Wages and salaries are being eclipsed by the cost of living, say 67% of workers, an increase from Feb. 2022's 58%, according to the Bank of America. In addition, 64% of workers are stressed about money, climbing to 80% among those ages 35 to 44, and only 38% of women feel financially secure.

A five-month strike by the Writers Guild of America could end under a tentative agreement between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Before production on programs such as talk shows can resume, WGA members must approve the deal, which would include a boost in streaming-content royalty payments and safeguards against encroachment by AI on writers' credits and pay. The actors union has not yet reached an agreement to end its strike.

A company's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts must be championed by the C-suite, writes Ivori Johnson, who outlines actions leaders can take. "[W]hile hiring and employing diverse talent is important, building a culture that's intentionally inclusive and supportive is also critical, making employees feel heard, respected, and valued," Johnson writes.

A National Institute on Retirement Security report found that the outlook for Generation X members' retirement savings is not positive as they get closer to the end of their careers. Main findings of the report include a median retirement savings level of just $40,000 for this population, with Tyler Bond of NIRS noting that amount is insufficient to maintain a standard of living.

Retaining employees needs to be a long game that starts before they're hired and continues for the duration, author and consultant Alaina Love writes. Connect people to purpose, develop an intentional onboarding and support process, pay them fairly and help them grow, Love says.