Most workers perceive HR as fair and trustworthy -- 70% and 69% respectively -- but fewer say it is compassionate or that it makes them feel valued or supported, according to an APQC survey. APQC's Elissa Tucker explains how the study reveals key issues HR can tackle to improve retention, including forming personal connections with employees, listening to them and supporting them to do their best work.

The biggest US banks worked to raise worker wages in 2021 and forecast further growth of compensation expenses. "We are seeing certainly fierce competition in the war for talent, and that's playing out in wage inflation," said BNY Mellon CFO Emily Portney.

Only 41% of 401(k) plans have company matches that become fully vested right away, a Plan Sponsor Council of America survey found. Companies that don't vest immediately use different timelines, with some going as long as six years before employer contributions fully belong to the worker.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order last July that included a request for the Federal Trade Commission to place restrictions on employee noncompete agreements as soon as this year, arguing that they hurt innovation. This article outlines what a ban on noncompete clauses could mean for companies and employees, particularly those within the tech sector.

This article offers four ways to better think about "not just on what questions to ask, but on who gets to ask them," and how better questions can improve discussion, understanding and decision-making, writes Pia Lauritzen, co-founder of Qvest. "The less time people in an organization spend reflecting and asking questions, the less they align with one another on what's important, and the greater the risk that they are busy doing things that have no impact," Lauritzen writes.

When my daughter, Kawai, came to me to say she was changing her major from English to HR, I was surprised but pleased. Kawai has a good head for business. She's been working for her in-laws' printing company for two years and understands the link between head count and revenue, and why it's important to hire the right people. She definitely has the human capital mindset.

Where she has room to grow is with the people and culture aspect of the job – compassion and support. Our top story today shows that workers today trust their HR teams but want to also feel valued. They want to know they matter as individuals and that they contribute to the success of the organization. That’s fair.

How are you nurturing compassion and support in your organization? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.