadership is about behaviors, not titles, as demonstrated by Patrick Nelson's work with a Fortune 500 company. By implementing service-based leadership and forward-looking accountability, the company bridged divides and improved safety, resulting in fewer incidents and a more engaged workforce. Full Story: Training magazine (2/12)
Benefits & Compensation
CEO suggests employee-focused financial wellness Financial wellness programs offered by employers often see low engagement because they are perceived as sales-driven rather than helpful. fidvisor CEO Brian Walters suggests a shift to fiduciary-only advice, integrating AI with human financial planners to provide tailored guidance. This approach aims to address immediate financial challenges and improve overall employee financial health. Full Story: BenefitsPRO (free registration) (2/17)
The demand for interim chief HR officers surged by 225% from 2022 to 2023, driven by organizational needs such as mergers and acquisitions, cultural transformations and the need to scale HR functions, according to a Heidrick & Struggles study. "If you want to stay in a career space you love, and continue solving interesting problems and making an impact, interim CHRO can be a good way to go," says Jill Piggott, who works as an interim CHRO. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (2/14)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Rosie and HAL 9000 are famous fictional robots, and Jia Jia is one of the first humanoid prototype robots. What artist coined the word "robot"?
