America’s economy is at a strange tipping point where unemployment is low at 3.6%, help wanted ads abound, and talented candidates call the shots. Yet, simultaneously, rising interest rates, business costs, record inflation, and sinking consumer confidence are signaling the potential for a hiring slowdown. So how should businesses approach near-term hiring decisions with an eye to a sudden downturn in the economy? …
Four Signs That Your Health Could Be Impacting Your Job
The pandemic’s good news is we have learned a lot about how to keep ourselves healthy. The bad news is we are not doing a very good job at it! Over the past year, dodging the virus was the only priority for most of us. As a result, many of us became too stressed, tired, and overwhelmed to eat healthily or exercise …
Stop, Think, and Plan Before Mandating a Coronavirus Vaccine!
Finally – the long-awaited fix for the devastating COVID-19 is here! Businesses large and small are breathing a collective sigh of relief with the hope that when all their employees are inoculated, everyone can get back to congregating and collaborating in person. You might be writing that company-wide memo even now, telling people how, when, and where to get …
The Best Way to Avoid the Consequences of Misclassifying Workers
Tempted to fill a labor gap with a contract worker? Here’s what you should know before you do: In 2019, California passed Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5 to) to reclassify freelance workers as employees rather than independent contractors. However, app companies, citizens, and many contract workers revolted, launching one of this year’s most expensive ballot measures – Proposition 22. Prop …
An Effective Diversity Policy Means Never Having to Say You are Sorry
It hasn’t been a good year for Goodyear. COVID concerns disrupted operations, second-quarter sales were down 41% from a year ago, and to add insult to injury, last week, company officials found themselves in crisis management mode. A slide from a Topeka diversity training session, labeled “Zero Tolerance,” itemized two columns of permitted and banned symbols and phrases on apparel worn at work. Among …