Initial jobless claims declined to a three-week low last week in a sign that the labor market remains strong amid mounting economic pressures. Applications for unemployment benefits fell slightly to 191,000, from 192,000 the prior week.
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Some executives are coming to the conclusion that the initial burst of productivity from remote workers during the pandemic is not sustainable over the long run. With a potential recession on the horizon, managers are requesting employees to come into the office more often.
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Some 61% of workers used their benefits package to access routine health care while mental health care was used by just 19%, according to a OneMedical survey. Several reasons were cited by employees for not taking advantage of mental health care benefits, with the top one being packed schedules followed by embarrassment and cost.
Empower employees to make decisions by encouraging them to consider the company's and customers' best interests and showing employees you trust them, but be sure to clarify which decisions remain with you, writes leadership coach David Lancefield. "Encourage them to assimilate information from colleagues, third parties, and technology, analyze it carefully, listen attentively, and exercise careful judgment," writes Lancefield, who adds top executives may have to re-examine their leadership style before delegating decisions to others.
Homeboy Industries' methods for reintroducing gang members into society again after incarceration has been successful for more than 30 years, writes CEO Thomas Vozzo who shares three core philosophies that corporations can learn from and implement, including using humor and joy to promote transformation and healing. "More practically, healed individuals are resilient individuals, for who among us can deny another human life from feeling protected and safe?" Vozzo writes.
I love to laugh. It just feels good. Plus, there’s something about a good belly laugh that almost seems cleansing. One of my favorite Bible verses – Proverbs 17:22 – says that a “cheerful heart is good medicine.” I like to think that laughter has been hard coded into us as a way to alleviate stress and heal wounds.
So I really like that laughter and humor are woven into the fabric of Homeboy Industries’ workplace, featured in today's Workplace Chatter story. Thomas Vozzo, CEO of Homeboy Industries, calls laughter “a natural elixir for the soul” and says that humor is part of the company’s culture and workflow -- “...it’s there all day, all throughout meetings,” he writes. This mindset does not take anything away from the serious purpose of the organization; rather, it helps everyone maintain a humble, healthy perspective of the mission, Vozzo says. “[I]t doesn’t disrespect the situation, but recognizes that none of us is the be-all and end-all,” he writes.
Look for a reason to laugh this weekend. Opportunities for a good giggle or a belly laugh are all around us. Drop me a line and let me know what tickles your funny bone. And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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