20 states require voting leave. Patagonia goes further | Survey: "Ghosting" has negative effect on recruitment | 4 ways to fall in love with your job again
In the US, just 20 states mandate paid voting leave for employees, leading companies like Patagonia to take additional steps by closing stores and offices to promote early voting and volunteering. A Brightmine survey found that only 29% of US workers have access to a voting leave policy, highlighting the need for flexible scheduling solutions.
A Robert Half survey found 21% of job applicants who hear nothing back from an employer -- a practice known as "ghosting" -- would consider blacklisting the company, while 12% would post a negative comment on social media. "There's still a war for talent and, in lots of areas, particularly critical areas, getting a bad reputation among the candidate pool can really affect your ability to attract talent," says Nick Wailes, director of the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW.
Amazon is raising hourly pay by at least $1.50 for over 800,000 warehouse and transportation employees in the US, bringing the average starting wage to more than $22 an hour. The ecommerce giant will also offer the workers free Prime memberships as a perk to court and retain staffers in a tight labor market for logistics workers ahead of the holiday season.
Jamie Harrison, Taco Bell's new vice president of HR, focuses on unlocking opportunities through initiatives such as the internal incubator and Bell Bravo recognition program, which are designed to foster creativity and innovation and make employees feel valued and connected. "I started as a frontline employee, and now I'm an executive leader for a beloved brand, so I try to be the voice of those team members who are in the shoes I walked in 30 years ago," Harrison says.
A recent study by Claudia Mellado and Gregory Perreault investigates what brings joy to journalists and why they remain in the field. The study found that journalists find fulfillment in storytelling's impact on audiences, emotional connections, continuous learning and workplace camaraderie.
The Cannes Film Festival had an inauspicious start in September, 1939, as WWII broke out soon after, so festival organizers didn't plan one until after the war ended. Its Palme d'Or came later, first awarded in 1955 to which film?
Welcome to Friday Faves! Every Friday, I spotlight books, podcasts, email newsletters, documentaries or other content pieces that I enjoy. I also share suggestions that I get from you. Got a favorite for your peers? Send it to me. I may include it here for a future column.
Aloha dear SmartBrief on Workforce readers! A couple of weeks ago, I told you I was reading Valerie Bauerlein’s The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty. I finished it, but remained intrigued by the whole situation. A friend who also read the book told me about a conversation Bauerlein had on the Bourbon in the Back Room podcast, hosted by former South Carolina senators Joel Lourie and Vincent Sheheen. “I think you’ll like it. Give it a shot,” she said.
I’m glad I did; it was fascinating! The trio’s discussion was not a regurgitation of Bauerlein’s book or documentaries about the Murdaughs. It was a fresh look at the family, southern politics and culture, and Bauerlein’s experience covering the trial. It was a smart, engaging, authentic conversation. I urge you to check it out.
Another podcast you may enjoy: Founders. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, superintendent of Oakland Unified School District in California, routinely listens to the podcast, hosted by David Senra and focused on the lives and habits of successful entrepreneurs, including Jay-Z, Estee Lauder and Elon Musk.
“The moment that we’re in right now in education, it is a startup mode in terms of really thinking about the evolution of the system. So I spend a lot of time in places that probably aren’t education but to influence and push my thinking,” said Johnson-Trammell in an interview with eSchool News.
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