Tesla faces WARN Act suit over layoffs | Why a cameras-optional policy works for remote meetings | Use tech to support company culture in a virtual space
Two former Tesla employees have brought a lawsuit alleging that the automaker violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, Act with its recent layoffs amid economic concerns cited by CEO Elon Musk. The plaintiffs, who worked at Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada, say they did not receive 60 days' notice of impending layoffs as required by the WARN Act, and they are seeking back pay and benefits.
At the beginning of the pandemic, keeping cameras on during videoconferencing was seen as a way to stay connected. Now, making cameras optional might make sense for the sake of employees' mental health and to limit distractions and boost productivity.
The State of Performance Enablement Nearly 50% of employees are looking to leave their jobs. Do you know what it takes to get them to stay? Read the Report
About 4 in 10 American workers responding to a Willis Towers Watson poll said they have deferred or canceled a medical procedure over the past year, with 25% and 23% citing unaffordability and cost uncertainty, respectively, as their main reason for delaying care. Out of more than 9,600 respondents, 33% of workers who were struggling to pay for care said the deferrals have made their health worse.
Career and technical education students at Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction in New York City partnered with IKEA to build a simulated apartment, allowing them to use their design and architecture skills. The space will be used by students with disabilities at an area school to practice basic household skills.
Leaders are always making decisions, but business professors Don Moore and Max Bazerman argue in their new book, "Decision Leadership," that leaders must also create processes that help "their direct reports, the broader organization, consumers, investors, and other stakeholders to make decisions that maximize collective benefit through value creation." The authors make several recommendations including creating diverse teams to make better decisions.
I had just finished a video call with two of my editors. We had been discussing an internship program. The call lasted about 40 minutes.
“Are you done with your meeting?” a voice boomed behind me.
Surprised, I turned around in my desk chair. My desk faces a wall in my dining room/den area. Behind me is the den with the TV and bookcases. Huddled on the couch was my roommate, Raymond, blanket draped over him and his bald head peeking out over the couch arm.
“Ay! I didn’t know you were there!” I squeaked.
“I know,” he said, irritated, and sitting up. He kicked off the blanket and stood. He had on basketball shorts and no shirt. His phone was in his hand. He gave me a stony glare. “I’ve been holding it for 40 minutes!”
“Well, why didn’t you get up and go?” I asked, laughing.
“I couldn’t!” he shot back, pointing at his bare chest and waving his arm at my laptop. “Your camera was on! Your people don’t need to see this. I didn’t know you had a meeting. I just heard voices and tried to scrunch down so they couldn’t see me. And then I couldn’t move.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. Raymond’s a big guy – 6’1”, 250+ pounds, a former football and basketball player. There’s no hiding him.
“That’s just wrong,” he grumbled as he shuffled away.
I couldn’t help but remember (and laugh again!) about this exchange as I read today’s Recruiting & Retention story. Cameras on or off -- what’s your preference for team calls?
I don’t usually require my team to keep their cameras on. Most folks turn theirs on for our monthly check-in calls, but some folks prefer it off and I’m fine with that. I don’t worry that they’re goofing off. I’d know that -- their output would reflect it. They would miss deadlines and their work would be sloppy.
I also know that some folks get anxiety about being on camera, as we see in the story. I get it. I don’t have an issue with cameras but if someone else does, I respect that. I let them know that there might be a time when they have to do it (a big meeting or a presentation) and they have always been willing to do it.
What say you? What’s your policy? Does it work? How do you address pushback? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
Sharing SmartBrief on Workforce with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
