With stay-at-home dads nearly doubling since the 1980s and many parents forced out of full-time work in the pandemic, LinkedIn is offering the job title of stay-at-home parent. Nearly one-fifth of US parents leave the workforce to raise families, according to Pew Research Center, and return years later to experience biases toward the employment gap.
Working from home comes with distinct stressors, particularly when technology doesn't work as it should. Social worker Melanie Shmois offers suggestions to relieve stress including leaving room for flexibility in case of unforeseen events and blocking off time to respond to messages rather than replying immediately.
The risk of burnout will be a concern for people seeking new jobs, and employers can help by offering a preview of what the workday will look like, says Modern Hire CEO Karin Borchert. "Often, pairing these previews with technology-powered assessments as well as videos and testimonials from current employees can go a long way in establishing or avoiding a prospective match," Borchert says.
Some small-business owners are recruiting talent with such nontraditional benefits as a Peloton bike or fertility treatments. "Make your workplace a place that your employees will brag about to their friends," says Scott Kimberly, who buys custom suits every year for the five employees at his Tennessee law firm.
HR should be monitoring laws related to paid sick leave even after the pandemic ends, especially because many employers face a patchwork of local and state regulations. Employees who work in multiple locations might be covered by more than one jurisdiction, notes Katharine Weber, an attorney with Jackson Lewis.
Fortune has revealed its 2021 list of Best Big Companies to Work For, based on employee feedback gathered and analyzed by Great Place to Work. The top five are Hilton, Target, Marriott International, Comcast and Bank of America.
It took more than a year to plan and execute this mission, but all 9 endangered giraffes have been transported from their home island in Lake Baringo to mainland Kenya. The island on which they had been living was under threat from rising water levels. And you gotta love the name the rescue team gave to the special barge they built for this delicate mission: GiRaft.
