States like California and New York have implemented pay transparency laws, prompting employers to adopt these practices even beyond state lines to attract quality candidates. Experts note that while these laws empower job seekers, they also require employers to navigate varying state requirements and provide clear pay communication. Full Story: CNN (11/13)
Recruiting & Retention
Hold fewer employee meetings by making them better Workers spend about a third of their time in meetings, many of which are unproductive, write Frances Frei, a professor at Harvard Business School, and Anne Morriss, a founder of The Leadership Consortium, who suggest leaders treat employees' time as a strategic resource and focus on making meetings better and holding them less often. To accomplish that, they recommend creating meeting agendas, using AI for note-taking and sharing audio recordings with those who didn't attend. Full Story: Thinkers50 (11/11)
Key behaviors to manage the emotions of retirement Retirement can be a challenging transition for professionals with a strong career identity, as evidenced by two contrasting stories in a Harvard Business Review article. Finding alignment between one's self and life structure is key, as is emphasizing key behaviors including awareness, agency and adaptability. Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (November-December 2024)
Path to Workforce
Modernizing workforce development for evolving economy To ensure universal access to high-quality training, a Center for American Progress report suggests the US update the decade-old Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and adopt a cradle-to-career approach with lifelong learning options. This could feature a legal right to affordable training for job seekers and all workers, potentially through universal individual training accounts and free community college. Such measures would help workers adapt to technological changes and maintain competitiveness in the labor market. Full Story: Center for American Progress (11/4)
The concept of "anti-mattering" describes the feeling of being unseen, unheard and unvalued, which can lead to withdrawal and turnover among high performers, writes Zach Mercurio, a research fellow at the Center for Meaning and Purpose. This feeling of insignificance is a significant factor in why talented employees leave their jobs, often overshadowing issues like compensation, but leaders can counteract anti-mattering by ensuring employees feel noticed, affirmed and needed through regular, meaningful interactions, Mercurio writes. Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (11/12)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
One guy says the song blasting in a London bar is "death metal"; musician Josh Homme argues the sound is more like "the Eagles of death metal" from which Homme got a new band name. What band inspired the name?
Meetings have purpose. They are useful for collaborating on ideas, executing initiatives, tackling crises and so forth, but if they aren’t managed properly, they become leeches of our time, sucking the productivity out of our day. Today’s Recruitment & Retention story offers three ways to better channel that time into more effective discussions. Send materials out ahead of time. You can win the meeting bloat game with this one step. Share your slide deck with attendees 1-2 days in advance. Ask folks to review the slides and come armed with their questions and insights. This not only saves time -- you don’t need to read the entire slide deck to a room full of adults -- but it makes for a far more productive conversation. The other advantage? People can read the content no matter what device they’re using. I take meetings on my phone or with my laptop. Many times it’s hard to see the presenter’s slide deck, even on a laptop. It can also be hard to follow the conversation. Getting the deck ahead of time eliminates these issues and ensures everyone can participate. Jump into the conversation and get folks talking. Assuming everyone has reviewed the presentation, you can get right into the discussion and “surface unique information and ideas from your fellow gatherers,” write Frances Frei, professor at Harvard Business School, and Anne Morriss, founder of The Leadership Consortium. What problems did they see? Any new ideas? What about a different perspective? Make sure there’s an easy way for people attending the meeting remotely to engage in the discussion. Save the last five minutes for recap. Too many meetings end without determining the next steps and who is responsible for what. This is where I see many good initiatives die. The meeting leader should recap the key points of the discussion and outline action steps, with deadlines, Frei and Morriss advice. If you recorded the discussion and can get the transcript (and you really should do both of these!), make sure the leader sends both to the team. Everyone will have everything they need to move forward. What helps you keep meetings on track and productive? How do you ensure they are a smart resource and not a time waster? Let me know. I may share them in an upcoming issue. Do you enjoy this brief? Share it with others. Want different stories? Something about it bug you? Tell me. In the words of Frasier Crane, “I’m listening.”
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