Kickstarter becomes first major tech company to unionize | Why hiring the formerly incarcerated makes good sense | Regional accents can affect earnings
Kickstarter becomes first major tech company to unionize In a 46-37 vote, Kickstarter employees voted Tuesday to unionize -- a first among major tech companies. The Office and Professional Employees International Union, representing the employees, says it sees the tech sector as a "new frontier for union organizing." Full Story: The Verge (2/18)
Are you offering the right benefits? Offering the benefits your employees want is how you grow your business, attract talent and stand out from the competition. Understanding your employees' needs and coverage gaps is the first step. Find out if you could be doing more. Take the benefits assessment
Employers that hire people with criminal backgrounds gain quality employees, potentially increase profit and help reduce recidivism, writes Margie Lee-Johnson, vice president of people at Checkr. "By acknowledging the unfair playing field and giving all applicants an equal chance -- especially through diversity and belonging initiatives -- employers have a chance to right a systemic wrong," Lee-Johnson notes. Full Story: Fast Company online (2/13)
The Keys Behind Great Employee Listening Continuous listening is more than a buzzword. It's an approach that organizations must take if they want to improve the employee experience and drive real results for their organization. Download our guide and learn great strategies to get started.
Report: Health care spending per person up 4.4% in 2018 A Health Care Cost Institute report found per-person health care spending for those with employer-sponsored coverage rose by 4.4% in 2018, while health care utilization climbed 1.8% from 2017 to 2018, the fastest pace in the five-year period studied. The spending growth was largely driven by rising prices for medical services for all categories of outpatient and professional services, with prices 15% higher in 2018 than 2014. Full Story: Healthcare Finance (2/14)
Path to Workforce
Colleges prepare students for careers Some colleges are rethinking the traditional pathway to a degree to better prepare students for careers. The University System of Georgia, for example, recently introduced what it calls "nexus" degrees that go a step beyond a traditional associate degree to require internships and higher-level coursework. Full Story: Education Dive (2/17)
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked that the 74 federal inspectors general protect whistleblowers from retaliation in the wake of President Donald Trump's impeachment hearings. He also asked the inspectors general to document when federal employees are told their legal rights about anonymously reporting misconduct. Full Story: Yahoo (2/10)
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these daily updates free.
Refer 10 new readers to receive one year of digital access to The New York Times. Experience groundbreaking reporting, commentary, documentaries and more.
