The number of women transitioning jobs, which can include women leaving the workforce completely, increased 54% in 2021, compared with last year, while 4 out of 10 women say they are burned out, according to LinkedIn. Female workers talk about why they are rethinking their jobs during the pandemic, from wanting to pursue a career they're passionate about to being forced out of the workforce because of factors such as day care costs.

Sam's Club's approximately 600 stores have been fully staffed for the past three months, even in the midst of a tight labor market, CEO Kathryn McLay said. The Walmart-owned retailer's $15-per-hour minimum wage and $17.30-per-hour average wage, along with clear paths to careers in areas like cake decorating and forklift driving, have kept staffers loyal, McLay said.

A survey study conducted by Care.com indicated that working mothers feel heightened stress, and 53% say other pandemic-related caregiving issues have interfered with their job satisfaction. Only 14% of women surveyed said their employers offered benefits to help with child care.

Vendors such as ADP, ReturnSafe and Preworkscreen are offering tools for employers to track and manage employee vaccination records. "ReturnSafe has seen a 141% increase in inbound inquiries, the majority from companies with over 1,000 employees," since the federal government said it would develop a workplace rule for COVID-19 vaccinations, says ReturnSafe CEO Jikku Venkat.

Procrastination is commonly attributed to poor time management, but what's often more important is proper motivation and meaning, writes Susan Fowler. "At the beginning of each day, focus on making choices that connect to meaningful values and build your competence for facing everyday challenges," Fowler writes.

I met last night with *Dee, the daughter of one of my best friends. She’s 32, gorgeous, intelligent, driven and creative. She’s been working at our local radio station for seven years -- and enjoys radio -- but is antsy for new opportunities and challenges. She has implemented several programs for her station, but promotion remains elusive. After listening to her for a few minutes, I cut her off.

“Baby. You’ve outgrown that station. You’ve outgrown this area,” I said. She just looked at me, silent but thoughtful. I continued. “You’re not going to see that promotion. It’s not personal; it just won’t happen. Your next move should not be here. It should be in a new market. And I do not mean L.A. You’d slay Chicago or somewhere back East.”

Dee admitted she had been feeling that way, too, and was putting together some plans for new work and projects. We spent the next hour talking through her content and career ambitions. She's going to light the world on fire.

Women like Dee are leaving their organizations in droves, as we see in today’s top story. They’re driven by family responsibilities and a desire to do excellent work. Passion is important, but it’s got to pay the bills, too. They’re making it happen.

Don’t let the Dees of the world slip through your fingers. Give them room to spread their creative wings and watch what happens. The ideas and solutions you’ve been looking for will surface and unlock new energy in your organization.

How can I serve you better with this brief? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.

*Dee is not her real name. It's used here to preserve her privacy.