The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union said it will challenge the outcome of the unionization vote by Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama, which ended with 1,798 votes against unionizing and 738 votes in favor, as well as about 500 contested ballots. The union said its objections to the National Labor Relations Board will include allegations of unfair labor practices by Amazon.

Almost half of employees say they've abused alcohol, prescription medications or drugs, and the number of those workers missing work or being less productive because of substance abuse has almost doubled since 2019, according to a survey from The Standard and Versta Research. The study "paves the way for employers to open the conversation with employees about these issues" and "empower workers to seek the help and support they need," says The Standard's Dan Jolivet.

The changing work environment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has some employers considering voluntary, or employee-pay-all, health benefits, write Erin Marino and Nick Rockwell of Eastbridge Consulting Group. Eastbridge research showed that 18% of surveyed benefit managers plan to add a voluntary benefit because of the pandemic, and 13% plan to make one or more existing employer-paid benefits voluntary.

WD-40 CEO Garry Ridge talks about the "soul-sucking CEO" to illustrate poor leaders who hate feedback, micromanage others and believe their own hype. "Most particularly, his ego eats his empathy instead of his empathy eating his ego," Ridge says in this interview with John Baldoni.

Doreen was the parent that every youth coach dreads -- the one who sits on the sidelines, openly criticizing coach decisions and other players on the team. She would complain to us and behind our backs. Other parents started to avoid her. I secretly cheered when she had to skip tournaments.

Because chronic complainers create toxic environments, as we see in today’s Leadership & Development story. They sow seeds of dissension, fuel drama and stunt progress. Cut them loose, writes Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries. Their negativity is a poison apple.

How do you deal with negative individuals in your organization? Let me know! Got someone who needs this newsletter? Send them this link.