Democrats introduced legislation in the House Tuesday that would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15, but Republicans are expected to oppose the bill. A 2019 Congressional Budget Office analysis found that the increase would ultimately move 1.3 million Americans above the poverty level, but it also would result in an equal number of job losses.

PepsiCo adapted its Lean Six Sigma training program for remote workers by teaming with design studio BlockWorks to create a customized virtual training module, based on the popular game Minecraft and a prototype built by one of its employee's children. "Using Minecraft to simulate a 3D PepsiCo warehouse enabled our teams to solve problems in a virtual teamwork environment and complete the LSS training in a fun, interactive and engaging way," said PepsiCo Chief Learning Officer Molly Nagler.

The trend toward telehealth should continue post-pandemic because it allows employees to access care safely, easily and at a reasonable cost, writes Patricia Pechter. "While the way telehealth will be paid for and delivered after the pandemic remains unclear, employers are in prime position to facilitate and accelerate this trend for employees," Pechter writes.

Marcus Thomas launched an eight-week advertising program for juniors and seniors at Warrensville Heights High School near Cleveland to encourage Black and Brown students to consider careers in the industry. "The earlier we can tap into these underrepresented groups, the better," says Marcus Thomas' Elise James-DeCruise.

Leaders who want a "good comes first" culture must create an atmosphere where respect, integrity and optimism are lived values, S. Chris Edmonds says in this video and blog post. "When leaders disrespect, demean and discount the ideas, efforts and contributions of employees daily, the lack of authentic emotional connection is blatant," Edmonds says.

A girl from Hawaii covering the workforce and K-20 education.

Fundamentals. Champions master the fundamentals. They build their careers from them. Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant underscored this when he said, "Can I jump over two or three guys like I used to? No. Am I as fast as I used to be? No, but I still have the fundamentals and smarts. That's what enables me to still be a dominant player. As a kid growing up, I never skipped steps. I always worked on fundamentals because I know athleticism is fleeting."

Successful organizations know this, too. How are you helping your teams solidify their foundational skills? Let me know. Drop me a line at kanoe.namahoe@futurenet.com.