eBay cutting 1,000 jobs, citing slowing economy | Some types of AI will replace workers sooner than others | Create a respectful culture to show you value diversity
eBay, citing a slowing economy, has become the latest online retailer to reduce its workforce, laying off 1,000 workers, about 9% of its full-time employees. Amazon, Google, and TikTok also have cut jobs recently after staffing up during the pandemic to accommodate a surge in online shopping and activities. Full Story: ABC News (1/24)
Recruiting & Retention
Some types of AI will replace workers sooner than others Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say it will be quite some time before machine vision systems replace a large number of workers, although there will be "an initial push," says project director Neil Thompson. For now, hiring people is more cost-efficient than purchasing machine vision AI, installing it and redesigning jobs to accommodate it, researchers found, but Harvard Business School professor Joseph Fuller says generative AI is a different story and is already replacing people, such as computer programmers. Full Story: TIME (tiered subscription model) (1/22),The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (1/22)
Benefits pros: Employers should respond to illnesses Employers should bring back some of their pandemic-era policies as COVID-19 and flu cases go up, say benefits professionals, who suggest companies tell employees to stay home if they are sick, consider having them wear masks at the office, eliminate unnecessary travel, and encourage people to get vaccinated. "I would certainly encourage employers to be proactive about communication with employees about COVID facts -- things like telling them the new strain is likely to cause symptoms more quickly -- three days rather than five to seven days after exposure," says Kim Buckey, vice president of client services at Optavise. Full Story: Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model) (1/22)
Path to Workforce
Idaho workforce program flooded with applicants Idaho's LAUNCH workforce development program has been inundated with applicants seeking $8,000 to train for a high-demand career. Lawmakers approved $75 million for the program, which could fund up to 10,000 scholarships, but 12,600 had either started an application or applied by Dec. 28 of last year, and the deadline isn't until April 15. Full Story: Inside Higher Ed (1/23)
The HR Leader
How high is your enterprise's "adaptability quotient"? There's a new way to measure a workforce called "adaptability quotient," and companies scoring highest will fare the best with AI, says Mary Alice Vuicic, chief people officer at Thomson Reuters. Vuicic predicts AI will "lead to the redefinition of roles and organizations and the fostering of new job categories." Full Story: HRM Asia (Singapore) (1/23)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Happy birthday, Neil Diamond (b. 1941)! He once sang "I Am ... I Said" at the House of Blues in West Hollywood with a Neil Diamond tribute band named what?
If something is important, do it now, says Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios, in today’s Leadership & Development story. “Speed has a force-multiplying effect,” writes VandeHei. “It eliminates festering problems faster and accelerates vital progress on important to-dos. This is the power of now.” “The power of now” is not about combatting procrastination. Rather, it is about how acting immediately helps boost motivation and efficiency. Progress begets progress. My favorite part of the article is when VandeHei outlines how this looks in practice. This is not fluff. “Start with email and phone calls” hit me between the eyes. I was convicted when VandeHei says he answers most emails within minutes. My reply rate isn’t nearly as timely. That explains why my inbox is often clogged. But I will be chiseling away at that inbox today, right after my last deadline. VandeHei lit a fire under me. It’s not just about getting to zero in my inbox. It’s about being an effective leader who knows what’s important and gets after it. What do you think of VandeHei's message about expediency? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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