Initial jobless claims reached 242,000 last week, an increase of 13,000 over the prior period, according to the Labor Department. The increase in initial claims was the largest in six weeks, although continuing unemployment claims declined. Full Story: BNN Bloomberg (Canada) (5/4)
73% of U.S. workers are also home caregivers The need for caregivers is increasing. So is the demand on family members who have to step in. This has a large impact on employers and employees. Is it affecting your company? Attend a caregiving webinar hosted by Tricia Sandiego, Senior Advisor for the AARP Caregiving & Health team to learn more. Register Now.
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Recruiting & Retention
6 things college grads seek from potential employers Today’s college graduates are seeking a variety of characteristics from an employer besides a paycheck, such as a flexible work environment and encouraging, helpful and collaborative managers, writes Avery Miller, a senior PR student at Appalachian State University. Miller advises job candidates “to ask as many questions as possible during interviews” to ensure the job is a good fit. Full Story: PRSAY (5/2)
Discover the benefits of age diversity. Older workers have the creativity to take on new challenges. Join thousands of companies that made the pledge to hire experienced workers. Sign pledge today.
This agency is letting others adopt its period policy Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director at AnalogFolk, which has a New York office, explains why the agency introduced a period policy that allows women to take a full day paid leave each month when needed, among other practical support, as well as efforts to reduce stigma in the workplace. "[W]e've made our period policy open-source so that other companies can adopt or adapt it, and we hope that many will do just that," Gladwell writes. Full Story: The Drum (free registration) (5/5)
Scheduling brief video catch-ups, for 10 minutes long, is an effective way to beat Zoom-fatigue and recapture the in-office water-cooler moments missing from hybrid work, writes Neat's Hellene Yelda-Garcia. Other tips for effective communication for remote working include not forgetting to say goodbye at the end of video meetings and being more attentive to facial expressions to really understand how colleagues are getting on. Full Story: MarketingProfs (free registration) (5/4)
Workplace Chatter
"Bare Minimum Monday" may need a lower profile "Bare Minimum Monday" is when someone copes with the demands of manic Mondays by opting to work a lighter schedule on Mondays -- on a regular basis. It's a cute name for what is touted as a remedy for the "Sunday Scaries" -- which is when someone's anxiety about the start of the work week ruins their Sunday. But unless you're self-employed, bragging on TikTok invites the kind of scrutiny that might lead to your "Sunday Scaries" being cured because you can now take the whole day off seven days a week! Full Story: CNBC (4/18)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
In the film "Citizen Kane," Charles Foster Kane on his deathbed whispers, "Rosebud." Literally, what was it? Check your answer here.
I spoke with my sister-in-law Brandi the other day. She told me about a media event she attended earlier this week, featuring a panel discussion about the telling of Hawaiian stories and representation of Hawaiians on stage, film and television. “I really enjoyed it,” she said. The discussion was fascinating, and she had also run into several people that she knew. She had been tired driving to the event, but after listening to the conversation and spending time with her media friends, she felt refreshed, mentally and physically. “I was fired up,” she told me. Her enthusiasm rang through the phone line. “The speakers were so good! I was so inspired by their stories, by their experiences. And then talking to my friends, it just reminded me of what I know I want to do.” I understood. There’s something about being around others who do the work we do, and enjoy it, that ignites us inside. We get excited about the work after spending time with others in our field -- listening to their stories, learning from their experiences and sharing our ideas with them. “I get it, Bran,” I told her. I encouraged her to keep attending events like that and stay close to others doing what she wants to do. “It sharpens us. It gives us energy to be creative. Those types of events don’t just keep us mentally fueled for the work, it makes us good at the work. It divides us from the others who just show up for eight hours and make any kine,” I said. She agreed. Has this been your experience? Do you make time to connect to others in your profession? If you don’t, why not? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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