Initial unemployment claims reached a seasonally adjusted 745,000 last week, a slight increase from the upwardly revised tally of 736,000 in the previous week. Continuing claims declined 124,000 to fall just under 4.3 million.
Onboarding a new employee in a remote work environment is more than just filling out paperwork the first day -- social connections are just as important. Schedule one-on-one talks with other co-workers, hold group lunch meetings to socialize and share common goals, and set up personality profiles so people get to know one another, suggests Scott Dust, a management professor at Miami University.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many employees to feel unsure whether they have the correct health benefits, so they need more personalized information from employers, Kim Buckey writes. "Workers need a strong foundational knowledge of their health care benefits so that when their needs become complicated -- such as during a pandemic -- they can choose and use care with confidence," Buckey writes.
Leaders must address the "pandemic sabbatical effect" -- a reduction in some hard and soft skills among employees whose roles have been curtailed or affected by remote working, Baron Christopher Hanson writes. Review job roles, identify the skill sets needed for jobs that have evolved during the pandemic, and implement learning programs to reskill and upskill your workforce, Hanson writes.
Women ages 18 to 34 are using the Lambeth method of cake decoration to put their own spins on layer cakes and fuel a new social media trend during the pandemic. Some of the cakes include snarky sayings, and some of the new bakers have found enough fans to launch businesses selling their signature creations.
Listening to my favorite LAX shuttle driver scold her husband as she winds through airport traffic. The fried egg sandwich at Max’s Wine Dive in Austin (a masterpiece!). Walking an exhibit hall. Chatting with other reporters in press rooms. Lingering over a glass of pinot noir and watching a game in the lounge of the Hyatt at the end of a long conference day.
These are among the things I miss about not traveling for work right now. And some of my road warrior skills have likely gone soft, as Baron Christopher Hanson mentions in today’s HR Leader story about the "pandemic sabbatical effect." I look forward to sharpening those skills again, hopefully very soon.
What do you miss about work travel? Let me know. (Yes, I do read these emails!) Know someone who needs to receive this newsletter? Send them this link to subscribe.
