Micromanaging can be alleviated by understanding how others work and what motivates them. "Whether you prefer psychology or neuroscience, investing in the development of individuals and teams, fostering psychological safety, learning how the brain responds to different stimuli, and treating people as fully capable adults have been shown to yield significant dividends," writes Eric McNulty of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.
Specialty job sites such as Energyfolks, efinancialcareers and MediaBistro can help narrow job searches, whether for full-time or freelance work. Idealist is a job site for those seeking jobs, internships or volunteer positions who are looking to make a positive impact; and CoolWorks lists full-time and seasonal jobs that are in interesting or desirable locations.
A report from the Integrated Benefits Institute says that employee absenteeism due to COVID-19 is costing employers nearly $1 billion per week, including disability payments and insurance, sick leave pay and employee benefits. States experiencing the highest costs due to lost work are California, Texas and New York.
Initial claims for unemployment benefit stood at 198,000 in the week ending Dec. 25, according to the Labor Department, significantly below economists' expected figure of 205,000 and a fall of 8,000 from the previous week. After adjustments for volatility, the four-week average for claims is approaching the lowest figure recorded in October 1969.
Goldman Sachs has encouraged staffers to continue working from home until Jan. 18 amid the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, and is enforcing a number of safety protocols including vaccine and mask mandates and bi-weekly testing. JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup have also extended remote working arrangements for the next few weeks.
More travelers are expressing an interest in wellness activities as part of their vacations in light of the stress brought by the continuing pandemic, with a recent American Express Survey showing 76% of respondents as saying they wish to spend more on trips with well-being activities. Hotels and spa resorts, partially due to the effects of pandemic closures on their business, have also expanded their wellness offerings in response to the heightened interest, including nature walks and meditation.
