Last year ended with an unusually strong labor market with the addition of 216,000 jobs in December, keeping the unemployment rate at 3.7%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2023, the addition of 2.7 million jobs was credited with solid consumer spending and economic growth. Full Story: CNN (1/5)
Recruiting & Retention
Flexibility of certificate programs a big draw Short-term certificates increased in popularity by 150% from 2000 to 2010 and represented 41% of credentials from community colleges as far back as 2010, according to a New America report. The rise in career-switching, upskilling and reskilling means certificates will continue to be "invaluable for career advancement and staying aligned with evolving industry demands," Javier Ayala of Grossmont College says. Full Story: San Diego Business Journal (1/2)
Wage, insurance hikes challenge Hawaii's restaurants Labor costs for Hawaii’s restaurant industry are skyrocketing with the minimum wage increase to $14 an hour and a sharp spike in health insurance premiums. Sheryl Matsuoka, executive director for the Hawaii Restaurant Association, said restaurants are already struggling with a worker shortage and now face as much as a 10% increase in their cost. Full Story: KHNL-TV/KGMB-TV (Honolulu) (1/3)
The HR Leader
How to make the most of a time management matrix A time management matrix divides tasks into four quadrants: important and urgent, important but not urgent, not important but urgent, and neither important nor urgent. "The time management matrix ... is a great way to ensure you're working on the most effective items first," but quadrants shouldn't be overly full, and new tasks shouldn't be added until old ones are completed, writes Kate Daugherty. Full Story: Success magazine (1/2024)
The main volatile compound on Mercury, salt, may have a primary role in shaping the planet's terrain, including flowing in a way similar to glaciers and carving out potentially habitable niches, according to a study in the Planetary Science Journal. Multiple previous theories have attributed the planet's terrain changes to volcanic activity, but study co-author Alexis Rodriguez and team say volcanoes would have behaved differently regarding preexisting impact craters. Full Story: Science News (1/4)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
The title "Who Killed the Electric Car?" has not aged well. Which carmaker was the main subject of the documentary film?
I remember years ago when Dad finally retired his beloved flip phone, and got a BlackBerry. Mom got one also. She kept calling it a "BlueBerry." “BlackBerry, Mom,” I said. “And welcome to the 21st century.” I grinned at my son, who had recommended the devices to his grandparents. He was attempting to walk them through the features of their new phones. It was a rough go. “I don’t need to text; I don’t want to text. And I don’t want people texting me. I have to pay for that, right? I just need to call people.” “Yeah! Kiahapua, this BlueBerry is very fancy. It’s got a lot of stuff on it.” Kiaha sighed. He was BlackBerry user and was eager to show his grandparents everything they could do with the devices. But, he knew it would be a bumpy transition for them and had resolved to let them set the pace for what they wanted to learn and do. I thought of this scenario when I read today’s Leadership & Development story from MiddleWeb. It talks about walking people through new practices. It's aimed at educators, but its message has relevance for those of us who manage teams and have to navigate them through change. Educator Tan Huynh uses a “traffic signal” system when working with teachers on implementing new approaches. The system allows him to assess where the teachers are in adoption process: reluctant (red); hesitant but curious (yellow); and eager to move forward (green). He leaves the “red” folks to their routine, begins collaborating with the “green” and “yellow” people, and lets the implementation evolve from there. What a smart strategy! Folks get to integrate new practices at their own pace and contribute their ideas through the collaborative process. Managers get a better sense of where people need support and build trust equity with their teams. Change will always bring resistance. How do you help folks stop stiff arming and start embracing it? Would this traffic-signal approach work at your site? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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