Black and Latina women are increasingly leading major labor unions in the US, signaling a shift in focus towards family-friendly benefits and equitable workplace practices. Leaders like Gwen Mills of UNITE HERE and Liz Shuler of AFL-CIO are at the forefront, advocating for parental leave, health care and protections against harassment. The momentum of diverse leadership is driving union growth and addressing systemic inequities in the workplace.
After being laid off twice, Sean Tetpon, 55, has struggled to find employment despite applying for over 1,000 positions. The highly competitive nature of corporate communications and perceived ageism contribute to his challenges. With his family facing financial difficulties, Tetpon has resorted to driving for Lyft, considering a move into retail work and continuously refining his job search tactics.
As inflation spikes, resulting in a forecasted 8.5% hike in health care costs next year, employers are exploring diverse strategies to ease employee financial stress. Among these, tailor-made ICHRAs and community-oriented HCSMs offer personalized care options, while flexible cafeteria plans like FSAs and HSAs enable tax savings on medical expenses.
Some states are offering employers new incentives to make 529 college savings account contributions on behalf of their employees. At least eight states are providing tax credits or deductions for employers that contribute, and 15% of companies and organizations with at least 500 staff members are helping to fund 529 plans.
The evolving role of HR is being examined through the lens of agility, emphasizing the need for flexible and adaptable strategies in today's dynamic workplace. Various experts, including Mary Faulkner, Brad Swanson, and Felix Emmelmann, discuss how agile principles can help manage hybrid teams, boost collaboration and improve leadership. Tools such as VR, AI and collaboration software are crucial for flexibility.
I attended my friend Julie’s 55th birthday party on Saturday. It was like a high school reunion. The room was packed with folks I hadn’t seen in more than 30 years. Julie asked me to say a few words, so I did. Afterward, a sweet gal caught up with me as I was serving myself a glass of iced tea.
“I loved your speech, Kanoe,” she said, smiling and extending her hand. She introduced herself as Elaine and said she had been on the track team with Julie and me.
“I wasn’t with you sprinters,” she said. “I ran long distance.” We exchanged small talk for a few minutes and she disclosed she used to be in PR but recently moved to substitute teaching.
“That’s great!” I said. “Schools have dealing with massive sub shortages. But that’s an interesting transition. What made you go from PR to education?”
Life, she said. She disclosed that the communications field had become very saturated and that making a living had become extremely difficult.
“I loved the field in my early days--it was perfect when I was raising my son--but after having my own shop, then working in-house for some big tech companies and then getting laid off twice in a few years, I was done. I needed out of the industry.”
I get it. I’ve never been laid off, but I know the thought of it makes me nervous. It’s not just the thought of being unemployed. It’s the thought of being unemployed in my mid-50s and having to start over.
Sean Tetpon, profiled in our Recruiting & Retention story today, knows this struggle firsthand. A former communications manager (similar to Elaine), Tetpon has submitted more than 1,000 job applications and is still unemployed. He believes ageism might be playing a role in his job search challenge, but also knows that the field is crowded. He admits that it’s been hard to recover from the layoffs.
Tetpon and Elaine’s stories got me thinking. How do you bounce back when Life throws you a wicked curve ball? Do you stay in your field? If so, what do you do when your job search comes up empty? When you don’t seem to fit anymore? Or, how do you know when it’s time to leave your field, like Elaine did? If you do that, what direction do you take? And what safeguards do you need in place so the rest of your world doesn’t spiral out of control?
Talk to me, folks. Have you faced this situation? How did you see your way through it? Let me know! I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Do you love 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.”
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
