There were 8.8 million job openings in July, a decrease of 338,000 from June and the lowest level since March 2021, according to the Labor Department. The resignation rate fell slightly to 2.3% from June's 2.4%. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (8/29),NBC News (8/29)
Bonds: Retirement Savings Fixed income plays a critical role in managing risk along the retirement savings journey. TDF managers have different bond allocations which leads to many possible outcomes. Plan sponsors should ensure that a plan's glide path aligns with its objectives. Find out more.
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Recruiting & Retention
Q&A: Making DEI an integral part of a company Diane Primo, CEO of Purpose Brand marketing and public relations firm, says in this Q&A that companies that make DEI a priority thrive and documents examples in her new book, "ADAPT: Scaling Purpose in a Divisive World." Those values need to be reflected in recruiting and managing employees and working with vendors and customers, Primo says. Full Story: Black Girl Nerds (8/28)
Don't waste wellness efforts on ineffective options Wellness programs that enhance employees' energy can prevent the exit of burned out workers and the cost to replace them, which can reach four times their salaries, Harvard Business School lecturer Hise Gibson writes. Access to child care, elder care and therapy, as well as a feedback framework to identify what's working, are options to replace ineffective plans that focus on cutting health care costs, Gibson notes. Full Story: Harvard Business School Working Knowledge (8/28)
Path to Workforce
How universities can nurture a robust nuclear workforce The US Department of Energy's report on advanced nuclear has led to discussions about the role universities should play in preparing the estimated 375,000 additional workers who will be needed to fill industry jobs by 2050. "An enduring component of safeguarding the nuclear workforce is strong [academia-government-industry] connections -- whether through collaborative research or specific offerings such as the Nuclear Energy University Program," writes Iowa State University graduate student John Mobley IV. Full Story: Nuclear Newswire (American Nuclear Society) (8/29)
Our world is no longer designed for an "eat or be eaten" approach, but our brains haven't caught up to the idea of fearless versus fear(less), writes Rebecca Heiss, a stress physiologist, author of "Instinct" and founder of the Icueity app. "Fearing less means using our brains, not just bravado, in the face of fear" to analyze the risks and costs of doing something versus doing nothing, Heiss explains, likening it to an adventure. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (8/29)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Physicist Edward Witten is known for his research into string theory, but Pat Metheny can be called a string theorist of a different kind. What are his strings of choice?
I'm often asked to help people with writing and messaging tasks. I don't mind. I’m good at eliminating word clutter and rearranging lines so their message comes through with clarity and respect. This skill came in handy one day when a friend asked me to look over a text she wanted to send to a man she was seeing. I was in the middle of a deadline, so I said yes without thinking. When I got the text, though, I wanted to kick myself for being so hasty. This thing was a book. So long. My phone kept dinging and dinging as the messages came through. “Oh gracious peace,” I said, sighing, as I scrolled through the lengthy prose. It took about 40 minutes, one phone call and two cups of coffee to revise the text. Most of my time was spent on clearing away word flab, such as adverbs, run-on adjectives (“mouthy, tacky Botox princess…”) and superfluous fillers (“I seriously hate when you…”). I also cut out several passive-aggressive phrases. “Per our conversation Saturday, I need you to…” “Just to clarify, I don’t have an issue with…” “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought we agreed to…” Today’s Leadership & Development story from MarketingProfs lists the top 10 passive-aggressive phrases used in email and all three of the above are on it. If you’re still using them, stop. These phrases weaken good writing and muddy up a message. And we don’t want that, right? Our communications, personal and professional, have purpose. We want to convey a message and drive a desired action. My friend laughed when she saw my edits (“LOL! OK, you’re right. This is much better.”) and sent the revised text. I’m happy to report that the message was well received and led to a constructive discussion later that day. Even better, they celebrated their second anniversary in July. #Win Are you guilty of word flab? Do your communications yield the results you want? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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