(San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers Via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Surviving paycheck to paycheck was a reality for 62% of US adults in February, up from 60% in January, according to report by LendingClub. A separate study from LendingTree found 44% of Americans have a side job, up 13% from 2020, while a FlexJobs report states 69% of working professionals either want a side job or already have one.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the leisure and hospitality industry filled nearly 1 million jobs during peak hiring between March and September 2022. Yet unfilled roles remain open, and 87% of operators report labor shortages. Learn how hospitality companies can fill seasonal positions ahead of the competition with the strategies share in this guide. Click here to get the guide.
Rebecka Peterson, a 10th- through 12th-grade math teacher at Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., is among five finalists for National Teacher of the Year, as chosen by the Council of Chief State School Officers. In this interview, Peterson shares how "leaning into" what excites her helps her maintain passion for her work and develop connections with students.
Get The Most Out of Year 1 Using An LMS That first year using new eLearning tech is filled with decisions. From planning and implementation to roll out and reporting, this eBook examines expectations for first-time tech buyers and experienced learning leaders alike. Get the eBook.
An Ernst & Young survey noted that 93% of respondents felt moving overseas for work would be beneficial for their families, and 88% of human resources professionals surveyed said they were looking at worker mobility programs that could help ease staff shortages. Joost Smits of EY said the current trend toward improving the workplace milieu has led many employees to consider environment and overall experience more important than promotions or compensation.
Apprenticeships are evolving with registered pre-apprenticeships, which provide try-it-out opportunities for high-school students and young adults in an effort to build the manufacturing workforce pipeline of the future. Pennsylvania, for example, offers state-approved pre-apprenticeships, which don't require a job with a company and feature online work and in-person lab sessions through community colleges, 15 high schools and other local organizations.
It's worth the time for leaders to build a culture of respect, says S. Chris Edmonds in this video, because it will result in more productive and engaged workers who will enjoy collaborating with one another "to achieve common goals." "A respectful work culture creates a positive, purposeful and productive environment," Edmonds says.
I like how high-school math teacher Rebecka Peterson, Oklahoma’s 2023 Teacher of the Year -- and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year -- approaches her work and connecting with students. “Be yourself. Lean into those parts that you’re excited about and share that excitement with your students," Peterson says in today's Recruiting & Retention story.
I get it. I love parenting but some parts of the job -- when my kids were young -- did not excite me, such as going to Disney movies. I find them emotionally grueling, so I avoid them. Thankfully, my mother loves them, so she watched “The Little Mermaid”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Snow White” and all the other movies with the kids.
But I do love reading and sports. So I followed those interests and introduced them to my children. Kiahapua took to reading. We spent many Friday nights at Barnes & Noble, sharing a hot cocoa and reading books. When he was 12, we read John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces” together. We still tell inside jokes from that book.
Kawai took to soccer, as many of you know. We spent countless weekends on soccer fields and at hotels, with her club team. And when the US Women’s National Team won the Olympic gold in 2008, I took her to see them play an exhibition game against China at the (then) Home Depot Center. That was the first of many games -- college and professional -- that she and I would attend together. We reminisce often about those days.
Leaning into what excited me and sharing that with my kids helped me enjoy the work of being a parent. And it is truly work. When the job got tough, those experiences helped fuel my energy and mental stamina. I got stronger and my desire to do right by them -- to do this job called motherhood -- deepened.
I think this same idea -- leaning into what excites us -- applies to the workplace. I know I lean into the parts of the job that I enjoy most -- writing this column; covering education and HR conferences; spending time with work peers; meeting and interviewing people for stories. Those experiences help me stay invested in the work when I’m faced with something unfamiliar or difficult or discouraging.
How about you? Where do you lean into your work? How has it helped fuel your relationship with your career? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
