Home Depot is ending marijuana testing for employees. (Leonardo Munoz/Getty Images)
As marijuana legalization spreads across the US, Home Depot has revised its drug-testing policy to exclude marijuana for most employees, except for positions regulated by the DOT. Effective September 1, the policy change reflects broader trends and the increasing rate of positive marijuana tests in the workforce. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (9/11)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is investing in its future workforce by partnering with local schools to launch the 4T Academy -- a hands-on training program for high-school students. The company also is opening a new onsite training center to upskill current employees with advanced manufacturing skills. Full Story: Assembly Magazine (free registration) (9/12)
Meijer offers new child care savings options for employees Midwest retailer Meijer is introducing new care options to help employees save on child care costs. The benefit, available from the first day of employment, includes two options: the Personal Network Option, which reimburses 10% of care costs, and the Learning Care Group Option, offering a 20% discount at over 1,100 schools. Full Story: Drug Store News (9/11),The Shelby Report (9/12)
After a 10-hour flight with the "fasten seatbelt" sign on the whole time, Suzanne Lucas, the founder of Improve Your HR, writes that she learned a leadership lesson in "crying wolf" as passengers ignored the sign and left their seats, even after the pilot reiterated the message. "When you tell your employees there's an emergency, but it's actually not one, it's harder to convince them when you have a real problem," Lucas notes. Full Story: Inc. (tiered subscription model) (9/12)
Workplace Chatter
Glammed-up passports didn't fly with TSA If you've ever taken a passport photo, you know the common guidance is to have as neutral a face as possible. Well, that doesn't fly with some TikTok influencers who have started a "passport makeup" trend on TikTok, where individuals glam up for their passport photos. Predictably, this is causing issues for them at airport security, with influencers reporting being unrecognizable from their passport photos. Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (9/9)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
If you landed on the moon today, you'd find an assortment of things: American flag, some tools, rockets, rovers, spacecraft. What was the first human-made object to reach the moon in 1959?
Welcome to Friday Faves! Every Friday, I spotlight books, podcasts, email newsletters, documentaries or other content pieces that I enjoy. I also share suggestions that I get from you. Got a favorite for your peers? Send it to me. I may include it here for a future column. I discovered a fantastic podcast this week, Chief Endurance Officer. It’s about people who have embraced an endurance mindset to achieve big goals in their personal and professional lives. A CEO friend of mine, Chad Stevens of TinkrWorks, was recently interviewed for it. He talked about his journey from being a physical education teacher to becoming a school principal to eventually becoming CEO of an education company. Woven into his story is his experience training for and participating in an Iron Man competition. But this isn’t your garden-variety overachiever talking in platitudes -- not at all. Greg McDonough, who hosts the podcast, keeps it real with his guests, and that drives them to dig deep and share their authentic experiences. Give it a shot! I also consume a steady diet of email newsletters. Sure it’s my business, but it’s also just an efficient way to get information about things that matter to me, personally and professionally. I read several but I only read what I enjoy. Here are four of my must-read favorites: Total Annarchy, by Ann Handley. This twice-monthly newsletter focuses on writing, marketing and life. You can hear Ann’s voice as you read. It’s a meaty newsletter, but a fast, fun read. All of us can get better at writing. Sign up and give it a read. While You Were Working, by Sean McMahon. News, not noise, about what happened during your day. Sean is the main editor of this brief, but occasionally Doug and Evan will pitch in. All three do a magnificent job of giving witty, smarty commentary to the stories. Friday Feed, by Audrey Altman. A weekly food-focused newsletter packed with news and fun recipes for you to savor. Who doesn’t love cool, interesting recipes, like sweet potato bread with pecans? Who doesn’t want to hear about budget-friendly cooking tools chefs love? Bon appetit! The Onion 20 Years Later, by James daSilva. A weekly newsletter that takes a look back at the print edition of The Onion from 20 years ago and sounds off on its cultural impact. If you enjoy satire, you must subscribe. You will enjoy James’ witty, clever commentary and insights. What are you reading, watching or listening to? Let me know! I'd love to include it in a future issue. Do you love this brief? Share it with others. Want different stories? Something about it bug you? Tell me. In the words of Frasier Crane, “I’m listening.”
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