Manufacturing jobs return to US amid reshoring trend | Work-life balance gaining importance for US employees | Approach succession proactively for long-term business success
Part of a five-part "Bringing It Home" series, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel examines the trend of manufacturing jobs returning to the US as reshoring efforts come to fruition. Trade wars, tariffs and global supply chain concerns have driven the reshoring trend, which is seeing large and small manufacturers bring production back to the US. The shift presents a major opportunity for American manufacturing, but challenges remain as many firms struggle to recruit and retain qualified workers.
Hiring in the US appears to be slowing, but work-life balance seems to be of increasing significance for employees, a BambooHR study showed. Among US workers, requests for time off rose 6% from the first quarter of March 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, while the amount of time off actually approved fell by 3%.
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The ParkRx program through the National Park Service's Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative, which encourages physicians to prescribe time in nature to their patients, delivers physical and mental health benefits and is now used by physicians nationwide. Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist, says the cortisol reduction gleaned from time outside is beneficial for blood pressure and heart rate, in addition to being good for mental health.
Companies that offer voluntary benefits like accident insurance, critical illness coverage and disability income in addition to traditional benefits can help meet the needs of a diverse workforce, writes Tina Santelli of Alera Group. These supplemental benefits can attract and retain workers and help employers mitigate some of the costs associated with benefits.
Employers should create a workplace value proposition that shows why employees who have the ability to work remotely should spend some of their time in the office, write Gallup's Ben Wigert, Kristin Barry and Ryan Pendell, who recommend making workplace collaboration, socialization, creativity and culture central to the strategy. "When teams are involved in creating their own workplace value proposition, it's a powerful commitment to accountability and performance," they write.
Dennis Tito's outsized career in finance doesn't compare to the fame he acquired being the first civilian space tourist, having paid for a seat on the Russian Soyuz TM-32 mission to the International Space Station in 2001. How much did he pay?
Where is the line between manager and employee, in terms of professional and personal relationship? When does well-intended encouragement cross the line into encroachment? As the workforce aims to be more human-centered, how do manages navigate this tricky terrain?
Tomas Chamorro-Premusic talks about this delicate balance in today’s Leadership & Development story from Fast Company. According to Chamorro-Premusic, many folks -- worker and leaders -- want to keep clear boundaries between their personal and professional lives. “[T]he majority of employees want to keep some distance between themselves and their direct line manager, just like they would rather keep some distance with their manager’s whole self,” he writes.
This is a head scratcher. I know when I do my check-in calls, it’s common for these meetings to include a discussion of our personal lives. Trigie’s son who is graduating next month and is doing his college tours now. Katharine training for a marathon. Diane’s son who just finished his master’s program and is now getting married. These topics seem safe and natural. Even kind. But, to Chamorro-Premusic’s point, I can see where some of this might seem personal to someone and he or she may not want to share that information. What to do?
I don't know that it's a one-size-fits-all answer. What do you think? How do you keep healthy boundaries? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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