When the topic of closing the wage gap arises, many people think increased transparency about salaries shrinks the gap, because workers know they are earning a wage similar to their peers. Research from Harvard Business School has found that salary transparency leads workers to believe there is less room to negotiate, resulting in a 2% to 3% reduction in earnings.

A National Labor Relations Board hearing officer is calling for a redo of the unionization vote by Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Ala. Workers who cast ballots voted 2-to-1 not to unionize, but the NLRB officer determined that the company ran afoul of labor laws during the vote, according to the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

Data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute suggests that 28% of US retirees are likely to have modest financial assets; 22% can be considered "comfortable"; 19% can be called "affluent"; 18% are struggling; and 12% are just getting by. Financial status in retirement is influenced by guaranteed income, debt, spending and adviser input, the study found.

The Latino student population has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, which now is reflected in a drop in college enrollment, after enrollment numbers had previously been rising. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse finds that Latino undergraduate enrollment, which had been increasing, dropped 1.9% during the 2021 spring semester.

Having a great collection of talent isn't a substitute for a strong culture, as the Green Bay Packers are finding out with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who feels disrespected and unhappy with the team's decisions, writes Larry Robertson. "If your right-now version is unsettled, it's guaranteed to hasten your organization's struggles, if not its demise, when the next wave of uncertainty arrives," Robertson writes.

I’m a single parent of two. I had a rule that Kawai and Kiaha could say anything to me -- even as far as expressing anger at me or giving me criticism -- provided they did it with respect. It took a bit for them to learn. They were uneasy about it (“Will I really not get into trouble?”) or felt bad doing it. Eventually, they figured out how to do it and the practice led to constructive conversations and, in some cases, change. (I’ll tell the “I would like to make my own lunches, please” story another day.)

I’m reminded of this practice with today’s Leadership & Development story about leaders getting feedback from employees. It is awkward. Folks may shrink from doing it. But press on. Apply these strategies and watch how they change the nature of relationships and even your culture.

And with that, I bid you adieu for the next week as I prepare for -- and then recover from -- my daughter’s wedding. Herds of family are landing as we speak and it is sure to be a festive event. I look forward to sharing the anecdotes when I return. Aloha!

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