Survey: COVID-19 fears keep people from getting jobs | Employers should heed Justine Bateman's aging crusade | How to send off employees the right way, remotely
A US Census Bureau survey found about 4.2 million adults do not have jobs because they are fearful of getting or spreading the coronavirus at the workplace, which may help explain a labor shortage at a time when unemployment is at 6%. Data from job marketplace ZipRecruiter showed "work from home" is the most frequent search term, but while 60% of applicants want to work remotely, only 9% of vacancies on the site offer that option. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (4/11)
Recruiting & Retention
Employers should heed Justine Bateman's aging crusade Actor and director Justine Bateman's book "Face: One Square Foot of Skin" includes interviews with women about their aging faces and rejects the idea that women need to fix their appearance as they grow older. The anti-aging beauty industry is fueled by the ageism pervasive in the workforce that tells women they're less valuable as they age, Susanna Schrobsdorff writes in this commentary. Full Story: TIME (tiered subscription model) (4/11)
Employers, staff not on same page about financial health A study of hourly and salaried workers, CEOs and HR professionals found that employers may not be aware of the financial stresses their workers are feeling. Among the findings: Eighty-seven percent of employers stated that their employees' financial wellness was good or excellent, but most workers said it was only average or good. Full Story: Employee Benefit News (free registration) (4/9)
Path to Workforce
Social Finance pursues novel idea to expand workforce Nonprofit Social Finance is working to get more low-income and diverse people into the US workforce through a pay-for-success model for skills training. Under the model, the organization provides financing for training and makes participants' repayment contingent on job placement and ongoing employment. Full Story: The New York Times (4/7)
The HR Leader
Flex leadership styles to engage hybrid workers Keep engagement high in a hybrid office by scheduling office meetings for collaborative work and social events while ensuring that employees who remain remote are included in activities, Denise Lee Yohn says in this blog post and video. "With hybrid work, the social functions of a physical office become more important, while operations and process are the priorities when employees are remote," Yohn says. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (4/13)
About the Editor
Kanoe Namahoe
I turned 50 last August. I feel pretty good. I exercise regularly, drink lots of water, temper alcohol intake and avoid the foods that make my doctor use words like “pre-diabetes” and “at risk for hypertension.” I accept that aging is part of life and aim for healthy over trying to recapture my youth. Nonetheless, I am aware that I am getting older and that the workforce is not always kind to aging females, as we see in today’s Recruitment & Retention story by Susanna Schrobsdorff. Schrobsdorff, discussing actress Justine Bateman’s crusade to get women to embrace their aging faces, points out the impact that ageism has on women, economically and professionally. I’m not worried about my job security, but it is something that makes me think. Anyone else ponder this question? Let me know! And if you know someone who needs this newsletter, send them this link.
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