The biggest change in commuting trends is reflected in the number of people who work from home, according to a US Census Bureau report. More than 2.7 million additional people worked from home in 2016, avoiding the 26.6 minutes of average commuting time nationally that increased from 25.1 the previous decade. U.S. News & World Report (9/18)
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Organizations can improve their hiring process by actively recruiting year round and inviting employees to refer talented colleagues to apply, writes Alexandre Pachulski, chief product officer at Talentsoft. HR leaders also should implement integrated technology to allow collaboration across departments in the recruitment process, Pachulski suggests in this commentary. Recruiting Trends (9/18)
A survey by consulting firm Mercer found that US employers expect average per-employee health care costs to rise by 4.3% next year as they brace for higher spending on specialty drugs, and about 46% of respondents plan to take new measures such as implementing high-deductible health plans to manage costs. Initial findings showed specialty drug spending is up about 15% compared with prices factored into this year's health plans, and as many as 50 specialty drugs are expected to be launched annually in the next five years, which could raise costs by $25 billion per year. Reuters (9/18)
Path to Workforce
Mercedes-Benz supports job training as it expands Mercedes-Benz US International in Alabama is in the process of an expansion that will require it to grow its workforce by 300. To support its growth, the firm is partnering with area high schools and colleges to promote job training. The Tuscaloosa News (Ala.) (9/18)
Instead of enforcing strict HR policies that tell employees what they can't do, take an approach that creates an environment of trust, Sue Bingham writes. Ask employees to simply show up on time rather than spell out various meanings of lateness and the punishments involved. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (9/15)
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