Working parents face unique challenges during summer, says Karishma Patel Buford, chief people officer at Spring Health, in this interview. Many parents struggle to focus at work due to their children's schedules, with some needing to periodically check out of work to care for their kids. Buford emphasizes the need for employers to understand these challenges and suggests that HR departments should support working parents through flexible arrangements and by promoting available childcare benefits.
Workplace culture change often fails due to hidden reasons such as rewarding presence over performance, promoting the very behaviors it aims to replace and assigning the task to those without authority, writes Diane Hamilton. Leaders can address these issues by measuring impact instead of activity, promoting curiosity and actively participating in culture initiatives, Hamilton writes.
Business leaders face increasingly complex ethical dilemmas, as they navigate conflicting values and stakeholder interests. Some question whether or not ethics even matter as companies face increasing financial pressure. Companies such as Discovery Group and Salesforce are developing frameworks and principles to guide ethical decision-making, while Lendlease is holding skill-building sessions to prepare leaders for emerging ethical challenges.
Democratic lawmakers have introduced the Choose Medicare Act to establish Medicare Part E, allowing individuals and employers to select the program via state or federal marketplaces. The proposed Part E would compete with private insurance, sustain itself through premiums and apply existing Affordable Care Act subsidies. It would cover essential health benefits, cap out-of-pocket costs and negotiate drug prices.
Helicopter managers, who hover over their teams and are reluctant to delegate, may be acting from anxiety (unlike micromanagers who are fueled by distrust and perfectionism) and can adversely affect team morale, but Betterwork's Michelle Gouldsberry recommends setting clear goals and outcomes for managers, training them in effective feedback techniques and coaching them in the essentials of their job. "When helicopter behaviors occur across teams, it's a sign that the system, not just the individuals, needs attention," Gouldsberry writes.
