Six factory workers are among the hundreds killed by Hurricane Helene. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
The Hurricane Helene death toll has reached 150, including at least six workers from the Impact Plastics factory in Erwin, Tenn. Workers say management shouldn't have made them work that day and wouldn't let them leave as floodwaters rose, but the company denies those claims. Full Story: The Associated Press (10/2),The Guardian (London) (10/2),AlterNet (10/1)
An Enboarder survey of employees in the UK, US and Australia found 65% were happy and 10% "over the moon" with their onboarding experience, while 19% considered the experience to be "meh" and 5% a disappointment. Some employees who had a bad onboarding experience regretted accepting the job, felt disengaged or had a negative outlook on the workplace, according to the survey. Full Story: Human Resources Director (9/27)
Navigating compensation planning challenges in 2025 Labor market uncertainty and inflation are expected to keep salary increase budgets high in 2025, with median salary budget projected to grow 4.0%. Pay equity and transparency regulations are expanding, requiring employers to address pay disparities proactively, and the Department of Labor's new minimum salary test for overtime exemptions will necessitate salary adjustments or reclassification of positions. Grant Thornton examines these issues and other key trends in compensation planning. Full Story: Grant Thornton (9/30)
Path to Workforce
The rise of the microcredential Microcredentials are gaining popularity among young students seeking cheaper, faster routes to stable jobs, with programs like those at Northern Maine Community College and Marcy Lab School leading the way. These alternative credentials offer immediate job skills but raise concerns about their long-term effectiveness and regulation standards. Full Story: Inside Higher Ed (10/1)
The HR Leader
How leaders can foster psychological safety at work Psychological safety in the workplace allows team members to take risks and share ideas without fear of negative consequences, fostering both learning and growth, experts say. "The organization's strength is found in its ability to create a culture of safety where it produces an environment in which individuals can openly speak, create, produce, and innovate without feeling that they will be shut down or shut out," says Sharon Robinson, a systemic leadership expert. Full Story: Forbes (tiered subscription model) (10/1)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Taylor Swift was Time magazine's most recent "Person of the Year." A group of journalists, including one listed here, were the collective "Persons" in 2018. Which one?
The word “brave” rang in my my head as I read today’s Leadership & Development story from LinkedIn profiling AdventHealth Chief Administrative Officer Olesea Azevedo. Think of the courage it took for a 14-year-old girl to battle her parents for permission to move to the United States from Moldova, so she could attend a certain high school. And then she moved -- on her own! -- and faced a whole new set of hurdles, including learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture and getting employment. That’s guts. Leading organizations today calls for this type of courage. We need bravery to: Advocate for new tools and strategies. Be creative and pilot ideas. Improve recruiting and adopt non-traditional hiring practices. Stand under pressure, avoid caving to what’s “safe” and stay the course for innovation -- even when it’s unpopular. Invest in your teams -- send them to conferences, give them training that improves their skills, set up team-bonding activities Trust the people around you and nurture those relationships. Take an honest look at yourself and identify areas that could be impairing your work. That last one isn’t just for leaders. It’s something that everyone, at every level, needs to do. What hinders your productivity and outcomes? Do you need to mend a fence with a colleague? Is your ego getting in the way of doing some things faster and better? Are you spending too much time on certain tasks? Are you doing a poor job of prioritizing your time? People who are stars in their field operate with courage on the daily. It’s not something they do consciously. They likely don’t even characterize their actions or character as brave. But they are. They stare down the barrel of reality and do what’s required to move their people and organizations forward. I want to be that. Would you characterize bravery as a necessary professional skills? Drop me a line and let me know. Do you love this brief? Share it with others. Want different stories? Something about it bug you? Tell me. In the words of Frasier Crane, “I’m listening.”
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