Unemployment benefit claims dipped to 217,000 last week, a drop of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure, according to Labor Department data. The four-week average for initial claims increased to 212,250. Continuing jobless claims rose to 1.83 million, the highest in nearly seven months.
Return-to-office policies in the ad industry are prompting 52% of employees to seek new opportunities, per a study from WorkReduce, which also reveals remote workers are less likely to experience burnout while in-person employees report better pay and career opportunities. Maria O'Keeffe, global chief people officer for Ogilvy, says in the report that there is a "war for talent" and agencies should "[c]ontinuously listen, experiment and adapt."
Prescriptions for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs for weight loss and diabetes, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, Saxenda and Wegovy, are expected to drive up employers' health care spending through 2025, and annual spending on these drugs is projected to increase from $324 per insured employee this year to $500 per worker in 2025, compared with $96 per member in 2021, according to an Aon report. Overall, average spending on employer-sponsored health care benefits is expected to climb 8.5% to more than $15,000 per worker next year.
Joining the management ranks can bring unexpected, undesired surprises and the realization that you may not want the job after all, consultant Julie Winkle Giulioni writes. Whether you're seeking a management position or guiding colleagues who may want to advance, the answers to three key questions will provide better insight.
SmartBrief Finance Director of Content Sean McMahon tells how his daughter Sabina, who is battling cancer, has drawn courage and strength from Taylor Swift's music, particularly during times of extended isolation or difficult chemotherapy treatments. On rides home from the hospital, the teenager sings lines from her favorite Swift songs "...as loud as her battered body and chemo-ravaged lungs [will] let her. Taylor's music [gives] Sabina that strength," writes McMahon.
We all draw strength and motivation from different sources. For me, it’s often been basketball legend Kevin Garnett. KG has an intensity and common-sense wisdom that resonates with me. Things that he has said have helped me power through situations where I needed courage, discipline or fresh perspective.
So I totally understand how Taylor Swift’s music has helped young Sabina McMahon, daughter of our own finance content director Sean McMahon, muscle her way through her journey with cancer. As we see in today’s Workplace Chatter story, Sabina has been battling the illness for two years. During that time, she has used Swift’s music to endure long periods of isolation, the loss of her hair, and punishing chemotherapy treatments, among other challenges.
Next week, Sabina and her family will get to see Swift in concert, in Rio de Janeiro. This is an important trip for the family. In December, Sabina will have a scan to see if she is all clear of the cancer. Her last scan in September showed a nodule. If the December appointment shows that nodule has grown or multiplied, Sabina’s long-term prognosis will be dim.
That might rattle a kid, but not Sabina. She is fully focused on being positive and enjoying Swift. And that perspective is powering her through yet another difficult moment in her battle.
I wanted to end our week on an uplifting note. I draw much encouragement from Sabina. Hope you do also. Have a great weekend!
Who or what motivates or encourages you? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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