Data from the Census Bureau shows that 8.8 million Americans were out sick between Dec. 29 and Jan. 10 due to contracting the coronavirus or looking after someone else who was ill. In addition, 3.2 million didn't go to work because they were afraid of getting the virus, an increase of 25% over December.

Employers must unearth their silent stars to avoid losing them to the retention crisis, writes executive Andrea Short of Ingram Micro. Get to know these unsung heroes and give them what they want, which often is recognition or development opportunities, Short notes.

First-time claims for unemployment benefit rose sharply from 231,000 to 286,000 in the week ended Jan. 15, according to the Labor Department, representing the highest tally since October. Continuing claims jumped by 84,000 to 1.64 million.

Smart leaders deal with challenges by being realistic, curious and willing to make the changes that are needed, writes Chick-fil-A executive and author Mark Miller. Leaders must also create space in their live "to reflect, assess, think, create and plan," Miller writes.

Gossip is a natural part of life, but you decide whether you'll engage in positive, neutral or negative gossip, Dan Rockwell writes. Rockwell outlines seven truths about gossip and five guidelines for doing it right, such as don't betray a secret you promised to keep.

Aubrey was easy to miss. The first season I met her, she was a small, shy, polite girl who sank into the shadows on the team. She followed directions and did her job but wasn’t outstanding. We used her on the backline and surrounded her with stronger players who had more of a presence on the field. She had a good season.

Fast forward one year. Aubrey burst from the shadows and took over the field. She had mastered her position and now her quiet demeanor worked in her favor. She was a silent killer on the front line. Some teams underestimated her because of her personality and paid for it. Her speed and beautiful, clean touches easily outmaneuvered lazy defenses. She became the leading scorer on her team. I was proud and afraid of her at the same time.

Today’s Recruiting & Retention story about silent stars reminded me of Aubrey. These workers are consistent and outstanding at their work but are often overlooked because of their quiet demeanor. That has to change. They are some of our best talent and if we don’t leverage them right, they will leave for new pastures where they can find higher pay and new, exciting challenges.

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