New law helps workers save for the unexpected | Neurodivergent workers are valuable but a mystery to many | Chobani ups its commitment to ESG, names Chief Impact Officer
Employers now have a new opportunity to help workers save for unexpected life events, which can benefit them as well as their employees. The SECURE 2.0 Act provides for short-term savings accounts that employers can donate to, or workers can add to through elected payroll deductions.
Neurodivergent workers bring an array of talents to an organization, but few employees are familiar with the term neurodiversity or know how to work alongside such peers. Many neurodiverse workers say they feel unsupported and may leave their jobs, an unfortunate situation that deprives companies of differing and insightful perspectives, experts say.
Focus on accomplishing what truly matters to you by starting with a five-year scope and narrowing it down to the most important thing that needs to happen each day, then work out a process to make it happen, writes Alex Mathers, a coach, writer and illustrator. Mathers maps out how he tackles daily writing projects along with other hacks that help, including meditation, exercise and studying the work of other experts in the field.
Employee pay will go up at least 4% this year, likely beating inflation rates, 71% of chief financial officers told Gartner. CFOs planning compensation packages can include other incentives like vacation, health benefits and flexibility, particularly as five-day office mandates would drive 66% of business leaders away from their jobs.
Female athletes, such as 22-year-old Caitlin Clark, the star of the Iowa Hawkeye's women's basketball, have boosted fan engagement for the sport and turned many players into brand ambassadors, something business leaders should notice, writes Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Mehta notes a study showing 94% of female C-suite executives played sports, something that has made them even more engaged in their work.
"Surprisingly, few people thought it was funny," said a BBC World Service spokesperson when they pulled an April Fools' Day prank on the show in 1980. What did they announce?
Tonight you will find me parked on my sofa, snacks at the ready, watching the Iowa Hawkeyes square off against the LSU Tigers in a rematch of last year’s women’s NCAA March Madness championship game. I can’t wait. It’s been an exciting and fun tournament to watch.
Part of the fun for me has been watching these young women athletes lead on their teams, rallying their teammates during clutch moments and believing in what they could accomplish together. A good example comes from Oregon State University guard Talia von Oelhoffen, during the postgame press conference following OSU’s Sweet 16 win over Notre Dame.
"I just think this team is so incredible and so special, and so we might not have the big names in the commercials and TikTok stars yet. We're trying," von Oelhoffen said to reporters. "We're selfless, we play together, we're a family, and that's a story, that's a headline that I can get behind and I think a lot of people should, too."
This is the kind of leadership that female athletes are bringing to organizations, as we see in today’s HR Leader story. Ninety-four percent of women in C-level roles played sports, according to a 2020 report from EY. Another study, in 2016 by Gallup, found that female executives who are former athletes are more engaged in their work than women who were not athletes.
As a woman and former athlete, I am encouraged by this. Being an athlete seemed glamorous to some folks, but for me it was awkward (even as I loved it). I wasn’t sure where I fit off the track and soccer pitch. But as I grew up, went to college, and started walking down the pathway of career, I saw that skills I acquired from sports -- supporting teammates, taking hard criticism, being aggressive and fearless in making decisions -- would carry me in the workplace. They would also prepare me for leading a team of my own.
Any former athletes out there who have applied skills gleaned from sports to their work? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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